Ostrov Tyuleniy
Description
Tyuleniy Island is a protruding section of a long sandbar that starts at the Volga delta and ends just south of the island. It is the point of migration of the Caspian seal. Just three decades ago, when the level of the Caspian Sea was two meters lower, the island was about 2.5 times larger in size and had the shape of an irregular triangle. Then, the crescent-shaped sandy spit located in the southeast could be reached on foot. And now it is separated from the island by a spacious lagoon. The locals called this spit the Bird Island, and it is understandable why - because of the abundance of birds living on it. At present, the area of Tyuleniy Island does not exceed 18 km2. To swim to the island from the “mainland”, you need to overcome at least 40 km by sea. Therefore, the official name of the local weather station is "hard to reach."
