Devil's Finger

Devil's Finger (Chyortov Palets) is a lone sea stack on the shore of Kunashir Island in Sakhalin Oblast. It stands in Golovnin Bay, also known as Monk's Bay, north of the village of Otrada, within the Yuzhno-Kurilsky Municipal District, a few kilometers from the district center of Yuzhno-Kurilsk. The rock rises straight out of the coastal boulders and is visible both from the water and from the shoreline trail, which makes it one of the most recognizable landmarks on the island.

What to see

There are actually two stacks. The first and better known one stands closer to the shore and also goes by the name Monk; it is this stack that is usually meant by "Devil's Finger." It is a cone-shaped rock with sheer walls, shaped like an elongated finger, rising about 10 to 12 meters above the waterline — a height comparable to a five-story building. The second, smaller stack lies further north, beyond Cape Sukacheva, and is less often included in visitors' routes.

History

Devil's Finger is a natural rock remnant: over time the sea wore away the softer rock around it, leaving the more resistant column standing apart from the shore. Its shape has not always been exactly what it is today. After the 1994 earthquake that struck the southern Kurils, local residents say the stack lost its upper part — the very "phalanx" that had made it look especially like a human finger.

Legends

The stacks carry a legend of Kunashir's indigenous people, the Ainu. According to the tale, the rocks along the shore are the petrified fingers of an evil werewolf named okhatsisuye that fell into the sea and turned to stone. Kunashir Island is rich in Ainu folklore in general, and the coastal stacks of Golovnin Bay are one of the stories locals still tell visitors today.

Getting there

Kunashir is a border zone, and a trip requires a border-area permit arranged in advance. Aurora airline flies to the island from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Mendeleevo Airport, and passenger ships also run there. From the island, the easiest way to reach Golovnin Bay and the stack is by car from Yuzhno-Kurilsk, a standard stop on tourist routes around the island. The most favorable season for a visit is from June to September, when there is less fog and fewer storms.