Cape Chelyuskin. Cape Chelyuskin - coordinates

Where is Cape Chelyuskin? Looking for the northernmost continental point of Eurasia on a geographic map, look at the Taimyr Peninsula, which extends between the watery expanses of two cold seas: Kara (Yenisei Bay) and Laptev (Khatanga Bay).

Great North

These were years of great geographical discoveries. The main participant of the Second Kamchatka Expedition navigator Semyon Ivanovich Chelyuskin was in the prime of life: he was not even forty. Unfortunately, the exact date of birth of this brave and purposeful person is unknown. After studying the biographical information, Nikolai Chernov (a connoisseur of history and a specialist in literary criticism) called 1704. There are other opinions. A graduate of the school of mathematical and navigational sciences, who served on the ships of the Baltic Fleet, was full of strength and determination to conquer the snow-covered and ice-covered areas, to reach the end of Eurasia, in spite of any difficulties.

There were enough problems when Chelyuskin began as a post-traveler in the Great Northern Expedition (1733-1743) under the leadership of Vitus Jonassen Bering (a Russian seafarer of Danish origin). Scientific research began with the approval of the Admiralty College. It was supposed to study Russia from Pechora to Chukotka.

On the threshold of discovery

During the Second Kamchatka Expedition, we had to struggle not only with natural and climatic cataclysms, but also with bureaucratic indifference, and sometimes with open sabotage. Investigators were already not easy: every second there was a threat of delay due to the weather, followed by death among the white silence.

But cases of downtime and human losses were also due to bureaucratic red tape. The schedule of supplying groups with everything necessary for work and life was disrupted. However, the difficulties were overcome. It remained to make the last throw and reach the extreme northern point. So today is the dream of the conquerors of ice - Cape Chelyuskin (photo of the modern lighthouse can be seen in the article).

It was assumed that the event would coincide with the end of 1741. Later it was found out that the terms are shifted due to weather conditions. Nevertheless, for 12 months of the year navigator Semyon Chelyuskin and Lieutenant Khariton Laptev did a titanic work. They described the coast, passing through the spaces between the places where the Pyasina River flows into the Kara Sea, and the Lower Taymyr into the Taimyr Bay of this marginal space of the Arctic Ocean. Surveyor Chekin made cartography of the eastern coast. It remained to go through and "record" the north.

I shared with the servicemen

To implement the final stage, Chelyuskin was allocated about 700 rubles of state money. For those times there was not just a solid, but a colossal amount. Semyon Ivanovich knew about the plight of servicemen from the Yenisei province and the county, as well as the Turukhansk region. They have been poor for years, not receiving either money or food.

He decided to take a risky step: most of the money was used to support them. Servants of the Tsar did not forget about this and at the right moment they also helped. Going on a hike, the navigator counted on five sledges and forty sled dogs.

Kazachkami Turukhanskiy Fedor Kopylov and Dementy Sudakov unusual "transport park" was strengthened: it was joined by several more teams (dog and deer), loaded with food.

The local governor also selected the carts for canine and horse traction. Semyon rushed to the realization of the following plan: to reach the northeastern tip of Taimyr, turn to the west and go along the coast, detailing all details in scientific diaries.

Forty miles a day

The way to the future Cape Chelyuskin was akin to a feat. There were very severe frosts. On the day they overcame slightly more than 42.5 kilometers (40 versts). Sometimes it seemed to travelers that the Taimyr Peninsula has neither end nor edge. When, having passed along the rivers of Hete and Khatanga, the Chelyuskinites reached the Popigai winter hut, the date was February 15, 1742, on the calendar.

At the end of March they decided to split up into groups. The one that was loaded with food went to the sea. Chelyuskin went north. People led by Nikifor Fomin (Yakut nationality) headed to the mouth of the river called Nizhnyaya Taimyr, from there to hasten to meet the navigator on the western coast of the Taimyr Peninsula.

Having reached Cape St. Thaddeus, Semyon Ivanovich established a lighthouse, fixing information on this in a travel journal. He kept the records carefully: he described in detail the weather, the condition of the dogs (they were very tired). Strangely enough, about what people are going through, did not leave a line, as if deliberately ignoring the topic.

Victory is near

On May 6, according to the old style, the navigator recorded that the weather was clear, the sun was shining. Then he indicated the location: 77 ⁰ 27 'north latitude. Today everyone knows that Cape Chelyuskin has the following coordinates: 78 ⁰ north latitude and 104 ⁰ east longitude. That is, the goal was very close!

According to the diary information, on this day the Chelyuskinites successfully hunted the bear, replenishing the food reserves. This allowed them to eat in the last five miles, especially since such a blizzard had risen, that the researchers had stopped for a whole day. They did not survive on the scarce supplies in the cold.

They set off again towards evening, at five o'clock in the afternoon, in cloudy weather, in a fog, under incessant snow. And here it is, the last point. The cape turned out to be a stone, medium-high, on a steep bank.

Eastern North

Around the ice lay without debris and piles, smooth and endless. Chelyuskin called the eastern North. I built a beacon from a log, which I brought specially with me. Many of those who read the diary a decade later were amazed at the dry efficiency of the presentation. Semyon Ivanovich did not stress either the magnitude of the discovery or the difficulties experienced.

The voice of the brave present Chelyuskin Cape was not announced for long. The navigator with two companions by soldiers Anton Fofanov and Andrey Prakhov stayed here about an hour. Then they moved in the way back to the Lower Taimyr, to the very mouth of the river.

Semyon, son of Ivan

Cape Chelyuskin northern extremity of Eurasia was on the 100th anniversary of the significant opening. It markedly stimulated the development of geographical science.

In 1878, on a steamship "Vega" he was visited by the Swedish explorer of the Arctic, geographer, geologist and navigator Nils Adolf Erik Nordenskiold. From the floating forest on a pile of stones he built a lighthouse. In 1893 the Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen was the first to round the ledge.

Cape Chelyuskin is on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. On the map this is a small point. To achieve it, participants of the Second Kamchatka Expedition had to endure exorbitant burdens. Buried into the ocean by one of the spurs of the Byrranga mountains, the realm of cold and ice was once cast by the plain Russian Semyon, the son of Ivan, with his bright eyes. His name remains to live forever.