Yam Gulf

Yam Gulf (Russian: Yamskaya Guba) is a large bay in the northeastern Sea of Okhotsk. It forms the southwestern portion of Shelikhov Gulf. To its southeast lie the Yam Islands.

Geography and climate

Yam Gulf is entered between Capes Iretsky to the north and Keytevan to the south, which are separated by 33.8 km (about 21 mi). The high entrance points of the gulf merge into a low shore to the west, with tundra plains beyond. From June to the first half of August, winds in the gulf are seldom stronger than a fresh breeze, but occasionally reach gale force. Calms prevail in the latter half of August and first part of September. Northeast winds begin in late September, with storms common. Fog is fairly rare. There is ice in the gulf from October to late June or early July. Tides are irregular, being diurnal at springs and semidiurnal at neaps. The highest spring tides reach about 6.4 m (21 ft), while neaps reach about 2.1 m (6.9 ft). The tidal currents are strongest in the southern part of the gulf, reaching 8 to 8.5 knots during spring tides in July, 5.5 to 6 knots in August, and 4 to 4.5 knots in September.^[1]

History

American whaleships hunted bowhead whales in the gulf in the 1850s and 1860s.^[2][3] They also traded with the natives for sable and deer.^[4]

References

1. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. (2014). Sailing Directions (Enroute): East Coast of Russia. U.S. Government, Springfield, Virginia.
2. Corinthian, of New Bedford, July 9-12, 1852, Old Dartmouth Historical Society.
3. Florida, of Fairhaven, July 7-21, 1861. In Williams, H. (1964). One whaling family. Boston, Houghton Mifflin.
4. Florida, of Fairhaven, July 15 & 17, 1861. In Williams (1964). See above.

Coordinates: 59°42′N 154°25′E / 59.700°N 154.417°E