The Border Guard at Cape Kolka
Despite official authorisation, some border guards clambered down from their towers and asked us various questions in Russian: “Who are you?”, “Where are you going?”, “What is the purpose of your visit?”, and “Do you have a permit to be here?”
I the late 1980s, I was part of a group of nature researchers who were studying the Kurzeme coastline, including the part that is in what is now the Slītere National Park. On the side of the bay (beginning at Mērsrags) and on the side of the open sea there were regularly spaced Border Guard towers which were always used by at least one military person who observed what was going on. Our route went from Melnsils to Sīkrags, and we had to contact the local Border Guard facility to tell us where we were going and why. Despite official authorisation, some border guards clambered down from their towers and asked us various questions: Кто такие? Куда идете? Какова цель прибытия? Предъявите пропуск! (“Who are you?”, “Where are you going?”, “What is the porpuse of your visit?”, and “Do you have a permit to be here?”)
| Tourism objects involved in this story | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
Today it seems unbelievable that just 20 years ago there were buildings on the coastline with massive projectors that were rolled onto a platform at night so as to shed light on the nearby sea and beach and to look for potential violators of the border regime. Only the buildings and the ruins of the platform are still there – they have been seriously damaged by the waves of the sea. |
|
