The southeastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula is washed by the Avacha Bay. On the north side, it is limited by the quiet Shipunsky Cape. A huge part of the water area strongly protrudes into the land. The amazing Avacha Bay is considered the second largest in the world, its size is second only to the famous Gunabara Bay, which is located in Brazil. The length of the water surface is 2,400 km². Experienced fishermen say that all the merchant fleets of the world can fit in such open spaces at once.
From the open part Avacha Bay is separated by two capes - Mayachny and Bezymyanny. Between them, the mighty rocks of the Three Brothers are conveniently located, which are the hallmark of these places. An ancient legend says that the gods were angry with the locals and sent a terrible tsunami to punish them. But three powerful brothers entered the bay and closed their native villages from huge waves. For such an act, the gods turned them into high rocks, which to this day guard the entrance to the bay.
Description
Many photographers thinkAvacha Bay is one of the most beautiful places in all of Russia. It is a unique natural landmark of the Far East. Avacha Bay is located on the multifaceted Pacific coast of Kamchatka. The width of the bay near the water is three kilometers.
Tourists come to this peninsula with pleasure to admire the beauties of the Avachinsky volcano and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, as well as to see the Three Brothers rocks. During a destructive storm, the bay acts as a powerful shield for nearby villages, as well as a quiet haven for ships. Here, sailors can wait out the bad weather, so that later they can again go to the wide ocean.
This place has long been chosen by experienced divers, as the bottom of the bay is very clean and relief. You can’t swim here without special preparation, because even on the hottest days the water temperature in Avacha Bay warms up to a maximum of + 16 °C. A real expanse for thrill-seekers. In some places, the water is so clear that the structure of the bottom can be seen up to a depth of 25 meters.
Relief
The greatest depth of the central part of Avacha Bay in the Pacific Ocean is 26 meters. The exact outlines of the coasts were marked on the map of Russia during the first expedition to the peninsula, led by Vitus Bering in 1729. Avacha Bay is distinguished by its unusual beauty. It includes a number of bays, the Nalycheva River, as well as the islands of Starichkov and Krashennikov. Many tourists visit these places to admire the colonies of graceful waterfowl.
The depth of the underwater world of Avacha Bay exceeds tens of meters. The structure of the bottom periodically undergoes certain changes. Its northern part is presented as a slightly inclined flat surface, the depth interval varies from 14 to 100 meters. The bottom surface changes significantly near the Khalaktyrsky beach; erosion processes are often recorded in this area. After 200 meters there is a sharp slope and an inflection in the relief.
Climatic conditions
The peculiar geographical location of the Avacha Bay in Kamchatka makes it open to strong winds and any sea fluctuations. Bad weather often rages in Kamchatka, which is why many ships enter the closed bay. The water in the bay remains slightly warm most of the year, which positively affects the climate of the nearby villages. Ice conditions in Avacha Bay are considered mild. Even in the most severe frosts, the bay is not filled with blocks of ice, which provides free passage for ships.
Rest
Many tourists visit this amazing corner of Kamchatka to go fishing, diving, and enjoy peaceful forest and sea walks. Two large rivers flow into the bay - Avacha and Paratunka, which are filled with many types of salmon. But most of all, we althy tourists love ice fishing in winter, when sea flounder, smelt, and also navaga swim in the deep mouth of the inflow.
On the slopes of the hills, powerfulbirch groves, as well as cedar forest. All glades and edges are densely covered with fragrant herbs and bright flowers. This contributes to the fact that in the summertime in Avacha Bay, entire ornithological groups gather, which specialize in collecting medicinal plants.
Orcas
Local residents annually admire the natural event when killer whales swim up to the very shores of the bay. They literally fill the bay for the feeding period. Since killer whales belong to the order of cetaceans, their body length can exceed 10 meters. In addition to Avacha Bay, these amazing animals are found near the Commander Islands, Cape Shipunsky and Olyutorskaya Bay.
Animal world
All the rocks in the bay are inhabited by huge bird colonies. Tourists can admire the families of cormorants, gulls, guillemots and guillemots. In the warm season, fur seals and sea lions can be found in the bay. Quite often, these funny sea creatures stick their smooth heads out of the water to watch people. Sea lions can be found even on the shore, as they love to bask in the sun. If a huge seal got out on land, then you should not get close to it, as they can be extremely aggressive.
Romantic walks along the coast
You can admire the changeable waters of Avacha Bay endlessly. Once on this peninsula, you should definitely visit the port to enjoy the power of fishing boats, cranes and docks. Unforgettable viewopens from Nikolskaya Sopka, which has long been chosen by couples in love. This attraction is located right in the center of the city. If you climb the hill in the evening, you can see how the crimson sun descends smoothly over the horizon. The heavenly surface is painted in the entire palette of shades of red.
In calm weather, you can go down to a narrow strip of pebble beach to sit by the water. Going around Nikolskaya Sopka, you can collect beautiful gifts of the underwater world - shells and starfish.
Where to stay
There are several quality three-star hotels on the peninsula: Geyser, Petropavlovsk, Avacha, Dolce Vita, Edelweiss. The prices are quite reasonable, the quality of service for tourists is quite satisfactory. If the budget is limited, you can stay in a mini-hotel. The most popular today are: "Rus", "Abazhur", "Chief of Kamchatka", "Oktyabrskaya".
Transportation
Of course, the easiest and most convenient option is air travel, which takes no more than 9 hours. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky has continuous air links with major Russian airports located in Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk, Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar, and Vladivostok. After landing, you can easily get to the center of the peninsula by city bus number 104 or 102.
Outside of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
After getting acquainted with all the beauties of the peninsula, you can go beyond it. Two rivers carry their waters to Avacha Bay: Avacha and Paratunka. On the banks of the latter there is a resort of the same name with thermal springs. Locals and visiting tourists often walk along the shores of the bay. Many people may be surprised by the color of the sand on the beach, as it is black. And the thing is that it is of volcanic origin. Sand is formed during the process of resolving solidified magma and other rocks.
