More recently, residents of the peninsula and guides were happy to show guests the magnificent Silver Jet Waterfall (Crimea). Where is this miracle located and why are we talking about it in the past tense? You will learn about this from our article.
Silver Jets Waterfall (Crimea) is located in the Grand Canyon, in the middle of an ancient beech forest. Travelers can immediately notice it thanks to an overhanging cap covered with moss. From here, the waterfall breaks down in countless sparkling streams of water. They rush down into the dark grotto.
Especially beautiful in bright light is the Silver Jets Falls (Crimea). Photos, even the highest quality, are not able to convey this beauty. It resembles a huge sparkling musical instrument. Perhaps that is why he got his name.
From the history of the waterfall
Water forming a waterfall flows from a cave. It is characterized by a high content of dissolved active calcite. In the daytime, it precipitates on the surface, enveloping everything that is located in the water: branches, leaves, stones. Over time, all this cements into a continuous mass, forming sagging formations. Thanks to this feature of water, a waterfall appeared.
Many thousands of years ago, the gorge littered with fallen trees and stones. Over time, the water has condensed and cemented the mass and created a kind of natural dam. Through it a brook was covered with moss, the lower branches of which were covered with a thin layer of calcite. They held up clay particles and grains of sand, and calcite completely cemented everything. Moss grew quite quickly, and in place of a small stream formed a cornice of calcite. Specialists call it a forehead canopy.
By the end of 2015, its thickness was more than two meters. On the side of the waterfall there are small caves, grottoes with incrustations and calcite tubes. One of these caves is quite large, it is called Muravina.
Visor dome
It is amazing what intricate forms nature sometimes creates. An unusual dome-visor was the main decoration of this waterfall. It was formed by limestone tuff deposited by the Sary-Uzen River for many thousands of years. In addition, moss, which grew so abundantly on the visor, also contributed to the appearance of tuff, since it actively absorbs carbon dioxide from the water. The less carbon dioxide in it, the less its dissolving ability. Without carbon dioxide (or with its low content), water does not retain calcium carbonate, and therefore it is deposited in the form of limestone tuff.
This process is moving pretty fast along the Sary-Uzeni riverbed. Among the stones, researchers sometimes find objects that unfortunate tourists left here several years ago, but they are already completely covered with a tuff crust.
Yusupov’s sites
It was in this place in the XIX century that the hunting grounds of the princes Yusupovs were located. If you walk 200 meters from the waterfall, you will find yourself at a pond filled with a spring from a rocky cleft. It is called Yusupov Lake. It was designed to breed trout. She was served at the table of the Yusupov princes.
The lake flows to the waterfall. Here is the Yellow Cave. You can get into it if, lying on your stomach, carefully crawl along the channel of the stream under a canopy. You will find yourself in a cave with a large hall and a cascade of underwater waterfall.
Waterfall after the 90s of the last century
Surprisingly, until the mid-nineties of the last century, only specialists and locals knew about this amazing pearl of the peninsula. Until this time, the waterfall did not even have a specific name. He was called both Crystal and Glass.
When the tourism business began to develop in the country in the nineties, a picturesque and unusual waterfall located 1.2 km from the highway attracted the attention of entrepreneurs. A convenient road was built to him, signs were placed. Since then, Silver Stream Waterfalls (Crimea) has appeared on tourist routes. To him began to bring numerous tourists who were delighted with the beauty they saw.
What does a waterfall look like?
The Silver Jets waterfall (Crimea) is not distinguished by either full flow or height. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of the peninsula and his guests considered him the most beautiful, most original, most lyrical. It was almost impossible to meet a man who would not admire the Silver Jets.
In the summer, numerous groups of excursionists went to him. The Silver Jets waterfall (Crimea) is located on the Yellow River (Sary-Uzen). It is quite suitable for swimming. The river has several bathtubs filled with warm water.
If tourists came to the waterfall after the rain, they were struck by an unusual curtain of silver beads. You could hide behind them and make a memorable photo.
Lighting
Of great importance in the perception of this natural miracle was the lighting of the waterfall. Until about 11 o’clock he was lit by direct rays of the sun. The emerald moss that covered the forehead of the waterfall shimmered and shone with droplets of water. He, like a neat bang of a mermaid, passed through himself thousands of water jets. They shimmer with all colors, and at this time they become not silver, but diamond. When the sun played on waterfall strings, it seemed that it was not the water that drains at all, but the strands with crystal beads ringing back. All visitors to this place claim that if all the waterfalls are just noisy, then the “Silver Jets” are sung in a clear voice.
Waterfall in winter
In the cool period, the flowing streams along the tuff inflow fell into the cavity of a rather spacious grotto. If you observe this from the side, the waterfall resembled a huge beast, bending its head, with which streams of water flow down. In winter, the jets freeze, and at this time one of its previous names, Khrustalny, was most suitable for this natural creation.
In winter, a tuff visor was covered with bright green moss, from above it was usually sprinkled with snow, through which water flowed in thin streams. The cliffs of the waterfall were densely covered with openwork cascades of transparent icicles, columns of stalagmites and stalactites. It was impossible to tear one's eyes from this extraordinary beauty.
And now it's time to tell why we are talking about this picturesque waterfall in the past tense. At the beginning of 2016, the Silver Jets Falls crashed. In Crimea, this news was received with chagrin. It was not the most famous waterfall in the world, however, Crimeans loved to spend time here and were very proud of this natural miracle.
In the Crimea, the Silver Jets Falls collapsed
It must be said that the researchers regarded this event as natural and even expected. There came a time when the peak (tuff) of the waterfall gained its critical mass. Snow, frost and water increased the load, which he could no longer withstand. Severe frost, exposure to flowing water over time destroyed the calcareous tuff rocks.
On the night of January 8, 2016, as a result of significant temperature changes and severe frosts, after which there was a sharp warming, the Silver Jets waterfall collapsed in Crimea. The cantilever part of the waterfall collapsed (tuff block with moss). Scientists believe that her age reached almost 50 thousand years. A huge fallen block blocked the view of the waterfall when approaching it.
Researchers, who have been observing the waterfall for a long time, believe that the cause of the collapse is unfavorable natural factors. They are sure that this should happen sooner or later, since in the sixties the threat of collapse was recorded, even work was carried out to strengthen it.
Scientists make disappointing forecasts - in the near future we will no longer see the waterfall in its original form. For the formation of such a visor, which created the effect of a murmuring echo, nature will need at least ten thousand years.
Silver Jets Waterfall (Crimea): how to get there?
The easiest way to do this is from the resorts of Big Yalta. You should take a shuttle bus (or use your own transport), following in the direction of Bakhchisarai. The route passes through Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla - T0117 road. Before reaching three kilometers to the village of Sokolinoye, turn left and follow another 2 km to the rock "Eagle Flight".