05 Jun 2014

Orcas in Russkaya

It has been a few days since I reported on the progress of our expedition along 'Russia’s Ring of Fire'. Right now we are cruising in the Kuril Islands where we are continuing to have memorable encounters. Early this morning we took a Zodiac cruise along the shores of Ekarma Island while hundreds of thousands of Northern Fulmars and only slightly fewer Puffins and Auklets filled the skies above us. Early this afternoon we are due to arrive at Matua and Toporkovy Islands where there are significant relics from the days of Japanese occupation. But I get ahead of myself.

Bad weather prevented us from making a landing at Commander Bay but we caught glimpses of it through the fog and rain. We farewelled the Commander Islands and cruised back to the Kamchatka Peninsula, taking the Zodiacs several miles up the Zhupanova River. There we viewed nesting Steller’s Sea Eagles and I was again reminded of the size of these distinctive birds, which never ceases to amaze me. Our next highlight came prior to a landing in Russkaya Fiord when we spent several hours with a pod of Orca. Yesterday we landed on Atlasova and Onekotan Islands in the Kuril Chain and searched out their history and wildlife.