Beluga whales in cold clear water, kelp forests and soft coral on the rock walls, and, the reason Russian divers come, the…Beluga whales in cold clear water, kelp forests and soft coral on the rock walls, and, the reason Russian divers come, the 'starry sky', under the ice, plankton catches the torchlight against black water so the whole ceiling looks like a night sky. The White Sea was the route of the Pomor traders and the first Russian sea trade with England, through Arkhangelsk, before St Petersburg existed. Its Arctic marine life sits in water fresh enough at the surface to freeze early and salt enough below to stay alive. Anchorage: The Karelian shore of the Kandalaksha Gulf has sheltered inlets, but this is a short ice-free season. Hazards: Below-zero water, ice cover for months, and remote Arctic logistics. Drysuit and ice-diving training required. Meer