Location Chukotka, Russia | Offshore water bodies Chukchi Sea | |
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Cape Schmidt (Russian: Мыс Шми́дта; Mys Shmidta or Мыс Отто Шмидта; Mys Otto Shmidta; Chukchi: Ир-Каппея ; Il-Kappeya) is a headland in the Chukchi Sea, part of Iultinsky District of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russian Federation.
Contents
Map of Mys Shmidta, Russia, 689360
Geography
This headland is a rocky promontory located at the end of a spit. Cape Yakan is located to the west and Cape Vankarem to the east of Cape Schmidt.
The settlement of Mys Shmidta is located southeast of the headland and the Chukchi locality of Ryrkaypiy is located closer to the southwest.
An abandoned military base sits on the coast of the headland. Photos of it in its present state are available at https://www.wired.com/2016/12/andrey-shapran-cape-north-soviet-base-russia/ on the Web.
History
A Neolithic site of ancient marine hunters was found on the shore of Cape Schmidt. There are remains of ancient huts at the foot of the cliffs on the western side and there was an ancient Chukchi fortification at the top.
The local name of the landhead was Il-Kappeya, meaning "Walrus constipation" in the Chukchi language. James Cook named the headland 'Cape North' in 1778 when he sailed through the Bering Strait and into the Chukchi Sea, demonstrating to people in Europe and North America that Russia and Alaska were separated. The cape was later renamed after Soviet scientist and first head of the Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route, Otto Schmidt.