Northern Sakhalin Bay

The northern waters of Sakhalin Gulf lie between the mainland and the northern end of Sakhalin, opening into the Sea of Okhotsk. To the south, the Amur estuary brings fresh water into the shallow sea. Winter ice covers the gulf for months, and northerly winds may keep it crowded with ice well into summer. The coast and islands enclose a passage between the lower Amur and the open waters to the north.