Chaunskaya Bay
Encyclopedia
East Siberian Sea
The East Siberian Sea is a marginal sea in the Arctic Ocean. It is located between the Arctic Cape to the north, the coast of Siberia to the south, the New Siberian Islands to the west and Cape Billings, close to Chukotka, and Wrangel Island to the east...
, in the Chaunsky District
Chaunsky District
Chaunsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the six in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. It is located on the northern shore of the autonomous okrug and in terms of the administrative divisions borders Shmidtovsky District in the northeast, Anadyrsky District in the...
of Chukotka
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug , or Chukotka , is a federal subject of Russia located in the Russian Far East.Chukotka has a population of 53,824 according to the 2002 Census, and a surface area of . The principal town and the administrative center is Anadyr...
, northeast Siberia.
The bay is open to the north and is 140 km in length. Its maximum width is 110 km. Its mouth is defined by Cape Shelagsky to the east and an unnamed part of Ayon Island
Ayon Island
Ayon Island is an island in the coast of Chukotka in the East Siberian Sea. The island itself consists mainly of low lying tundra, is populated mainly by Chukchi, who use the tundra as pasture for their reindeer herds.-Geography:...
to the west. It narrows where the Pevek
Pevek
Pevek is a town and Arctic port in Chaunsky District, part of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. After Anadyr and Bilibino it is the third largest town in Chukotka. Population: Municipally, the town is subordinated to Chaunsky Municipal district and together with Apapelgino and Yanranay, is...
Peninsula on the east approaches Ayon Island.
Owing to is northerly location Chaunskaya Bay is covered with ice most of the year.
This bay is the center of one of the larger lowlands in Chukotka. A number of rivers flow into the southeastern corner: Chaun River
Chaun River
The Chaun River is a stream in Far East Siberia. It flows roughly northwards, passing through the sparsely populated areas of the Siberian tundra.The Chaun River flows into the East Siberian Sea at the Chaunskaya Bay, 100 km S of Pevek city...
, Ichuveyem River
Ichuveyem River
The Ichuveyem River is a stream in Far East Siberia flowing in a roughly westward direction. It passes through the sparsely populated areas of the Siberian tundra and flows into the East Siberian Sea at the Chaunskaya Bay...
, Palyavaam River
Palyavaam River
The Palyavaam River is a stream in Far East Siberia flowing in a roughly westward direction. It passes through the sparsely populated areas of the Siberian tundra and flows into the East Siberian Sea at the Chaunskaya Bay...
, Lelyuveyem River and Pucheveyem River. There is a protected natural area
Zakaznik
Zakaznik is a type of protected area in Russia and other former Soviet republics such as Ukraine that meets World Conservation Union's category III, or more frequently category VII criteria....
in the southeast.
Lake Elgygytgyn is about 160km southeast and the town of Bilibino
Bilibino
Bilibino is a town and gold-mining center in Bilibinsky District of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia, located at the confluence of the Karalve'em and the Bolshoy Keperve'em Rivers north-west of Anadyr. It is the second largest town in Chukotka...
about 160km southwest.
The first Russian to reach the area was probably Mikhail Stadukhin
Mikhail Stadukhin
Mikhail Vasilyevich Stadukhin was a Russian explorer of far northeast Siberia, one of the first to reach the Kolyma, Anadyr, Penzhina and Gizhiga Rivers and the northern Sea of Okhotsk. He was a Pomor, probably born in the village of Pinega, and the nephew of a Moscow merchant...
in 1649. There is a port at Pevek
Pevek
Pevek is a town and Arctic port in Chaunsky District, part of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. After Anadyr and Bilibino it is the third largest town in Chukotka. Population: Municipally, the town is subordinated to Chaunsky Municipal district and together with Apapelgino and Yanranay, is...
.