Kari (Kari)

“Reef, rocky islet, shelf, shoal” they say. Warning! This is going to be a long one, so probably best to skip... Judging by the various ‑kari placenames on coastlines across Estonia, islands and all, the word reeks of ambiguity. Let’s start with Tallinn proper. Estonia has about 3793 km of coastline, Tallinn’s share of which is about 70. The coastline stretches from Tiskre to Merivälja, along which are kilometers of boulders, some massive, others in groups, many in blockfields, and plenty sitting on their own, minding their own business, on land or in sea. Moving west to east: first, we have the Kakumäe poolsaar (peninsula), with Liivakari and Kivikari both of which look more like sandbanks than felsenmeers (but see Paljassaare, re the underlying tectonic plate rising at a rate of about 2.4 mm / year, or 24 cm / century, in which case the name could refer to a state 100 or more years ago); then little happens until we get to Kopli neem (cape or naze), where there’s an Allikari but it’s really not clear as to what it actually designates, followed by Väike and Suur Haak, two minor blobs protruding into the sea and where the best translation of haak (lit. hook) might be a “very obtuse-angled protusion seaward from a generally straightish beach” but corresponds very well to what, if we’re patient enough, we’ll soon see in Naissaar (see, for example, Virbi).