Tsemes Bay

The Tsemes Bay is an ice-free bay located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, in Krasnodar Krai of Russia. It takes its name from the Tsemes River which flows into the bay. The depth of the sea varies from 21 to 27 meters. The length of the bay is 15 kilometers; its maximum width is 9 kilometers. It is delimited by the Sudzhuk Spit and by Cape Doob.

Although navigation is affected by strong autumn and winter bora winds, ancient Greek navigators frequented the bay and established the colony of Bata on the shore. Michael Rostovtzeff explained this by the fact that there are no other decent harbours along the coastline all the way south to Batumi. During the Middle Ages the Ghisolfi merchant family of Genoa controlled the coast.