Martian landscapes of the Taman Peninsula and space base
What do you associate with the Black Sea coast? I have rocky beaches, mountains and rocky shores, Pitsunda pines and crowds of sunbathers. When we arrived on the Taman Peninsula, I will not say that I expected to see something familiar to my gaze, or, on the contrary, unusual, I somehow did not even think about it. After all, I have already been to the Krasnodar Territory many times. But what was revealed to us during the trip along the coastline from Cape Tuzla to Cape Panagia is difficult to convey in words. To be honest, I had no idea that landscapes in Taman could be so ... cosmic ...
The route of our trip and its concept can be seen here: We are participating in the project «Russia in 365 days»
The content of the article
Taman Peninsula
And no one around
The first thing that came to mind at that moment is the steppes of Kazakhstan, in which I have never been. Moreover, these «Kazakh» the steppes also border on some incomprehensible sea. Who was in Kazakhstan, tell me, looks like? It is likely that the month in which we were here (September) played a big role. If someone was on the Taman Peninsula at the beginning of summer, then it would also be interesting to compare. Steep shores, but some kind of earthen and constantly falling into the sea, flat yellow fields, separated by small hills and gullies, a muddy-gray sea with clay and ... no one around. In general, not souls and silence ...
The last stronghold of civilization near Cape Tuzla
Deserted crumbling shore
Earthen shores
And only ships remind of civilization
What is not a Martian surface
Road, sea, steppes
The steppes of the Taman Peninsula
Collapsing shores
Approaching Cape Panagia
An oil refinery can be seen in the distance
The sea is black with clay
The gray sea of Taman
For a couple of hours from civilization, we met only a white BMW left by someone and the remains of a burnt-out trailer on an abandoned piece of land. As if the aliens had kidnapped everyone, or they all died out from the swine flu. If to add a little red to these autumn-yellow colors, then the Martian landscapes are clearly not our planet. We would still need spacesuits for greater persuasiveness. The feeling of unreality did not leave us for a minute. I still remember these places, they do not let me go. And why don't people go there to rest? Or is it because it's out of season? Several kilometers of deserted beaches - just the thing for a wild holiday in silence and alone with yourself. Although, of course, if we are talking about a beach vacation, then the sea here is completely different..
Landscapes of the Taman Peninsula
Personally, it reminds me of a space landscape.
Abandoned burned-out trailer
Toilet in an abandoned area
Working toilet
Good dry roads
But they fall into the sea sometimes
Fresh lake on the way
Taman Peninsula
Taman Peninsula
The time is drawing to a close
The sea is like a mirror
Oil refinery station
Railway to nowhere, or rather almost to the sea
Artillery fort
The culmination of our space travel was the finding of an abandoned military base. Fantasy could draw a lot more, but we just returned to reality and climbed along long corridors, rooms and bunkers, which, by the way, are underground. There was a feeling that it was all not just thrown, but also blown up several times. Later I read that these were the ruins of an artillery fort. In 1943-1944 there was a battery number 743 and defended the Kerch coast from the Nazi invaders.
One of the entrances
The main and visible part - pillboxes
The fort is big enough
It is not for nothing that the area looks like next to the fort
Straight Stonehenge
Pillboxes can be seen here and there
Partially buried exit at will
Birds made their nests in the ruins
We were thrown into a well and they don't want to get it
I leave the teleporter
Bunker entrance
Climbed into the bunker
Small embrasures, once glazed
This is what freedom looks like
Remains of an artillery fort
The sea can be seen from the broken wall
Long corridors are all in inscriptions
I do not know how long the fort will stand there, since it is already practically on a cliff, and is about to fall into the sea. However, this problem is relevant in general for the entire Taman Peninsula, since every year about a meter of the coast is eaten up by the sea. Especially, this worries archaeologists, since not so long ago, the remains of an ancient settlement (3 thousand BC) were discovered in the area of the village of Veselovka, and they will soon go under water, as happened with the Greek city of Korokondamma a couple of thousand years ago.
So, for those who like ruins and unique landscapes, I recommend thinking about a vacation on the Taman Peninsula right now, otherwise you never know, the sea is not joking.
How to get there
The easiest way to get there is by car, because it's far away. Continuously drive along the coast from Tuzla Cape to Panagia Cape to the southeast. The easiest way to start the journey is from Taman and further either along the map, or on a whim, or according to the navigator.
Someone's house
Local. Poisonous?
Local resident