Shelikhov Bay (Kamchatka Oblast, Russia) is located between the Asian coast and the base of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Refers to the water area of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Hydronym
Залив обязан своим названием исследователю и seafarer Grigory Ivanovich Shelikhov. He organized several trading and fishing companies, including in Kamchatka. Grigory Ivanovich mastered new lands for the Russian Empire, was the initiator of the Russian-American company. Now it becomes immediately clear, in honor of whom the Shelikhov Gulf is named - in honor of the "Russian Columbus".
Characteristics of the Gulf
The coordinates of the Shelikhov Bay are 60 ° 00 'northern latitude and 158 ° 00 'east longitude. Its length is 650 km, the prevailing depth is 50-150 m, and the maximum reaches 350 m. But the width varies within 300 km, at the entrance it decreases to 130 km. From December to May the water area is frozen. The population in the Bay area is about 1000 people.
Features of the Gulf
The Shelikhov Bay has a division into so-calledlips, that is sea bays, which go far into land. Thus, its northern part is divided into Gizhiginskaya Bay and Penzhinskaya, which are separated from each other by the Taygonos Peninsula. On the southern part of the bay there are relatively small archipelago - the Yamskie Islands. It consists of five sections of land with a predominantly rocky terrain.
In connection with the greatest inclination of the Moon tothe surface of the Earth in this area in the Gulf there are irregular semidiurnal fluctuations in the water level. At the same time, tidal waves often reach a maximum height in the Penzhina Bay (14 m). Such rivers as Gigiga, Malkachan, Yama, Penzhin feed the bay, while the latter flows back during the tides.
Penzhinskaya lip
In the east of the shore of the Penzhinskaya Bay,the presence of steep slopes, which consist of clayey or marly schists with the introduction of brown coal. Its dimensions reach a length of 300 km, and a width of about 65 km. The depths in this area reach more than 60 m. In the south, gneiss and granite are the dominant species.
Unlike the Gizhiginskaya Bay, Penzhinskayacovered with ice for several months. It flows into the river Penzhina. The tides in the local places are special, semi-diurnal and irregular. If we take into account the entire basin of the Pacific Ocean, then it is in the Penzhina Bay that they reach the maximum value.
Gizhigin's lip
Gizhiginskaya lip is an internal partThe bay, into which flows the river Gigiga. This water area for much of the year is under ice. In length it occupies almost 150 km. The width of the lip is quite large and is about 260 km. In some places, the bottom moves away from the water surface by more than 85 m.
Animal world
The Shelikhov Bay is extremely rich in fishresources, which contributes to the good development of fishing. Among representatives of this species of fauna, there are herring, halibut, Far Eastern navaga, flounder, smelt. Some individuals of the salmon family are also common.
Due to the depth of 350 m in places, the bay is distinguished by a variety of ichthyofauna (plankton and zooplankton), which is a food for fish.
Other inhabitants of this water area are various arthropods, among which are the Kamchatka crab, mussels, sea urchins, nutritious mollusks.
Did not ignore the bay of Shelikhov and representativesbirds, for which fish is the main food. The rocks that rise on its banks have become habitats for birds. Numerous bird markets are located on them.
Plane crash
Печальным фактом биографии залива Шелихова there is a crash of the Il-18V aircraft. This tragic event occurred on February 26, 1963. On board there were only 10 people (crew and 2 passengers). The plane suddenly refused two engines, and the pilots had to make an emergency landing directly on the ice. Several people managed to get out before the plane sank. However, given where the Shelikhov Gulf is located, the water temperature was 18 aboutC, they died from hypothermia. The place of the disaster was discovered only on April 4, 1963.
