In the ocean about 56 km southwest of Sakhalin Island, there is a remote island called Monerón Island (Остров Монерон). To reach this island, sail about 76 km from the port city of Neversk (Невельск) on the west coast of Sakhalin Island.
As you can see from the map, you can see it on sunny days in Kiuchi City such as Sogya Cape and Rishiri Island/Rebun Island.
The island covers an area of about 30 square kilometers and is home to seabirds and sea lions due to its residents. In summer, you can enjoy diving in the crystal clear waters.
What kind of island is this? Start by watching a promotional video produced by the Sakhalin Tourism Board.
New port facilities, wooden houses and Russian Orthodox churches are being built on the island.
A promenade has also been built on the island for hiking.
The rocky surface leading to the coastline is desolate, a world of uninhabited islands.
The steep cliffs and conditions of many rocks make it an ideal sanctuary for seabirds. Due to the warm Tsushima Current, although the island is located north of Wakkanai at 46 degrees north latitude, the waters around the island are rich in marine life.
Originally, the island was called "todomoshiri" by the Ainu people.
Monetron Island takes its name from the chief engineer of his ship, Paul Melo Monetron, who was active in the 18th century when French navigator and explorer Laperus visited the Strait of Sawyer. ...
At that time, la perouse came to Ezo (Hokkaido) and Sakhalin Island in July 1787. He came to investigate the strait, now known as the Tatar Strait (Tatar Strait), to see if there was a land connection between Eurasia and Sakhalin Island. Although I pushed the boat to the front of the strait, the islanders told me that the water was extremely shallow and I gave up the past.
In fact, the width of the Tatar Strait at its narrowest point is about 7.3 km, and the depth at its shallowest point is about 8 m. It is partially frozen in winter. It can be said that it is inevitable that the navigation of ships will be threatened.
In 1808, an expedition by Takahashi Hideyasu, Matsuda Noburo Matsuda, and Mamiya Rinzo of the Edo Shogunate Observatory confirmed that Sakhalin Island was an island. The following year, in 1809, the palace crossed the strait and surveyed the surrounding area.
After that, Japan and Russia demarcated the border, and after the Russo-Japanese War, Nantangfeng Island became Japanese territory, and the island was called "Dongdo Island Haibo Island". It is now an uninhabited island, but in Japanese times it was once the village of Kaiba in Honjima-gun.
On Monetron Island, 380 species of plants, including species unique to the island, grow naturally, and as a special plant community area on Moneron Island, it is designated as a natural monument of the Tang Hall.
Legend has it that in 1941 the island had 751 inhabitants. In August 1945, Soviet troops occupied the island, but the islanders had long since fled.
This unknown remote island in the north also has a variety of modern historical stories. Now I would like to visit this island where sea lions and seabirds live leisurely.