The Laptev Sea, a photo and description of which is presented in the article, belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin. The harsh nature of this sea, like the entire Arctic, has been of interest to researchers for several centuries. But only today can scientists give reliable answers to questions regarding the climate, flora and fauna of this mysterious region. Although some time ago such problems seemed unsolvable.
Laptev Sea on the map
In 1735-1742, thanks to the efforts and long work of Russian researchers, the coastline of the sea was plotted on a geographical map. For example, cousins Dmitry and Khariton, after whom the Laptev Sea is named, devoted many years of their lives to exploring the region. While in the service of the Russian Navy, they were participants in a grandiose scientific research, which was organized by Peter I and called the Great Northern Expedition.
Today, the boundaries of the sea are established absolutely precisely, but the beginning of this difficult and dangerous work was laid in those distant years by such selfless people as the Laptev brothers - Dmitry and Khariton, Semyon Dezhnev and many other of our compatriots.
From the west, the sea washes the eastern shores from Cape Arktichesky to the mainland shore of Khatanga Bay. In the north, the maritime borders run from Cape Arktichesky to the northern shores of Kotelny Island. In the eastern part, the waters of the sea wash the western shores of the Kotelny, Maly and Bolshoi islands. Then the boundaries pass along and Dmitry Laptev.
From the south, the border of the sea runs along the northern shores of Eurasia from Cape Svyatoy Nos to Khatanga Bay. It was these sea boundaries that the Laptev brothers explored. The length of the coastal border is 5254 kilometers. The distance from the southeastern shores to the northwestern ones is 1300 kilometers. This is the largest indicator characterizing the size of the sea.
History of the region's exploration
Considering the harsh natural conditions of the Laptev Sea, it is not difficult to assume that the process of exploring its waters by travelers was not simple and safe. In addition, it should be taken into account that the work began in the 18th century - at a time when the development of many sciences, including navigation, was in its infancy. The level of geographical knowledge was also not very high.
Brave travelers made an invaluable contribution to the organization of work on the study of the northern coast of Eurasia along its entire length and the seas of the Arctic Ocean basin. Many researchers were officers of the Russian navy.
The brothers Khariton and Dmitry, after whom the Laptev Sea is named, began serving in the navy in 1718, where they were enlisted as midshipmen at a young age. By 1721, young people had already been promoted to midshipman. Fate decreed that for some time the brothers' life paths diverged. But Dmitry and Khariton were always faithful to the sea, to the Russian fleet, devoting the best years of their lives to the service.
In 1734, Dmitry Yakovlevich Laptev was included in the Great Northern Expedition as one of the best officers of the Russian fleet. His reputation was so high that he took the position of one of Vitus Bering’s assistants, who was appointed head of this large-scale event.
Dmitry Laptev was ordered to take the place of the deceased captain of the Irkutsk ship. It was on it that an attempt was made to explore the waters of the seas washing the continent from the mouth of the Lena heading east. The expedition turned out to be extremely unsuccessful, since almost the entire crew died from cold, scurvy and other diseases.
In August 1736, the Irkutsk, under the command of Dmitry Laptev, leaving the Lena River delta, again found itself on the open sea. But after a few days, the voyage had to be interrupted and the ship turned back, as powerful ice blocked the sailors’ path. The captain, taking into account the experience of the previous expedition, decided to save the lives of people and spend the winter on land.
The fate of those sailors who, on the ship "Yakutsk" had to move from the mouth of the Lena in a westerly direction (to explore the sea) was also tragic. Circumstances were such that Dmitry Laptev personally had to go to St. Petersburg to receive instructions regarding further study of the region. He himself also had a plan and was ready to propose it to management, hoping for understanding. The positive outcome of the expedition worried the Russian officer most of all.
Laptev brothers
So, since 1738, the brothers again begin to serve one common cause. On the recommendation of his cousin Laptev, Khariton Prokofievich was appointed captain of the ship "Yakutsk" instead of Pronchishchev, who died on the expedition.
In the summer of 1739, an expedition began whose goal was not only to survey the northern sea expanses, but also to take an inventory of coastal areas. Therefore, it included detachments that also traveled by land.
Having a well-developed plan of action, a brave, dedicated team on land and at sea, by 1741 Dmitry Yakovlevich Laptev was able to cover the distance from the mouth of the Lena to the Kolyma on the ship "Irkutsk". Having carefully processed the information received, he returned to St. Petersburg in the fall of 1742.
Khariton Prokofievich was supposed to explore the coast and sea west of the mouth of the Lena. The detachments led by Laptev had to experience enormous difficulties and hardships. The researcher and his companions did not stop even when they lost their ship, which was destroyed by ice. The expedition continued on foot. The result was a description of the territories from the mouth of the Lena River to the Taimyr Peninsula.
The life of such people as the brothers Khariton Prokofievich and Dmitry Yakovlevich, after whom the Laptev Sea is named, can rightfully be called a feat. This is understood by everyone who touches the study of history. Amazing perseverance and determination, boundless love for Russia helped these people overcome the seemingly insurmountable.
Geological structure of the seabed
The depth of the Laptev Sea is very contrasting. This circumstance was discovered more than 200 years ago, when the ships of the first expeditions repeatedly ran aground. It should be noted that the greatest depth is 2980 meters, the smallest is 15, and the average is 540 meters. This can be explained by the steep continental slope of the area where the sea is located. Taking into account the depth indicator, it is divided into southern and northern parts. The reference point for this is the parallel where Vilkitsky Bay is located.
The nature of the soil on the bottom of the Laptev Sea is greatly influenced by the rivers flowing into it. They carry large quantities of sand, silt and other sedimentary rocks. Their accumulation is 25 centimeters per year. In addition, in the shallow zone at the bottom of the sea there are boulders, large and small pebbles.
The huge glaciers of Severnaya Zemlya contribute to the formation of icebergs. The water column of the Laptev Sea contains a large amount of ice. Its melting and surf are actively destroying the coastline. Sometimes, as a result of such processes, small islands go under water.
Climatic conditions
There are several factors that determine the region's harsh climate.
Looking at the Laptev Sea on the map, we can draw the following conclusions:
- it is located in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere;
- the proximity of the Central Arctic Basin cannot but influence the climate of the region;
- The sea's remoteness from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans deprives it of the opportunity to receive the warming effect of waters.
Most of the time, calm, partly cloudy weather prevails over the sea. Only cyclones that pass south of the water area bring heavy snowfalls accompanied by strong winds.
In the southern part of the Laptev Sea it is cold for nine months, and in its northern regions negative temperatures are recorded for 11 months. The coldest month of winter is January. The average monthly air temperature is 26-28 degrees below zero. There are known cases of the mercury column dropping to -61 o C.
Cool summers here are far from uncommon. Quite the contrary - a significant increase in temperature (for example, up to 24-32 degrees) is a rare and unusual phenomenon. August is considered the warmest summer month. At this time, thermometers record +7...+9 degrees in the south and +1 o C in the northern part of the sea. The main distinguishing characteristic of the climate of the Laptev Sea is strong and prolonged cooling with a relatively calm wind regime.
Salinity and water temperature. Currents and glaciers
The distribution of water salinity in the Laptev Sea is significantly influenced by the fact that the largest rivers of the continent carry a significant volume of fresh water here. In this regard, the salinity of the southern regions of the sea is significantly lower than the northern ones. For the same reason, the percentage of salt content increases in winter, and in the warm season, desalination of water is observed. The Lena, Khatanga, Yana, and Olenek rivers bring up to 90% of the annual fresh water flow in summer. At the same time, intense water occurs, which also affects the salinity indicator. It should also be noted that this indicator is not the same in the surface and deep layers of the sea water column. On the surface, salinity is lower.
The depth of the Laptev Sea determines the water temperature. This indicator also depends on the location of the waters relative to the coastal part, the influence of currents, and the time of year. Most often it is zero. In summer, in certain coastal areas and in shallow waters, the temperature is 4-6 degrees Celsius. In bays, of which there are a lot, by the way, it approaches 10 o C, and in the open sea it does not exceed two degrees.
The current system in the Laptev Sea has not been studied well enough. However, it is known that rivers again play a major role in this, carrying huge volumes of water to the sea.
Among the permanent currents of the Laptev Sea are the Novosibirsk and East Taimyr. It should be noted that the speed of water movement is low, the strength of the currents is weak and unstable.
At the end of September, the process of ice formation begins throughout the entire water area, which significantly complicates navigation. From October to May, the waters of the Laptev Sea are frozen. At the same time, fast ice forms on approximately 30% of its area, the rest is covered with drifting ice floes. They melt in June and July. However, only by August a large area of the sea surface is freed from the shackles of ice.
Animal and plant life
The flora and fauna of the Laptev Sea is typical of the Arctic. Phytoplankton is represented by algae. Marine ciliates, copepods and amphipods, and rotifers are typical representatives of zooplankton.
In the depths of the sea, such fish species as Siberian whitefish, omul, nelma, and sturgeon are common. Walruses, beluga whales, and seals are representatives of the order of mammals. In the icy deserts lives a formidable resident of the Arctic - the polar bear.
Islands of the Laptev Sea
There are about two dozen large and small islands in the sea. It is noteworthy that scientists discovered the remains of mammoths on them. They are well preserved, so the finds are of great scientific value. The modern inhabitants of the islands are arctic foxes and polar bears.
Near the coast of the continent, small islands are usually located in groups. We are talking about such land areas as the islands of Komsomolskaya Pravda, Thaddeus, Petra, Aerosemki, and the Danube. There are also larger ones, located singly. These include Bolshoy Begichev, Peschany, Muostakh, Makar.
Rivers of the Laptev Sea
As stated earlier, the largest rivers that flow into the sea have a significant impact on many factors. Their location in the direction from east to west is as follows: Yana, Lena, Olenek, Anabar, Khatanga. It was these reservoirs that were actively used by the researchers of the region - Khariton and Dmitry Laptev, after whom the Laptev Sea is named.
The rivers listed above affect the level of salt in seawater. Thanks to the work of the mentioned water arteries, the topography of the seabed, the outlines of its coastline, and the composition of sedimentary rocks and suspended matter were formed.
Prospects for the region's development
Today, the Laptev Sea is included in the research program, which has been carried out jointly by scientists from Russia and Germany for the past twenty years. Modern scientists always remember that this event was started by Peter I. And such brave travelers as Vitus Bering, Laptev Dmitry and Khariton and many other polar explorers are forever inscribed in the history of Arctic exploration.
Now the research program for the Laptev Sea and adjacent territories has received international status. About 15 Russian and 12 German scientific organizations of various profiles are included in the mentioned activities. The work is planned until 2015. And today scientists have made many sensational discoveries.
The results obtained during the study of the territories we are considering are unique. Thanks to materials obtained during sea and land expeditions, scientists can learn a lot of interesting things about past climatic eras of the Arctic and understand the conditions for the formation of the climate that exists in the region today.
The Laptev Sea is considered to be a huge repository of ice and fresh water.
The expedition, carried out by the efforts of the two states using the most modern technology, instruments and scientific methods, will expand people's understanding of the Arctic and use the obtained scientific data for practical purposes.
Objective of the project. Ways to achieve. Reveal the role
H. Lapteva in
research
Arctic.
1.
2.
3.
Search
information about X.
Laptev.
Search
information about
his
research.
Identify X's contribution.
Laptev in
development
Arctic.
Kh.P. Laptev.
Khariton Prokofievich Laptevis one of the largest
Russian polar
researchers.
Born in the village of Pekarevo,
located near
Pskov, in 1700.
In 1715, young Laptev entered
to Petersburg Morskaya
academy, which in three
successfully completes the year and
enters the navy as a midshipman.
Expedition to the Arctic.
In 1737 Laptev wasappointed squad leader
to the Great Northern
expedition.
In the early spring of 1738, members
The expedition arrived in Yakutsk.
July 9, 1739 Khariton
Laptev with the task to describe
the shore of the Arctic Ocean to
west of Lena, came out of
Yakutsk on a double boat
"Yakutsk" and arrived on July 21
to the ocean.
In March 1740 Khariton
Laptev sent a surveyor
Chekina describe the bank of the river
Taimyr west to the river
Pyasiny. Khatanga was opened on June 15, but to move from
wintering, behind the ice it became possible, only 12
July and by August 13th reached the outlet to the ocean.
After two days, it was decided to abandon the ship.
Laptev decided to describe its shores by land, on
dogs, which he began in the spring of 1741. For an inventory of the shores of Taimyr
Laptev defeated his detachment
for three parts:
1. Chelyuskin's game 17
March 1741 he
sent to the west.
2. Surveyor Chekina 15
April 1741 Laptev
sent to describe
east coast
Taimyr.
3. Laptev himself April 24
1741 went from
winter quarters to the lake
Taimyr, and further along
valley of the Lower Taimyr
reached its mouth -
Taimyr Bay. Laptev went west
and June 1 at the Cape
Lemana met with
Chelyuskin.
On June 9 both returned
to the mouth of Pyasina, where
divided again:
1. Laptev on a boat
went up the river to
Lake Pyasino, and from there
on reindeer to the Yenisei;
2. Chelyuskin is on
deer along the shore
reached the mouth
I caught up with the Yenisei there too
Laptev, and near the mouth
their Dudinka rivers
met Chekin. Map of Taimyr, created by Khariton Laptev based on the results of his
expeditions.
In 1743 the expedition returned to
Petersburg, having collected many valuable
information and successfully complete the task.
After the expedition.
Upon returning from the expedition, Laptevcontinues to serve in the Baltic Fleet.
He ends his service as captain of the first rank.
After retiring, Laptev went to his native village,
where he died in 1763.
Results of the expedition:
Khariton Laptev made significant contributions to Arctic research:In honor of Khariton Laptev and his cousin Dmitry
Laptev is called the Laptev Sea.
In honor of Khariton Laptev, the southwestern coast of the peninsula
Taimyr is called the shore of Khariton Laptev.
Bays, capes and
The coastal islands are called the Khariton Laptev coast.
Famous explorer of northern Asia; in 1718 he enlisted in the navy's midshipmen; in 1737 he was assigned to a large northern expedition, which described and photographed for the first time the shores of the Arctic Ocean from the White Sea to the river. Kolyma. On June 9, 1739, L. left Yakutsk, and on the 21st he was already in the ocean and, making an inventory of the shore, wintered in Khatanga Bay. On July 12, 1740, on the same boat-boat, he went further to the west; after a difficult swim along the lip, he went to sea only a month later, but here he encountered even more difficult obstacles; finally, the ice finally crushed the ship and the crew and officers had to get to the shore on the ice; with difficulty they returned to their winter quarters last year. In view of two unsuccessful attempts to go around the Taimyr Peninsula by sea, L. decided to describe its shores by land, moving on dogs. For this purpose, he equipped three separate expeditions, and L. himself described part of the coast from the mouth of the river. The Taimyrs are somewhat towards B and 3. In 1742, he traveled again to the mouth of the Taimyr, thinking of taking part in the inventory of the extreme north. part of the peninsula, but, due to lack of provisions, returned to Turukhansk and from there went to St. Petersburg with reports. He died in 1763, with the rank of Ober-Ster-Kriegs-Commissar of the Fleet.
(Brockhaus)
Laptev, Khariton Prokofievich
traveled the Arctic Ocean, lieutenant, † 1768.
(Vengerov)
Laptev, Khariton Prokofievich
lieutenant, traveled across the Arctic Ocean northeast of Siberia, 1739-40, † 1768 chief commissar of the Baltic Fleet.
(Polovtsov)
Laptev, Khariton Prokofievich
(born unknown - died 1763) - Russian. Arctic explorer, began serving in the navy in 1718 as a midshipman. In 1737 he was promoted to lieutenant and appointed head of the Great Northern detachment. expedition to photograph the sea coast west of the river. Lena. In 1739 he sailed on the double-boat "Yakutsk" from the Lena to Cape Thaddeus, where he was stopped by ice. For the winter he stood at the mouth of the river. Prodigal (right tributary of the Khatanga River). In 1740, during a new attempt to go around the Taimyr Peninsula, the ship was crushed by ice near the coast at 75 ° 26 "N. In 1741-42, carrying out work in sleigh parties, L. with his assistants S. Chelyuskin (see) and N. Chekin completed the route survey of the Taimyr Peninsula, which served as the only source for depicting it on maps until the end of the 19th century. After the end of the expedition, L. continued to serve in the Baltic Fleet. named after L.: the sea coast between the Pyasina River and Taimyr, two (the eastern-eastern cape of the island of the pilot Makhotkin, a cape on the eastern shore of the Chelyuskin Peninsula; in honor of Kh. P. Laptev and D. Ya. Laptev ( cm.) called the Laptev Sea.
Works: The shore between the Lena and the Yenisei, "Notes of the Hydrographic Department of the Maritime Ministry", 1851, part 9.
Lit.: See lit. to the article Laptev Dmitry.
Khariton Prokofievich Laptev (1700 - 12/21/1763), Russian navigator and Arctic explorer, cousin Dmitry Yakovlevich Laptev.
Khariton Prokofievich Laptev in December 1737 was appointed head of the Great Northern Expedition detachment with instructions to survey and describe the Arctic coast west of Lena to the mouth of the Yenisei. In 1743 he returned to St. Petersburg, having successfully completed the task, and continued to serve on the ships of the Baltic Fleet (since 1762 - Ober-Ster-Kriegs-Commissar). Laptev's reports and reports of 1739-1743 contain valuable information about the progress of the work of the northern detachment of the Great Northern Expedition, about the hydrography of the coast of the Taimyr Peninsula.
Laptev Khariton Prokofievich (?-1763) - captain 1st rank, participant of the Great Northern Expedition, Ober-Stern-Kriegskomissar (since 1762).
In 1734, he sailed as a midshipman in the Baltic Sea on the frigate Mitau, which was captured by a French squadron. After the exchange of prisoners, the commander and all the officers of the frigate, including Laptev, were sentenced to death for surrendering the ship to the enemy without a fight. When it became clear that the convicts were not guilty, all of them were returned to their previous ranks.
In 1737 he was assigned to the Great Northern Expedition to survey the shores of Siberia from the river. Lena to the river Yenisei. He participated in the expedition by water until 1740, when the dowel-boat "Yakutsk" was covered with ice. Then he continued the expedition overland. By 1742, he completed an inventory of the entire continental coast of the sea, called the Laptev Sea in Soviet times.
Book materials used: A.A. Grigoriev, V.I. Gasumyanov. History of Russian state reserves (from the 9th century to 1917). 2003.
LAPTEV Khariton Prokofievich (1700–1763/64), Russian navigator, captain of the 1st rank (1753), one of the discoverers of the Arctic, participant of the Great Northern Expedition. As head of the Lena-Khatanga detachment, together with surveyor Nikifor Chekin and navigator S.I. Chelyuskin in 1733–42. made the first instrumental survey of more than 3.5 thousand km of the coast of North Asia between the Lena and Yenisei, including both shores of the Khatanga Bay (approx. 500 km). Identified the Taimyr Peninsula (the largest in Russia) with a lake, river and Byrranga mountains, discovered the Bolshoy and Maly Begichev islands, Nordvik Bay, a number of bays and capes, as well as islets included in the Nordenskiöld archipelago, mistakenly taken for northern . mainland protrusion. He discovered the seaside, which was later named the Khariton Laptev Coast, and correctly mapped the south. border of the North Siberian Lowland for 1.5 thousand km and collected the first information about the local population - the Tavgians (Nganasans). Thanks to the diet of stroganina (frozen fish), introduced by the commander, during three winterings there was not a single case of scurvy. Upon returning to St. Petersburg (1743), Laptev submitted a report to the Admiralty Board, in which he outlined the results of the detachment’s work. He prepared for printing the first pilotage of the Kara and Laptev seas, published only in 1851. Later he participated in the preparation of the General Map of the Russian Empire (1746). Three capes bear his name (except for the Taimyr coast); The sea is named after cousins Khariton and Dmitry Laptev.
Modern illustrated encyclopedia. Geography. Rosman-Press, M., 2006.
Khariton Prokofievich Laptev remained as a navigator, but the bulk of his geographical discoveries were not made at sea. If you trace the route of the legendary explorer’s polar wanderings on a map, you can easily see that he traveled the main route by land.
Khariton was born in 1700 in the small village of Pekarevo, which lies in the Velikoslutsky province, now located in the Pskov region. The future navigator received his first education in the Trinity Church under the supervision of priests. And in 1715, Laptev continued his studies at the St. Petersburg Maritime Academy, graduating in 1718. In the same year, he entered the navy with the rank of midshipman. The young guy spent the following years studying maritime craft. It is known that Khariton Prokofievich did not avoid any difficult or painstaking work. People like him were always called workhorses in the service. In the spring of 1726, he was promoted to midshipman, and in 1734, on the frigate Mitau, Laptev took part in military operations against the associates of the rebellious Polish magnate, the king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Leshchinsky.
During the operations of the Russian fleet near Danzig, their ship was sent on reconnaissance, during which the ship was fraudulently captured by the French, who had acted literally a couple of days before the incident on the side of the Prince of Lithuania. Returning from captivity, Laptev, along with the rest of the officers of the frigate, was sentenced to death for surrendering the ship without a battle. However, after lengthy proceedings and additional investigation, the Mitau crew was completely acquitted, and midshipman Khariton Laptev, found innocent along with the rest of the officers, returned to the fleet.
In the summer of 1736, Laptev, already an experienced sailor, took part in the campaign of the Baltic Fleet, after which he was sent to the Don, entrusted with finding a suitable place for the construction of ships. In 1737 he was promoted to lieutenant, given command of the court yacht Dekrone. However, having heard that a recruitment was underway for officers wishing to participate in the Northern Expedition, he applied for enrollment. Apparently, the quiet service at court attracted Khariton less than the fate of a polar explorer full of hardships. In the end, on the twentieth of December 1737, he was appointed commander of a detachment of the next Great Northern Expedition. Time has shown the correctness of choosing this most educated and experienced naval officer, who possessed outstanding willpower, energy and courage, for such a responsible post.
It must be added here that the Russian Admiralty initially did not recognize the results of Vitus Bering’s campaign. Having studied his reports along with the attached materials, on December 20, 1737, members of the board considered them incomplete and, contrary to the opinion of Bering himself, decided to send two expeditions “for verification” with instructions to explore and describe the coast in the area between the mouths of the Lena and Yenisei rivers.
Both detachments were given deadlines for completing all work, ordering them to “try with extreme diligence and zeal so that the work is completed in every possible way.” In February 1738, Dmitry Yakovlevich Laptev, a famous polar explorer and cousin of Khariton Prokofievich, arrived in the Northern capital. He brought with him journals, reports and maps that he had compiled during his previous journey as the head of an expedition to study the sea coast east of the Lena. It was he who spoke about accumulations of ice near the mouth of the Lena, which extremely hampered the progress of ships, and also expressed the idea of mapping the coast by moving on land. Here, Dmitry Yakovlevich received orders to continue the inventory of the shores east of the Lena to the mouth of the Kolyma, and from there, on the way back, taking a ship, try to go around Cape Dezhnev.
The brothers left St. Petersburg together, in Kazan they received rigging for ships, and in Irkutsk they received money, provisions and gifts for the inhabitants of Siberia. The far-sighted Khariton Laptev convinced the Irkutsk office to prepare dogs and deer for them on the coast just in case. In addition, people were sent to the mouths of the Taimyr, Khatanga and Anabar in order to begin stocking fish and building houses in case the expedition wintered in those places.
At the end of May 1739, members of the expedition gathered in Yakutsk, and on June 5, Khariton Laptev led the small ship Yakutsk down the Lena. A month later, the travelers reached the mouth of the Olenyok River, where they entered the “great ice.” Then the dubel-boat walked, now under oars, now under sails, now pushing the ice floes with poles, now making a way with ice picks. On July 28, Laptev’s team reached the eastern entrance to the strait between Begichev Island and the mainland. The entire strait was occupied by motionless ice.
To get around the island and enter the Khatanga Bay, the Yakutsk headed north. Having broken through the ice, Laptev entered the Khatanga Bay on August 6, and on August 17, having passed the Peter Islands, the ship went west along the coast. On August 21, at Cape Thaddeus, the path of the Yakutsk was again blocked by stationary ice. It was not possible to determine its boundaries due to dense fog, and frosts began. It was necessary to choose a place for wintering, but an inspection of the shore led to disappointing results: there was no driftwood to build a home here. After consulting, the researchers decided to return to Khatanga Bay. By the 27th, “Yakutsk”, with great difficulty, made its way to the place where it stood at the beginning of the month. From here Laptev went south, entering Khatanga, he reached the mouth of the Prodigal, where several Evenk families lived. The detachment remained next to them for the winter.
To protect the team from scurvy, Khariton Laptev included frozen fresh fish in the daily diet. Largely thanks to this, during the entire first winter, not a single traveler contracted this terrible disease. During the winter, Laptev himself collected information about the northern region, listening to the stories of local residents.
On June 15, Khatanga was opened, but due to the ice masses accumulated in the bay, the dubel-boat managed to leave the river only on July 13. For a whole month, “Yakutsk” overcame the ice in the bay. Once at sea, the ship moved relatively far north within the first few days. However, on August 13, at 75°26" north latitude, the double-boat approached the border of unbroken ice, stretching northeast from the coast. "Yakutsk" headed along the edge, but the wind changed, began to catch up with ice, and soon the ship got stuck. The wind intensified , the ice squeezed the ship more and more, a leak began. The crew protected the sides with logs from the ice pressure, bailed out the water, but this did not save the ship. Soon the ice broke the stem, and on August 14 Laptev ordered the heavy cargo to be unloaded: anchors, guns, provisions. It is finally clear that the position of the boat is hopeless, and the people have abandoned the ship.
Another day later, after sufficiently strong ice had formed, Khariton Laptev led the sailors ashore. Having warmed up by the fires, the tired travelers began building a dugout and carrying the cargo that remained near Yakutsk. On August 31, the ice began to move, as a result of which the double boat was destroyed. Along with it, part of the cargo remaining on the ice disappeared. The detachment could not immediately go to populated areas to the south due to ice drift on the rivers. The travelers waited until September 21, after which they set out on a grueling hike. On October 15, Laptev and his detachment arrived at the place of the second wintering near the Bludnaya River.
The results of Vasily Pronchishchev’s voyages in 1736 and his own sad experience convinced Khariton Prokofievich of the impossibility of sailing along the coast between the mouths of the Taimyr and Pyasina. In addition, his only ship, the Yakutsk, was destroyed by ice. However, the courageous traveler did not even think of complaining about difficult conditions or returning back to St. Petersburg with requests to organize a new expedition. In November 1740, Khariton Laptev made an unconventional decision - to carry out the planned cartographic work “dry”, using dogs. He began to carry out this in the early spring of 1741.
Map of Taimyr, created by Khariton Laptev based on the results of his expedition
Since a much smaller number of people were needed to carry out an inventory of the shores from land than lived in the camp, Khariton Laptev left only the surveyor Nikifor Chekin, Semyon Chelyuskin, four soldiers, one carpenter and a non-commissioned officer. The remaining members of the detachment in two groups (February 15 and April 10) went on reindeer to Dudinka, located on the Yenisei.
The first group, including Chelyuskin and two soldiers, set off west on three dog sleds on March 17, 1741. Their goal was to make an inventory of the coast from the mouth of Pyasina to Taimyr. On April 15, the second group left the winter hut, consisting of Chekin, one soldier and a local Yakut resident, who set off on an assignment to explore the eastern coast of Taimyr. Khariton Prokofievich himself, on four dog sleds and accompanied by one soldier, set off on April 24. Six days later he reached Lake Taimyr, crossed it and went to the source of Taimyr. Moving further north along its valley, on May 6 Laptev found himself at the mouth of this river and became convinced that his location was significantly west of Thaddeus Bay. In this regard, he decided to change his original plan. Realizing that Nikifor Chekin had to carry out an inventory of the coast of a much larger area than expected, Khariton Laptev moved forward to meet his surveyor. His path lay to the east, and not to the west, as he had planned earlier.
On May 13, Laptev reached latitude 76°42" and was forced to delay due to a strong blizzard. In addition, he began to have pain in his eyes, the so-called snow blindness. Further travel could only worsen the disease. After the weather improved, Laptev decided , leaving a sign for Chekin to return to the mouth of the Taimyr River and find a previously prepared camp with food for the expedition, on May 17, he was in place, but the food that had been brought was not there. Polar bears and arctic foxes stole the prepared fish, and it was necessary to leave the supply of food to Chekin. to feed the dogs. Therefore, he went west to meet Semyon Chelyuskin, hoping to find “help” from him. He set off on May 19, as soon as the pain in his eyes subsided. Moving west, on May 24 Laptev approached an unknown cape. from which the coast turned south. Having determined the latitude - 76°39" - and placing a noticeable sign on the cape, the traveler moved on.
He met Chelyuskin on June 1 at the final point of his route - near the Sterlegov sign, erected in 1740 at Cape Leman. Unfortunately, Semyon Ivanovich also had little food, and Chelyuskin’s dogs were extremely exhausted. The travelers were saved only by a successful hunt for polar bears. The local spring was approaching and, fearing to be stuck on the deserted shores for a long time, the sailors moved to the winter quarters at the mouth of the Pyasina. Along the way, they together discovered and mapped a number of coastal islands, bays and capes.
By June 9, they reached the mouth of the Pyasina and were stopped by the beginning of the flood. A month later, the travelers managed to take a boat up the river to a lake called Pyasino. The path was very difficult, however, fortunately, here Laptev met the nomadic Nenets and reached Golchikha on reindeer, and from there on a passing ship along the Yenisei to Dudinka.
Near the mouth of the Dudinka River, Chekin was already waiting for travelers. It turned out that he managed to reach only the Peter Islands (to a latitude of 76°35"), having described six hundred kilometers of coastline. After this, his eyes were struck by the eternal disease of all explorers of the polar deserts - snow blindness. He could not go further and was forced to return to the winter quarters .
When Laptev analyzed the results of the work of all three groups, it turned out that their task was not fully completed. The section of coast located between Cape Thaddeus, located in the east, and the place in the west, to which Khariton Prokofievich himself reached, remained unmapped. It was decided to postpone the description of this site until next winter. On September 29, the travelers arrived in Turukhansk, where they prepared for the decisive campaign.
Chelyuskin was the first to leave Turukhansk on December 4, 1741, along with three soldiers accompanying him and on five dog sleds. On February 8, 1742, Khariton Laptev also followed him on five teams. At the end of May, he reached the mouth of Taimyr, where he met with Semyon Ivanovich, who made an inventory from Cape Thaddeus to Taimyr, including the Northeastern Cape - the northernmost part of the Taimyr Peninsula, later called Cape Chelyuskin. From the mouth of the Taimyra they returned together to Turukhansk, from where the entire detachment went to Yeniseisk, mapping the banks of the Yenisei along the way. By August 27, 1742, the travelers reached their destination, and the task entrusted to them was successfully completed.
The expedition led by Khariton Laptev, as a result of the most difficult trials and incredible efforts, managed to put over two thousand kilometers of land on the maps of Russia. In addition, he managed to significantly explore the previously “closed” Taimyr Peninsula, and also prove that the Taimyr flows into the Kara Sea in a completely different place than previously thought. Of course, the data collected by Khariton Laptev and his people cannot be considered absolutely correct. He himself understood this very well. Indeed, at that time, researchers were armed with rather imperfect instruments that gave extremely approximate results. In those days, even a chronometer, the simplest device for determining longitude, had not yet been invented. In addition, we must not forget that Laptev’s detachment worked in winter. Heavy snow cover made it difficult to determine the exact contours of the coastline. However, this does not in any way detract from the merits of Khariton Prokofievich, a researcher of one of the harshest places in the Arctic Ocean.
On September 13, 1743, Khariton Laptev brought a report to the Admiralty describing the results of the work of his detachment. In addition, the report included the navigator’s personal notes, which, as it turned out, were of enormous scientific value. Laptev himself explained that he wrote them as “news” to his descendants and included in them only what he considered “indecent to note in the journal” as not related to the main activities of the detachment. The papers contained a detailed description of various rivers, lakes and their shores in a concise form, and systematized ethnographic information about the peoples inhabiting the Taimyr Peninsula. The traveler's observations were completely confirmed later. Khariton Prokofievich's notes were highly appreciated by scientists in Russia and many other countries.
After his great journey to the north, Laptev continued to serve in the Baltic Fleet. In 1746, he commanded the 66-gun battleship Ingermanland. Later, as captain of the ship Uriel, he went to Karlskron and Danzig. In the spring of 1757, Laptev was assigned to the Navigation Company to conduct special training for future navigators. Laptev held combat positions until 1762, commanding ships in the summer months. By this time he already held the rank of captain of the first rank.
On April 10, 1762, the elderly Khariton Prokofievich was appointed Ober-Ster-Kriegs-Commissar of the Fleet. This “four-story” land position, on the one hand, was very profitable and was considered very high, but on the other hand, it was unbearably boring and tedious. In the Russian army, “commissars” were in charge of money, supplying troops, equipment, uniforms, camp and baggage equipment, manual equipment and much more. Laptev worked in this position until his death. The legendary navigator died in his native village of Pekarevo on December 21, 1763.
The Motherland has not forgotten the names of the brave participants of the Great Northern Expedition. The names of the leaders of the expedition, which described the coast between the mouths of the Yenisei and Lena, remained on the map of the globe, reminding descendants of the feat of their compatriots. A section of the coast lying between the mouths of the Pyasina and Taimyra rivers was named after Khariton Laptev. The two northeastern capes of Pilot Makhotkin Island, located near the island of Taimyr, are called Cape Laptev and Cape Khariton, respectively. And on the eastern shores of the Taimyr Peninsula, Cape Khariton Laptev juts out into the sea. In honor of the Laptev cousins, Khariton and Dmitry, one of the harshest seas of the Arctic Ocean - the Laptev Sea - is named. What could be the best posthumous reward for a Russian polar explorer?
The name “Laptev Sea” officially appeared on the map of the Arctic Ocean only in Soviet times, despite the fact that these Laptev brothers explored the place in the first half of the 18th century. Previously, this sea was called differently - Tatar, Lena, even Siberian and Arctic. In 1883, the famous polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen from Norway even gave the sea the name Nordenskiöld. However, the Russian Geographical Society in 1913 approved its current name, which was officially established by a resolution of the USSR Central Executive Committee in the summer of 1935.
Based on materials from www.polarpost.ru/Library/Notes_Laptev/03.html and www.polarmuseum.ru/bio/polarex/bio_hlap/bio_hlap.htm
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