Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, it is about 1,600 km (1,000 mi) long, an average of 193 km (120 mi) wide, and an average of 55 m (180 ft) deep. The maximum depth is 459 m which is on the Swedish side of the center. The surface area is about 377,000 km² (145,522 sq mi) and the volume is about 20,000 km³ (5040 cubic miles). The periphery amounts to about 8,000 km (5,000 mi) of coastline.

General info

Life in Latvia has been connected to the Baltic Sea for ages. Latvia has 500 kilometres of beach along the Baltic Sea, modern port cities, fantastic resort cities, old fishing villages, quiet, secluded and even unruly pockets of nature and diverse relaxation options. It's all there at the Latvian seaside.

The Baltic Sea coast

Over one third of the 1 836 kilometre-long total Latvian border runs along the Baltic Sea. Locals tend to refer to it as two separate “seas” – what is called the Dižjūra (or Great Sea), which is the open coast along the Baltic Sea in western Kurzeme, and the Mazjūra (or Little Sea), which is the Gulf of Riga. The two bodies meet at Cape Kolka, where tourists flock to watch the crashing waves that have always proved dangerous for sailors.

The Baltic Sea coast is very diverse and multi-faceted. Starting with the wild western Kurzeme beach (which is almost untouched by civilisation because it was a closed-off territory during the Soviet regime and which was left with a considerable military history) and ending with one of the most popular and most modern Baltic resort town – the tourist-favoured city of Jūrmala.

And everything in between – the ancient Liv villages, the 16-metre high dunes at Jūrkalnē, the little fishermen harbours on the coast of the Gulf of Riga, the wide sandy beaches of Jūrmala, Vecāķi and Saulkrasti, the unusual pebble beaches or Kaltene and Tūja, the Veczemu Cliffs near Salacgrīva, the unique Randas Meadows near Ainaži and the non-freezing, modern ports in Ventspils and Liepāja.

The Baltic Sea coast

Cape Kolka is a meeting place created by nature. Seas and people meet here. Man with nature, sunrise with sunset. The meeting of public and private capital has been used to bring Cape Kolka in good order, make it well-equipped and well-cared for both in the summer and winter months.

This is a dangerous place for sailing, the lighthouse, (1884) built on an artificial island beyond the 6 metre long shoal, warns about this. In spring this is an ideal site to watch migratory birds, while in summer it is a paradise for swimmers and surfers. Kolka village is proud of the smell of smoked fish, birds’ songs, and the monuments of cultural history.

Cape Kolka – The Meeting Place of Two Seas

State owned forests stretch between the road and the sea from around Kaltene to the border of Slītere National park. The most protected site in this section of the seashore is the 20 metre high White Dune of Pūrciems, about five hundred meters from the sea. It was formed 6000 years ago. The dune is incomparably older than the current dunes shaped by the sea.

The vicinity of the dune is captivating both because of its primeval nature and its history - the first Stone Age settlement on the northwest shore of Latvia was found here. A special path was constructed to allow people to enjoy this archaeological monument of national importance in full; it is a special path along the banks of the Pilsupīte River. The walk along the path reveals the way the sand developed and the way nature changed under the influence of time and human activities. It is 900 metres long and it takes up to 1 hour to explore it.

The White Dune of Pūrciems

Jūrkalne seashore bluffs are one of the most picturesque sea shores of the Baltic Sea in Latvia with a quiet beach, untouched by civilisation, and impressive bluffs of up to 20 m high. It offers extensive possibilities for both leisurely and active recreation.

Special steps lead from the bluffs to the beach which have already been restored several times, since every year the shore is receding by several meters because of the strong storms. Experts say that this is an ideal place for para-gliding.

Jūrkalne Seashore Bluffs

Ice on rocks

More ice

A lot of ice in Latvia in winter

Formed over 45 million years ago, Baltic amber is an organic substance, a “fossil resin” produced by pine trees which grew in Northern Europe - from southern regions of the present day Scandinavia and nearby regions of the bed of the Baltic Sea. The climate became warmer and trees started to exude big amounts of resin. Scientists say that amber is a fossil pine resin from this region that has achieved a stable state through oxidation.

Man's interest in amber’s secret properties date back to the Paleolithic Age. The exceptional smell of amber burning and the beauty of the nuggets washed up on the shores of the Baltic Sea. Over time, our interests have proven well founded in that the properties of Baltic amber are very beneficial to humans. Amber warms to the touch and exudes a nice, relaxing fragrance in the palm of your hand. It is also the only fossil resin that contains 3-8% succinic acid (mostly located in the amber’s surface layer), a powerful therapeutic substance with many applications for healing. Plants absorbed the amber resin and plant leavers were often used as an antibiotic to heal cuts and or in a plaster to dress wounds.

There are also a number of other fascinating facts about natural Baltic Amber – it floats in salt water but sinks in fresh water; its hardness measures 2.0-2.5 on the Mohs scale; its density amounts to 0.96-1.096g/cm3. When amber is touched with fire, it produces an aroma of burning pine.

Also, amber electrifies negatively and it is still alive because its internal metamorphosis is still incomplete.

Baltic amber-gold of the north

There is nothing more romantic than a love story and one of the most beautiful – and tragic – love stories of all time comes from Lithuania. According to the tale, Perkunas, God of Thunder, had a daughter named Jurate. Jurate lived in a palace completely constructed of amber in the Baltic Sea.

There was also a fisherman named Kastytis who chose to cast his nets within Jurate’s underwater kingdom. The goddess sent her handmaids to alert Kastytis that fishing in her kingdom was forbidden. However, Kastytis enjoyed the number of fish he was successful in catching in these waters and so he continued. When Jurate realized he was impervious to her wishes, she chose to go in person to deliver the message to cease immediately.

The legend of the Baltic amber

And as with all great love stories, this was the major turning point for both of them. Once Jurate laid eyes on Kastytis, she fell completely in love with him and brought him back to live with her in her amber palace.

But this was to be a very short and tragic love affair because her father, Perkunas, knew that Jurate was betrothed to Patrimpas, God of Water, and was incensed that Jurate would commit to a relationship with a mere mortal. In his anger, Perkunas destroyed the beautiful amber palace by sending a bolt of lightening that would also kill Jurate’s mortal lover. So the palace was destroyed and Jurate was chained within its ruins for all eternity.

So the story goes that when storms occur in the area of the Baltic Sea, the delicate fragments of the underwater palace are washed up on shore. Many of the amber pieces resemble the shape of tears thought to be from the grieving goddess who still cries for her lost love. These are the most precious pieces of all.

The legend of the Baltic amber

Long long ago in the blue deep of the Baltic Sea there was a beautiful castle of the sea Jurate.The walls were made from white amber. Doors- from gold and windows- from diamonds.

Once the ruler sent letters to the most famous nymphs and invited them to the great party and to ask for advice. When the goddesses came, Jurate said:"Dear friends, you knowthat my father Praamzis, the god ofthe sky, earth and sea, gave this waters to me to rule them and everything that lives in them. You have seen yourself that I've never hurt anybody, everybody lived in peace. But now one miserable fisherman Kastytis from the place where the Sventoji-river flows into the sea, is taking my innocent servants on the shore and lets them die. This can't be left without a punishment. Let's take our boats and go to the mouth of Sventoji, let's decoy him into the cold embrace of the sea, let's smother him with our hugs, let's throw sand into his beautiful eyes, which charm all Lithuanian girls".

She said so and at once a hundred aber boats appeared. The ruler with her nymphs left to do her cruel work.

The day was bright, the sun was shining, the sea was calm, no wind touched it's surface. The earth was near, the woods repeated the song of the godesses. Near the mouth of the river theysaw their enemy. He was sitting on the shore and repairing the nets. he was so young and handsome with a clear heart and soul, he was doing his job and dreaming about a good catch. Suddenly Kastytis heard marvellous voices, saw a hundred of beautiful girls. And from the depth of the sea a beautiful woman appeared in a fountain of flowing water. Her skin gleamed white as a foam. Long silver hair shined in the sun. She was Jurate, the goddess of the sea. Kastytis stood up, looked at her and didn't know what to do. But the beautiful nymph said:

Another version of this legend

-I am Jurate, goddess of the sea. I am immortal. Why are you pursuing my fish? Why are you disturbing my kingdom? Your crime is worth a cruel punishment... But you are very young and handsome. If you promise to love me, you'll be happy, but if you refuse to love a goddess Jurate, you'll die forever! Now choose!

Young man kneeled and promised to love her forever. Jurate said: -Every evening I'll meet you on the top of the mountain which will be named after

you, Kastytis, starting from this day. And the amber boats sailed away. Every day the ruler of the Baltic Sea sailed to

the shore. But Praamzis found out that a goddess fell in love with a mortal fisherman and became very angry. He told Perkunas, the god of thunder, to throw a lightning from the sky and break Jurate's castle into pieces. Perkunas killed Jurate and chained Kastytis to a rock at the bottom of the sea and placed Jurate's body becide him, so that he had to look at it and suffer forever...

Now when there is a storm on the sea, you can hear a cry- it is the voice of the poor fisherman, and sea waves throw pieces of amber on the shore- they are parts of the castle which belonged to the ruler of the Baltic Sea goddess Jurate.

… continuing

In the Baltic Sea between Gotland and Öland found a ship wreck, which could be considered the world's oldest so well preserved wreck. It is conceded that the ship might have sailed in the 14th century Danish King Valdemar Aterdag.

Found ship complies with the ships were used between the 12th and 14. century in the Baltic Sea. Shipwreck found between Gotland and Öland island at the east coast of Sweden. The old wreck found using sonar.

Experts believe that this could be the world's oldest wreck, who is so good condition of its day.

Taking into consideration the age and location of the wreck, historians have expressed conjecture that this could be the legendary ship, which once traveled the Danish king Aterdāgs you went home after the conquest 1361.gadā Visby.

Found wreck

Wishing to limit the Hanseatic traders union influence in the region, King Valdemar IV decided to attack the island of Gotland. According to legend, he hated Gotlandians, especially in the city of Visby, which, as he had heard, had singing derisive songs. When the king invaded Visby, the Danish king, desiring local punished by being put on in three large beer barrels, declaring: If the three days will be filled with silver and gold, he will allow his troops to plunder the city. The same day the barrels were filled, making a significant contribution to the local churches of their plentiful stocks.

All of this has been the possessions loaded on ships. One of the Danish ships en route disappeared. For many years, historians and adventurers looking for the legendary ship, but to no avail. But the historian Bjurstroom is almost sure to find exactly the medieval ship.

Could be legend, could be truth

That’s all shortly aboutour cold and icy Baltic sea!