Can you see across bering strait

The island is km long, and it is 75 km from Russia. A crossing via this route would necessitate the ability to navigate km of open stormy water. It is also necessary to receive permission from the Russian government to arrive in Providenia in a small boat a process which takes about a year. If your objective is nothing other than to cross from Alaska to Russia, it is probably easiest to do so by crossing the Bering Strait and dealing with the consequences although this is not advisable or recommended.

If your expedition involves more than just crossing to Russia such as a human powered journey from Alabama to Kazakhstan it is necessary to play by the rules so you will be granted permission to keep traveling through Russia. This means that many of the barriers that were in place during Soviet times still apply and free travel is not allowed.

This does not mean that foreigners are banned, but strict protocol must be followed. If one were to arrive in Providenia in a small vessel such as a rowboat or sailing vessel several things are required:. Russian Visa: This is fairly easy to acquire and the procedure is outlined on the Website of most Russian consulates.

You can get a Russian visa for up to a year. Rasporyazheniye: The only thing harder than pronouncing the name of this permit is actually receiving it. Visitors to the closed state of Chukotka need an additional permit that is not required in the rest of Russia. In order to receive a rasporyazheniye you need a Chukotkan resident to sponsor you and vouch to look after you for the duration of your stay. These agencies can be found on the official Chukotka website at: www.

We would not recommend Nikolai Ettynne of the organization Alliot. Additionally, because free travel is not allowed, a detailed itinerary and outline of your route must be submitted. Each administrator or mayor of the various communities en route must give advance permission for you to enter their community. The itinerary also must be okayed by the military. It is very difficult to change your route once in the country, so plan carefully.

After these requirements have been met a rasporyazheniye will be granted. Start the process of applying for your rasporyazhniye a year before you plan to arrive in Chukotka. Special Permits: Any communications devices including cell phones and electronics that communicate with satellites such as a GPS need special permits from Moscow. If the official documents from Moscow are not procured upon arrival, these items will be confiscated. Again, the tourist agency you are working with can take care of these details, but be sure to start the process very early.

Coast Guard: If you are arriving in a small boat approval is also required from the Russian Coast Guard. Communication: After you have received all your permissions and permits, it is essential to continually update the authorities with your ETA.

It is absolutely essential not to arrive unannounced. For the people from the continent, traveling between the islands is forbidden. But in , despite the prohibition, Lynne Cox, then 30, swam across the Bering Strait. Cox was already a known endurance swimmer — in , at the age of 18, she swam the mile 23km Cook Straits in New Zealand in just over 12 hours. But then, at the Bering Strait, conditions were completely different — the water was around degrees Celsius, which is when body fat comes in handy.

After completing the crossing, Ms. Cox said she was thrilled by the help she had received from the USSR. Having that support from the Soviets and having them help us get into shore and meeting us was wonderful," she said. Little Diomede Island, the United States. Ratmanov island Big Diomede , Russia, can be seen in the background. She was even praised by President Mikhail Gorbachev — at that moment, the Cold War was coming to an end.

But we don't recommend you try it. A TikTok user called laubandrew posted a video that explains just how you can actually walk from Alaska to Russia.

The explanation is mostly hypothetical, but it's an interesting way to show just how close North America is to the Asian continent.

In the video, laubandrew notes the close proximity of two islands in the Bering Strait that mark the division between Russia and the United States. Every January, an ice bridge even forms connecting the two continents, so you can walk between America and Asia. Building a real bridge or tunnel has long been a possibility as well. But when the Cold War began in , a political "Ice Curtain" descended on the strait, closing the border and dividing families forever.

Both Russia and America built military bases on the islands. In , American Lynne Cox announced her plans to swim the Bering Strait between the Diomedes as a gesture of global friendship.