Sleeping at the camp allows the group to get an early start for our travels out to the field. We use yet another bus to get back to the water relay station to get the belongings we left there yesterday.
We load up the but to get back to our supplies at the relay station.
From the station, we drive to the dock where we are all happy to see the vesdehod that will be put on a boat and ferried across some open water to Kultuk. From Kultuk, the vesdehod will take us overland to Stolbevaya to begin our survey and excavation. Another transition of baggage from one form of transportation to another and we are away from the dock.
The Vesdehos is waiting at the dock. Another exercise in packing luggage.
The Vesdehod hops aboard the barge for towing across the lake.
I have to say that being on a barge, riding a Russian tank and watching beautiful mountains and volcanoes go by is pretty cool.
We quickly determine that the boat that is towing us is moving the barge in a serpentine fashion and we are wasting time, energy and efficiency in getting across the water. Sean-Paul and I see another boat nearby and we are worried it is going to crash into us, but the extra boat has been called by the boat pilot. The fishing boat is going to assist us to a dock where we can steady the barge for easier towing.
The men on the dock, the two boat captains and a crane operator get our barge stable and ready to go.
The mountains along the way are spectacular.
Watching the crane and captains steady the barge and we are on our way once again. There is one low water area that concerns us but we make it through with just a little difficulty. However, once we are through it one of the two lines that are attached to the barge snaps and is dangling into the water. We are once again serpentine, but now attached by only one tether to the ship. The winds have picked up and the water is choppy enough to be breaking over the front and wetting down the deck. This is now becoming a dangerous situation. If the tether breaks we will be adrift and that is a big problem. Realizing this, the boat captain turns the boat and barge around to find safe harbor.
The boat anchors near shore and we are out of danger for now.
The decision is made to find a place to anchor until the winds die down and we can try to get to Kultuk again. We wander around and gather firewood and cook dinner over an open fire in an abandoned house that is nearby. After a few hours of waiting out the wind we realize that we will have to camp for the night.
Rebecca and Jodi cook pasta over an open fire for dinner.
Dinner at our first camp is delicious, perhaps because we are all very hungry.
Tents pitched, boats anchored and a bit of disappointment in the air I have to say that I am happy at least that we are in a spectacular setting and the turn of events has kept all of us safe. If the weather cooperates tomorrow we will be closer to our destination and perhaps make some time overland to the field camp at Stolbevaya. Of course, that was today's plan as well.
Tent pitched near the shore with our stranded boats in the background.
As I am typing this Greg comes to the tent to tell me that Shiveluch Volcano has just erupted. I jump into my boots and out to see a cloud of smoke and ash coming from the top of the volcano in the light of the setting sun. Spectacular. I was very excited to see a volcanic eruption and here we are on our first night to the field with this omen. Hopefully, it is a sign of great things to come on our expedition.
Sunset in Far East Russia with Shiveluch Volcano putting on a show - just spectacular.