Yenisei Bay: the history of discovery, description and inhabitants of the reservoir

The world around us has many mysteries and secrets, which is probably why people like to explore it. Of particular interest are hard-to-reach regions located close to the North. Long since, adventurers and explorers have created expeditions to study these mysterious places, which often ended tragically for their participants. Today, with the development of technology and scientific achievements, many new and unexplored things have been discovered. There is an intensive study of the relief of the bottom of the seas, located in the north of Russia. Also climatic conditions, flora and fauna of these regions are investigated. Of particular interest is the Yenisei Gulf of the Kara Sea, into which the famous Yenisei River flows .

History of the discovery

The study of these places involved Russian explorers in the 14-17 centuries. The Great Northern Expedition, led by Lieutenant Ovtsin, navigator Minin and Undertaker Sterlegov, began in the early 18th century (1737). They made a map with a description of the banks of the Yenisei River and the Yenisei Gulf.

The Academy of Sciences and the Russian Geographical Society were interested in the studies of the Northern Seas in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. They organized an expedition led by Lopatin and Schmidt, who described the Yenisei Gulf and gave more accurate data on the relief of the shores and the geological structure. Studies of these areas were carried out until October 1917. After the change of government at the state level, nobody dealt with this issue, and only single enthusiasts went to the mouth of the Yenisei in search of adventure.

In the 70-ies of the twentieth century only geographers studied geography. They investigated the zoobenthos of the Yenisei Gulf of the Kara Sea, the soil, flora and fauna of the surrounding areas.

Uniqueness of the Kara Sea

In the North of Russia there are 4 Siberian seas, belonging to the Arctic Ocean:

• The Chukchi.
• East Siberian.
• Karskoe.
• The Laptevs.

Among them, Karskoe is distinguished by a unique hydrological feature. The two largest water arteries of Russia - the Ob and the Yenisei - flow into it. River water is carried into the sea, because of which a large area of its surface becomes freshwater. The thickness of this layer is about 2 meters.

The Kara Sea has a winding shore line. In its eastern part, the largest bays are located:

• The Yenisei.
• Gydansky.
• Pyasinsky.

Description of the Yenisei Gulf

The Yenisei Bay is located between the mainland of the Eurasian continent and the Gydansky Peninsula. Its name was given in honor of the river of the same name. The length of the bay is approximately 225 km, and the widest part is 150 km. The maximum depth of the reservoir is 20 m. For 9 months the Yenisei Bay is icebound, and only in the summer it thaws. On the east coast of the Kara Sea is the port of Dixon. It is located at the entrance to the bay.

In these regions, fisheries are developed, as well as hunting for marine life, seals and beluga whales.

Through the bay there is a sea route to the ports of Igarka and Dudinka, which are located on the Yenisei River. This water artery desalinates the Kara Sea.

The smaller rivers of Siberia also flow into the Yenisei Gulf:

• Golchikha.
• Sariha.
• Hag.
• Yung-Yama.
• Mezenkin.
• Miketl.
• Volgin.
• Juro.
• Dorofeeva.

In the bay there are two islands: Oleny and Sibiryakova.

Inhabitants of the reservoir

Benthos of the Yenisei Bay is mixed. Some forms refer to freshwater species, while for other inhabitants only saline sea water is suitable. These factors also affect the spread of living organisms in the region.

The northern part of the bay is very similar to the sea in its hydrological indices, so here one can meet species of fauna well adapted to salt water. These include Ophiura nodosa - a representative of the family of echinoderms. In fresh water there is an active development of crustaceans and sea cockroaches belonging to the class of crustaceans. Joldia arctica are the mollusks of the Yenisei Gulf of the Kara Sea. They live in this pond in large numbers. The southern region is relatively poor in the bottom population, as it is highly desalinated.

The waters of the bay are rich both in freshwater fish and in species that live in salt water. Here you can meet flounder, sait, smelt. Dwell in the bay and commercial fish:

• perch;
• whitefish;
• Nelma;
• herring;
• Vendace and others.

The Yenisei Bay became for them a place of pasture and foraging.