From Piltun to Chaivo (the bays of NE Sakhalin)

The bays of the north-eastern Sakhalin form a chain along big part of the island. It is possible to move through them with only one short portage. I have made this trip using Timan inflatable kayak built by Drakar.

Bays of the north-eastern Sakhalin

Paromai River – here I had started the trip

Piltun Bay (rare weather – no wind)

Camp in the tundra (portage across the narrow peninsula in the Piltun Bay)

The local mosquitoes prefer porridge but they drink human blood as well..

Reindeer

Bright white-spotted char caught in brackish water

Piltun lighthouse

When the fly drops to the bottom, it is eaten by a sculpin

Pacific redfin is an anadromous carp

Astokh Bay: near the bank I had seen big schools of some small fish

This is the southern tip of the Astokh Bay – from here I will portage the boat to the Chaivo Bay

This marshy creek flows to the south, into the Chaivo bay

In the mouth of the Ossoy River

836 meter long bridge across the Chaivo Bay was constructed for the Sakhalin 1 project

My camp at the Chaivo Bay

Ligusticum is edible; it tastes exactly like parsley

Due to strong southern winds I had to pull the boat along the bank

Blossoming stone-pine

Abandoned Chaivo village

Overnight in the mouth of the Val River

Drinking water from a marshy creek

Lower reaches of the Val River

My trip is over (Val R., bridge at the Nogliki – Okha road)