Sea of Okhotsk, Marginal sea in Eastern Russia
This marginal sea sits between the Kamchatka Peninsula, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, and Hokkaido in the northwestern Pacific. The coastline includes several large bays such as Shelikhov Gulf to the north and Aniva Bay to the south, while water depth increases toward the Kuril chain.
Russian seafarers reached these waters in the 1640s and founded the port of Okhotsk as a departure point for further expeditions to Kamchatka. The route declined after 1850 when new ports on the Sea of Japan took over the connection to Siberia.
The Okhotsk culture and Ainu people inhabited the coastal regions around the sea before Russian settlement began in the seventeenth century.
Ice formation begins in October and lasts until June, limiting shipping during winter months. Visitors exploring the coast in the warmer season find open waters and better conditions for boat trips or observations along the shores.
A remote patch of open water in international waters carries the nickname Peanut Hole and became a fishing destination for vessels from several countries after 1991. The shape of this zone does resemble a peanut when viewed on a map.
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