In 1739, Laptev was the commander of an expedition to chart the Anadyr region in the far east of the continent. The expedition went poorly at first and the "Yakutsk" became trapped by ice very quickly. That winter the crew, led by Laptev, were the first Russians to live amongst the indigenous population of the lower Indigirka River. Villagers from Russkoye Ustye provided crucial food, assistance, and even moved the ship to open water when spring came. Although sea travel never yielded much, Laptev and the crew provided significant mapping of the areas, often through overland treks and expeditions.