First drift ice in Sea of Okhotsk

The annual arrival of ice floes is being greeted in coastal areas of Hokkaido, northern Japan. Tourists observed the ice berthing off the Shiretoko Peninsula, a World Natural Heritage Site, while weather officials in Abashiri announced their first sighting of the phenomenon on February 2.

260 tourists enjoyed the magnificent scenery from the Abashiri sightseeing boat about 8 kilometers offshore. The drift ice is about 10 cm thick, with the bigger sections wider than 2 meters.