Severnyy Strait Explained

Severnyy Strait (Russian: Severnyy Proliv or "Northern Strait") is a strait in the western Sea of Okhotsk. It separates two of the Shantar Islands: Feklistova Island to the west and Bolshoy Shantar Island to the east.

History

American whaleships targeting bowhead whales visited Severnyy Strait from the 1850s to the 1880s.^{[1] [2]} They called it Feklistoff^[3] or Big Shantar Passage.^[4] Ships sailed through the strait on their way to^[5] and from^[6] Lebyazhya Bay or on their way to Tugur Bay.^[7] Ships also anchored in the strait^[8] and ships and boats cruised for whales in it as well.^{[9] [10]}

References

55°N 152°W

Notes and References

1. Florida, of Fairhaven, September 21-22, 1853, Old Dartmouth Historical Society.
2. E. F. Herriman, of San Francisco, August 28, 1889, George Blunt White Library (GBWL).
3. William C. Nye, of San Francisco, October 1, 1862, Bancroft Library.
4. Onward, of New Bedford, September 15, 1864, GBWL.
5. Sea Breeze, of New Bedford, September 23, 1874, GBWL.
6. Bart Gosnold, of New Bedford, September 22, 1863, GBWL.
7. Endeavor, of New Bedford, July 19, 1858, Nicholson Whaling Collection (NWC).
8. Walter Scott, of Edgartown, August 3, 1854, Martha's Vineyard Museum.
9. Josephine, of New Bedford, August 26, September 5-6, 1861, Kendall Whaling Museum.
10. Favorite, of Fairhaven, August 29, 1860, NWC.