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Gdańsk Bay or the Gulf of Gdańsk is a southeastern bay of the Baltic Sea. It is named after the adjacent port city of Gdańsk in Poland.

Geography

The western part of Gulf of Gdańsk is formed by the shallow waters of the Bay of Puck. The southeastern part is the Vistula Lagoon, separated by the Vistula Spit and connected to the open sea by the Strait of Baltiysk.

The bay is enclosed by a large curve of the shores of Gdańsk Pomerania in Poland (Cape Rozewie, Hel Peninsula) and the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia (Sambian Peninsula). The coast of the bay features two very long sandspits, the Hel peninsula and the Vistula Spit. The former defines the Bay of Puck, the latter defines the Vistula Lagoon.

The maximum depth is 120 metres and it has a salinity of 0.7%.

The major ports and coastal cities are Gdańsk, Gdynia, Puck, Sopot, Hel, Kaliningrad, Primorsk and Baltiysk. The main rivers of Gdańsk Bay are the Vistula and the Pregolya. The bay receives the waters of the Vistula direct via three branches—the Leniwka, the Śmiała Wisła and the Martwa Wisła—and indirectly via the Vistula Lagoon with two branches, the Nogat and the Szkarpawa.

Nautic definition

By nautic definition, the Gulf of Gdańsk is much larger, including also the area of the Baltic Sea in front of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and the Lithuanian coast.

History

The bayshore was the setting of a naval bombardment during the invasion of Poland, the first combat action of World War II.

The bay plays a pivotal role in the American animated television series Metalocalypse.

Kursenieki

Today the Kursenieki, also known as Kuršininkai, are a nearly extinct Baltic ethnic group living along the Curonian Spit. In 1649 Kuršininkai settlement spanned from Memel (Klaipėda) to Danzig (Gdańsk). The Kuršininkai were eventually assimilated by the Germans, except along the Curonian Spit where some still live. The Kuršininkai were considered Latvians until after World War I when Latvia gained independence from the Russian Empire, a consideration based on linguistic arguments. This was the rationale for Latvian claims over the Curonian Spit, Memel, and other territories of East Prussia which would be later dropped.

See also

• Battle of Oliwa

Notes

1. Polish: Zatoka Gdańska; Kashubian: Gduńskô Hôwinga; German: Danziger Bucht; Lithuanian: Gdansko/Danzigo įlanka

References

1. "Gulf-of-Gdansk". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
2. The Baltic Sea, Kattegat and Skagerrak – sea areas and draining basins Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine

External links

• Google Earth plugin

v t e Places on the Baltic coast of Poland
Bay of Pomerania Świnoujście Uznam Międzyzdroje Wolin Wolin National Park Grodno Międzywodzie Dziwnów Dziwnówek Trzebiatowski Coast Łukęcin Pobierowo Pustkowo Trzęsacz Rewal Niechorze Pogorzelica Mrzeżyno Rogowo Dźwirzyno Grzybowo Kołobrzeg Slovincian Coast Sianożęty Ustronie Morskie Pleśna Gąski Sarbinowo Chłopy Mielno Unieście Łazy Dąbkowice Dąbki Bobolin Żukowo Morskie Darłowo includes Darłówko Wicie Jarosławiec Wicko Morskie Modlinek Ustka Orzechowo Poddąbie Dębina Rowy Rówek Czołpino Slovincian Łeba Osetnik Kopalino Lubiatowo Białogóra Dębki Karwia Ostrowo Jastrzębia Góra Cape Rozewie Rozewie Chłapowo Władysławowo includes Cetniewo Chałupy Kuźnica Jastarnia Jurata Hel Hel Peninsula Coastal Landscape Park Swarzewo Puck Bay of Puck Błądzikowo Rzucewo Osłonino Rewa Mechelinki Gdynia Sopot Gdańsk includes Wyspa Portowa Wyspa Sobieszewska Bay of Gdańsk Mikoszewo Jantar Stegna Sztutowo Kąty Rybackie Skowronki Krynica Morska includes Przebrno Nowa Karczma Vistula Spit Vistula Spit canal

54°28′59″N 18°57′31″E / 54.48306°N 18.95861°E / 54.48306; 18.95861

• Gdańsk
• Bays of the Baltic Sea
• Bays of Poland
• Bays of Russia
• Poland–Russia border
• Landforms of Pomeranian Voivodeship
• Bodies of water of Kaliningrad Oblast