The southeastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula is washed by the Avacha Gulf. On the north side it is bounded by the quiet Shipunsky cape. A huge part of the water extends strongly into land. The amazing Avacha Bay is considered the second largest in the whole world; its size is second only to the famous Gunabara Bay, which is located in Brazil. The water surface is 2, 400 km². Experienced fishermen say that in such open spaces all the merchant fleets of the world can immediately fit.
Two capes are separated from the open part of Avacha Bay - Mayachny and Bezymyanny. Between them are conveniently located the powerful rocks of the Three Brothers, 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 gulf and covered their native villages from huge waves. For such an act, the gods turned them into high cliffs, which to this day guard the entrance to the bay.
Description
Many photographers consider Avacha Bay one of the most beautiful places in all of Russia. It is a unique natural attraction of the Far East. Avacha Bay is located on the multifaceted Pacific coast of Kamchatka. The width of the bay by the water is three kilometers.
Tourists with pleasure come to this peninsula to admire the beauties of Avachinsky volcano and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, as well as to see the Three Brothers cliffs. During a devastating 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 weather, and then again leave for the wide ocean.
This place has long been chosen by experienced divers, as the bottom of the bay is very clean and embossed. 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. This expanse for extreme sports. In some places, the water is so clean that the bottom structure can be seen to a depth of 25 meters.
Relief
The greatest depth of the central part of Avachinsky Bay in the Pacific Ocean is 26 meters. The exact outlines of the shores were mapped on Russia during the first expedition to the peninsula, led by Vitus Bering in 1729. Avacha Bay is notable for its unusual beauty. It includes a number of bays, the Nalycheva River, as well as the islands of Starichkov and Krashennikova. Many tourists visit these places in order to admire the colonies of elegant waterfowl.
The depth of the underwater world of Avacha Bay exceeds tens of meters. The bottom structure periodically undergoes certain changes. Its northern part is represented as a slightly inclined flat surface, the depth interval varies from 14 to 100 meters. The bottom surface changes significantly near the Halaktyr beach, erosion processes are often recorded on this site. After 200 meters there is a sharp slope and an excess in the relief.
Climatic conditions
The unique geographical location of Avacha Bay in Kamchatka makes it open to strong winds and any sea vibrations. In Kamchatka, the weather often rages, because of which many ships enter the closed bay. The water in the bay remains a little warm most of the year, which positively affects the climate of 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 easy access for ships.
Relaxation
Many tourists visit this amazing corner of Kamchatka to go fishing, diving, and enjoy quiet forest and sea walks. Two large rivers flow into the bay - Avacha and Paratunka, which are filled with many species of salmon. But most of all, wealthy tourists love ice fishing in the winter, when a sea flounder, smelt, and also navaga come to the deep mouth of the inflow.
On the slopes of the hills, powerful birch groves, as well as cedar forests, were successfully located. All clearings and edges are densely covered with fragrant herbs and bright flowers. This contributes to the fact that in the summer in the Avacha Bay gather whole ornithological groups that specialize in collecting medicinal plants.
Killer whales
Local residents annually admire the natural event when sea killer whales swim to the very shores of the bay. They literally fill the bay for the period of feeding. Since killer whales belong to the order of cetaceans, their body length can exceed 10 meters. In addition to Avachinsky Bay, these amazing animals are found near the Commander Islands, Cape Shipunsky and Olyutor Bay.
Animal world
All the rocks in the bay are populated by huge bird bazaars. Tourists can admire the families of cormorants, gulls, scraper and guillemots. In the warm season, in the bay you can meet fur seals and sea lions. Quite often, these funny marine creatures stick their smooth heads out of the water to watch people. Steller sea lions can be found even on the shore, as they like to bask in the sun. If a huge seal has climbed onto land, then you should not come close to it, as they are extremely aggressive.
Romantic walks along the shore
You can admire the changeable waters of Avacha Bay endlessly. Once on this peninsula you must visit the port to enjoy the power of fishing vessels, cranes and docks. An unforgettable view opens from the Nikolskaya hill, which has long been chosen by couples in love. This attraction is located right in the city center. If you climb the hill in the evening, you can see how the crimson sun goes down smoothly over the horizon. The expanse of the sky is painted in the whole palette of shades of red.
In calm weather, you can go down to a narrow strip of pebble beach to sit by the water. Bypassing the Nikolskaya Sopka, you can collect beautiful gifts of the underwater world - shells and starfish.
Where to stay
Several high-quality three-star hotels operate on the peninsula: Geyser, Petropavlovsk, Avacha, Dolce Vita, Edelweiss. Prices are quite reasonable, the quality of tourist services is quite satisfactory. If the budget is limited, you can settle in a mini-hotel. The most popular today are: "Rus", "Lampshade", "Head of Kamchatka", "October".
Transport
Of course, the simplest and most convenient option is air travel, which takes no more than 9 hours. In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, there is continuous air communication with major Russian airports located in Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk, Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar, as well as Vladivostok. After landing, you can easily get to the center of the peninsula by city bus number 104 or 102.
