Possessing the world's largest and most up-to-date icebreaker fleet, Russia
is considered to be the world's leading polar expert. We are going to
travel aboard the most powerful vessel in the world, the
icebreaker "Yamal", to 90° north
latitude.
We start from the port of
Murmansk and will travel north via the Barents Sea towards the archipelago
of Franz Josef Land, a strikingly beautiful area of glaciers, volcanoes,
and wildlife. We will make several landings to familiarize ourselves with
the archipelago's islands and their historical places, as well as to
observe walruses and polar bears.
Farther on our ship will head due north, to the Pole.
We will first see
small ice floes and fragments of icebergs appearing on the dark blue
surface of the Barents Sea. The air temperature will slowly drop, and soon
we will enter the world of eternal snow and ice.
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Just a few ships in the
world can cope with this mute, white element. Sights of ice polished by
wind, narrow channels of dark green water and aquamarine pools will appear.
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Shipboard helicopters will take us on aerial excursions to marvel at the
boundless spaces of the Arctic Ocean, and to thrill at the sight of our
icebreaker plodding through the thick polar pack. We will also have a
chance to see the genuine lords of this region - polar bears.