Sail Rock, Natural rock formation near Praskoveyevka, Russia
Sail Rock is a vertical sandstone slab in the Black Sea near Praskoveyevka in Russia. The narrow rock plate rises from the shallow shore water and carries a rounded hole at mid-height that pierces the entire breadth.
The rock plate formed through slow detachment from the coastal wall as the sea eroded softer layers beneath. Some locals believe the hole comes from cannon fire during conflicts in the 19th century, but geologists doubt this theory.
The name Parus, meaning sail, comes from the shape that resembles a raised cloth on a sailing vessel. Fishermen and day-trippers often head to the spot because the water there is clean and good for swimming.
You reach the spot via a steep gravel path that leads down from the village to the pebble beach. From the shore you see the rock a short distance out, and many visitors wade or swim over to view it more closely.
On top of the plate grow individual grasses and low plants that cling to narrow rock crevices. On windless days you can see reflections of the stone on the smooth sea surface.
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