Tendrovskaya Spit is in a certain way "terra incognita" even for the citizens of Ukraine, on whose territory it is located. Rarely, rarely do people come here with tents. There are no camp sites or boarding houses here. Just like the rest of the infrastructure. Only border guards and herds of feral horses, like in films about Indian prairies. In Ukraine, this piece of land is called Tendra Island. In a certain 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 both of them 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 like you're on a desert island anywhere in Europe, it's here. How to relax on the Tendra Spit, read on.
Location and history of occurrence
The island is located on the northwestern coast of the Black Sea. Administratively, Tendrovskaya Spit belongs to the Kherson region. West to modernthe island is very close to the mainland Cape White Kuchugury. The spit stretches to the northwest for a long sixty-five kilometers. Its maximum width is only incomplete two kilometers. The spit was formed by the accumulation of shell rock and sand. This explains the low relief and nature of the Tendra. The coastal part is rich in so-called ramparts. In the center there are oxbow lakes (lagoons separated from the sea by narrow spits). In the southern part, you can see pits and humps - a product of the activity of the winds. Once the spit was much longer and had a connection with the mainland. At a time unknown to us, it was divided into the islands of Tendru and Dzharylgach. The western part of the spit has been preserved. Now it is called White Kuchugurs.
Tendra in history
Ancient Hellenes still found the scythe intact. They called it "Achilles Drome", that is, the stadium of Achilles. Nearby, the big Greek city of Olbia (now the village of Parutine, Mykolaiv region) was noisy. On the island of Berezan, in the Dnieper-Buzhsky estuary, there was his customs office. Once every ten years, she received guests from all over Greece. After all, sports games were held at the Achilles Drome in honor of the hero of the Trojan War. Naked youths raced across the sandy beaches.
In the early Middle Ages, the Tendra Spit was home to the Scythians and Sarmatians. Numerous horses, most likely, are the feral descendants of those herds that the nomads brought here when the island was still connected to the mainland. The scythe once again fell into history during the Russian-Turkish war (1787-1792). It was off the coast of Tendra that the flotilla under the command of AdmiralUshakova defeated the enemy squadron. It happened on September 8, 1790. And during the Civil War, Wrangel ships stood on the Tendra, threatening Odessa.
Attractions
From Dzharylgach, and in good weather from the Kinburn Spit, you can see the lighthouse on the Tendra. This is, perhaps, the only sight built by human hands, which Tendrovskaya Spit can boast of. The lighthouse was erected in 1827 to orient ships going to Odessa. Since then, only the “stuffing” has changed: kerosene lamps have been replaced by modern automatic equipment. But the lighthouse itself has never been restored. For almost two hundred years, a stone round tower thirty meters high, whitewashed, with two black transverse stripes has been standing. During the construction of the lighthouse, the captain-lieutenant of Crete, who participated in the work, became interested in a hill, unusual for braids. The 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 for a happy outcome of the journey.
Natural Attractions
In addition to the population of wild mustangs, the island-spit of Tendra 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 is a steppe spit. Not a single tree isisland. But there is fresh water. The waves of the Dnieper, after being filtered by sand, become clean and fresh. In total, at a depth of 500 meters there are deposits of artesian water. Wells are located only on the western tip, and this circumstance must be remembered when planning a vacation on the Tendrovskaya Spit. The sea off the coast of the island is crystal clear and warmer than on Odessa beaches.
Tendrovskaya spit: rest
This is a paradise for those tourists who crave solitude, communion with nature and at the same time are philosophical about the lack of basic amenities. As mentioned above, Tendra is a biosphere reserve, and therefore no boarding houses and similar institutions can be built there. Only tourists with tents rest there, and border guards work. The permanent residents are the lighthouse keeper and his family. They do not want to leave for the mainland. So immediately discard the thought “We will buy what we need on the spot.” There are no shops on Tendra. As well as firewood, by the way. But you will find a warm and clear sea, many waterfowl and wildlife. Dolphins love this fishy coastline and swim very close.
Tendrovskaya spit: how to get there
A private 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 Ochakov (Nikolaev region) or from the Iron Port (Kherson region). Traveling by sea at fortykilometers will cost one person three hundred hryvnias in both directions. Judging by the reviews of tourists who have visited Tendra, the trip lasts from three to four and a half hours. Weather and rough seas make their own adjustments.
What to take with a tourist to Tendra
Because the island is almost uninhabited, it is important to provide yourself with everything necessary for life. A passport is required as this is a border zone. You also need to remember that this is part of the Tendrovskaya Spit nature reserve. Recreation with tents is officially prohibited here, 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 take water with you. Reviews speak of the bloodthirstiness of local mosquitoes - a protective cream must be taken. It is also advisable to bring sunscreen.
Things to do on Tendra
Most tourists choose an imposing beach holiday. Swimming, sunbathing, collecting shells and admiring the sunsets (which are breathtakingly beautiful here) are the main pastimes for visitors. Of course, the harsh life makes you devote many hours to the chores of preparing food and setting up tents. There are many sunken ships off the coast of Tendra. That's why divers come here. Steady winds beckon fans to ride with kites. Spearfishing on the Tendrovskaya Spit is unusually developed. Even those tourists who came here just to sunbathe and swim, after a while, join the entertaining process of picking up mussels and rapans, catching shrimps and crabs. Fishing here tooexcellent. There are stingrays, flounder, katran.
