The Laptev Sea is difficult and poorly studied for navigation. There are few stories about this place, but even less information about the islands. One of them, the Transfiguration Island, in comparison with the neighboring one, which is called Bolshoy Begichev, looks like a tiny "comma" on the map.
The natural conditions in the region are very difficult. This explains the complexity and duration of the process of studying the territory and water area. It began in the 18th century, when many sciences, including navigation, were in their infancy.
History and location
The Transfiguration Island is located in the northern part of the Khatanga Bay. The island is small in size: seven kilometers long and two and a half kilometers wide.
The island first appeared on the map in 1736. It was drawn by the head of the expedition, Vasily Pronchishchev. The Yakutsk double-dinghy was specially built for the Great Northern Mission.
The name of the piece of sushi was given by Khariton Laptev in 1737 in honor of the feast of the Holy Transfiguration. For ships passing along the Northern Sea Route, a small island at the entrance to the bay has become an excellent landmark. Then the island was called Counter.
Bird colony
The main thing that makes the Transfiguration Island unique is the presence of a gigantic bird colony. Here is the largest seabird colony in the west of the Laptev Sea
The completely rocky coast, which is several kilometers, is occupied by about one hundred thousand birds. Different types of birds live literally back to back. One of these inhabitants of the colony is the great polar gull or glaucous gull. Its wingspan reaches one and a half meters. At home, this bird collects "tax" with chicks and eggs, and so feeds.
Usually there are no vacant seats: both comfortable and completely uncomfortable are occupied. And the offspring are raised right there. On the edge of the cliffs, the nests of gulls, between the rocks, in the cracks, are arranged by guillemots, and the guillemots lay their eggs on the rocky ledges. Future chicks do not roll off them only due to the "triangular" shape.
Life is in full swing
Although there is no particular variety of species, the number is impressive: approximately, about two million individuals. True, they do not winter here, they arrive for the summer.
Hares can be seen in the ruins of the polar weather station. They made secret passages and holes under each barrel. Feature. The island also became a station.
At the end of the braid there is an extension. It forms a high ground. At high tide it turns into an island, and at low tide it again merges with the spit. Walruses have settled on an almost isolated and farthest piece on the island. Here they have both a beach and a place to relax. On land, they are only in the summer, while there is no ice.
Life on a tiny piece of sushi is in full swing. There are seagulls everywhere, they are both on the shore and near the nests. The western coast is quite low and gentle. But the eastern wall is almost vertical. From its side, the island looks like an impregnable bastion. And indeed it is in fact.
Island features
It is very difficult to land ashore. And it’s impossible to climb the wall without special equipment. That is why birds feel so at ease here.
Cool summers are the norm here, not uncommon. But an increase, and a noticeable one, is an unusual phenomenon. August is the warmest month. It can be up to nine degrees above zero.
The main feature of the climate is long and strong cooling with relatively little wind.
People are rare guests here, so the inhabitants of this small island are not afraid of humans, except perhaps they exercise caution, even if the local landscapes are not distinguished by the brightness of colors and an abundance of lush vegetation. For photographers, there are many interesting animalistic subjects here.
