Dmitry Leontiyevich Ovtsyn (Russian:Дмитрий Леонтьевич Овцын) (unknown - after 1757) was a Russianhydrographer andArctic explorer. The Ovtsyn family is one of the oldest Russian noble families, originating from the descendants ofRurik, the Murom princes.
Ovtsyn's childhood coincided with the time ofPeter the Great's transformations in Russia. When Ovtsyn graduated from the Academy, he became a Navigator. While still a student at the Academy in 1725, he took part in the first long-distance foreign voyage of the young Russian fleet. In 1726 Ovtsyn graduated from the Academy and from 1726 to 1729 sailed on the same frigate "Amsterdam-Galey" as a Navigator student, then a Navigator. The young sailor soon attracted the attention of his superiors and was appointed to the post of adjutant to the chief commander of theKronstadt port, which at that time wasAdmiral Thomas Gordon. In 1732, Ovtsyn was promoted to the rank of "non-Lieutenant from the soldiers". Two years later, due to his having experience and excellent knowledge in navigational and hydrographic matters, Ovtsyn was appointed to the great Northern expedition, led byVitus Bering.In 1734–1738, Ovtsyn led one of the units of theSecond Kamchatka expedition that charted the coastline of theKara Sea east of the riverOb. In summer of 1737, his unit made its way from Ob toYenisei and made the first hydrographic description of this part of the Siberian coastline. In 1741, Ovtsyn took part inVitus Bering's voyage to the shores ofAmerica.
A cape on theTaimyr Peninsula and astrait between the islandsOleniy andSibiryakov bear his name.
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