Tugur Bay

Tugur Bay тугурский залив
Shantar Bay
Location of Tugur Bay south of the Shantar Islands
Tugur Bay Location in Khabarovsk Krai
Location	Russian Far East
Coordinates	54°10′N 137°00′E / 54.167°N 137.000°E / 54.167; 137.000Coordinates: 54°10′N 137°00′E / 54.167°N 137.000°E / 54.167; 137.000
River sources	Tugur River, Karol River
Ocean/sea sources	Sea of Okhotsk
Basin countries	Russia
Max. length	80.5 km (50.0 mi)
Max. width	58 km (36 mi)
Surface area	1,800 km2 (690 sq mi)
Average depth	25 m (82 ft)

Tugur Bay or Tugursky Bay (Russian: тугурский залив, Tugursky Zaliv) is a large bay in the Tuguro-Chumikansky District of Khabarovsk Krai, Russian Federation.

Currently there is a project to build a tidal power station in Tugur Bay.

Tugur Bay is located in the northwestern Sea of Okhotsk, just south of the Shantar Islands. It is entered between Seneka Point and Cape Bol'shoy Dugandzha, nearly 58 km (about 36 mi) to the west-northwest. It narrows to about 19.3 km (12 mi) midway and is about 80.5 km (50 mi) deep in a south-southwesterly direction. The Tugur River runs into its head. The east and south side of the bay is thickly wooded.

Mamga Bay is a branch of Tugur Bay located on the northwestern side of the bay.

There is ice in the bay from the end of October or the middle of November to July. Spring tides rise 4.5 to 5.5 m (14.75 to 18 ft) in the northern part of the bay and up to 6.4 m (21 ft) in the southern part. Tidal currents can reach up to four knots in the northern part of Tugur Bay, causing whirlpools and eddies. The bay is 18 to 37 m (59 to 121.4 ft) deep at its entrance, but shoals to less than 3.6 m (11.8 ft) at its head.

American, French, and Russian whaleships frequented the bay hunting bowhead whales between 1852 and 1905. They called it Shantar Bay. Some traded with the natives for salmon. On 28 July 1854, the bark Isabella, of New Bedford, reported that as many as 94 ships were visible from her deck, only five of which were boiling oil. Several ships were wrecked in the bay. On 12 July 1854, the ship Silas Richards (454 tons), of New Bedford, Capt. Wilcox, was driven ashore by ice and wrecked on the southwest side of the bay. She was sold on the beach for $194. In June 1856, the brig Tarquina (210 tons), of Honolulu, was also stove by ice and lost, while the bark Columbus (344 tons), of New London, was wrecked in the bay on 10 August 1858. On 27 July 1867, a Russian steamer ordered the bark Java, of New Bedford, under Manuel Enos, out of the bay. A few days later the bark Endeavor, also of New Bedford, had its boats fired upon by the same vessel before being ordered away as well. In August 1885, a Russian steamer once again forbid American whaleships in the bay from whaling.