Black Sea Coast

BLACK SEA COAST of the Caucasus extends as a narrow coastal strip from northwest to southeast from Anapa to Batumi. This strip is bounded on the west by the Black Sea and on the north and east by the Caucasian mountain range and its spurs. The length of this strip is over 700 km. The narrowest part of this strip is about 2 km near Novorossiysk and Kabardinka. To the north and south this strip widens, reaching 40 km in the Anapa region and about 60 km near Sochi. Throughout its entire length, the Black Sea Coast of the Caucasus presents extraordinary diversity in terms of population, climate, animal and plant life. The main Caucasian range, starting with relatively low elevations of 200-250 m above sea level in its spurs near the stanitsa of Gastagaevskaya, reaching 400 m at stanitsa Verkhne-Bakanskaya, becomes higher to the southeast and at Markhot near Novorossiysk reaches about 500 m, and beyond Kabardinka-600 m. Here Markhot divides into two branches. The left one gives the main extension of the Caucasian range (Bald Mountains-800 m), while the right one, under the name Thanyka-khiy-Thachegochuk, separates the northern part of the Black Sea region from the southern mountain part. The mountain part of the Black Sea region south of this range consists of a series of ridges parallel to the main Caucasian range. From the range to the sea extend spurs with numerous ravines between them, which often serve as beds for mountain rivers and streams, of which the most significant are: Pshada, Tuapse, Psezuapse, Shahe, Sochi, Khosta, Mzymta, Psou. The wall of the main Caucasian range already in the Tuapse region exceeds 1,500 m, at the latitude of Sochi-3,000 m and further near Sukhumi rises to 4,000 m, then decreasing to the south in the form of the Suram range with a height of 1,000 m and again increasing to 2,000 m in the Batum region in the form of the Ajarian mountains, which on the extreme south pass into the Pontic mountains and shield the coast from the cold Anatolian plateau. In its greater part, the wall of the Caucasian range is completely impenetrable to cold currents from the continent, and the Black Sea coast is entirely under the influence of the warm sea, warm uniform winds from the mountains, and the rays of the midday sun. This isolation of the coast from the continent by a high mountain range rising to meet the humid western winds not only causes a strong increase of 1° in winter but also determines large amounts of precipitation in all seasons, as well as high air humidity in summer. Annual precipitation amounts from Anapa (431 mm) slowly increase approximately to Tuapse (1,263 mm), reaching 1,408 mm in Sochi, 1,343 mm in Gagra, 1,443 mm in Sukhumi, 1,531 mm in Poti, 2,313 mm in Kobuleti and 2,408 mm in Batum. Annual air temperature on the Black Sea coast varies from 12° in Anapa to 15° in Gagra, which, occupying a central position on the coast, has the highest annual temperature. In Batum it is 14.5°. January temperatures accordingly vary from 1.2° in Anapa to 7.3° in Gagra and 7° in Batum. The average winter temperature gradually increases from north to south, namely: Anapa 2.4°, Abrau 2.6°, Novorossiysk 3.9°, Gelendzhik 5.4°, Krynitsa 4.5°, Tuapse 5.8°, Sochi 6.9°, Gagra 8.0°, Sukhumi 7.1°, Poti 7°, Batum 7.8°. Gagra clearly stands out in winter temperature from the entire coast. In spring the temperature increases to the south more slowly than in winter. Thus, the temperature difference between Anapa and Sochi in March is 3.2°, in April 1.2° and in May 0.1°. The increase in temperature from winter to summer occurs very slowly, corresponding to the slow warming of the sea. Summer temperatures everywhere on the coast remain at the same level with an average monthly 23°. The average autumn temperature varies from 12.7° in Anapa to 16.6° in Gagra. In the mountains the distribution of temperature is different and depends on a whole series of conditions; even a small distance from the sea already affects the air temperature. The summer temperature in the mountains is incomparably lower than on the shore, and at an altitude of 1,500 m it corresponds to the October or May temperature on the shore (16°).-Air humidity in the daytime hours in summer north of Dzankhot is 50-60%, south of it varies from 60% to 70%, and starting from Poti to the south-70-75% and entirely depends on the distribution of marine and continental winds. As a general rule, air humidity on the coast is highest in spring and summer, lowest in autumn and winter, with the exception of the northern part, where the ratio is reversed. In terms of sunshine, the Black Sea coast occupies an intermediate position between the forest part of the USSR and the southeast with Eastern Siberia and yields to Turkestan and the Mediterranean Sea. The annual amount of sunshine on the coast is distributed as follows: Tuapse-2,200 hours, Sochi-2,280 hours, Krasnaya Polyana-2,026 hours, Sukhumi-2,364 hours, Batum-2,203 hours. The sunniest months everywhere are July and August and the number of hours of sunshine per month varies from 242 in Batum to 310 in Sukhumi. For the entire coastal strip of the Black Sea coast, there is almost a complete absence of sunless days in summer and cumulus clouds in daytime hours. The sky in summer is usually cloudless. Cumulus clouds form only in the mountains and appear no closer than 5 km from the sea. On average per year, the least cloudiness is observed in the region from Tuapse to Sochi, increasing both to the southeast and to the northwest (390 sunny days a year in Sukhumi). The summer heat on the coast is moderated by sea breezes. In winter and spring, winds along the shore develop greatly, especially the southeast, so-called 'moryak' (sea breeze). It usually reaches great strength, blows for two to three days in a row, brings warmth and rain, appears simultaneously on the entire coast and is caused by the passage of cyclones. North of Tuapse, the northwest wind corresponds to 'nordost', but while in Sochi this wind is no more than an innocent breeze, in Novorossiysk it often appears in the form of a terrible 'nord-ost' reaching a strength of over 40 m per second. The force of the 'nord-ost' in Novorossiysk is so great that traffic stops in the streets, the wind tears ships from their anchors. North of Novorossiysk the 'nord-ost' clearly subsides and in Anapa it is expressed twice as weak as in Novorossiysk. As can be seen from the meteorological data presented, the Black Sea coast can be divided into two sharply different parts. North of Dzankhot and the Mikhailovsky pass the coast has a distinctly expressed Mediterranean climate type, but it can be considered as a continuation of the southern coast of Crimea. This northwest part is colder, drier and subject to nord-ost, while the southeast part, approximately south of the Ashe River, is warmer and more humid, protected from the influence of nord-osts, distinguished by its rich subtropical vegetation. The Black Sea coast of the Caucasus is a continuous resort with a whole range of climate stations, mineral springs, lakes, etc. The resorts of the Black Sea coast are the youngest of Russian resorts and only under Soviet rule received recognition as therapeutic areas of state importance. Until that time they led a miserable existence, devoid of any care for themselves and owing their few crumbs of improvement and adaptations for therapeutic purposes to the efforts of individual energetic pioneers of the resort business, such as Dr. V. A. Budzinsky (Anapa), Dr. V. F. Podgursky (Matsesta), N. N. Smetskoy (Sukhumi). The Black Sea coast is used mainly for climate therapy and sea bathing. In Anapa, as an auxiliary method, mud therapy is applied. Matsesta near Sochi is known for its hydrogen sulfide springs for treating mainly so-called rheumatic and cardiovascular diseases. Below we present a list and brief description of the most famous resorts and therapeutic areas of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. I. Anapa region: a) Anapa-Bimlyuk, a seaside climate station with a fine sandy beach; 2) Chumburskoye mud lake, 2 km from Anapa, supplying the Anapa mud therapy facility; 3) Semigor'e, a saline-alkaline spring of the Essentuki type, 9 km from stanitsa Tunnelnaya and 23 km from Anapa; 4) Sukko-Utrish, 15 km south of Anapa, a climate station and salt lakes. II. Novorossiysk region: 1) Myshako-dacha area and vineyards, 6 km from Novorossiysk; 2) Shirokaya Balka-a dacha area with a good beach and vineyards, 15 km from Novorossiysk; 3) Abrau-Durso, former princely estate, 22.5 km from Novorossiysk on the shore of Lake Abrau; 4) Primorsky sanatorium '9th verst' on the Sukhumi highway for children, with 100 beds, III. Gelendzhik region: 1) Kabardinka-seaside climate station, 21 km from Novorossiysk, with a good beach; 2) Gelendzhik with Thin and Thick Capes, 42 km from Novorossiysk, an excellent climate station operating year-round; 3) Doo-part of the mountain slope to the sea with three gullies covered with pine forest, adjacent to Mount Ashamba-therapeutic area near Gelendzhik; 4) False Gelendzhik-therapeutic area, 12 km from Gelendzhik, in the picturesque valley of the Ikogua River, with a good sandy beach; 5) Dzankhot-3 km by sea from False Gelendzhik, a dacha area with a good beach; 6) Krynitsa-settlement on the sea shore, 30-40 km from Gelendzhik with a good beach; 7) Beta-a wide picturesque valley with a fine beach, 8 km from Krynitsa along a dirt road in the Dzhugub climate sub-district; 8) Arkhipo-Osipovka, 53 km from Gelendzhik on the left bank of the Vulkanka River, with a good beach; 9) mountain-climate stations: Mikhailovsky pass, 22 km from Gelendzhik on the Sukhumi highway, with a saline-bromo-iodine spring, and 19 km beyond the Mikhailovsky pass the village of Pshada. IV.

Tuapse and Shapsug districts: 1) Flat Bzhid—a seaside climatic station near Arkhipo-Osipovka; 2) Dzhubga—a resort settlement in the valley of the Dzhubga River, between Gelendzhik and Tuapse, with a good beach; 3) Plyakho—a seaside health resort, 22 km from the settlement of Dzhubga, 58 km from Tuapse, and 3 km from the settlement of Novo-Mikhailovskoye; 4) Agria with the beach of Olgin Bay, 50 km from Tuapse, a very picturesque area with several rest homes, has every basis to become a seaside climatic station of national importance; 5) Glubokoye, 30 km from Tuapse, a tract stretching along the sea coast for 8 km between the settlements of Olginsky and Nebug, a green massif with a large number of fruit orchards; 6) Kadosh Cape—northwest of Tuapse, to be used as a preventive base for the city of Tuapse; 7) Agoy—a resort settlement with a good sandy beach, 12 km northwest of Tuapse along the Novorossiysk Highway; 8) Dzheberkey and Dederkay—tracts, 5-9 km from Tuapse by railroad, have a pristine appearance and are currently not used; 9) Shepsi, 11 km from Tuapse at the place where the valley of the Shepsi River meets the sea; 10) Magri, 25 km by highway from Tuapse and at the 12th km by railroad, former estate with a beautiful park, beach, and rest homes; 11) Vishnevoye-Makopse—on the seashore, 3-5 km from Magri, with rest homes; 12) Ashe, 40 km from Tuapse along the Sukhumi Highway and at the 18th km by railroad, immersed in greenery, has a number of sanatoriums and rest homes; 13) Lazarevskoye (Guarek)—at the entrance to the Psesuapse River gorge in close proximity to the sea with an extensive area of vineyards; 14) Saloniki—southeast of Lazarevskoye, at the 12th km. V. Sochi district: 1) National resort Sochi-Matsesta, including Sochi, the area of hydrogen sulfide sources of New and Old Matsesta, 12 km south of Sochi, Agur mineral springs, 1 km from Matsesta springs, Okhun with numerous rest homes and the seaside settlement of Khosta with a large number of rest homes, 22 km from Sochi; 2) Adler—an urban-type settlement, 13 km from Khosta at the mouth of the Mzymta River, has mainly agricultural significance; 3) climatic district, including: Dagomys, 20 km northwest of Sochi, Uch-Dere, 28 km from Sochi, a tubercular sanatorium at an altitude of 140 m above sea level, Konstantinovskoye and Kuchuk-Dere, adjacent to Uch-Dere, stretching northwest to the borders of Vardane, having a beach; Golovinka at the mouth of the Shahe River; Vardane; Loo—at the railway station of the same name. VI. District of mountain-climatic stations and mineral springs in the mountainous part of the Sochi district: 1) Krasnaya Polyana, 80 km from Sochi along the picturesque Krasnopolyanskoye Highway; 2) Achi-shkho—an alpine mountain station (altitude 1,750 m), 10 km from Krasnaya Polyana; 3) Aibga, 20 km from Krasnaya Polyana (1,900 m); 4) Pseashkho—25 km from Krasnaya Polyana (2,000 m); 5) Aishkha—a clearing under Mount Aishkha, 12 km from the Pslukh source (at an altitude of 900 m); 6) mineral springs of the carbonic-alkaline type: Chvizipse, Pslukhe, the source of Gruzhevaya Polyana, the source of Engel'manovoy Polyana, Aishkhin sources, Azetuk mineral spring, 5 km from the picturesque Lake Cardivach. Of the health resorts, only Krasnaya Polyana is currently in use. VII. Abkhazia: 1) Sukhumi—the best seaside climatic station, especially in the autumn-winter period, with a number of sanatoriums and rest homes and an excellent tubercular sanatorium 'Gulripsh', 12 km from Sukhumi; 2) Gagra—one of the most visited and well-developed seaside resorts on the Black Sea coast, 77 km by highway from Sochi; 3) New Athos (Psyrtkha), 25 km from Sukhumi, a seaside station at the New Athos Monastery; 4) Ritsa—a mountain lake 65 km from Gagra at an altitude of 900 m above sea level and a carbonic-calcium spring of the Narzan type. VIII. Adjaria: 1) Batumi—the center of Adjaria has a bathing building for sea baths, a physical-therapy institute, and a mud treatment facility; 2) Kobuleti—a seaside climatic station with a good beach and numerous rest homes, 20 km from Batumi; 3) Makhindzhauri, 5 km from Batumi, a dacha area on the seashore and a sulfur spring; 4) Zeleny Mys, 6 km from Batumi on the seashore; 5) Chakva, 12 km from Batumi, a dacha area with sea bathing; tea sovkhozes; 6) Tsikhis-Dziri—a dacha area, next to Chakva, on the seashore.