Lagerny Cape, Coastal cape in Feodosiya, Crimea.
Lagerny Cape is a long, narrow spit of clay and clay shale that separates Koktebel Bay from the quieter Tikhaya Bay near Koktebel. It extends about 70 m into the sea, reaches 61–62 m at its highest point, and is only 2 m wide at its narrowest. Its surface is eroded into gullies and ridges, and the crest is bare.
The cape sits near Theodosia, an ancient Greek colony founded in the 6th century BCE that served as a major grain-trading port with the Greek mainland. The area later became important under different rulers as a center of commerce and maritime activity.
The cape's Tatar name Toprak-Kaya means "clay rock", from the clay shales and clay it is made of. Its other name, Chameleon, comes from its shifting colour, which observers say can change up to 20 times a day with the hour, weather, sun and clouds. The film "Golden Chain" was shot in the area around the cape.
The area is best explored on foot, with paths running along the coastline that offer views across the bay. Weather and sea conditions can affect access, so checking conditions beforehand is sensible.
The cape's clay shales crumble easily, and large collapses have repeatedly sent pieces of the ridge into the sea. A major fall occurred in the 1950s, and another in 2016 was filmed by tourists resting in Tikhaya Bay; nobody was on the cape at the time. Walking along its crest is risky, as the ground can slide away with a piece of rock.
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