Two islands in the Moonsund, two different histories and different fates. One having arisen from the coastal sea just about 1500 years from now, but already gone through transformations. From a broad-leaved forest into a nature park of English style together with summer residence and pavilions of exhilarated Enlightenment spirit. And about 50 monuments, chivelled out by the landlord Carl Thure von Helwig, “devote admirerer of pristine nature”. Almost all of it demolished by World Wars, except some real rarities. Now, being a peninsula, it reminds us a remnant virgin forest from the Atlantic period together with all the 400+ plant species and luxuriant bird fauna.
The other one – proudly and darkly raising from the shallow Moonsund, revealing 8 meters of biohermic Silurian rock of the West-Estonian Clint, covered with overgrowing alvars, “ageless” spruce forest and some spruce and linden mixed forest. Village people once forced to leave by previous regime, now watchfully reinhabited by devisees. Project area, a gift for naturalists, landmark in the sea. And the shallow Moonsund – Eden for marine life and waterfowl. A serious bottleneck in the East-Atlantic Flyway with millions of migrators traversing through in the spring and in the autumn.
Puhtu forest alone, just beyond an hour of busdrive from Pärnu, takes 2,5 hours in the location.
Daytrip includes both sites, 1,5 hours in a boat and a full hot lunch.
Available times: Sept 27 & 30
Guide: Peeter Vissak
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