THE NORTHERN SHORES OF BERING SEA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600290983-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 29, 2011
• Sequence Number: 983
• Publication Date: April 5, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLACEIN RALCINTELLIGE CE AGEN@q4 11 A REPORT
SUBJECT
HOW
WHERE
DATE
LANGUAGE
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
Karyak Area
Geographic -- Topo3raphy, hydrography
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Hydrographic Information for the ast of Siberia, Hydrographic Of-
fice, Japan, 19 0. Hydrographic Information for the
Arctic Sea, Hydrogr ce, span, 19 3,
7 7-
THE NORTHERN SHORES OF BERING SEA
[Note: Mileage is in nautical miles?
Glubokaya Bay
Glubokaya Bay is located about 85 miles northeast of Cape Olyutorskiy. It is
about one mile long and 2 cables' lengths wide. There is a smaller bay on the
Southwestern side called Imatra Bay, which is 2 cables' lengths vide and 50 to 80
meters long. The shores of Glubokaya Bay are either steep banks or cliffs, and
landing from small boats is difficult. However, there is a lowland at the head of
the bay. The depth of the bay is irregular, ranging from 22 meters at the en-
trance to 14.5 to 91 meters inside the bay.
The center of Imatra Bay, depth about 27 meters, is considered a good anchor-
age capable of accommodating more than ten small steamships. According to a re-
port by the Japanese Hokuho Maru in May 1925, Imatra Bay is protected from winds
and waves and provides good shelter even when anchoring is difficult in Glubokaya
Bay.
Natalii Bay
Natalii Bay is located Just northeast of Glubokaya Bay. The mouth of the bay
faces east and is about 6.5 miles wide. There is an island called Yoanna Bogaslo-
va near the center of the bay. The main bay is about 3 miles wide and 5 miles
long and is indented northwestward. To the south of 'the main bay, there are two
smaller bays, Pavla and Petra. The bays freeze late In October and thaw at the
end of June or early in July.
Pavla Bay is located in the middle of Natalii Bay. The area near the mouth
of the river at the head of the bay is suitable as anchorage for small ships and
boats. A report made by the Hokuho Maru in May 1925 indicated that this anchor-
age area can accommodate more than ten small steamships. Although there are a
few lowlands deep in the bay, most of the shore line is either steep banks or
cliffs where landing is difficult. Fresh water can easily be obtained from streams
by the use of small boats.
C6 711.1 T 14
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Anadyr Bay
Anadyr Bay is located in the western part of Anadyr Gulf and comprises an in-
ner and an outer bay. Generally, the northern side of the bay is mountainous, the
southern side is low and swampy, and the western side, where the Anadyr River emp-
ties into the bay, is also low.
July and August are mostly drizzly with occasional hurricanes. Sometimes
there is snow in August. There are frequent storms b
t
t
e
ween Oc
ober and February,
but March to June is usually calm. Fog prevails more offshore than inside the bay.
Snowfall begins in the middle of S
t
b
ep
em
er and lasts until June. The temperature
ranges from a low of minus 56 degrees centigrade in February to a high of about
plus 10 degrees. There are freezes in the middle of September and thaws early in
July. Drift ice appears to remain the year around south of the outer bay.
The outer bay is 25 miles east to west and 20 miles
th t
nor
o south. The bay
is open to the east and the entrance is about 10 miles wide. The northern limit of
the bay is Ca e Va ili
s
t
p
ya a
the tip of the spit extending southwestward from the
north shore, and the southern limit is Cape Geka, a low hill isolated like an is-
land. The northern half of the outer bay is generally deeper than the southern
half, which is leas than 7 meters. Raid Shoal is located slightly north of the
center of the bay. Although the outer bay in large, it is merely a wide channel
rather than an anchorage area, as there are many shoals.
On the northern shore, opposite Raid Shoal, there is a small inlet called Nik-
olaya Bay, which became well known after the discovery of placer gold.
The speed of current reaches 4 to 5 knots at ebb tide, and when there are 5 to
7 consecutive days of strong wind, speed is further increased, making it dangerous
for boats.
The mouth of the Inner bay is a narrow channel (minimum width one wile) about
7 miles long, situated 25 miles northwest of the entrance of the outer bay. The
inner bay extends northwest from the entrance. It is 20 miles from the entrance of
the inner bay to the mouth of the Anadyr River, and the width is 4 to 12 miles.
Within the inner bay, the only area where depth is more than 9 meters is the 4- to
5-mile stretch between Cape Aleksandr and Cape Tolstiy to the vest. The area north
of Cape Aleksardr is 10 to 24 meters deep and the bottom is sand and mud.
On the low beach, about 4 miles northwest of Alyunka islet near the mouth of
the inner bay, there are about 50 European-style houses. This is Novo Mariinsk, or
Anadyr, which has been long known as a trading post for the Chukchis living on the
Pacific Coast. Markets are held here in spring and summer. There is a radio sta-
tion west of Anadyr, and a narrow-gauge railroad for coal hauling extends from the
settlement.
The river flows swiftly in the inner bay, reaching 7 to 8 knots at times and,
during summer, strong northeast winds often makes handling of small boats impos-
sible.
Kresta Gulf
Kresta Gulf, located north of Anadyr Bay, extends far inland for about 55
miles from a point between Cape Meyecheken and the western shore. Both shores of
the gulf run parallel, 20 miles apart, north-northwest from the entrance for about
35 miles. North from this point, the gulf narrows to about 4 miles. The head of
the bay is 10 miles from the Arctic Circle.
The northeastern part of the gulf is broken into several small bays. Kangin-
in inlet, one of the larger ones, is not suitable for anchorage as it is too shal-
low and the holding ground is poor.
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Engangin Bay in the northwestern corner of the gulf has a circumference of 9
miles. The bay is well protected from winds, and the water depth is favorable;
but, as the entrance channel is only 1.5 cables wide, only small ships can enter
the bay.
The usual anchorage area for vessels stopping at this gulf is northeast of
Kapp%Meyecheken where the depth is 9 to 16.5 meters. Although this area is exposed
to'northwest winds, it is generally suitable for anchorage.
There is a settlement of Chukchis near Cape Meyecheken; the inhabitants appear
to move inland during winter.
The gulf freezes in the middle of September and thaws late in July.
Provideniya Bay
Provideniya Bay is located on the eastern edge of Anadyr Gulf, west of Cape
Chukotskiy. It is indented northward for about 20 miles with an average width of
2 miles. The surrounding shores are mostly cliffs or bluffs. There are a few hid-
den rocks at the entrance of the bay, and although the color of the ocean changes,
the rocks do not interfere with entrance into the bay. The bay freezes early in
October and thaws early in July.
Plover Bay is located 5 miles from the entrance of Provideniya Bay. Its
depth is 20 to 40 meters, and as the bottom is sand and pebbles, there is a danger
of ships dragging during a strong northerly wind. There is a settlement of Chuk-
chis in the vicinity, which had one American store in 1920.
Emma Harbor is about 5 miles northeast of Plover Bay. It is about 3 miles
long and one mile wide, and the depth is about 22 meters. The entrance is 7 ca-
bles' lengths wide, but the passage is narrowed to 5 cables' lengths by hidden
rocks. The harbor is surrounded by steep peaks. Anchorage is possible anywhere
and, as it is well protected from winds, it is a far better harbor than Plover
Bay. There are three settlements on the lowland in the southern part. A large
number of reindeer are said to be raised there.
Cape Chaplina
Chaplina is a pointed cape on the southeastern coast of Chukotsk Peninsula,
35 miles northwest of Cape Chibubak on the northwestern edge of St. Lawrence Is-
land. It serves as an assembly point for American summer whaling ships. There
is a native settlement, Uniyin* (Unisak*), on the cane with a population of 600,
mostly Chukchis and Eskimos. This settlement, the largest in this locality, is
comparatively modern and is the trading center for this region. During southerly
winds, anchorage is possible northwest of the cape; when northerly winds blow, an-
chorage is good southwest of the cape. About 5 cables' lengths off the shore from
the settlement, the depth is 12.8 meters and the bottom is sand and pebbles.
Cape Dezhneva
Cape Dezhneva is the easternmost extremity of Asia. It is located on Chuk-
otsk Peninsula, opposite Cape Prince of Wales on the Alaskan shore about 50 miles
across the Bering Strait. It is a barren cliff, 930 meters high. On the outer
edge of the cape, there is a moss-covered pointed rock of black granite. Nuukan
village, located on high ground a little north of Cape Peyek, is a large Chukchi
settlement of about 60 houses and 300 persons. It serves as a trading center.
Cape Dezhneva is the terminal port of the Chukot Route of the Soviet Commer-
cial fleet.
Snowfall sometimes begins in late August in this area. The lowest tempera-
ture is minus 62 degrees centigrade. Ice floes on the coast remain practically
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the year around, but the channel is generally open from early in July to late in
September.
With information on advancing winds and currents from the Arctic Circle, ships
can find good anchorage in front of the Dezhneva Memorial Cross, one mile from the
shore where the depth is 9.1 to 10 meters and the anchor holding is good. When
winds are blowing from the south, anchorage is good off Uelea, 6 to 7 cables'
lengths from the shore where the depth is 14.6 to 16 meters,
Western Shore of Bering Strait
The western shore of Bering Strait extends southeast from Cape Unikin, between
Chutpen and Utek, to Cape Dezhneva. Near the steep Cape Instova (Inchouk), midway
on the western shore, Intsova (Inchoun) Lagoon penetrates far'inland.
Uelen is a settlement west of Cape Dezhneva. In calm weather it is possiblg
to anchor at one mile from the Uelen Coastal Radio Station where the depth is 15
to 17 meters and the bottom is muddy.
Cape Uelen Light (66 09 N, 169 44 w) is a wooden tower on top of the observa-
tion station.
Cape Uelen radio beacon is under the Uelen Coastal Radio Station, which re-
ports ice conditions and issues weather reports and storm warnings.
Cape Dezhneva, also known as East Cape, is a headland jutting out from the moun-
tain at the northeasternmost corner of Asia. The cliffs rise vertically from the
edge of the sea. The depth near the cape is 20 meters. Cape Dezhneva slopes in-
land and, as Jt joins the mountain in the lowlands it resembles an island when seen
from a distance. If anchored on the southside of Cape Dezhneva, northeast, north,
and west winds can be avoided. The mountain ends at Cape Peyek to the southeast;
landing is possiole in its vicinity.
The Naukan Light (66 01 11, 169 43 W) is a truncated pyramid tower, 6 meters
high, located 7 cables' lengths north of Cape Peyek. The shore line from Cape
Peyek to Cape Kreleugun (Krigugan) extends shothwest. The shore line between Cape
Peyek and Cape Nunyamo (Nunyagmo), which lies 28 miles to the shouthwest, consists
of high cliffs and is indented. The summit at Cape Litke serves as a good landmark
for this indented bay. Cape Nunyagmc is easily distinguishable by the 360-meter
round summit, which towers high on the cape.
The Nunyagmo Light (65 36 N, 170 39 W) is located on Cape Nunyagmo.
Lavrentiya Bay
Lavrentiya (St. Lawrence) Bay, beginning south of Cape Nunyagmo, extends 24
miles northwestward. It is about 24 miles wide. The mouth of the bay, located be-
tween Cape Nunyagmo and Cape Krigugan at the southwest of the bay's mouth, is about
10 miles wide. There is a shoal, 7 meters deep, in the middle of the entrance. As
this bay is surrounded by high mountains, it provides good shelter. The highest
peak is the 500-meter Vkhodnaya (Tyrkova) Mountain on the north side, about 10.5
miles northwest of Cape Nunyagmo.
Litke Island, 2 meters high, is located onthe northeastern side of the bay,
one mile west of Cape Pnaugun. It has a wooden slat-covered truncated pyramid bea-
con on the side facing the sea, and is connected with Cape Pinakuv by a shoal 3 to
5 meters deep. A 5.5-meter reef extends westward from the western edge of the is-
land, and the sea off this reef increases to 35 meters. deep.
There is an underwater ridge in front of the bay where the depth is 20 meters.
The depth is 30 meters just inside of this ridge, and 70 meters at the center, be-
coming shallow toward the head of the bay. The bottom is muddy. According to a
4-
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Soviet report, there is a radio station on the southern shore, 2 miles north of
Cape Khargilakh.
minimum depth at entrance is 14.5 meters in-
c ens ng inside to -65 meters; anchorage suitable between Litke and northwest
shore, depth 20 meters at 2 cables, lengths from shore; other areas too deep
for anchoring./
To enter Lavrentiya Bay, it is best to align the western edge of Litke Island
with Vkhcdnaya Mountain at 327 degrees and proceed into the bay. Cape Krigugan
serves as a good landmark for vessels from the south; it appears like an island
when viewed from a distance. There are gray cliffs on the eastern side of the cape,
where a beacon is mounted on a slat-covered truncated pyramid tower. Ships penetrat-
ing further into the bay must proceed from Cape Indrenuisa to Bennett island in the
middle of the bay to avoid the 5-meter reef, which is located between Cape Pavlova
and Cape Indrenuusa. Lavrentiya Bay usually begins to freeze early in September,
but it is navigable until the middle of the month. It is completely frozen by the
end of October and thaws late in July.
Strelok Bay, a small bay north of Cape Pavlova, affords good anchorage. The
depth at the entrance of this bay is 13.5 meters and within the bay is 3.5 to 7.5
meters; The bottom is muddy.
Diomede Islands
The Diomede Islands are located in the narrowest part of Bering Strait and com-
prise Big Diomede (Ratmanova) and Little Diomede (Kruzenstren) islands, and Fairway
Rock, which lies about 10 miles south-southeast.
Big Diomede Island towers 530 meters in the middle of the strait. The sea bot-
tom is rocky near the island. A shoal, which has not been surveyed, extends north-
west from the southern edge of the island. Diomede Coastal Radio Station is located
on this island.
Little Diomede is lower than Big Diomede Island, but it is also very steep. A
narrow strip projects westward from the western edge of the island; there is an Es-
kimo village on this strip.
There is a channel 35 meters deep between the two islands, but it is a poor pas-.
sageway. A good anchorage can be found on the northern side of Big Diomede Island.
Another anchorage is north of the strip on the western side of Little Diomede Island
where the only landing place Is located.
Fairway Rock is a steep bare rock which can be seen for 40 miles.
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