Popov, Fedot Alekseev (Alekseevich) (?–1648)

Popov, Fedot Alekseev (Alekseevich) (?–1648) – a Russian explorer, navigator, and “Holmogorets” as he was called; together with S. I. Dezhnev, he discovered a passage between Asia and America in the seventeenth century. In 1642, as part of the trading expedition, he moved from Yakutsk to the Olenyok River. In 1647, in search of new fishing areas, P. organized a sea expedition to the mouth of the Anadyr River with the participation of S. I. Dezhnev. They came out of the mouth of the Kolyma River, but failed to proceed due to heavy ice conditions. In 1648, they made the second attempt by going east on seven koch boats. The expedition passed along the coast from the mouth of the Kolyma River to the Pacific Ocean, rounded the Chukchi Peninsula, and discovered the strait between Asia and America, which 80 years later was again discovered by V. Bering. During the storm, the ships of Popov and Dezhnev were parted, the koch of Dezhnev was thrown to the mouth of the Anadyr River, and the koch...