page_title: Valerian Albanov
section_title: Journey across the ice
hierarchical_section_title: Valerian Albanov / Brusilov expedition / Journey across the ice
caption_attribution_description: English: Albanov and Konrad approaching Saint Foka in the kayak
context_page_description: Valerian Ivanovich Albanov was a Russian navigator, best known for being one of two survivors of the Brusilov expedition of 1912, which killed 22.
context_section_description: Albanov, believing that their position was hopeless, requested permission from Captain Brusilov to be relieved from his duties as second-in-command to leave the ship and attempt to return to civilization on foot. Albanov's aim was to reach Hvidtenland, the northeasternmost island group of Franz Josef Land. He used Fridtjof Nansen's inaccurate map, full of dotted lines where the archipelago was still unexplored. 
  Thirteen other crewmen accompanied Albanov when he travelled south-westwards by ski, sledge, and kayak. The progress was difficult because of the cracks in the ice, the numerous polynias and the abundance of ridges which made progress slow. After a long and gruesome ordeal, only Albanov and one crewman, Alexander Konrad, made it to Cape Flora on Northbrook Island, where they knew that Frederick George Jackson had left provisions and a hut in a previous expedition. Albanov and Konrad were rescued by timely arrival of the Svyatoy Foka under the command of Georgy Sedov, while they were preparing for the winter.
caption: Albanov and Alexander Konrad approaching Svyatoy Foka in their kayak, minutes before their rescue
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