11 Sep 2015

RFE 2015 Season Finale

This is the final report from the final expedition of the 2015 Russian Far East season which has been arguably our best season in every respect. The wildlife viewing has been exceptional and our cultural exchanges this year have reached a new level. The genuine warmth of the locals has shone through in their welcomes and they have treated us as a respected part of their communities. For me it is hugely rewarding because it shows that the efforts we have made as a company to make an ongoing commitment to support and engage with the peoples of this region is reciprocated. We plan to return next year in the knowledge that this special relationship will only grow and prosper.

 
Yesterday at Olga Bay we had some of the best Brown Bear encounters ever and today we finished this expedition under blue skies and bright sunshine at the Zhupanova River. We enjoyed stunning views of the volcanoes of Kamchatka with Steller’s Sea Eagles in the foreground as they flew low overhead, then perched in trees beside the river as though they were genuinely pleased to see us. It was a fitting way to not only finish this expedition but the entire season. I will now sign off for a time as we head to Vladivostok for the crew changeover, but keep an eye out for updates as we follow the sun southwards again.