The Tendra Spit is in some way a “terra incognita” even for the citizens of Ukraine in whose territory it is located. Rarely rarely do people with tents come here. There are no camp sites or boarding houses here. As, however, and the rest of the infrastructure. Only border guards and herds of feral horses, as in films about Native American prairies. In Ukraine, this piece of land is called the island of Tendra. In a sense, this is correct. After all, Tendra is surrounded on all sides by the waters of the Black Sea. But from the point of view of the formation of this piece of land - this is a typical spit, that is, a strip of sand washed up by the river. Once the island was connected to another - Dzharylgach, and they both rested on the mainland coast. But that was in ancient times. Now the spit is separated from the mainland by the Tendra Strait. And if you can feel yourself on a desert island somewhere in Europe , it is here. How to relax on the Tendra Spit, read on.
Location and history of occurrence
The island is located on the northwest coast of the Black Sea. Administratively Tendra Spit belongs to the Kherson region. In the west, the mainland Cape White Kuchugury very close to the modern island. Scythe stretched to the northwest for a long sixty-five kilometers. Its maximum width is only incomplete two kilometers. A scythe is formed by the accumulation of shell rock and sand. This explains the low relief and nature of Tendra. The coastal part is rich in so-called ramparts. In the center there are old lake (lagoons separated from the sea by narrow braids). In the southern part you can see pits and humps - a product of the activity of winds. Once the braid was much longer and had a connection with the mainland. At a time unknown to us, it was divided into the islands of Tendra and Dzharylgach. The western part of the spit has survived. Now it is called White Kuchugury.
Tendra in history
The ancient Greeks still found the braid whole. They called her “Achilles Drome,” that is, the Achilles ’list. Nearby was the big Greek city of Olbia (now in the village of Parutine, Mykolaiv region). On the island of Berezan, in the Dnieper-Buzhsky estuary, stood his customs. Once every ten years she received guests from all over Greece. After all, at the Achilles Drome, sports were held in honor of the hero of the Trojan War. Naked youths competed in running on the sand of beaches.
In the early Middle Ages, the Tendra Spit was home to the Scythians and Sarmatians. Numerous horses are most likely the wild descendants of the herds that the nomads drove here when the island was still connected to the mainland. Spit once again went down in history during the Russian-Turkish war (1787-1792). It was off the coast of Tendra that a flotilla under the command of Admiral Ushakov defeated the enemy squadron. It happened on September 8, 1790. And during the Civil War, ships of Wrangel stood on Tendra, threatening Odessa.
sights
From Dzharylgach, and in fine weather, and from the Kinburn Spit, a lighthouse is visible on Tendra. This is perhaps the only landmark built by human hands that the Tendra Spit boasts of. The lighthouse was erected in 1827 to orient the ships going to Odessa. Since then, only the “filling” has changed: kerosene lamps have been replaced with modern automatic equipment. But the lighthouse building itself has never been restored. For almost two hundred years there has been a stone round tower thirty meters high, bleached, with two black transverse stripes. During the construction of the lighthouse, Captain Lieutenant Cretan, who participated in the work, became interested in the hill, unusual for braids. Excavations yielded a rich harvest: 800 antique coins, ceramics, votive sculptures. In the ancient world, sailors, sailing in the Northern Black Sea region, rich in dangerous shallows, made donations to Achilles, asking him about the happy outcome of the trip.
Natural attractions
In addition to the population of wild mustangs, the Tendra island-braid is famous as a nesting and wintering place for various birds. It was for the protection of birds that this site was introduced into the biosphere reserve of the Black Sea coast of Ukraine. Once a small grove grew here, but now the landscape of the steppe spit. Not a single tree is on the island. But there is fresh water. Waves of the Dnieper, having passed filtering with sand, become clean and fresh. In total, at a depth of 500 meters there are deposits of artesian water. The wells are located only at the western end, and this circumstance must be remembered when planning a vacation on the Tendra Spit. The sea off the coast of the island is crystal clear and warmer than on Odessa beaches.
Tendra Spit: rest
This is a paradise for those tourists who crave privacy, communication with nature and at the same time philosophically relate to the lack of basic amenities. As mentioned above, Tendra is a biosphere reserve, and therefore it is impossible to build any boarding houses and similar institutions there. Only tourists with tents rest there, while border guards work. Permanent residents - lighthouse keeper with family. They do not want to go to the mainland. So immediately discard the thought "Buy the right thing in place." There are no stores on Tendra. Like firewood, by the way. But you will find a warm and clean sea, lots of waterfowl and wildlife. Dolphins love this fish-rich coast and swim very close.
Tendra Spit: how to get
An individual tour is very expensive. Therefore, tourists cooperate, write off in advance and hire a longboat or a fishing motor boat-felucca. The minimum number of people is twenty. Departure mainly from Ochakovo (Nikolaev region) or from the Iron Port (Kherson region). Traveling by sea for forty kilometers will cost one person three hundred hryvnias on both sides. Judging by the reviews of tourists who visited Tendra, the trip lasts from three to four and a half hours. Weather and sea waves make their own adjustments.
What to take with a tourist to Tendra
Based on the fact that the island is almost uninhabited, it is important to provide yourself with everything necessary for life. A passport is required, as it is a border zone. You also need to remember that this is part of the Tendrovskaya Spit reserve. Camping here is officially prohibited, although in practice no one objects to temporary residence. Freshwater wells are located on the territory of the border outpost, so you also need to bring water with you. Reviews speak of the bloodthirstiness of local mosquitoes - a protective cream must be taken. It is also advisable to grab sunscreen.
What to do on Tendra
Most tourists choose an imposing beach holiday. Bathing, sunbathing, picking up seashells and admiring the sunsets (which are of breathtaking beauty here) are the main pastime of visitors. Of course, the harsh way of life makes it necessary to devote many hours to the troubles of preparing meals and setting up tents. Off the coast of Tendra there are many flooded ships. Therefore, divers come here. Sustainable winds attract fans to ride with kites. Spearfishing on the Tendra Spit is extremely developed. Even those tourists who came here simply to sunbathe and swim, after some time get involved in the entertaining process of collecting mussels and raps, catching shrimps and crabs. Fishing here is also excellent. There are ramps, flounder, katran.