Tsugaru Channel Swimmers Don’t Need One More Thing To Worry About
Channel swimmers attempting 19.7 km crossings of the Tsugaru Channel between Honshu and Hokkaido in northern Japan have to worry about the fast-moving Tsugaru Current, eddies, non-stop ocean turbulence, and the potential for shark encounters.
Now there is one more thing to worry about.
Fortunately, the channel swimming season does not begin until June so there is still time for things to settle down, but the Japanese government reported that 10 Russian naval ships passed through the channel carrying military troops and vehicles to be deployed in Ukraine.
And it is highly unlikely that those ships (including a destroyer, a submarine, and a missile tracking ship) – or additional ships that may follow – will slow down or stop for any channel swimmers they may encounter en route.
The Japanese Defense Ministry reported other Russian tank landing ships in the Pacific Ocean about 70 kilometers east of the area that is an international waterway where foreign ships, including warships, are allowed to navigate.
The Japanese government said the Russian fleet later passed through the Soya Strait to reach the Sea of Japan and the Russian military has been increasing its naval activities in the vicinity of Japan in parallel with its invasion of Ukraine.
Photo taken on March 16th shows a Russian navy tank landing ship with vehicles on its deck. Photo courtesy of Japan Joint Staff, Kyodo.
