De Long's general plan was to march with dogs and sleds to the New Siberian Islands, somewhere to the south, and then use the boats to carry his party to the Siberian mainland.
De Longs generelle plan var at marchere med hunde og slæder til de Nysibiriske øer, et sted mod syd og derefter bruge bådene til at bære sin last til det sibiriske fastland.