Geographical information about Lake Baikal. Age of Lake Baikal. Small Kyltygey island

What does the word Baikal mean?

Baikal is a Turkic word from Bai-Kul, which means a rich lake (similar to Issyk-Kul - a warm lake, Kara-Kul - black lake). Some authors believe that this word comes from the Mongolian Baigal (rich fire) or Baigal Dalai - a large lake (sea). But these hypotheses are scientifically insufficiently substantiated and have not received wide recognition.

The peoples living in the Baikal region probably each called the lake in their own way - the Evenki called it Lamu, i.e. sea, and the Buryats of Baigal-Nuur - Lake Baikal. But these are rather translations into their own language of an already existing name. The name Dalai-Nur is also found in the literature, also allegedly referring to Baikal. But there are lakes with this name - Dalai-Hyp in northern Mongolia and Dalai-Nor in China, and, in fact, it can refer to any large lake. Researcher D. Stakhaev (1895) believes that this name could come from the Chinese Bei-Hai (or Pe-Hai) - the northern sea. In our opinion, this assumption is also insufficiently substantiated, since it may be distorted from Biy-Khem (Big Water) - this is how the Tuvans call the Yenisei and its upper reaches. In general, this issue has not yet been resolved and is waiting for its researchers. E. G. Laksman (1769), I. G. Georgi (1775) - one of the first naturalists who tried to find out the meaning of the word Baikal - as well as A.L. Schlozer (1769) gave only one interpretation of it - rich waters (Turkic).

When was Baikal called Baikal?

There is no reliable information about this yet. Probably, the name appeared from the time of the settlement in its vicinity of the Turkic-speaking tribes. The peoples inhabiting the territories adjacent to Baikal led a nomadic way of life and either did not have a written language and did not leave written sources, or their rock runic inscriptions remain unread. The mention in the notes of the Russian ambassador to China, Nikita Yakovlevich (Iakinf) Bichurin, that the name Baikal is found in one of the prehistoric Chinese chronicles of the 2nd century BC, presumably, is not the earliest. It was found in a note by the Chinese minister of the Sui-Gao Fan dynasty about the Turks living in the Baikal region at that time: “From the time of Xuan-Yuan Hun-Yun caused a lot of disturbance to our borders. Now they have become our “vassals” all the way to the North Sea.” Under the northern sea (Bei-Hai), as some historians believe, Chinese sources mean Baikal. But after all, the territory of China is washed by the South Sea, why is Baikal opposed to it, and not the North Sea (Arctic Ocean)?

Archaeological excavations made it possible to establish that in the late Neolithic, and probably in the Bronze Age, Turkic-speaking peoples, the Kurykans, lived in the Baikal region. They owned the runic writing of the Turks and the Yenisei Kyr-gyz. Perhaps they were the first to give the name to Lake Baikal.

The Evenks who lived in the Baikal region gave the name to many rivers flowing into Baikal, but the word Baikal is not in their language, it is alien to them. The phrase Baikal and Nuur testifies that Baikal already had its own name when the Buryats learned about it, since the phrase itself already contains information that this name came to them from some other language.

When was Baikal first shown on a map?

In the “Drawing of the Siberian Land”, compiled in 1667 by order of the Tobolsk governor P. Godunov. Schematically, Baikal is also depicted in the handwritten "Drawing Book of Siberia" (1699-1701) by the Russian cartographer and historian of Siberia S. U. Remezov. This is the first Russian geographical atlas. It consisted of 23 maps. large format, was distinguished by the abundance and detail of information and summed up all the available geographical materials of that time. The atlas of S. U. Remezov has preserved the handwritten works of many unknown Siberian explorers, who, with their experience and real knowledge of the area, make a great contribution to the development of Russian cartography.

The first relatively reliable map of Lake Baikal was prepared in 1773 by navigator Alexei Pushkarev on a scale of 10 versts per inch, or approximately 1:420,000. The map was compiled in two stages: first, after filming in 1772 of Lake Baikal to the north of the source of the Angara. This map has not been printed, but its handwritten original is kept in the library Russian Academy Sciences. After completing the survey of the rest of the lake, A. Pushkarev in 1773 compiled a map of the entire Baikal - “A special flat map of the Baikal Sea showing the rivers and rivers flowing into it, as well as the Angara falling out of it ...”. Its handwritten original has not yet been found; only a copy made by Mikhail Khudyakov has survived (not completely).

Before Pushkarev's map, there was a map of Baikal, compiled earlier under the guidance of Frauendorf in 1766, but it had many errors, and A. Pushkarev had to make a diagram of Baikal again, therefore, it is his map that should be considered the first instrumental sea map of Baikal. It served a very important service for researchers of the history of the relief and the outline of the Baikal shores.

What is the average and great depth Baikal?

Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. His average depth about 730 m. It was first calculated quite accurately by G. Yu. Vereshchagin in the 1930s. 20th century

According to the studies of the Limnological Institute, carried out in 1959 with the help of a magnetostrictive echo sounder and a control check in winter from ice with an ordinary lot on a cable, maximum depth Baikal was determined as 1620 m. Subsequently, an amendment was made to the data on the greatest depth of Baikal. At present, the depth of 1637 m is considered to be the greatest depth of Baikal and the greatest depth for the lakes of the globe. As for the depth of 1642 m near the southern head of the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula on the map published by GUNiO in 1992, it raises doubts.

What is the area of ​​the Baikal water surface?

31.5 thousand km2 is approximately equal to the area of ​​such countries as Belgium, the Netherlands or Denmark. In terms of water surface area, Baikal ranks eighth among the largest lakes in the world. In our country, it is surpassed only by the Caspian and the Aral, on other continents - Victoria and Tanganyika (in Africa), Huron, Michigan and Upper in North America.

How much water is in Baikal?

The total volume of surface waters on the planet is about 1406 million km3. The volume of Baikal water is about 23 thousand km3. This is more than the volume of water contained in all five Great Lakes combined. North America(Upper, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario), in the Baltic Sea. The Baikal volume of water is almost twice as large as in Lake Tanganyika; 90 times than in the Sea of ​​Azov; 23 times than in Lake Ladoga. Baikal contains about 1/5 of the world's reserves of surface fresh water (excluding glaciers, snowfields and ice of Antarctica, Greenland and other reserves where the water is in a solid state). Thus, Baikal is the largest storage of liquid fresh water on the planet and the largest cleanliness factory. In order to imagine how large the volume of Baikal water is, let us recall that if it were necessary to drain Baikal using such a pump as the Angara, it would take almost 400 years for all the water in Baikal to flow out, provided that in it would not have received during all this time not a single drop from its tributaries and from the atmosphere.

If it were necessary to fill the Baikal basin by directing the water of all the rivers of the globe into it, then this could be done only in 300 days. And, finally, if you freeze the water of Lake Baikal, cut ice cubes of 1 km3 from it and put them in one row, then this kilometer-thick ice belt will stretch from the north to the south pole of the earth and beyond the pole for 3 thousand km.

At what height above the ocean level is the modern bottom of Lake Baikal located?

The modern bottom of Baikal at its greatest depth is located 1181 m below the level of the world ocean.

Where is the coastline (line) of Baikal?

The coastline is the boundary between the land surface and the water surface. On the map, it is conditionally drawn along the line of the average level of low water and is located at an altitude of 456 m above sea level. The real boundary of land and lake - the shore line - is in continuous change due to fluctuations in the water level.

Slow long movements coastline caused by tectonic movements, or secular level fluctuations associated with changing climatic conditions. Taking into account all the bends formed by bays, sors and bays, the length of the coastline of Lake Baikal is about 2 thousand km.

How did the level and coastline of Lake Baikal change after the construction of the Irkutsk hydroelectric dam?

The average level of Lake Baikal has risen by 1 m. However, the amplitude of level fluctuations and its highest levels have remained within the former limits. Over the past 10-15 years, water level marks in Baikal have noticeably decreased, and its minimum values ​​have approached those that were before the construction of the dam.

The coastline has shifted somewhat towards the coast due to the flooding of coastal lowland areas. The area of ​​the Baikal water area, according to geomorphologists' calculations, has increased by about 500 km2.

Due to the rise in the level, abrasion processes intensified and the shore was somewhat reshaped - spits, separating litters were eroded, some landslides on the coastal slopes, screes on the slopes revived, coastal shallow waters were filled with sediment, etc. At present, the shores of the lake are mainly stabilized. Only in the abrasion areas, the formation of the “water-shore” balance continues.

As the water level rose, the water temperature slightly decreased in summer, and the composition and number of food organisms for fish in the Proval Bay and in the sors changed. In some areas coastal spawning grounds for gobies, especially the yellow-winged goby, have been eroded or covered by coastal sediments. At present, with a stable water level in the lake, all these disturbances have fully recovered or their restoration is nearing completion. If the level is not stable, then the processes of reformation can continue indefinitely.

How many capes are on Baikal?

I. G. Georgi (1775), in addition to many nameless ones, counted 80 capes with a name. They stand out among other coastal forms by their appearance or color, by the plants growing on them, by the most common animals or fish, etc. Almost each of the capes has bays, or bays, used by ships for sludge in various winds. I.D. Chersky (1886) counted 174 capes, of which 101 are on the northwestern coast, and 73 on the southeastern coast, in addition, there are more than 30 capes on Olkhon Island. He clarified the size of the capes, the distances between them and the names of F. K. Drizhenko.

Which lake is Baikal's twin?

By origin (rift) and the size of the basin, Lake Baikal can be considered a twin. Tanganyika to East Africa. The length of the lake is about 650 km, the width is 40-80 km, and the area is 34 thousand km2. The maximum depth in the southern part is 1470 m (after Baikal Tanganyika is the second deepest lake on Earth). Water in it with a high content of magnesium salts. The total mineralization of water is 5 times higher than in Baikal. The water temperature on the surface is from 23.6 to 26.5 °C. Deeper than 400 m and to the bottom, the temperature is constant - about 23°C. Only the upper 100-200-meter layer of the lake is enriched with oxygen and suitable for life. About 75% of the fauna form endemics (there are especially many of them among fish, shrimps, ostracods, decapods, copepods, gastropods). There are hippos, crocodiles, a lot of waterfowl. main object fishing - idagala (dagaa) from herring fish.

Why is Baikal considered a model of the ocean?

Baikal has many features inherent ocean, large depths; a huge mass of water; internal waves and seiches; hot flashes; strong storms; high waves; the expansion of the basin due to the spreading of the shores, similar to the origin of the continents of Africa and South America; large magnitudes of magnetic anomalies, etc.

Bay, bay, sor. How many of them are on Baikal?

A bay is a well-defined depression in the coastal zone. Its value should be in such a combination with the width of the entrance (throat) that the water of the bay is surrounded by land on almost all sides. The bay provides shelter from different wind directions. Baikal has six large bays. The largest and deepest is Barguzinsky (its area is 725 km2, the maximum depth is 1284 m). It is followed by Chivyrkuisky (270 km2), Proval (197 km2), Posolsky (35 km2), Cherkalov (20 km2), Mukhor (16 km2).

A bay is a part of a lake that goes deep into the land. The ratio of the size of this depression to the width of the entrance near the bay is less than near the bay, it is more open. The bay can protect ships not from all winds, but only from one or two directions. There are quite a lot of bays on Baikal, at least two dozen - Larch (the deepest, maximum depth is about 1000 m), Goloustnaya, Sandy, Babushka, Aya, Bazarnaya, etc.

Sorami on Baikal are called closed, shallow, usually well-heated bays. The greatest depth in sors does not exceed 7 m. Sory is formed when coastal shallow waters or bays are cut off by moving coastal sediments, which form spits, embankments. The Baikal inhabitants call these braids and embankments a hag. The largest sor is Verkhne-Angara, or North Baikal, its area is 23 km2. Part of its water area is swampy, overgrown with solid vegetation. The largest in area open water- Ambassadorial litter, then - Arangatui, Cherkalov and others.

How did the Ambassadorial Sor happen?

According to geophysicists, during an earthquake that occurred here in a relatively recent past (within one or two millennia), a land area of ​​​​35-40 km2 was submerged under water. Proval Bay formed similarly. In 1862, during an earthquake with a force of about 10-10.5 points, a block of the earth's crust sank. This litter has not yet completed its formation, but is already separated from Baikal by a sandy embankment and is connected to it by three shallow straits. The Cherkalov litter probably also arose.

What is an estuary?

A flooded one-branch mouth of a river with direct access to the open sea, a lake in the form of a funnel-shaped extension. The mouths of such Baikal rivers as the Selenga, Turka, V. Angara, Tompa, B. Chivyrkuy, Sosnovka and others may have been such, but at present they are filled with river sediments. Only the outlines of the deltas remind of the former form.

What are lagoons and are there any in Baikal?

Open or closed, separated by coastal ridges or embankments, coastal areas of a reservoir on accumulative (scattered) banks. There are quite a lot of them on Baikal (more than ten), especially in the northern basin. They are usually located on accumulative capes (Pokoiniki, Zavorotny, Kedrovy, etc.), as well as in the deltas of the Selenga and V. Angara rivers, and in other areas.

What is the Small Sea and why is it called that?

This is a part of the Baikal water area, enclosed between the western shore of the lake (in its middle part) and Olkhon Island, the line of the Zama and Khoboy capes (the northern part of Olkhon) and south coast Mukhor lips. All Lake Baikal is called Big Sea, and this relatively small part - Small. Its length (within the boundaries considered by F.K. Drizhenko) is about 69 km, the maximum width is about 15.5 km. Unreasonably, in our opinion, its natural continuation is rejected from the Small Sea - the southwestern tip - Mukhor Bay. It is also part of the Small Sea basin. Together with the Mukhor Bay, the Small Sea has a length of about 78 km, the water surface area is 1019 km2.

How many tributaries does Baikal have?

Ever since the studies of I. D. Chersky in the last century, it is believed that 336 permanent watercourses flow into Baikal. Subsequently, there were several attempts to revise the tributaries of the lake, but they were limited to counting them on large-scale maps and partly on aerial photographs. So far, no one has repeated field studies. F.K. Drizhenko, but among others, there are gullies through which water flows for a short time, mainly during periods of intense rains in wet years. At the same time, F.K. Drizhenko also gives the number of tributaries of Baikal according to I.D. Chersky.

Taking into account the current weather and climate situation associated with warming and drying up of the northern hemisphere and the Baikal basin, as well as the disappearance of about 150 rivers and streams in this territory due to immoderate deforestation, there is reason to believe that a smaller number of tributaries currently flows into Baikal than they were in the last century.

The largest tributary of Lake Baikal is the Selenga River. Its length from the source is 1024 km, the area of ​​the drainage basin is about 465 thousand km2. It brings about half the volume river waters entering the lake from all tributaries.

How many islands are on Baikal?

There are 30 native islands on Baikal, the most big - Olkhon, its area is 730 sq. km. The remaining islands are much smaller - from 7 to 0.9 square meters. km or less. Among them there are rocks and stones. All indigenous islands are mountainous. In addition, more than a dozen alluvial sand and pebble islands have formed in the delta areas of large rivers. The life of these islands is short-lived. The largest of them about. Yarki in the north of Baikal, confined to the Angara-Kicherskaya delta.

What is an archipelago?

A group of islands in the open sea or lake. On Lake Baikal, the group of Ushkany Islands - 4 islands - is called an archipelago.

According to modern measurements, their height is 215 m above the Baikal level, or 671 above sea level. This mark refers to the highest point of the Big Ushkany Island. Small Ushkany Islands have a height of 15-20 m above the lake level.

Where did the name Ushkany Islands come from?

It is believed that once on the Ushkany Islands there were hares, which in Siberia are called Ushkans, hence the name of the islands. However, it is more likely that the name came from the richest seal rookeries in terms of numbers, which commercial hunters also call ushkans.

At what point is the highest point on. Olkhon?

The highest point of Olkhon is Mount Zhima. Its height is 818 m above the lake level, or 1274 m above sea level. Against this mountain and cape, 8-10 km from the coast, several south of the cape, the greatest depth of Baikal is noted - 1637 m. The difference in elevation from the foot of the mountain at the bottom of Baikal to its top is very impressive - 2455 m. more than 9000 m, that is, it exceeds the highest peak in the world - Mount Everest (8848 m above sea level).

What is Burkhan?

Cape on the island of Olkhon (it is also called Shamansky). Among the natives, the main deity of Baikal is called Burkhan. And Cape Burkhan, with a through cave and a pagan temple, is considered to be its abode.

How many caves are there on the shores of Lake Baikal?

According to references in various sources, more than two dozen. Of these, more than ten caves were inhabited by ancient people in the past. Some of them, for example, a cave on the Big Ushkany Island, are still visited by hunters. In the period of bad weather, when the seals, coming to rest on the coast of the island, hide, the hunters take refuge there. This cave can accommodate 15-20 people, you can build a fire in it. In the past it was much larger. Probably, during one of the earthquakes, the front part of the roof over the entrance collapsed. The fragments - huge marble blocks - still lie near the cave.

What is an undersea?

This poetic name for the coast of the Barguzinsky Reserve was used by V. Ch. Dorogostaisky. Subsequently, this term was extended to the entire territory of the coast adjacent to Baikal, especially to its picturesque areas.

What is the Baikal region?

In the past, the Baikal region was understood as the territories adjacent to Baikal from the west, in contrast to Transbaikalia - the territories from the lake to the east. But it is more correct to refer to the Baikal region the entire area adjacent to Baikal, and western territories, by analogy with Transbaikalia, to call Cisbaikalia.

On Lake Baikal There are 30 islands, having a length of 71.7 km, a maximum width of 14 km, an area of ​​700 km2.
Olkhon is a piece of land left above the water as a result of tectonic movements. Most The islands are occupied by a mountain range with gentle northwestern slopes and steep, steep southeastern ones with the highest height of 1274 m in the area of ​​Cape Izhimey (mountain Zhima).
In the northeastern part of the lake, near the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, there is an archipelago of the Ushkany Islands, consisting of four islands. The largest of them is B. Ushkaniy, with an area of ​​9 km2 and the highest elevation of 671 m. It rises 216 m above the lake level. Three M. Ushkaniy Islands have insignificant sizes and heights. According to V. V. Lomakin (1965), the Ushkany Islands rose relatively recently above the level of Baikal, as evidenced by wave-cut niches preserved in the rocks at a height of 200 m and a series of lake terraces.

Sergey Karpeev
The miracle of Russia and the glorious sea!
There is no limit to your shores!
The wind rejoices in the boundless expanse,
Rumors are ascending the islands.

The waves caress the careless stones,
Dormant for centuries forgotten volcano.
In a haze ethereal forest ridges
It stretches with a chain of Khamar-Daban.

Rocks, backwaters, taiga distances,
The hills rest on a cedar slope.
The ancient Buryat sanctuary beckons
Marvelous, mysterious island of Olkhon.

Whether storms, wind, bucket, bad weather -
What does the shaman portend to us with a tambourine:
In a frenzied dance, magic under the power
The spirit that everyone calls Burkhan.

Pink-delicate sunset blush
Clouds drown in your mirrors.
Melting, blue, evening mist
Hidden on the other side of the shore.

Water, like crystal, is deep and transparent.
The fisherman throws his net.
Yar-lightning, burning fiery,
Pulls a crimson boundary in the sky.

The night begins full of stars:
The ladle sparkled with its seven stars.
With heart and sight exalted
Shout: Our Baikal is beautiful and great!

Holy Nose is the only peninsula on Baikal. Its length is 53 km, width up to 20 km, area 596 km2. The peninsula is a continuation of the Barguzinsky Range and rises 1000 meters above the level of Lake Baikal. The western slopes are rocky, slightly dissected, in some places abruptly dropping into the water. The eastern ones, on the contrary, are strongly dissected, replete with numerous bays and capes.

HOW MANY ISLANDS
How many islands are on Baikal! Even a cursory enumeration of various opinions on this matter shows that the issue is not as simple as it might seem at first glance.
The first figure - 27 islands - was named by Jan Chersky more than 100 years ago, resolutely including only stony ones in their number, refusing to take into account the islands of alluvial, accumulative origin. In the future, this approach in accounting for islands is also supported in last years, although, it seems, no one succeeds in avoiding mixing their species by origin.
“Among the vast water surface of the lake, there are up to 47 islands,” says S. G. Sarkisyan in the book “Baikal” (Moscow, 1955). Irkutsk resident Ya. M. Grushko, who, unlike Sargsyan, traveled around Baikal a lot, in 1956 in the book “Traveling around Baikal for recreation and health promotion”, says: “There are 19 islands on Baikal.” He also includes stones among them: “In Peschanaya Bay ... there is a small island formed by a huge boulder, the so-called Cormorant Stone, where gulls and cormorants gather.” O.K. Gusev in 1960, before bypassing the lake, supports Chersky : “27 islands hold the taiga sea-lake with its heroic embrace” (in the book “From the Barguzinsky Reserve to the Ushkany Islands”) - 22 islands on Baikal, say the Baikal photo album (M .: Thought, 1971) and a textbook for students geographical faculties " Physiography USSR” by G. K. Tushinsky and I. I. Davydova, 36 — a book by the Siberian geologist S. A. Gurulev “Secrets of the Baikal Depths” (Ulan-Ude, 1975). “And there are not 27 islands on Baikal, as I thought famous explorer Baikal Chersky, and exactly 30, as we established during the circum-Baikal trip”, “... there are 30 rocky islands and 20 accumulative ones on Baikal,” O. K. Gusev writes in recent years (Young Naturalist, 1976 and 1978).

turkey tortoise

However, there are also such islands on Baikal. These are either individual large boulders, or clusters of pebbles. First of all, this is a group of boulders (a continuation of coastal ones) in the bay between Capes Nemnyanda and Cherny in the Barguzinsky Reserve, four gravel islands (one of them reaches a length of more than 300 m) in the bay of the Chersky Coast, south of Cape Valukan, also on the territory of the Barguzinsky Reserve. Not some of them have shrub vegetation and nests of gulls with eggs have been found. A significant number of very large boulders, extremely enlivening the landscape, are scattered in Ostashina Bay between Capes Baklanyim and Ostrovki, in the bay north of Cape Turkinsky. One of these stones is very reminiscent of a turtle with its head stretched out towards the shore.

Cormorant Stone Islands of Lake Baikal

Pure “stones” are typical for Baikal, they characterize the tectonic nature of its origin, they are called by the people: Shaman stone at the source of the Angara, Cormorant stone at Cape Baklany near Peschanaya Bay, Bezymyanny and Kurbuliksky Kameshek in the Chivyrkuisky Bay, Elenka (Izokhoy) on the maps The small sea is called a rock. There is no doubt that some of the islands occurred as a result of separation from the continents, both as a result of tectonic movements of the earth's crust, and the erosive activity of water flows and the dynamic impact of lake waves. But, most likely, their origin is the result of the influence of many factors.

For example, even today, the tip of Cape Kobylya's Head is separated from the main massif by a channel a few meters wide, you can often get to Cape Kurminsky only by boat, Capes Shamansky near Slyudyanka and Khuzhir are connected to the mainland by such narrow and low earthen lintels that the question turning them into new islands is a matter of only a few decades. Most likely, this is exactly what happened near the shore of the island of the Small Sea of ​​Kharansa, Edor, Small Belenky, Bezymyanny near the mouth of the Khargoy River, Listvenichny and Chaika, located nearby near Cape Listvenichny on east coast. Cormorant stone. The same prospect is not excluded for the Svyatoi Nos peninsula. But before summing up, let's try to identify the main patterns in their distribution. The predominant part of them is concentrated on the bridge that separates the northern part of the Baikal bowl from the central one and is made up of the island of Olkha with the islands of the Small Sea, the underwater Akademichesky ridge with its highest “peaks” in the form of an archipelago of the four Ushkany Islands, the Svyatoy Nos peninsula and the islands of the Chivyrkuisky Bay. The rest of the islands are either “attached” to the deltas, or are scattered in small numbers along the shore within the central part of the lake (with the exception of Boguchansky Island in the northern part).

Svyatoy Nos Peninsula Islands of Lake Baikal

With all of the above in mind, let's add to the 15 rocky islands of the Small Sea (together with Olkhon) Khynyk Island, four Ushkany Islands on a solid rocky platform with seven islands in the Chivyrkui Bay, two alluvial Angara sors (Yarki and Millionnaya Ton), rocky Boguchansky, Baklany stone, Cormorant (Stone), Larch, Seagull (does not grow on it a large number of trees, including larch) and Chayachiy (accumulative in Bezymyannaya Bay), we will end up with 35 fairly stable islands.

NATURE PROTECTION ON
About what should be the attitude of a person to the Baikal Islands in our days, N. I. Litvinov perfectly said in his work “The Fauna of the Baikal Islands”: “... yes, the Baikal Islands are not inhabited by exotic or especially valuable animals, there are no and other gifts of nature that could bring "income". However, the Baikal Islands are an integral part of the natural complex - not only huge masses of the purest fresh water inhabited by endemic flora and fauna, not only picturesque, forest-rich shores. Baikal is also three dozen different in size and natural features, but the same beautiful islands. And if these islands are disfigured as a result of mismanagement, if their peculiar, but poor and fragile biocenoses are disturbed, Baikal will lose its natural appearance. And this will definitely affect the biogenic cycle of the lake.
On all islands, except for Olkhon, any form economic activity must be excluded, as they are all too small to withstand any regular human exposure.
At present, most of the Baikal islands have either been declared natural monuments or have become part of two national parks.

Borchak Island Islands of Lake Baikal

ISLANDS AND ROCKS OF LAKE BAIKAL
Cormorant, island
Bolshoy Baklany Island is included in the list of state natural monuments (landscape monument). Its shores north side are rocky massifs and are cut by numerous wave-cut grottoes, on the south side there is a convenient gentle slope and a small beach. Once this island was one of the largest nesting places for cormorants.
Bolshoi Cormorant Island (Shimai) is the largest of the islands in the Chivyrkuisky Bay. It is located in the northeastern part of the Chivyrkuisky Bay on the territory of the Trans-Baikal national park. The area of ​​the island is 0.33 sq. km, the average width is 250 m, and the height is about 25 m above the water level of the bay.
A larch forest grows on the island, which descends from the ridge to the very edge of the water. In some places, the forest is interrupted by clearings, and a sheer cliff rises in the southwestern part of the island. Rock - a cliff from the side looks as if isolated and resembles a foreign body of the island. Previously, cormorants nested on the island, but now it is a habitat for capercaillie, who, with the onset of spring, arrange their passionate grouse currents.
A multi-layered settlement has been discovered on the island bronze age- Neolithic. There are serifs I.D. Chersky (1878) and V.V. Lamakin.

The distance from the village of Katun to the island is 6 km. You can visit the island with the permission of the ZNP administration. Time spent on the island is very limited to 30 minutes.

Cormorant stone, island
The only island in the southern part of Lake Baikal. In the past it was the largest nesting colony of the great cormorant. .Skala Cormorant stone 15 m high lies 160 m from the shore on the edge of the shallows with depths of less than 5 m. The rock is devoid of vegetation, the top of its eastern part looks like a tower. Vessels with a draft of up to 2 m can pass between the rock and the mainland.
A very beautiful place - you can often see it in photographs dedicated to Baikal, in the paintings of artists. Until the middle of the 20th century, this rock was a favorite place for cormorants.

White Stone, island
Bely Kamen Island is located in the Chivyrkuisky Bay. It is a natural monument and declared a protected area of ​​the Zabaikalsky National Park, so access to it is limited.

Bokuchan island
Bokuchan Island is located in the northern part of Lake Baikal. The island is rocky and quite high. The island is little visited, when you descend to the ground, there is a feeling that no one has ever been here. No traces of fires, tents. No trash! And the clearings are completely strewn with flowers, very different: daisies, cornflowers, bluebells ...
Borakchin Island is one of the small satellite islands of Olkhon. Oltrek is the second name of the island of Borakchin, on modern maps the island is called so. There used to be Borakchin. The island looks like a huge reptile that gave the name "Crocodile" among the people. The remains of the Kurykan (ritual place of the Kurykans, the founders of the most ancient Baikal civilization) structures have been preserved on the island. The island is one of the few small sea islands chosen by seagulls, where they hatched their chicks.

Borga Dogan, rock island
The rock-island of Borga-Dogan is located in the Small Sea, in. An alternative name for the island is Borgodagon.

Borg Dogana ice caves

Boulder, peninsula
Valunny Peninsula is located in the northern part of Lake Baikal. 8 km from Ayaya Bay there is a picturesque glacial Mountain Lake Frolikha. The lake is located in the depths of the coast among the wild taiga. You can only get to it on foot. Two rivers flow into Lake Frolikha from the southeast: the Left Frolikha and Davatchan, which flow in parallel in the same valley. In the northeastern part of the lake, from where the Frolikha River flows, there are two forested small islands and the wide peninsula Valunny, a picturesque panorama of which opens when approaching the lake through the pass from Ayaya Bay.

Upper, island
Upper Island is located in the northern part of Lake Baikal.

long island

The territory of Dolgiy Island, like all other islands of the archipelago, is the habitat of seals, so huntsmen strictly monitor those who come to the islands on ships. Visitors will be met, taken along the path to a place where the seal rookery can be seen, they will be allowed to take pictures and return.
Thus, only 200-300 people can admire seals on Dolgy Island during the summer.

Edor, island
Edor is a small rocky island in the Small Sea, as if poking out of the water. Edor (Buryat) - "to stick out."
Edor Island is located in the Small Sea. Having bypassed the island of Kharantsy with grottoes, the boat heads to the neighboring bay, where the islands of Edor and Modoto, better known as Belenky and Krokodilchik, are located. Many birds breed on these islands. On Belenky, almost under every stone, in every crack or rock, you can find a nest. When the boat approaches, the whole island starts to move: the adults take off and start circling with a cry, and the kids, waddling from side to side, are saved in the thickets of grass.

Elena, island
Elena Island is located in the region of the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula (the Buryat name of the peninsula "Hilmen-Khushun" means "the snout (nose) of the sturgeon") in the Trans-Baikal National Park.

Isokhoy, island

A small rocky island Izokhoy (Elenka) is located in the middle of the Small Sea. Anchorage is possible on either side of the island at 5-8 meters. Near the island there are large boulders, further from the island the bottom is stone with boulders overgrown with a sponge. The island is a permanent nesting site for the herring gull.

Zamogoj, island
Zamogoy Island is the third largest island in the Small Sea. It lies 10 kilometers south of Khuzhir, behind the island of Ogoy. Here, despite all the storms and winds, trees grow. In the past, patients with leprosy were resettled on Zamoga. Now the island is completely empty, no one sticks there, no one goes there. Tourists sometimes ask to leave them on Zamogoe for a couple of days.

Izhilhei island
Izhilhei Island is located in the Olkhon region. The island is a small rock.

Karga, peninsula
The Karga peninsula is of alluvial origin, located in the Srednebaikalsky region. The peninsula separates Sor from Baikal.
Posolsky Sor is the largest of the shallow bays of Lake Baikal, separated from the main water area by sandy spits. The embassy sandy spits, North and South, have a common name - the Karga Peninsula. The length of the peninsula is about 5 km, the width is from 50 to 200 m. The southern spit is the longest young spit on Baikal. Its width varies from 30 to 200 m. After the rise in the water level in Baikal, caused by the backwater of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station, the northern spit is intensively eroded and dies.

Mare's Head, peninsula
Kobylya Golova peninsula is located on the western tip north coast Olkhon Islands on the territory of the Pribaikalsky National Park. The historical Buryat name is Khorin-Irgi. The name of the peninsula comes from the fact that one of the capes in profile resembles a horse's head.

The peninsula Kobylya Golova is a very remarkable landscape and historical phenomenon, and in 1981 it was deservedly given the status state monument nature. The peninsula includes several beautiful rocky capes, bays and even a small but rather unusual lake. Numerous archaeological finds have been made on the peninsula. Traces of people's presence on Kobylya Golova can be traced back centuries for five thousand years. In former times, this place was a cult among the inhabitants of the island. The Mare's Head separates the waters of the Small Sea from the Khul Bay, which opens into the Olkhon Gates Strait.

Kopyoshka peninsula
The Kopyoshka peninsula is located in the Svyatoy Nos area in the Zabaikalsky National Park.

Round, island
The Ushkany archipelago consists of four islands: Big Ushkany, Thin, Round and Long. The islands are located in the middle part of Baikal and represent the peaks of the Akademichesky Ridge rising above the water surface. The islands are made of marble rocks of the most unusual shades.
The territory of Krugly Island is a protected area, like all other islands of the archipelago, it is the habitat of seals, so huntsmen strictly monitor those who come to the islands on ships.

Big Kyltygey island


"Khaltege" in Buryat means "inclined". Unlike Small Kyltygei, Bolshoi is covered with dense forest and rich in grass, in which a new species of poppy with large white flowers was found, recognized as a mysterious endemic of Shaggy Kyltygei herbs.

Big Kyltygey (Shaggy) Island

Small Kyltygey island
There are 7 islands in the Chivyrkuisky Bay: Bolshoy Baklany, Bolshoi Kyltygey, Maly Kyltygey, Bely Kamen, St. Helena, Pokoinitsky Kamen and Kovrizhka.
Near the capes in the middle of the bay are beautiful islands: Big Kyltygey (or Shaggy) and Small Kyltygey (or Naked, treeless).
"Khaltege" in Buryat means "inclined". Unlike the Big Kyltygey, the Small one is not covered with forest.
On the island there are bird colonies of herring and gray gulls. The island is a natural monument, therefore it is declared a protected area of ​​the Zabaikalsky National Park, and access to it is limited.

millionth island
Millionny Island is located in the northern part of Lake Baikal, next to Yarki Island. Yarki is an island stretched along the northern coast of Lake Baikal in the form of an alluvial sandy spit with low, but in places steeply plunging shores into the lake. The end of Yarkov - Millionny Island is the beginning of an ornithological sanctuary that protects birds in the Upper Angara delta. The river is the second most important tributary of Lake Baikal. 4 km above the mouth, the Vlasikha duct separates from the river, which, when it flows into it, forms a vast low island Millionth.

modoto island
Modoto Island is located in the Small Sea. Having bypassed the island of Kharantsy with grottoes, the boat heads to the neighboring bay, where the islands of Edor and Modoto, better known as Belenky and Krokodilchik, are located. Many birds breed on these islands. The main population of the Crocodile is gulls. When the boat approaches, the whole island starts to move: the adults take off and start circling with a cry, and the kids, waddling from side to side, are saved in the thickets of grass. The screams and hubbub of seagulls will be remembered for a long time.

Lower, island
Nizhny Island is located in the northern part of Lake Baikal, in perch bay Lake Frolikha.

oh my, the island
Ogoy Island, stretching a narrow winding strip of land from south to north for 6 km from the air, strongly resembles a dancing dakina with with outstretched arms directed to the north: the outline of the head with shoulders in the northern part of the island and arms spread apart and bent at the elbows are clearly visible. The contour of the island can also be compared to the image of a fabulous genie released from Aladdin's lamp, when a sinuous snake of smoke emerges from the lamp, expanding at the top to the contour of the head. The stupa, built at the highest elevation of the island (512 m), at a height of 60 m above the level of Lake Baikal, turned out to be located just in the chest area, in place of the heart, the outline of the island. Ogoy Island, with its elongated outlines, strongly resembles Olkhon Island, which in turn resembles the crescent-shaped outline of Baikal. , Ogoy Island in the center of the Small Sea. In poetry, they call the blue heart of Siberia, the island of Olkhon, the abode of the formidable spirits of the lake, the heart of Baikal, and the island of Ogoy, probably, can become revered as the "mother island". The pronounced symbolism of the triple similarity in the sacred language means that the chosen place is fertile for the construction of a Buddhist stupa. To this it should be added that the island of Ogoy, in contrast to the nearby island of Zamogoy, on which leprosy patients settled in the past, remained clean at all times. Apart from constantly nesting gulls, a person has never lived on it, i.e. this area is free from the negative energies of a person's past deeds and can be considered a "pure land".
30-100 pairs of herring gulls nest annually on the island. Ornithologists say that a few years ago more gulls nested on the island, but after the fox got into the habit of entering the island on ice in the spring and destroying nests, nesting sites remained only on the rocky cliffs of the island inaccessible to the fox. For some reason, Ogoy Island was not included in the territory of the Pribaikalsky National Park and does not have the status of specially protected areas. Scientists note a very vulnerable biocenosis of the island, i.e. collection of herbs and animals. Relic grasses have been preserved on the island, larks and ground squirrels live.

The Russian land is rich and inexhaustible in great beauties. You can endlessly talk about them, but one pearl is still worth dwelling on separately. , but also a place that is unique in its possibilities. And in the very heart of the lake is the largest island of Lake Baikal - the island of Olkhon. The microclimate that has developed here over many centuries is particularly mild, which is why the bathing season is longer than usual. The bays of the island are beautiful during the calm and represent a perfect azure surface.

The island itself is located in the middle part of Lake Baikal and stretches for 73 kilometers in length, and reaches 10-14 kilometers in width. The total area is 729 square meters. kilometers. Olkhon is separated from the mainland by the Small Sea and a narrow strait, which is called the Olkhon Gates.
The achievements of the modern and dynamic world have little penetrated these beautiful places, so nature has retained all its splendor and naturalness. Baikal water is still considered the most delicious and clean in the whole world.
The structure of the island is a mountain range, which is divided by narrow bays and stretched in a northeasterly direction. The eastern coast of the island is mountainous and abruptly breaks off with sharp rocks into the water, but the northwestern one, on the contrary, is gentle and strewn with small coves with a perfect sandy bottom. Although there is very little vegetation on Olkhon Island and the northern part is covered with a small forest, basically the entire island is covered with sparse grass interspersed with stones and sand.
The northern shores of the island, facing the Small Sea, are constantly exposed to wave impacts, which destroys the coastline. Therefore, there are a large number of different grottoes, caves and niches. By the way, Olkhon Island is the only inhabited island on Lake Baikal, and from ancient times, remains were found in local caves ancient man who lived in the Paleolithic era. According to experts, the age of the finds is estimated at more than 13 thousand years.
Various archaeological treasures are often found on the territory of the island. In terms of the number that have already been discovered (and there are already more than 140 of them), Olkhon has no equal in the entire Baikal region. Among them: ancient settlements, remains of stone walls, burial grounds. The most famous of them: the ancient Kurykan protective wall, which blocked the isthmus of Cape Khorgoy.

Pokoinitsky Stone, island
Rocky Island Pokoinitsky Stone is located in the Chivyrkuisky Bay in the Svyatoy Nos area. On the east coast of the Holy Nose there is Cape Pokoiniki, and next to it there is a rock-island Pokoinitsky Kamen. The alternative name of the island is Kurbuliksky. The exact origin of the name is unknown. One of the versions is that once upon a time, a group of fishermen died in these places from sturgeon poisoning. It turns out that a vein similar to soft cartilage runs along the sturgeon's spine. This is a screech. In fresh fish, it is completely harmless, but if a sturgeon falls asleep in the water, then poison actively begins to screech into his body. To remove the screech, you need to cut off the sturgeon's head, and then carefully cut the tail in a circle and carefully, so as not to tear, stretch out the screech.

Holy Nose, peninsula
The Holy Nose Peninsula is located in the Zabaikalsky National Park. The Buryat name of the peninsula "Hilmen-Khushun" means "muzzle (nose) of sturgeon". The peninsula was a cult place for Buryat shamanists. This is the largest peninsula on Baikal, connected to the mainland by an isthmus barely rising above the water level. By geological standards, quite recently, just a few millennia ago, the Svyatoy Nos peninsula was an island and was not connected to the mainland. The island was separated from the eastern shore by a narrow strait, and two rivers - the Maly Chivirkuy and Barguzin, flowing into the south of the island, gradually filled the strait with sand and silt. Baikal storms completed the job, reliably connecting the island with the mainland with a sandy spit. The island has turned into the largest peninsula on Baikal - the Holy Nose, and the strait - into a bay with many deep cozy bays, which we now call Chivyrkuisky. The lakes on the Myagkaya Karga isthmus, which limits Chivyrkuy from the south, serve as a reminder of the strait that once existed. The length of the peninsula is 53 km, the width is up to 20 km, the settlements- Monakhovo, Katun, Karbulik. At the top of the peninsula there is a mountain plateau (a zone of alpine tundra), from where a picturesque circular panorama of the isthmus of the Holy Nose, the Chivyrkuisky and Barguzinsky bays, the Ushkany Islands opens. The western slopes of the Holy Nose are densely overgrown with taiga - the very primordial nature, on opposite side slopes are replete with many cozy bays and capes, this part of the peninsula is attractive for hiking along the path.

Toynak, island
An alternative name for the island of Toynak is Toinik. This island is located in the Small Sea. The name of this island, as well as two other islands of the Small Sea (Big Toynak and Small Toynak), comes from the Buryat word "toynog", which means "kneecap". Indeed, these small islands protrude slightly above the surface of the water - like kneecaps.

Big Toynak, island
This island is located in the Small Sea. The Khuzhir-Nugaisky Bay protrudes into the shore between the Ulirba capes and the delta of the river. Sarma. In the middle of the entrance to the bay there are rocky islands Maly Toynak and Bolshoi Toynak, bordered by shallows. The islands serve as a nesting place for herring gulls. The name of this island comes from the Buryat word "toinog", which means "kneecap". Indeed, these small islands protrude slightly above the surface of the water - like kneecaps.

Small Toynak, island
This island is located in the Small Sea. The Khuzhir-Nugaisky Bay protrudes into the shore between the Ulirba capes and the delta of the river. Sarma. In the middle of the entrance to the bay there are rocky islands Maly Toynak and Bolshoi Toynak, bordered by shallows. The islands serve as nesting sites for herring gulls.
The name of this island comes from the Buryat word "toinog", which means "kneecap". Indeed, these small islands protrude slightly above the surface of the water - like kneecaps.

Thin, island
The Ushkany archipelago consists of four islands: Big Ushkany, Thin, Round and Long. The islands are located in the middle part of Baikal and represent the peaks of the Akademichesky Ridge rising above the water surface. The islands are made of marble rocks of the most unusual shades.
The territory of Tonky Island is a protected area, like all other islands of the archipelago, is the habitat of seals, so huntsmen strictly monitor those who come to the islands on ships.

Ushkany Islands
The Ushkany Islands are a small rocky archipelago in the middle part of Lake Baikal. The islands of the archipelago are composed mainly of crystalline limestone, covered with larch forest. They have the status of a natural monument.

Description
Ushkany Islands are located 7 km west of the peninsula Holy nose. The archipelago consists of 4 islands: Big, Thin, Round and Long. The total area of ​​the Big Ushkany Island is 9.5 sq. km, length 5 km, width - about 3 km. highest height Big Island above the level of Lake Baikal - about 210 meters.
All the islands of the Ushkany archipelago are composed of ancient bedrock and sedimentary rocks, in the northern part of the Big Island there is a unique deposit of green marble. The straits between the islands are not used for navigation, as it is possible to run aground or damage the hull on the rocky rapids.
On the Big Ushkany Island there is a permanent weather station and there is a cordon of the Trans-Baikal National Park.

Name etymology
The islands got their name from the word ushkan, as they called hares in Siberia. Sea seals were also called hares in Russia. Russian immigrants from the European North, having seen many Baikal seals here, dubbed the islands Hare. Then the name Hare began to be pronounced in Siberian - Ushkany, and it stuck to the islands to this day.

Flora and fauna
An original mild climate has developed on the Ushkany Islands, a feature of which is high humidity (up to 90-97%). The annual rainfall does not exceed 300 mm.
Due to isolation, the archipelago formed unique flora and fauna. On the Big Island, the original larch forest has been preserved, the trunks of some trees have a special shape - bottle-shaped. Another feature of the Big Ushkan is a lot of anthills. Their number reaches several thousand, the height of some anthills is 1.5 m.
The largest rookery of Baikal seals (seals) is located on the Ushkany Islands.
Ushkany Islands - specially protected natural area. Permission is required to visit them, and a fee is charged for photographing seals.
Since 2011, it has been forbidden to land on the shores of the Ushkany Islands.

Big Ushkany Island
The Ushkany archipelago consists of four islands: Big Ushkany, Thin, Round and Long. The islands are located in the middle part of Baikal and represent the peaks of the Akademichesky Ridge rising above the water surface. The islands are made of marble rocks of the most unusual shades.
The archipelago of the Ushkany Islands is the main rookery of the Baikal seal. This trail is for lovers. wildlife, here you can go ashore and see in the immediate vicinity the animals that have become a symbol of the lake.
Russians, immigrants from the European North, seeing on these islands a lot of Baikal freshwater seals - seals, called the islands Hare (Pomors called the seal "sea hare"). Later, the islands began to be called Ushkanimi: Ushkans - in Old Siberian "hares". Here is the name left.
On the island of Bolshoy Ushkany three caves sites of a man who lived 2000-3000 years BC were discovered, the original larch and pine forest has been preserved. The larch here has a bottle-shaped thickening at the base, the birches have black bark, and the crowns of the trees are flag-shaped. All this is unique to the Ushkany Islands.
There are many anthills on the island, there are more than 5000 of them. There are 19 on each hectare! And the height of the anthills themselves is up to 170 cm, the diameter is up to 3 m.
In a word, protected area. Only seals swim up, but people occasionally look in. Gamekeepers keep a close eye on those who come to the islands on ships. Visitors will be met, taken along the path to a place where the seal rookery can be seen, they will be allowed to take pictures and return.

Small Ushkany Islands
The Ushkany archipelago consists of four islands: Big Ushkany, Thin, Round and Long. The islands are located in the middle part of Baikal and represent the peaks of the Akademichesky Ridge rising above the water surface. The islands are made of marble rocks of the most unusual shades.
The Small Ushkany Islands are three small islands: Thin, Round and Long. Compared to the Big Ushkany Island, they are quite small.

Kharantsy, island
Kharantsy Island is located in the Small Sea, in the region of Olkhon Island. In ancient times, this island was used as a sentry, observation post, so the name "Kharansa" in Buryat means lookout.

Hubyn, island
The small rocky island of Khubyn is located in the middle of the Small Sea. "Khubyn" in Buryat - "baby". The island is a permanent nesting site for the herring gull.

Hunuk island
Hunuk Island is located in the Small Sea, opposite the Sarma delta. The island is one of the ten zoological monuments of nature located in the Small Sea, these are tower-type rocky islands characteristic of Baikal with steep banks: Shokhoi, Borgodagon, Oltrek, Shargodegan, Zumugoy, Urungoy, Khubin, Khunuk, Big Taynik. All islands are places of mass nesting of the herring gull.

Sharga-Dogan, rock-island
Sharga-Dogan Island is located in the Small Sea, in. Alternative name for Shargodagan Island.

islands of Sharga-Dogan, Oltrek and Zamogoy

Yarki Island
Yarki Island is located in the northern part of Lake Baikal. This is a very unique island. This island, elongated almost along the entire northern coast of Lake Baikal, is in the form of an alluvial sandy spit with low, but in places steeply plunging shores into the lake.

After Kichera, a river not far from Nizhneangarsk, the surface of the island is a bare grassy plain, then a birch forest appears, then a dwarf pine forest. The length of the middle part of the island - the spit - is about 15 km, the average width is about 100 m, the largest is up to 400 m. The island rises 5-10 meters above the lake level and separates Baikal from the delta of the Upper Angara and Kichera\North Baikal Sor rivers.

JOURNEY IN BAIKAL

Lake Baikal. Kayaking on Baikal.

year 2001
Section from Bazarnaya Bay to Shunte Bay
Olkhon Island is the largest of more than two dozen islands in Lake Baikal. And the only inhabited one, people have been living on Olkhon for a very long time - more than 13 thousand years. Legends tell about the beauty of Olkhon Island - about Cape Burkhan, which has already become a symbol of Baikal, about the northeastern tip - Cape Khoboy, about sand dunes, ancient fortifications and a lot more about. And there is no longer an opportunity to resist and not look at all this with my own eyes. Yes, and the circumstances are favorable ... I have repeatedly been on the coast of the steppe part of Olkhon, from the village of Khuzhir to Lake Nursky. But according to the descriptions, the most beautiful and unusual places are located behind Khuzhir - in the forest part of the island. The mountainous southeastern coast of the island, which ends not in, but in Baikal, generally looks like a tempting white spot.
We will start our journey from Bazarnaya Bay, pass along Olkhon along the Small Sea, go around the tip of the island, Cape Khoboy, and already along the Great Baikal we will reach the Olkhon Gates. Further, so that the journey does not seem too short, we have a journey to Irkutsk, but I will not bore you with a story about it - it was already in 1998 and 1999.

We go on two kayaks. The composition, one might say, is the same - in the "two" for the captain and sailor Pavel, and in my "troika", as always, our eyes, nose and ears (to be honest, rather a walking stomach ...) - Shaggy Friend. The length of the route around Olkhon (from Bazarnaya Bay to Cape Cross) is 165 km, then to Irkutsk - another 260 km, in total - 425 km. It so happened that we were given 16 days for the entire trip - not so much. On average, in order to be on time, you need to walk at least 25 km per day.

Day 1. July 21, 2001, Saturday. 13:45 - 21:25.
Bazarnaya Bay - Lake Khankhoi, distance 28 km
Despite the late exit, we decided today to walk to Lake Khankhoi. The weather is good - clouds, sun and a head breeze. From Bazarnaya they moved immediately to Olkhon, aiming at Cape Ulakhta. There is almost no unrest in the Gates, but we pass them as quickly as possible - this place is unreliable, especially in the middle of the day, it is better to be closer to the shore here, it can blow hard at any moment and from any direction. We know we got...

Cape Kobylya Golova.
Along the rocky coast of Olkhon we go to Cape Kobylya Golova, which is not a cape at all, but a real island, completely separated from Olkhon by a shallow strait four meters wide. On a kayak, in the absence of excitement, you can pass through this passage completely safely, which we do, once we get into. The cape from this side looks much more beautiful than from the Gate - a bizarrely indented rocky coast, sheerly breaking off into the water.

Grotto at Cape Khalte.
Grottoes are often found in the rocks. In the largest of them, on Cape Khalte, we managed to enter even on a three-seater kayak. Huge stones hang overhead, from which drops of water occasionally break, a little creepy. The rocks in these places are not very high, but beautiful. The cornice on Cape Tutyrkhey with seagulls circling above it looks very impressive.
After walking for about an hour along the Small Sea, we approach the island of Hubin, the first on our way. The islet is small and looks completely uninhabited - not even birds are visible. This is understandable, the places here are crowded, and the island is located close to the coast of Olkhon, rumbling ships and motor boats are not uncommon.

Cape Tutyrkhei.
The shores we pass are cut by deep bays, in which, if necessary, we can take shelter from the wind. The bays also cause some inconvenience, since it takes a long time to bypass them along the coastline and you have to go from cape to cape, quite far away from the coast. In some places the coast is rocky, but there are no long rocks, when it is impossible to moor to the coast for several kilometers. The exception is the section between Capes Shebetsky and Elgay - the rocks stretch for five kilometers, but there are one or two small patches that you can throw yourself into in case of emergency.
In the evening, having passed the rocks mentioned above and rounded Cape Elgay, we came to Lake Khankhoi. The lake is not visible from the water until you come to the sandy spit that separates it from Lake Baikal. This time we were not lucky - the channel connecting the lake with Baikal turned out to be too shallow to guide our loaded kayaks through it. We didn’t want to drag things through the scythe on our hands, we didn’t want to deepen the channel either - we weren’t going to linger for more than a night. I had to put up tents on a rather steep slope, as there were a lot of people and convenient places were all busy. At night, there was a concert, usual for these places, with roaring low-grade music and heart-rending screams, the impression is as if you are sleeping on a dance floor ... Fortunately, immediately after midnight the rain, which several times tried to fall during the day, stopped thoroughly and the concert was rescheduled for the next night.

mysteries and secrets of Baikal

Day 2. July 22, Sunday. 10:30 - 20:50.
Lake Khankhoi - Ulan-Khushinsky Bay, 29 km
In the morning the rain continued to fall. Pasha went out lightly along the channel into the lake and tried to catch pike, but he didn’t catch anything - either the fish didn’t like the weather, or all the fish were caught with nets. We waited for the rain to end and went out, without much, however, regret - there are already a lot of people and noise here, and the legendary Burkhan was waiting for us ahead ...
The shores gradually change, they gradually become lower, there are almost no rocks, the steppe zone gives way to the forest, the trees, while rare, come up to the very shore. The weather, unfortunately, is bleak - there is no rain, but the whole sky is covered with dense clouds, because of this the coast looks rather gloomy. Burkhan is visible for many kilometers, as something triangular, protruding from the water. After some time, Khuzhir appeared - the largest village on Olkhon. The first sand dunes appeared in front of Khuzhir.

Cape Burkhan.
We landed on the shore on a narrow isthmus connecting the rocks of Burkhan with the island and climbed the path to the observation deck, from which a wonderful view of Burkhan and. The site is quite large and from it the main attractions - the rocks of Burkhan and the picturesque lagoon nearby - can be seen from different angles. Judging by the degree of compaction of the site and the trail, this place is very visited. Even today, despite the not very good weather, there were quite a lot of people, especially the curious climbed to the very tops of the rocks.

Burkhan consists of two rocks connected to the shore by a strip of pebble beach, overgrown with grass in the middle. Almost white rocks, overgrown with colored lichens, red lichens look especially beautiful against a white background. Nearby - northeast of the rocks of Burkhan - a beautiful rocky ridge protrudes. We were struck by an unusual panorama, coming off in the direction of the northeast. The impression is that you are somewhere in Africa: the blue surface of a small semi-grown lake - rather even a swamp, surrounded by yellow sands and low green plants, which, upon closer inspection, turned out to be larches.

Sandy beach of Saraysky Bay.
Having admired Burkhan and its surroundings from above, we went down to inspect the rocks up close. Approaches to them are blocked by piling up big stones, which once very long ago were part of the cape. Now they serve for climbing tourists to the peaks of Burkhan. There were so many tourists that the paths along which Burkhan submits most often are clearly visible on the stones.
We did not have a goal to climb to the very top, we wanted to find a cave. It turned out to be quite simple to do this - the entrance to the cave is not visible from below, but it was worth going upstairs and the cave was quickly found in the rock closest to the shore. Once upon a time there were inscriptions in front of the cave, they are there now, moreover, there are much more of them, only the inscriptions are no longer ancient Buddhist, but completely modern, perpetuating, as usual, the names and places of residence of lovers of antiquity and native nature who visited here. However, traces of their stay are found not only near the cave, they are visible everywhere - the creators of cretin painting worked tirelessly and smeared more than one bucket of paint on the rocks ...

Cave at Cape Burkhan.
The cave is an inclined passage that pierces through the rock. We entered it from the eastern part of the cliff and, descending along a rather narrow passage, got into a less cramped room in which one could even stand and from which the passage led to the western side of the cape. It is hard to imagine how such a cramped room, according to Academician V.A. Obruchev, “is filled with devout Buryats” (to be honest, I can’t even imagine a devout Buryat…). Most likely, only the shaman had the right to enter the cave.

Cape Burkhan.
The cave did not impress us - just a through hole in the rock. The rocks themselves are magnificent both near and from a distance, both from land and from water, even in such gloomy weather. They left slowly, walked around both rocks, moved away from the coast and, finally enjoying the view of the cape, moved on.

The most amazing thing is that we both noticed a surge of energy after visiting Burkhan. It must be not for nothing that the ancients revered this place, considering it sacred. I really want to believe that Burkhan will remain sacred for at least a few people, despite the barbaric attitude of hordes of vandals towards it.
Behind Burkhan, the sand dunes of the Saray Bay stretch for several kilometers. Low picturesque larches grow right on the sand. The places here are beautiful and convenient for parking, so there are quite a lot of vacationers.
The headwind gave way to almost complete calm and it became more fun to go. The fun, however, did not last long - it started to rain. We passed two small islands - Kharantsy and Edor, there are many gulls on the islands.

Modoto and Edor Islands.
We stopped for the night in Ulan-Khushinsky Bay. Here, too, sand, larches, a lot of parking space and a lot of vacationers. We pitched our tents under a beautiful large larch, standing very apart from the rest of the vegetation, and because of this we had a restless night. On the other side of the Small Sea, a strong thunderstorm began with thunder and lightning, and I spent part of the night thinking about how we could be saved if a thunderstorm came here. I did not think of anything, but I decided not to stand under tall trees, no matter how beautiful they were.

Day 3. July 23, Monday. 9:30 - 18:00.
Ulan-Khushinsky Bay - Shunte Bay, 28 km
In the morning, nature took pity on us a little and pleased us with a few pieces of blue sky. The opposite shore of the Small Sea, washed out by night rain, looked very beautiful. Probably, in order to compensate for the pleasures received, when trying to warm the tea, the primus burnt down - the pump handle simply melted and glassed into sand. The loss, of course, is not great (and Pashin's primus), but a few days later, passing through treeless places from the Olkhon Gates to Buguldeyka, we had to carry firewood with us.

Today we have a crucial stage, according to the plan, we have to go around the northeastern tip of Olkhon Cape Khoboy and go to Baikal. The blue sky, which pleased us in the morning and gave us hope that the weather would soon improve, disappeared along with hope. Behind Cape Nyurgansky, a panorama of the northeastern part of the island opened up. Olkhon struck with a variety of colors. Despite the gloomy weather, the entire visible spectrum was represented - from blue water to white-yellow-red-brown rocks. The sight is amazing, there would still be a blue sky ...

Cape Sagan-Khushun.
Beyond Cape Sasa, the calm gave way to a long-awaited fair breeze, and we set sail. The wind gradually grew stronger and confidently drew us to Cape Sagan-Khushun, which was known to me from the descriptions as a very beautiful place and so far hid the tip of the island from us. There was no more than a kilometer to the cape, when suddenly strong tail squalls began to fly in, so strong that the kayak simply flew over the crests of the waves. Very soon it became dangerous to sail, I blew the sheet, but even with the sail in the vane position, the roll was very strong. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Pasha, who had gone ahead, was getting no less. I began to figure out where to get out in case of something, but the shores were rocks that went vertically into the water. There was nowhere to go, I had to pull forward - behind the cape. My boat, driven by the wind, even without a sail and oars, ran very cheerfully, only powerful squalls disturbed me, during which the kayak began to heel strongly. Saved the cape, in front of it the squalls became less ferocious, I chose the sheet and already sailed around Sagan-Khushun.

Bay of Sagan-Khushun.
Behind the cape was a rather deep cozy bay of Sagan-Khushun, protecting from all winds except the northeast. A path leads directly from the bay to the rocks of Cape Sagan-Khushun, which we did not have time to properly examine on the way, busy fighting waves and wind. The first meters of the trail are overcome on a wooden ladder, then you have to climb up for several tens of meters, clinging to anything. The stairs became an insurmountable obstacle for the Shaggy Friend, and he had to take up his direct duties - the protection of kayaks and things. The protest, expressed in the form of a demanding bark, turning into a plaintive howl, was not taken into account.

Cape Sagan-Khushun.
Already opens from the trail beautiful view to the bay. The trail leads to the tops of the cape, climbing skills are not required here, the main thing is not to climb to the very edge so as not to fall down. In terms of beauty, the views from the tops of Sagan-Khushun can only be compared with those that we saw in the Burkhan region. From here you can clearly see the northeastern tip of the island, Cape Khoboy, the opposite coast of the Small Sea looks very beautiful. Apparently, the rocks are made of the same material as Burkhan and are also covered with colored lichens. It only remained to regret that the weather did not allow us to see this beauty from below. The place is quite visited, but not as much as Burkhan. There are no compacted bare areas here, on the contrary, there is bright green grass and many flowers all around.

While approaching, we noticed three holes in the rocks, located slightly above the water level. Two of them turned out to be connected to each other by a horizontal passage, about ten meters long, along which you can crawl on all fours. The third hole, apparently, was the entrance to the cave, the passage led somewhere deep into the rock and we did not dare to explore it.

Rock Virgo.
We continued on our way, anticipating trouble when passing the tip of the island and entering Baikal. I assumed that the wind that battered us was the echo of a storm on the southeastern shore of Olkhon. However, the tailwind that blew as soon as we left the bay was rather weak. Despite this, we did not set the sails, fearing that the wind could increase sharply when passing through the capes.
Very soon, Cape Khoboy appeared ahead, one of the rocks of which, in front, actually resembles a fang. When we caught up with the cape, we found another attraction of Khoboy - the rock of the Virgin, into which the “fang” turned when looking at it in profile. It is interesting that Virgo looks almost the same both from the side of the Small Sea and from the side of Baikal - a property quite rare for capes.
Khoboy is a well-known and visited place, we did not climb it, but we saw people at the top, and also noted the presence of mooring places in front of the cape - small pebble beaches. Baikal, contrary to expectations, met us quite peacefully. There was almost no wind, but there was a small wave, like after a calming storm.

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SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO:
Team Nomads
http://irkipedia.ru/content/baykal_putevoditel_po_ostrovam
http://www.photosight.ru/
http://fishtravel.org/
http://baikal.irkutsk.ru/
http://www.olkhon-myst.ru
http://nature.baikal.ru/olhon/
http://ozerobaikal.info
http://www.magicbaikal.ru/

Olkhon is an island that stands out among the three dozen other Baikal islands. It is shrouded in many ancient legends and myths. This island is also famous for the grandeur of natural monuments, a variety of landscapes. Olkhon is located on the territory of one of the parks, Pribaikalsky, and is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful places on Lake Baikal. Olkhon is an island that is especially beautiful in autumn, when the coast becomes almost deserted. Covered with a golden carpet of grasses, forests touched by bright colors, it freezes under the blows of the Baikal waves, waiting for the harsh Siberian winter to approach.

Location of Olkhon

The largest is located in the middle part of this lake, not far from its western coast. It is stretched along its coast. Olkhon is 73 km long (between capes Umysh-Tame and Khoboy), and its width reaches 15 kilometers. About 700 sq. km is the area of ​​the island. Approximately 210 km - the length of its coastline. A photo of Olkhon Island is presented below.

The part of Baikal enclosed between the island and the western coast of the lake is a unique body of water with a special microclimate. It even has a special name - Small Sea, which speaks of a certain independence and exclusivity and is classified as a strait. From the coast of Baikal southwestern part The islands are separated by the Olkhon Gates strait, which has a reputation as the most insidious place on Baikal.

Origin of the name Olkhon

There are at least two main versions of the origin of the name Olkhon. This island was named in the language of the locals - the Buryats. According to the first, Olkhon comes from the word "oykhon", which means "wooded". According to another version - from "olkhan", that is, "dry". Both of these options match the appearance of the island, as it is both wooded and dry. Therefore, it is difficult to give preference to one of them.

Archeology

The history of Olkhon goes back to antiquity. This is confirmed by various archaeological finds and historical monuments. They have been collected over more than two hundred years of studying Olkhon. As of 1993, 143 different species were known on the island. Many of them are protected by the state. Unfortunately, many monuments were destroyed, including the ancient stone walls. The purpose of their construction is still unknown. They were destroyed in 1963, using the extracted stone to strengthen the pier, located in the village called Khuzhir.

The relief of the island

The western coast of this island, washed by the waters of the Small Sea, is gentle for the most part, with bays protruding deep into the coast, as well as rocky capes. On the contrary, the eastern, rocky, mountainous, breaks off steeply into Baikal. There are no deep bays here. The highest point of Olkhon is located on its southern coast. This is Mount Zhima, whose height is 1274 meters. It rises 818 meters above Baikal. The deepest place of the lake is only 11 kilometers from Zhima. This is a mark of 1637 meters. The steepness of the underwater slope in these places reaches 30-40 degrees near the island.

steppe is South part Olkhon Islands and partly the northern tip. In the rest of the space, birch, larch and pine forests. On the western coast, in its middle part, from Cape Sasa to Cape Khuzhirsky, the shores are sandy. Overgrown with larches and pines, dissected by capes, they will leave an unforgettable impression on travelers.

Lakes and rivers

Big enough to have their own lakes, Olkhon. This island has several reservoirs. Of these, the most famous and largest are the following lakes: Nurskoe, which from time to time merges with Zagli Bay; Khankhoi with many archaeological sites; Shara-Nur is the only one on Olkhon Island; Nuku Nur is a body of water that is home to many living organisms.

There are no rivers on the island, only a couple of streams that reach Baikal. Small springs are found in the forest part of Olkhon. They feed a few swamps. In some places, despite the lack of water, new streams appear right before our eyes.

Live nature

The wildlife on this island has suffered largely from the fault of man over the past few decades, the great cormorant, the saker falcon, roe deer, deer, wolf, and bustard have disappeared from Olkhon. On the island back in the 18th century, sable was completely exhausted. The seal has become a rarity, and earlier it loved to bask on the coastal rocks under the sun. This unique animal can now be found only on the eastern coast of Olkhon Island. From here, in recent years, the solar eagle, which previously nested on the island, has completely disappeared. This is the sacred Bald Eagle, to which many ancient legends of Baikal are dedicated, the son of the Master of Olkhon, as well as the progenitor of local shamans. Sacrifices are still made to this bird.

Currently, there are 135 species of birds on Olkhon (wagtail, horned lark, wheatear, white-belted swift, Dahurian jackdaw, capercaillie, black grouse, duck, sandpiper, and others). There are 20 species of mammals here (weasel, polecat, squirrel, hare, fox, lynx, etc.), including an endemic animal called the Olkhon vole. It is found exclusively in the Baikal steppes. You can find here 1 species of amphibians and 3 reptiles. In winter, lone wolves are found on Olkhon from large predators, penetrating the island through the ice. Wolf packs in the same way come extremely rarely. And there is no need to be afraid: there are no bears here.

Tourism on the island

Holidays on Olkhon Island will be remembered for a long time. Baikal, surrounded by many secrets and legends, attracts many tourists. Olkhon Island (Lake Baikal) is especially popular among vacationers. This is the heart of the lake as well the only island on Baikal, which is inhabited.

Olkhon is also the largest of the islands. It is a cultural tourism center. On the island of interest to us, in July, the "Siberian ramp" - an international theater festival - is held annually. In August, a festival of amateur theaters is also held here. However, the main thing that distinguishes this place is its extraordinary fauna, flora and people, far from city life, who inhabit the island of Olkhon.

How to get here? To the island from the city of Irkutsk - 5-6 hours drive. You can get here by car, as well as by scheduled minibus. There is a ferry from the mainland to the island.

The feeling of mystery and fabulousness arises immediately upon arrival at Olkhon. Sand-strewn roads adjoin forests where trees have grown into the sand. The reason for this is sarma (hurricane wind blowing from the Sarma Gorge).

Several settlements are located along the shores of the lake. Of these, the largest is Khuzhir. Every summer this village gathers tourists. It has some signs of the city: an Internet cafe, a club, a museum, a library. However, Khuzhir seems far from civilization. After all, real islanders live here.

Island population

A long time ago people settled on Olkhon. A site belonging to the Paleolithic era was found in the Saraysky district. Its age is estimated at more than 13 thousand years. Today, about 1,500 people live in several villages. Mostly they are Buryats, indigenous people. Theirs is cattle breeding and fishing.

About 1200 people of the local population live in Khuzhir. The only industrial enterprise on the island is located here. This is the Malomorsky fish factory, the largest on Lake Baikal.

There is a village among the sand dunes, which consists of only a few houses. This is the remnant of the former village of Kharantsy. Baba Katya, her only inhabitant, sits on a mound, listening to seagulls flying over the island. And how many folk legends does this old woman know...

Island climate

The warmest months on Olkhon are August and July. Quite little snow and mild winter here, but longer than on the mainland. Summer and spring come a little later than on the mainland. Very little precipitation falls on Olkhon, about 200 mm per year. This is the norm for semi-deserts. The southwestern and southern parts are the driest not only on this island, but also on the whole Baikal. Primorsky ridge is to blame for this. Air masses pass through it on the way to the island. Overcoming it, they heat up, rolling into the Baikal basin. This results in a drop in humidity. Therefore, the rains destined for Olkhon usually fall on the eastern coast of Lake Baikal. Olkhon rain is about 10 drops per hour. However, there are also heavy showers, as well as prolonged bad weather.

Often and for a long time the wind blows on Olkhon. At the same time, its north-western direction prevails. 148 days is the average number when the wind speed is more than 15 m/s.

Legends of Olkhon Island

Like Baikal itself, Olkhon has acquired legends to such an extent that locals feel like part of a fairy tale. Even geographical names speak for themselves here. In Khuzhir, for example, there is Cape Shamansky, which was ranked among the nine shrines of Asia. The island was once inhabited by shamans. Sacrifices to the spirits were made on this rock.

Cape of Love

The island is rich in rocks and capes, which, like a talented artist, were created by nature. Some resemble the outlines of animals or people. Cape of Love attracts tourists. This is almost the main one. They say that the rock, with a certain fantasy, resembles the legs of a woman bent at the knees.

According to legend, if the Buryats could not conceive a child, they would come here and ask the spirits to help. And today people use the magic rock. To ask for a boy, according to legend, you need to go to the left, a girl - to the right. If you want twins, go straight ahead.

There are many places on Olkhon where it is customary to ask spirits for something or make wishes. Shaman posts are scattered around the island. They should be tied with colored ribbons, while making wishes. There are places where people put candies, coins and other items as a gift to the gods, asking them for something.

Mirror of desires

The Mirror of Desires is a place endowed with special magic. To get here, you have to overcome a dangerous and long path along Baikal along the cliff of Olkhon Island. But those who manage to do this will receive a unique view of the flooded sunlight lake. Here the majestic speak inaudibly marble rocks with the wind. The mirror of desires, according to legend, is a window in the rock, which, if you enter it, can fulfill your innermost hopes and plans.

Cape Gulls

Olkhon Island becomes a beach on hot summer days. There are many sandy beaches here. Another definition that can be given to this island is a haven for seagulls. There is even Cape Chaek. It is a rock of the island of Olkhon, on which these birds gather in large flocks. Boat excursions are organized here for tourists. Everyone has the opportunity to feed birds with bread. They say that in the water you can inadvertently see a mermaid. Of course, this is a kind of beliefs and legends, but anything can happen.

Probably the most mysterious in this region is Olkhon, the largest island on Lake Baikal. Its history is covered with myths, legends, fairy tales, ancient beliefs and shamanic traditions.

Olkhon Island, located on Lake Baikal, enjoys great respect and popularity among shamans, Buddhists, and Buryats. There is a legend among the local population that the first Buryat shaman got his unique abilities here.

It was connected with a visit to the mysterious and mysterious cave on Shamansky Cape, where, as he believes local population the owner of Olkhon lives. This is a spirit that is highly respected by the Buryats.

Lake Baikal: the mysterious island of Olkhon

During a tour of Baikal, the guides are sure to tell you which islands are located in Lake Baikal. In addition to Olkhon, which is the largest, there are 26 more islands and peninsulas. These are Ushkany, Yarki, Holy Nose.

Olkhon is an island on Lake Baikal, considered the third largest lake island in the world. The total area is almost 730 square kilometers. The length of the coast is more than 200 kilometers, which are distinguished by a variety of relief.

For example, in the west there are gently sloping plains, cliffs and capes, numerous bays. The eastern shore is rocky and mountainous, while the southern shore is characterized by the highest elevations. It is dominated by steppe and forests, which stretches to the northernmost coast.

Lake Baikal: nature and fauna of Olkhon Island

One of the decorations of the island are numerous lakes, on the banks of which one can find numerous archaeological, natural and historical monuments.

There are no rivers on Olkhon at all, only two small streams. The island is also unique in that winds constantly blow here, the speed of which reaches 15 meters per second.

The fauna is represented by a huge number of mammals, including lynxes, squirrels, foxes. Endemic animals are the vole and the seal.

The number of residents who live in several small villages is one and a half thousand people, of which 1.2 thousand people are residents of the village of Khuzhir.

Visit to Olkhon Island

This is the most visited island of Baikal, which is distinguished by strong shamanistic traditions. Therefore, tourists try in every possible way to get to Olkhon during excursions.

The best time to visit is May-December, while navigation on Baikal is carried out. In other months, the communication is somewhat complicated, but it is carried out, although not on a regular basis.

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Olkhon Island

Among the three dozen Baikal islands, Olkhon Island, surrounded by many ancient myths and legends, stands out especially for its size, variety of landscapes, and the grandeur of natural monuments. Olkhon is located on the territory of the Pribaikalsky National Park and is deservedly considered one of the the most beautiful places Baikal. The island is especially beautiful in autumn, when the coast is almost deserted. Covered with a golden carpet of grasses, with forests touched by the fiery colors of autumn, Olkhon obediently freezes under the mighty blows of Baikal waves and mountain wind in anticipation of a harsh Siberian winter...

Geography of Olkhon

Olkhon, the largest island of Baikal, is located in the middle part of the lake, near the western coast. The island is stretched along the coast of Lake Baikal, the length of Olkhon is 73 km (between capes Khoboy and Umysh-Tame), the width reaches 15 km. The area of ​​Olkhon Island is about 700 sq. km, the length of the coastline is about 210 km.

The part of Baikal enclosed between the western coast of the lake and the island of Olkhon is a unique water area with a special microclimate and is called the Small Sea, which speaks of exclusivity and well-known independence. The southwestern tip of Olkhon is separated from the coast of Baikal by the Olkhon Gates strait, which has a reputation as the most insidious place on Baikal.

There are at least two versions of the origin of the name of the island, both stem from the language of the indigenous people of Olkhon - the Buryats. According to the first, the name of the island comes from the word "oikhon" - "wooded", according to the second - from "olkhan" - "dry". Both are quite consistent with the appearance of Olkhon - it is both dry and wooded, so it is difficult to give preference to any one option.

The western coast of Olkhon Island, washed by the waters of the Small Sea, is mostly gentle, with rocky capes and bays deeply protruding into the shore. The eastern, on the contrary, is mountainous, rocky, abruptly breaks off into Baikal, there are no deep bays here. Exactly on south coast Olkhon is the highest point of the island - Mount Zhima (1274 m), towering 818 meters above Baikal. And only 11 kilometers from the highest point of Olkhon is the deepest place of Baikal - a mark of 1637 m. In these places, the steepness of the underwater slope near the island reaches 30-40 degrees.

The southern part of Olkhon and, partially, the northern tip are steppe, the rest of the space is covered by pine, larch and birch forests. In the middle part of the western coast of the island, from Cape Khuzhirsky to Cape Sasa, the shores are sandy. Overgrown with pines and larches, dissected by rocky capes, they leave an unforgettable impression.

Olkhon is large enough to have its own lakes. The largest and most famous are: Nurskoye, which merges with Zagli Bay at a high water level in Baikal; Khankhoy, with a whole necklace of archaeological sites; Shara-Nur, the only salt lake on Olkhon; Nuku Nur, with an incredible amount of aquatic life.

There are no rivers on Olkhon, only a couple of small streams reaching Baikal are known. In the forest part of the island there are small springs that feed a few marshes. Despite the lack of water, new streams appear before our eyes on Olkhon. In September 2004, I discovered a stream at the northern end of Saraisky Bay. It was only slightly weaker than the stream flowing near the village of Kharantsy. Walking along the channel upstream, I found that the stream flows out of a small ravine, which, apparently, washed the stream itself. The length of the stream is 100-150 meters.

Climate of Olkhon

The warmest months on Olkhon are July and August. Winter is quite mild and with little snow, but longer than on the mainland. Spring and summer come later than on the mainland. Very little precipitation falls on Olkhon Island, about 200 mm per year - the norm for semi-deserts. The southern and southwestern parts of the island are the driest places not only on Olkhon, but throughout Baikal. The reason for this is the Primorsky Range, through which air masses cross on the way to Olkhon. Overcoming the ridge and rolling into the Baikal basin, they heat up, which leads to a drop in relative humidity. As a result, the rains destined for Olkhon fall on the eastern coast of Lake Baikal. The usual Olkhon rain is ten drops per hour, but there are very heavy rains and prolonged bad weather on Olkhon.

The wind on Olkhon blows often and for a long time, with north-western winds prevailing. The average number of days with a wind of more than 15 m/s is 148. Due to the fact that Olkhon is stretched along the Primorsky ridge, being itself a spur, the island experiences the full force of the mountain wind, including its most ferocious variety - sarma.

Population of Olkhon Island

People settled on Olkhon a very long time ago - a site of an ancient man of the Paleolithic era was found in Saraisky Bay, its age is estimated at more than 13 thousand years. Olkhon is currently the only inhabited island on Lake Baikal. About 1,500 people live in several small villages, mainly the indigenous population - the Buryats. Occupation - fishing and cattle breeding. The largest settlement on the island is Khuzhir with a population of about 1200 people. Here is the only industrial enterprise on Olkhon - the largest on Baikal, the Malomorsky fish factory.

Fauna and flora

The wildlife of Olkhon has largely suffered from a powerful anthropogenic impact. Even the Olkhonsky reserve created in 1977, which covers almost the entire forest zone of the island, does not help. Due to the fault of man, in recent decades, the great cormorant, bustard, wolf, deer, roe deer, falcon-balaban have disappeared from Olkhon. As early as the 18th century, sable was completely eradicated on the island. The seal, which loved to bask in the sun on the coastal rocks, became a rarity. Now you can meet this unique animal only on the eastern shore of Olkhon. In the most recent years, the solar eagle nesting here (also known as the imperial eagle, imperial eagle) has completely disappeared from Olkhon. The same sacred Bald Eagle, the hero of many ancient Baikal legends, the son of the Master of Olkhon, the progenitor of the Olkhon shamans, to whom sacrifices are still made.

Currently, 135 species of birds live on the island (sandpiper, duck, black grouse, capercaillie, Daurian jackdaw, horned lark, white-belted swift, wheatear, wagtail, etc.). Twenty species of mammals (lynx, fox, hare, squirrel, polecat, weasel, etc.), including an endemic animal - the Olkhon vole, found only in the Baikal steppes; three species of reptiles and one species of amphibians. Of the large predators, occasionally in winter there are solitary wolves that penetrate the island through the ice. It is extremely rare that wolf packs come in the same way. There are no bears on Olkhon.

Archeology

The history of Olkhon is deeply rooted in antiquity. The island gave rise to many amazing legends and legends. The rich history of Olkhon is confirmed by numerous historical monuments and archaeological finds made over more than 200 years of studying the island. There are 143 archaeological sites on Olkhon, many of which are under state protection, these are rock paintings, ancient settlements, parking lots, burials, religious and defensive structures. Unfortunately, many archeological monuments were destroyed, including the most expressive of them - the ancient stone walls, the purpose of which is still unknown. But the purpose for which the walls were destroyed in 1963 is well known - the extracted stone was used to strengthen the pier in the village of Khuzhir.

Natural attractions of Olkhon

On the territory of the island of Olkhon there are several natural monuments protected by the state, although it is time to declare the whole of Olkhon a natural monument and start really protecting it.

The most famous natural monument of Lake Baikal - Cape Shaman, also known as Cape Burkhan, belongs to the natural and historical monuments. Burkhan is located in the middle part of the northern coast of Olkhon on the outskirts of the village of Khuzhir. The image of the cape actually became the hallmark of Baikal.

Landscape monuments of nature are no less picturesque: Cape Sagan-Khushun - a magnificent white marble cape in the northern part of Olkhon, and Cape Khoboy, crowning the northern tip of the island.

Spectacular Cape Kobylya Golova, washed on one side by the waters of the Small Sea, and on the other - by the waters of the Olkhon Gate Strait, has been declared a geological and geomorphological monument of nature.

Botanical monuments are represented by a relic spruce forest on the western slope of Mount Zhima. Elnik was discovered in 1965 by a local historian and geography teacher of the Khuzhir school, Nikolai Mikhailovich Revyakin. The uniqueness of the spruce forest lies in the fact that it has survived from the Ice Age and survived, despite the arid climate of Olkhon, thanks to the presence of subsoil waters.

Other monuments are also protected. scientific significance: geological and geomorphological monuments - Haransa and Haraldaiskaya bays, Cape Sasa, Peschanka tract, landscape natural monuments - Zagli and Tagay bays, Bayan-Shungen tract.

How to get to Olkhon