Tour

A well-found base and experienced instructors, clear water, vast natural beauty of the Russian north, an exquisite underwater environment lure divers and nature lovers from around the world to experience the best diving and natural scenery Russia has to offer. 

HIGHLIGHTS:
Colourful underwater environment of the Arctic Sea: soft coral colonies, Gorgon’s head, hermit crabs, sea anemones, shrimps, kelp forests, underwater cliffs and their inhabitants, mussel fields, seals and Beluga Whales. A wide variety of fish species, starfish, sponges. Shipwrecks – the fishing boat Yaroslavets and a patrol boat.

ACTIVITIES:
Drift diving with the current – the speed is up to 2m/sec. Daily diving from RIB poweboats.
Snorkeling and diving with Beluga Whales. Excursions to Pomor folk village, arctic fishing and daily Russian steam bath experience. 
 

The Great Salma is a unique channel between the mainland and the natural preserve island Salma.
The strong current of the channel formed a very interesting and unique bottom landscape and influenced the forms of sea life living hear. This program is part of the project “Diving for the Science”. It is a great opportunity to put your efforts into big science while ha ving some fun on your vacation! Few words about this project. It was organized by Diving Club of Moscow State University – the first diving center in Russia that got certified with National Geographic, in cooperation with the marine research center of Moscow State University. Purpose of the program is to monitor the population of soft corals and actinia in White Sea. As a participant of this program you will perform the following: - Photo and video recording of the bottom landscape, as well as assistance in this process - Visual assessment of the condition, number, and concentration of soft corals species
- Photographing of soft coral species
This monitoring will be done in continuous basis every year, in order to create a detail map of the bottom of White Sea, as well as the description of soft corals and actinia population. And to see how it is affected by the changes in the environment of the area.

TRAVEL:  
You can choose one of the ways of getting to the Arctic Circle Dive Centre:

• Option 1 (travel by rail from St. Petersburg): Train from St. Petersburg to Chupa (19 hours); transfer to the Dive Centre (2 hours).
• Option 2 (travel by rail from Moscow): Train from Moscow to Chupa (28 hours); transfer to the Dive Centre (2 hours).
• Option 3 (travel by air from Helsinki): Flight from Helsinki to Kuusamo (1:15 hour); transfer to the Dive Centre through the Finish - Russian border (7- 8 hours).
• Option 4  (travel by air from Moscow): Flight from Moscow to Murmansk (2 hours); transfer from Murmansk to the Arctic Circle Dive Centre (5 1/2 hours). 

SAMPLE DAILY DIVING PROGRAMME:
Day 1 Arrival at the Arctic Circle Dive Centre. Check dive; second dive – a slope near Maly Krestovy (Small Cross) Island. Kelp forests, crabs and starfish. Evening: a Russian banya and rest.
Days 2 - 5 Daily diving programme – 2 dives per day. 

The programme includes:
Diving by a legendary cliff with sea anemones near the Krestovy (Cross) Islands.
Drift diving with the current.
Diving by a bank with soft corals.
Wreck diving: a wooden fishing boat Yaroslavets and steel scientific boat.
Lectures on White Sea biology.

Day 6 – Following the completion of the programme, at 23:30: departure from the Dive Centre for Chupa train station, Murmansk or Kuusamo Airport. Return to Moscow (the train arrives in Moscow on the fallowing day).  The programme can be changed depending weather condition.
 

 NOTE:
Itineraries can be tailor made on request;
The number of days in the programme can be changed upon request.
Overnight stays, tours and transfers in Moscow, St. Petersburg or Kuusamo can be arranged;