Kosa Nazimova

Kosa Nazimova (Nazimov Spit) is a narrow sandy spit 4–5 km long and about 100–150 metres wide in the Khasansky District of Primorsky Krai, near the village of Posyet, roughly 285 km from Vladivostok. The spit juts into the Sea of Japan and separates the bays of Ekspeditsii, Novgorodskaya and Reyd Pallada. Because of its southerly position, it is considered one of the southernmost beaches in Primorye.

Nature

The spit rarely rises more than 5 metres above sea level, except at its very tip, at Cape Nazimova, where a scatter of rocks reaches up to 30 metres high. Its two shores differ: the side facing Ekspeditsii Bay is rocky, while the side facing Reyd Pallada Bay is sandy, with fine beach sand. The seabed here is sandy and bare of underwater vegetation.

Brackish lakes lie next to the spit and are covered with lotus flowers — these lakes near Posyet are known as one of the few places in Primorye where lotus grows in the wild. The sea off the spit holds red-fin fish, while the lakes hold crucian carp and snakehead.

History

The spit is named after Rear Admiral Pavel Nikolaevich Nazimov (1822–1867), an explorer and navigator who served in the Pacific. The Nazimov name appears elsewhere in Primorye too: Vladivostok has another spit with a similar name, linked to the admiral's brother Konstantin, so the two are sometimes confused.

In 1896 a lighthouse was built at the tip of the spit — the first in Khasansky District. Before that, ships were warned of the shore by a bonfire lit on top of the rock. The lighthouse is a round white metal tower 5.4 metres high. In 1910 it received a French-made lantern apparatus and a bell; in 1956 it was rebuilt and the bell was replaced with a sound signal device. Today the Nazimov lighthouse is still an active facility of Russia's Ministry of Defence and is closed to visitors.

Getting there

Recreation bases on the spit rent out cabins, starting from one thousand rubles a night.

By car from Vladivostok, the route follows the Razdolnoye–Khasan highway: paved as far as the village of Kraskino, then a gravel road. Bus No. 528 runs from Vladivostok's bus station to Posyet, and from there a sea taxi can take you on to the spit. Tour agencies also offer trips by minibus or boat.