Tsugaru Channel

From Openwaterpedia

Tsugaru Channel or Tsugaru Strait (津軽海峡 or Tsugaru Kaikyō in English) is a channel between the Honshu, the main island of Japan, and Hokkaido in northern Japan connecting the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean and one of the swims in the Oceans Seven. It was named after the western part of Aomori Prefecture. The Seikan Tunnel passes under it at its narrowest point (19.5 km) between Tappi Misaki on the Tsugaru Peninsula in Aomori, Honshū and Shirakami Misaki on the Matsumae Peninsula in Hokkaidō.

Japan's territorial waters extend to three nautical miles (5.6 km) into the strait instead of the usual twelve, reportedly to allow nuclear-armed United States Navy warships and submarines to transit the strait without violating Japan's prohibition against nuclear weapons in its territory.

The Tsugaru Channel has eastern and western necks, both approximately 20 km across with maximum depths of 200 and 140 m respectively. In the past, the most common way for passengers and freight to cross the strait was on ferries, approximately a four-hour journey. Now the Seikan Tunnel provides a convenient but more expensive alternative and approximately halves the travel time in comparison to ferrying. When Shinkansen trains can traverse the tunnel to Hakodate (scheduled for 2015), the journey time will be cut to 50 minutes.

The swim is ranked among the Top 50 Open Water Swims In Asia. It is also part of the Oceans Seven challenge.

Contents 1 Blakiston Line 2 Successful Tsugaru Channel Swimmers 3 Tsugaru Channel Records 4 Oceans Seven 5 References

Blakiston Line

Thomas Blakiston, an English explorer and naturalist, noticed that animals in Hokkaido were related to northern Asian species, whereas those on Honshu to the south were related to those from southern Asia. The Tsugaru Strait was therefore established as a major zoogeographical boundary, and became known as the "Blakiston Line".

Successful Tsugaru Channel Swimmers

1. David Yudovin (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 13:10 (1990)
2. Steven Munatones (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 6:11 (1990)
3. Steven Munatones(USA) solo single crossing (Hokkaido-to-Honshu) in 6:39 (1990)
4. Steven Munatones (USA) solo double crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido-to-Honshu) in 12:50 (1990)
5. Miyuki Fujita (Japan) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11:36 (2005)
6. Miyuki Fujita (Japan) solo triple crossing in 37:24 (2006)
7. Masayuki Moriya (Japan) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11:55 (2011)
8. Penny Palfrey (Australia) solo single crossing (Hokkaido-to-Honshu) in 14:30 (2011)

Tsugaru Channel Records

First Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: David Yudovin (USA), July 7, 1990: 13:10
First Hokkaido-Honshu Crossing: Steven Munatones (USA), July 30, 1990: 6:39
First Female Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: Miyuki Fujita (Japan), 2005: 11:36
First Female Hokkaido-Honshu Crossing: Miyuki Fujita (Japan), 2005
Fastest Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: Steven Munatones (USA), 1990: 6:11
Fastest Hokkaido-Honshu Crossing: Steven Munatones (USA), 1990, 6:39
Fastest Double Crossing (Honshu-Hokkaido-Honshu): Steven Munatones (USA), 1990: 12:50
First Triple Crossing (Honshu-Hokkaido-Honshu-Hokkaido): Miyuki Fujita (Japan), 1990: 37:24

Oceans Seven

The Oceans Seven consists of the following waterways around the world:

1. North Channel between Ireland and Scotland
2. Cook Strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand
3. Molokai Channel between Oahu and Molokai Islands in Hawaii
4. English Channel between England and France
5. Catalina Channel between Santa Catalina Island and then Southern California mainland
6. Tsugaru Channel between the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido in Japan
7. Strait of Gibraltar between Europe and Africa

References

• Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association
• Open Water Swimming Dictionary
• Open Water Swimming website
• Top 50 Open Water Swims in Asia
• Google Earth Flyover of Oceans Seven