The Bay of Russians. A fascinating area full of mystery and intrigue
The Bay of Russians (or Ambavatory Bay), located in Nosy Be archipelago, is a fascinating area full of mystery and intrigue. It lies at the tip of the Ampasindava peninsula. The bay is a real shelter for passing ships and is being used long time anchorage area.
The marine life in the bay itself is spectacular, offering wonderful snorkeling and scuba diving, especially on the reefs outside the entrance. It environment is remarkable for its beauty and biodiversity. This region is known for the presence of dolphins, whale sharks and manta rays. The humpback whales mate and give birth in this area. The beaches also serve as nesting place for sea turtles while many fringing coral reefs are real natural aquariums.
The forests are inhabited by lemurs, wild pigs, bats and birds is represented by one of the rarest raptors, Pygargue Madagascar (Haliaetus Vociferoides). Some villages are located nestled the coast and live mainly on fishing, animal husbandry and the cultivation of coconuts. The Bay of Russians has beautiful white sand beaches lined with coconut trees and filao.
The bay's name dates back to 1905 during the Russo-Japanese war when a Russian warship anchored there. Their orders were to attack any passing Japanese ships, but the crew took to life in Madagascar and realized that they did not wish to wage war nor to return to Russia. Their ship was hidden in the upper reaches of Russian Bay and twice emerged to trade with pirate vessels that used to frequent the Mozambique Channel. The ship eventually ran out of fuel for its boilers and sunk in the bay years later. The last Russian sailor died in 1936. The soldiers’ graves and the remain of ship can still be seen today.
Watch more photos about Bay of Russians here.
