Surveys 2017

The 2017 surveys were has been done in the same manner as we carried them out earlier: along the Kava and Chelomdja rivers and along the coasts of the Odyan Bay, Staritskogo Peninsula and the Motykley Bay. We also tried to repeat the survey of 2017 along the southern coasts of the Koni Penninsula, but succeeded only partially. For the first time we surveyed the Tauy river from the Kava and Chelomdja confluence to the estuary. All surveys were carried out in July-August, whereas the Kava and Chelomdja rivers and part of the Koni peninsula were surveyed also in June by Irina.

            The surveys were carried out using inflatable Avon boat (most of the sea surveys), flat-bottom aluminum boat with 50hp jet outboard borrowed from the Magadan State Nature Reserve and a sea-worthy plastic boat with 90hp engine for the southern coast of the Koni peninsula, again, belonged and manned by the nature reserve. We used aluminum one for the river surveys and inflatable Avon boat for the sea surveys. During this season we used off-the-shelf available UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) in contrast to the home-made UAVs we used since 2012. This year Irina purchased for the Magadan State Nature Reserve Phantom 3 and I use Mavic-Pro, both by DJI, China. Both Phantom and Mavic were used from the terrain and from the boat. This season, as well as the previous one, literally was “flying with the eagles” season. With addition of bears-and-drone experience we had in early August 2017.