This treacherous Bay of Biscay

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

The Bay of Biscay. Mysterious and mysterious. The place where the Atlantic Ocean washes the shores of Spain and France. A place where seafarers perish in the abyss of waves. Why is it considered the most dangerous of the entire nearest water area? How to save yourself from the elements?

The Bay of Biscay has the reputation of being the most unpredictable and mysterious place. There are often fogs, the coast is cut by rocks, and sudden changes in weather are simply life-threatening. Because of them, deep funnels or waves are formed, reaching a height of 25 meters. They are already called killer waves. Therefore, crossing this bay will be difficult even for an experienced navigator.

Of course, modern technology and improved equipment of ships have significantly reduced the number of victims of the fatal bay. But even today it is very dangerous to travel on it. Winter is considered the most dangerous and unpredictable period. During this time, storms can last up to 12 days.

As for the name of the bay, there are some inconsistencies. We call it Biscay, but the inhabitants of the coastal zone call it differently. The main water area for them is the Cantabrian Sea. Spain, apparently, this name is closer. And only its eastern part for the Spaniards is the Bay of Biscay, and forFrench - Gascon. The very word "Biscay" comes from "Basque" - the name of the coastal inhabitants. Earlier, by the way, they were called "vascones", later the first letter was changed to "b". Perhaps in French it was replaced with "g", so the names of the bay are slightly different for these peoples now.

Since ancient times, the Basques explored the bay. During the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries, a lot of valuable information was obtained. But really valuable data could be found only in our time. In 2007, researchers from America revealed to the world the secret of the origin of the famous killer waves. It is interesting that they are formed even in those places where there is a very great depth. There are such waves for many reasons. The energy potentials of different layers of the water column, the amplitudes of waves arbitrarily colliding with each other, etc., have an effect. In such areas, not only giant waves can form, but also deadly funnels.

As you can see, the depths of the sea do not frighten tourists. There are always plenty of them on the coast. Still, not every resort can boast of a twelve-kilometer beach! La Baule is famous all over the world for its balneological resorts. Russian bohemians prefer Biarritz. And the Tuna Festival, which is held annually in the town of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, attracts many local residents.

Not only the depths of the sea are among the sights of the coast. Rocks are heaped along the coast line, on which you can see real rock paintings madeseveral millennia ago. The ancient architecture also deserves attention. In the French city of La Rochelle, an ancient fortress and a German submarine bunker have been preserved. And in San Sebastian, Spain, an international jazz festival is taking place, which also attracts tourists.

Here it is, the Bay of Biscay. Insidious, but insanely attractive.