The sand hills of Caraorman
 On the west side of Caraorman, at a distance of 500 m from it, there are sand hills formed of very fine sand which be encountered in three places only, in Europe.
Herodot and Polybius mention in their writings the existence of huge accumulations of sand at the Black Sea ("a bank of sand of almost 1000 stages (167 km) one day away from land" (Polibius)). The sand hills of Caraorman are across the flowing direction of the Danube, and along with the one in Letea, they represent portions of the original sand belt that once blocked the gulf of Tulcea, transforming it into a lagoon, which clogged and ulteriorly created the Danube Delta.
(details).
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The desertic scenery of the dunes has attracted many tourists among which the famous Romanian boy band "Animal X". Here they shot the footage for the clip of a well-known song, and they were impressed with the surroundings and the general feeling they found in Caraorman.
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The sand dunes of sea origin are up to 9 m height and are semi mobile. The wind is the one that transports the sand, and places it around stronger plants. In the pictures to the right you can see the sand hill "Cuibisca" (its name comes from the nearby lake Cuibida). Twenty years ago it used to be tall, as on its top there was a tree, which fixed the sand arround it. The two prominences at the right used to be bottom this dune, but after the tree on the top dried off, the wind blew off the sand arround it and reduced its length, in favour of its width. The two bushes at the bottom are now the support on which the wind is building up a new dune.
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Sunset on a sand hill in Caraorman ("Cuibisca"-May 2002) |
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The poor vegetation on the sand banks is in contrast with the luxuriant vegetation around them. Following an impressing financial effort, ex dictator Ceausescu built the construction site in Caraorman, in order to exploit these dunes, but right now this site is in process of closing down. (details).
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On the west side of Caraorman, at a distance of 500 m from it, there are sand hills formed of very fine sand which be encountered in three places only, in Europe.
Herodot and Polybius mention in their writings the existence of huge accumulations of sand at the Black Sea ("a bank of sand of almost 1000 stages (167 km) one day away from land" (Polibius)). The sand hills of Caraorman are across the flowing direction of the Danube, and along with the one in Letea, they represent portions of the original sand belt that once blocked the gulf of Tulcea, transforming it into a lagoon, which clogged and ulteriorly created the Danube Delta.
(details).
