La Perouse Strait is located in the Pacific Ocean, separating the two largest islands. It has always had political significance, as the border of two states is located here: Russia and Japan. Discovered by a famous navigator, sung in the song "From the distant Strait of La Perouse", it still poses a great danger to ships.
Geographic location
The geographical position of the strait makes it significant enough for politics and economics. The La Perouse Strait separates two huge islands: Sakhalin and Hokkaido. The first of them belongs to Russia, and the second to Japan. In the north, the waters of the La Perouse Strait penetrate deeply into Aniva Bay in southern Sakhalin. And in the south, they fill Soya Bay.
The La Perouse Strait belongs to the Pacific Ocean, it is located on the border of the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. The entire length of the strait is 94 kilometers. The width in the narrowest section between the islands is 43 kilometers. This segment is located between Cape Crillon on Sakhalin and Cape Soya atHokkaido (the extreme point of the island and all of Japan).
The biggest depth in the strait is 118 meters. The bottom in this sea area has a large amplitude of depth fluctuations, from shallow reefs to depressions. The shores that are washed by the La Perouse Strait, where the mountains are located, are covered with a forest with growing bamboo. Only some areas in Aniva Bay and Soya Bay smoothly descend to the sea, forming sandy beaches. The largest settlements: Wakkanai (Japan), Korsakov (Russia).
Climate
The weather conditions where the La Perouse Strait is located can be called harsh and uncomfortable. Strong winds and fogs are frequent here, reducing visibility and making navigation very difficult. About a hundred cyclones pass through the La Perouse Strait every year. At the end of summer, there may be typhoons here, the speed of which becomes more than 40 meters per second. Very heavy rains are pouring without interruption.
The climate in the strait is temperate monsoon. The average temperature in January is -5, in July +17 degrees. In winter, the strait freezes and becomes covered with a crust of ice.
Shipping
This stretch of maritime space contains important communications routes. What connects the La Perouse Strait can be seen on the map. Ports located on the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk are connected through it with the Sea of Japan and the Bering Sea, as well as with the entire Pacific Ocean.
La Perouse Strait is very dangerous for ships due to natural factors. Shipping is especially difficult from December to April. Large amount of icecomes from the Tatar Strait, the sea space is clogged. There are frequent fogs, rains and snowfalls, although they are short due to strong winds. The reefs that are found here are also of great danger. The shores of the strait have very few bays where ships can take shelter from the storm. Ship captains need a lot of experience and skill to navigate this section.
Origin of name and history
The strait got its name thanks to the navigator and naval officer Jean-Francois de Galo Laperouse. It was discovered in 1787 during the circumnavigation of the famous explorer. Sakhalin already belonged to Russia at that time. After passing through the Laperouse Strait, the expedition moved to the shores of Kamchatka and there sent one member of the journey, who was supposed to pass through Siberia and report on the results of the circumnavigation.
Expedition La Perouse
In 1785, the expedition left the French port of Brest on two frigates with the names "Astrolabe" and "Bussol". Thus began a circumnavigation under the command of a fleet officer, La Perouse himself was 44 years old at that time.
The original purpose of the trip was to explore new lands for possible colonization. France thus sought to catch up with the British Empire, which was considered a great maritime power. A large number of mirrors, glass beads and metal needles were prepared as gifts for the indigenous population. It was planned to circumnavigate the world, for this it was necessary to pass throughAtlantic, round Cape Horn and explore the Great South Sea.
This name used to be the Pacific Ocean, which was discovered 300 years before this event by the Spanish conquistadors, now the Europeans intended to study it in detail.
2 years after leaving France, La Perouse and his team reached the strait. But before that, the expedition managed to explore the shores of Chile, the Hawaiian Islands, Alaska, and California. Then they were able to abruptly cross the entire Pacific Ocean and end up at the mouth of the Pearl River of China, then resupply in the Philippines.
In August 1787, the French approached the coast of Sakhalin. Thus, a new strait and its environs were discovered. Then the expedition moved north and explored the shores of Kamchatka. Then they again returned to the southern latitudes to the shores of Australia and New Caledonia. Since then, the expedition has disappeared, although La Perouse planned to return as early as 1789 to his homeland. Only after a certain period of time it turned out that they had crashed on the reefs off the island of Vanikoro.
Cape Crillon
This is the southernmost point of Sakhalin, which is washed by the La Perouse Strait, is the tip of the Crillon Peninsula. It is steep and high, around it there are reefs that are dangerous for the passage of ships. The cape got its name in honor of Louis Balbes de Crillon, who took part in the La Perouse expedition. Here, on the peninsula, there is a lighthouse and a Russian military unit, and a signal cannon has also been preserved from ancient times.
For a long time, the peninsula was under Japanese influence due to its proximity to the coast of this country. And only in 1875, when the whole of Sakhalin became Russian, the Crillon Peninsula also began to belong to our country.
But almost 30 years later, the Russian-Japanese war began, during which half of Sakhalin was once again taken from our country. But Japan dominated here for about 40 years, and then the peninsula was recaptured and became Russian again.
The result and traces of all these events can be observed on the Crillon peninsula. Both the Russians and the Japanese left behind numerous trenches, now overgrown with bamboo. Batteries of tanks stand on hills, covering convenient bays where the enemy could land. Navigation near the coast and in the vicinity, as already mentioned, is difficult due to very frequent fogs and strong currents. The need for a lighthouse was indisputable, so here in 1883 the first lighthouse made of wood appeared on the highest place.
In 1894, red Japanese bricks were used to build a new similar structure. Currently, this lighthouse is one of the main attractions at Cape Crillon. In 1893, a weather station was built here, and since then the weather has been monitored here.
Stone of Danger
This is a rock that is located not far (14 kilometers) from Cape Crillon. It is located in the Sea of Okhotsk, southeast of the extreme point of Sakhalin. This is a pile of stones on which there is no vegetation. The rock has an elongated shape in plan, its length is 150meters, width - 50. The Danger Stone was discovered by the La Perouse expedition, and this navigator was the first to characterize it. The rock has always been a significant obstacle to the passage of ships through the strait, since there are reefs around it that create danger. The algae that grow in these places are so thick and strong that, winding up on the propellers of ships, they caused numerous accidents. At one time, the sailors on the ships sensitively listened to the sea. Highlighting the roar of the sea lions from the general noise, they determined that the Stone of Danger was nearby. This is the name of the large eared seals that make their rookeries on the rocks off the coast of Sakhalin. They especially liked the Danger Stone.
Port of Korsakov
Located in the southeastern part of Salmon Bay. This port is the largest on Sakhalin Island. Consists of outer and inner harbor. It was built by the Japanese in 1907. After the end of the Great Patriotic War, when part of Sakhalin was recaptured, the port of Korsakov began to belong to the Soviet Union. He was the link between the mainland and Sakhalin.
Facts about the La Perouse Strait
With good visibility from the island of Hokkaido, you can see the coast of Cape Crillon (Sakhalin).
In Japan, this strait is currently called Soya.
When the La Perouse Strait was discovered by a French navigator, during the expedition it was concluded that Sakhalin is a peninsula, part of Eurasia.
Many wanted to join the Laperouse expedition, there was a fierce struggle, among the applicants was Napoleon Bonaparte from the island of Corsica. If ittook, the fate of France would have been different, because in just a few years the Bastille and the revolution would take place. And then Napoleon will proclaim himself emperor and start wars that will shake the whole world.
