Jurmala is a common name for many villages along the beach of Riga Bay. Behind the beach flows the river Lielupe, leaving just a tiny bit of land towards the sea. The estuary is situated in the east, near the delta of the mighty river Daugava.
Approaching
 The inlet of river Lielupe is surrounded by shallow sandbanks. It is easy to get stuck on the banks. There is a leading line, but it can not be trusted. Buoys lead the way as well. Not that the buoys have no lights. The estuary is troubled by sand drift. According to official reports from July 2003, the minimal depth in the fairway was 3,2 meters. But probably the depth decreased later on. Our advice is neither take the what's in the chart, nor the water depth for granted. Ask for local information in previous harbours, and approach with caution in daylight.
Close to the estuary a fishing harbour is situated, but don't stop there! Instead you should follow the winding river all the way to a large crossing railway bridge. Sail in the middle of the river, somewhat closer to the "outer curve" in the meanders. Sand banks are often gathered in the "inner curve".
 Jurmala is the home of the Latvian Yacht Club. The club is situated to the left, beside a motorboat blub. The centre is the big club house to the left. In the harbour you find essential services, such as WC and showers. There are electricity for yachjts and a café for the crew.
The location is close to Jurmala proper, but it also easy to take the train or a car into Riga.
Latvian Yacht Club is a "real" yacht club, with a lot of normal sized yachts, youth activities and a lot of yachtsmen at the jetty.
The milewide beaches at Jurmala
Jurmala has a fascinating history. Close to Riga, the beaches of Jurmala stretches for mile after mile. Early, the area became a excursion destination for the people living in the city. Many small villages arose close to the shore, and in time even a railway was built connecting the beach societies with Riga city.
 During the period between the world wars, the "spa culture" expanded. In those days Jurmala was also visited by tourists of the time, among them many Scandinavians. From this period you still find many wooden houses.
The small villages at the shores of Riga Bay grow together, and the common name for the area became Jurmala.
"Mallorca of the Soviet Union"
With the Soviet time Jurmala faced a new destiny. It was very hard for the citizens to leave Soviet Union or the east block, but inside the borders there were efforts made to build up a "mass tourism for the people"
 One of the tasks for the trade unions were to run holiday camps and organize the leisure for the workers. It was all financed by the companies.
The resorts at Black Sea and those at Jurmala became the most important "bathing paradises". The tourism grove and huge hotels were constructed. Behind the beach emerged pedestrian streets, shops and restaurants. Under it's golden age Jurmala was visited by hundreds of thousands holiday makers every summer. The Black Sea coast were in west called "the rivièra of the Soviet Union". If any place should be called "the Mallorca of the Soviet Union", it is Jurmala.
With growing water pollution, Jurmala got problems. But the final clash came with the fall of Soviet Union. The large state companies stopped to finance the holiday complexes, and the social system for leisure eroded over a night. Those who could afford it, chose new destinations now open in the west for their holiday. Other people couldn't afford a holiday at all. Utterly few visitors came to Jurmala. The huge hotels closed and the area faced a deep recession.
 The water in the Bay of Riga becomes quite warm in summer, and if it got really clean Jurmala will once again have a future as a holiday destination. And the water quality is really improving. Since some years, two of Jurmala's beaches got the "blue flag" water quality ensign 
Pictures from the image sharing service flickr
Jumala and the legendary restaurant "Pearl of the Sea" in the 80th
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