The cold sea of Okhotsk is very important for local navigation nowadays. If you take a map of this region and put on it all the sea routes, there will be the intersection of a huge variety of lines indicating the routes of fishing and merchant sea vessels.
Top facts about the sea of Okhotsk
- It washes the shores of only two countries, Russia and Japan.
- Only Russian vessels are authorized to fish in the waters of the sea of Okhotsk. The only exception is the coastal zone of the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
- Its maximum depth is almost 2.5 miles (4 km).
- The area of the sea of Okhotsk is approximately equal to the area of Mongolia.
- The sea is named in honor of the Okhota river flowing into it.
- The total length of the coastline of the sea is almost 6500 miles (10500 km).
- The sea of Okhotsk partially freezes in winter, and in some parts of it, the ice doesn’t melt until August.
- Its waters are home to about 70 species of algae.
- Located here the Nedorazumenya (“stupid mistake” in Russian) island got its name as a result of a funny incident. In 1910, a research expedition that was working here did not pay attention to the island and forgot to put it on the map. However, the mistake was corrected soon, and this island was named in memory of this incident.
- During hot summer days, the water temperature in the Sea of Okhotsk near the surface sometimes reaches 64 F (18 C). However, it happens very rarely.
- In the winter of 2010-2011, an incredible rescue operation was carried out here. 15 sea vessels caught by ice were stuck in the Sea of Okhotsk, with more than 700 people on board. A whole fleet of icebreakers participated in their rescue.
- Sometimes there is a glow of water or ice. Most likely, it is caused by microorganisms living here.
- About 120 rivers flow into the Sea of Okhotsk.