Enjoying the magnificent scenery from the ‘Aurora’ drift-ice sightseeing & icebreaker ship

The drift-ice sightseeing season began in earnest in the Okhotsk region on February 4th, the first weekend since the drift ice was first observed with the naked eye from land, in the city of Abashiri on the 2nd. In Abashiri, passengers boarded the ‘Aurora’ drift-ice sightseeing & icebreaker ship and enjoyed the magnificent scenery of the Sea of Okhotsk covered with drift ice.

　A total of 1,445 people boarded the ship on six trips, including the first service that departed at 9:30 a.m. “It’s the first time I’ve ridden an icebreaker ship,” said a woman visiting from Tokyo. “The sight of the drift ice covering the sea was breathtaking," she added excitedly.

　As of February 4, the drift ice had reached the shore along a 70-km-long stretch of the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula in the town of Shari.