Voyage to the Bering Sea
Trip Start
Apr 07, 2008
1
24
54
Trip End
Oct 12, 2008
Anchorage,
Alaska,
United States
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Bering Sea is teeming with fish, crustaceans, sea birds, and mammals, all of which are essential to the subsistence and cash economy of the region. Here, you will find more of everything: several hundred species of birds, nesting in colonies that number in the thousands; millions of fur seals in centuries-old birthing grounds; the world's largest concentration of walruses; and one of the world's richest and most productive fisheries. One of the most dramatic migrations of marine mammals occurs here as this is the summer destination of the gray whales, which winter in the Sea of Cortés between January and March.
The Bering Sea, most scientists believe, stands as an indicator of climate change. Changes in the population of marine life, variations in sea ice, and warming of the ocean itself are noticeable measures of the physical and biological components of the ecosystem, although the effects are not yet completely understood. Each year ice may extend 600 miles south of the Bering Strait.
Named for Vitus Bering, a Danish mariner hired by the Russian empire to chart the area between Russia and the west coast of North America, and ultimately to promote Russian trade and industry, the Bering Sea is today as much of a scientific mystery as it was in 1741 when Bering and Georg Steller set out in uncharted waters. The second Kamchatka Expedition, with the vessels St. Peter and St. Paul, covered tremendous territory, and would change the course of history. Bering, commanding the St. Peter, ultimately discovered the Aleutian Islands. It was on this fateful voyage that Bering, sickened by scurvy, landed on an uninhabited island and eventually died. That island is now known as Bering Island."
Today we joined people from all over the World participating in Cruise West's Voyage to the Bering Sea. CW hosted a lovely dinner on Friday night; on Saturday we flew from Anchorage to Nome to begin our first every organized cruise. Jumping ahead: it was fantastic!!!!
A substantial portion of the text for the Voyage entries will either be taken from the handbook given to each person on the cruise, or from Cruise West's website pertaining to the cruise:
http://www.cruisewest.com/alaska-cruises-beringsea
We loved the cruise so much that we want to give them as much coverage as practicable.
"Voyage to the Bering Sea: Our Voyage to the Bering Sea journeys take you on an epic voyage of nearly 2,000 miles in the wake of Danish explorer Vitus Bering, to some of the most remote and spectacular islands on earth. Every place you go is rarely, if ever, visited by other cruise ships. Experience sights, sounds, and people you'll remember the rest of your life - the white bones of a whalebone repository, Native cultures who still rely on sealskin kayaks, and wildlife so prolific, the cliffs and shorelines seem to shift and move like a mirage. Truly a voyage beyond the ordinary. Stop along the wildlife-rich Aleutian Archipelago ... as you journey between Anchorage and the northern waters near Nome."
The cruise officially starts at the Sheraton Hotel in Anchorage; the first night plus a hosted dinner is included as part of the cruise. The itinerary pictured above is intended to give you a bit of an overview of our trip; each day will be described in full and depicted in full.
