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June 30, 2008 — Plover Bay & Provideniya, Chukotka Region, Russia

The bad weather persisted and our early morning stop at Sirenika Village was thwarted as the water was too rough for the Zodiacs. This was where our Russian Agent Serge had made his skin boat years ago,

Instead, we went ashore at Plover Bay — the site of a whaling station abandoned in the 1940s. There were many interesting remains to explore including a ship & tow boats, a whale bone sculpture and an airplane hauled up years later with the hope of turning it into a restaurant, Yes, one never knows what one will find these days along the seashore. Dare I even mention, on this expedition we even found body parts.
After lunch we arrived in Provideniya where we had to go through a passport and face check - yet again. We then trooped down some somewhat dismal looking streets. Our excellent guide explained the city was founded in 1937 as the eastern terminus for the northern sea route along the Arctic coast of Siberia, kept open by icebreakers that supplied cities on the mouth of the Lena and Kolyma Rivers. Formerly the Soviet administrative and military centre of Chukotka, with the end of the cold war the population of this isolated city went down to 1500 mostly Yupik, a branch of Eskimos (as they are still called there).
Following a visit to the museum we enjoyed an afternoon tea and Russian concert at the Cultural Centre. Also, those suffering shopping withdrawal found something to buy. Returning to the ship we stopped at the corner store. Most items, even toothpaste were under lock I noticed all but one camera were film cameras. The other a Sony model we might pay $300 for was priced at over $1000. Not a good place to shop.

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