Degaussing refers to the process of reducing or eliminating the magnetic signature of an object. In this case, that object was Soviet submarines.
As submarines move through the ocean, they also pass through Earth's magnetic field. This interaction generates distortions in the field that can be detected by devices like magnetic sea mines and Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) systems used on aircraft. During the Cold War, many naval forces, including the Soviet Union, employed degaussing or demagnetization to protect their submarines from detection. This was one of several strategies, alongside acoustic silencing, radar reduction, and tactical depth and maneuvering, designed to make submarines harder to detect.
The long piers at the Hara base were likely once equipped with large coils of electrical wire which could be positioned around the submarine hulls. By running controlled electrical currents through these coils, the magnetic properties of the submarine’s steel hull could be altered to better suit the operating environment and reduce detention.
Unfortunately, none of this once-advanced equipment remains on or beneath Hara's deteriorating piers (at least, not as far as I could tell). These piers were publicly accessible until recently, but due to their decay, access is now limited. Whether or not you get the chance to explore the piers as I did, they stand as a significant relic of Soviet control over Eastern Europe, the tensions of the Cold War, and a stunning location during the right evening sunset.
