Pink Hiller Lake. Dive into pink - seas, rivers and lakes of unusual colors Is there a pink lake

African nature is sometimes extremely amazing, so more and more tourists are striving to get to this continent.

Another miracle is the Pink Lake Retba, located near the capital of Senegal. From Cape Verde, you should head northeast to get to this place.

The reservoir got its name because of the unusual and amazing color, which is actually pink with an admixture of milk. The lake was named so by local residents belonging to the Wolof people.

Its area is small - 3 square kilometers, while the maximum depth is only 3 meters in some places.

Pink lake Retba in Senegal

Once on the site of Pink Lake there was a lagoon connected to the Atlantic Ocean, only the waters constantly washed sand, which led to the disappearance of the channel. As a result, a salt lake with a fairly decent depth appeared.

However, already in the 70s of the 20th century, droughts began in the country, which led to a constant and significant decrease in the volume of the reservoir, so the Pink Lake Retba eventually became shallow, while the concentration of salts in the water increased.

At the same time, the lake acquired its color, thanks to which it has an unusual name and attracts travelers from all over the world. There are a couple of reasons why the color is the way it is:

• increased salinity;
• microorganisms.

Salt in water has such a high concentration that its indicator exceeds this parameter of the Dead Sea by one and a half times and is 380 g/liter. In this regard, any swimmer keeps well on the surface, it is almost impossible to drown in the Pink Lake Retba, rest on the water is really relaxing and relaxing.

Naturally, such a huge salinity of the reservoir has led to the fact that few inhabitants can survive in these conditions, therefore the main inhabitants are the oldest cyanobacteria - Dunaliella salina, which have been living on the planet for several billion years. Thanks to them, the shade of water is so extraordinary.

At the same time, Pink Lake is not always the same color, the color is affected by:

• Times of Day;
• cloudiness;
• wind.

It is during windy weather that microorganisms are most active, at the same time they produce the largest amount of pink enzyme. In general, the color palette can be from light pink to deep brown.

The entire coastline of this colored lake is filled with small boats, which are not intended for swimming or fishing, but for the main local occupation - salt mining.

If a couple of decades ago, salt miners worked, standing in water only to the waist, now the main depth is up to the neck. Such an increase in the depth of the reservoir is due to the fact that the volumes of salt produced are extremely large - more than 20 tons per year.

This process of obtaining this important product is straightforward - every day local men go to Pink Lake, in its very center they plunge into the water with all the devices. Since salt is accumulated at the bottom, it is beaten off with hooks, removed from the liquid with shovels and placed in a boat. All this is done by touch, because the head is always above the surface.

Such fishing is dangerous, as salt water corrodes the skin, forming wounds that heal for a long time. The only way to protect yourself from this is with fat, so miners cover themselves with shea butter before diving.

Men's work consists in the direct extraction of salt from the lake, everything else is done by women, who are included in the process already from unloading the filled boat.

From the reservoir, salt is moved on the head, for this, about 25 kilograms of a wet product are placed in containers, which are carried in this way to a drying place on the coast.

The color of the salt changes during processing:

• dark gray when mined;
• more white when lying in the sun.

Salt remains lying on the shore in heaps until wholesale buyers come for it, until this moment a year may pass and more. This product is exported mainly to the countries of the Black Continent, sometimes it is also sent to Europe, where it is considered exotic.

Local Africans rarely use lake salt, most often they use sea salt in everyday life, but in restaurants they sometimes bake fish in it.

Salt workers live right on the shore of the lake, for them there is a small village in which frail dwellings are built from the available materials with their own hands. Usually residents of not only but also other African countries work here, because they pay good money for such work. Only the conditions are very difficult, so earnings usually last only a few years.

For visiting tourists who want to look at the pink reservoir, there are several hotels. To make your vacation memorable, we recommend:

• swim in a boat on the pink water surface;
• go on a jeep tour around the lake;
• buy a few souvenirs sold here on the spot.

There are many sights in Crimea. The most famous of them are: the Grand Canyon, Mount Ai-Petri and the Swallow's Nest. However, there are other very interesting, but, unfortunately, little-known places on this peninsula. Pink Lake belongs to the category of such attractions. In Crimea, it is the most salty.

Where is located?

This interesting object for visiting tourists is located on the territory of Cape Opuk, about 30 km from Kerch. Once upon a time there was a military training ground in this place. But not so long ago, the Opuk nature reserve was created here. The area of ​​this reserve is not too large. But at the same time, just a huge number of various kinds of rare birds live on its territory. Opuk was withdrawn from the command of the military training ground in 1998. At the moment, it includes not only this cape itself, but also part of the coastal territory, as well as the remnants standing in the sea, called “Rocks-Ships” for their unusual shape.

Pink Lake itself in the Crimea is located on Opuk in the immediate vicinity of the Black Sea. This reservoir is separated from it only by a not too wide sand embankment.

A bit of history

Story ( bcnjhbz) at the Pink Lake in the Crimea is quite interesting. It belongs to the volcanic group. That is, it has been formed for a very, very long time. In fact, even today its bottom is a dormant volcano. Not so long ago, Pink Lake was part of the Black Sea. However, later the surf brought a lot of sand here. Because of this, an embankment was formed.

Short description

So, where the Pink Lake is located in the Crimea, we found out. It is located near Kerch. Its official name is Koyashskoe. The size of this unusual reservoir is quite large. Its total area is about 5 hectares. The lake is 4 km long and 2 km wide. Swimming in this reservoir will not work. Its depth in spring reaches only 1 meter. By autumn, the lake dries up completely. This body of water is actually very salty. Therefore, practically no living creatures are found in it. The concentration of salt in it reaches 350 grams per liter. This is definitely a lot. Koyashskoye is the saltiest body of water on the Crimean peninsula.

The mud in this lake is healing. They are mined and delivered for the treatment of vacationers in local sanatoriums. You can't swim in this lake. However, you can smear yourself with mud on the shore. In order to wash them off, water is enough.

Why pink?

The main feature of this reservoir, which attracts tourists to it, is, of course, not at all a shallow depth or high salt content. The lake was called pink, of course, not in vain. The water in it really has such a shade. This pond looks especially beautiful at sunset. Actually, the name Koyashskoye itself is translated as "a lake in which the sun hides."

In the spring, the water in this reservoir has an ugly brown-brown dirty color. However, already in June, with an increase in air temperature, its shade begins to change rapidly. This is primarily due to the vital activity of the algae that reproduces in the lake. Dunaliella Salina.It produces beta-carotene and gives the water a delicate, juicy pink tint.

When is the best time to go?

In spring, the water in Lake Koyashskoye is not very beautiful. But you can admire the surroundings of this reservoir in April-May. At this time, just a huge number of tulips bloom along the shores of the lake. They cover the local hills with almost a carpet.

For the same toappreciate the beautymostPink Lake in Crimea, it is worth coming here in the middle - end of summer. It is during this period that algae develop most actively, and the water actually acquires a beautiful shade.

Closer to autumn, the lake, as already mentioned, dries up. But at this time it looks quite impressive. The fact is that the beta-carotene contained in its water turns salt and pink.

Later, in autumn, due to rains, the lake begins to draw water again. Its layer at this time of the year in its bowl is not too large - about 2 cm. But because of it, the lake looks like a huge clean mirror. Tourists walking along the reservoir at this time of the year feel like they are floating in the air because of the reflected clouds.

How to get to Pink Lake in Crimea?

Get to this unusual natural objectOn the peninsula, you can follow the Feodosia-Kerch highway. On the sign "Marfovo-Marievka",before reaching about 20 km from the city,you need to turn towards the Black Sea. The road ahead is not very good. You should be prepared for this. Having reached the village of Maryevka, you need to turn straight to the coast onto a country road. You may not be able to drive through it in a regular car, because it is heavily pitted. Some part of the way, most likely, will have to be overcome on foot. But by jeep to get to the capeThe puff will turn out no problem.

Opuk Nature Reserve

Where is Pink Lake in Crimea located specifically -It's clear. But to go on an excursion to him spontaneously is still not worth it.Illegal entry into the reserveat Cape Opukprohibited. In order to get into the reserve, you needat firstobtain a pass by first submitting an application to its administration. Hereshouldindicate the purpose of the visit, the number of people wishing to inspect the cape and their age.You don't need to travel anywhere to apply. Do itpossible, for example, via the Internet. The reserve has its own VKontakte group.

Other Pink Lakes of Crimea

Looks Koyashskoe is actually very beautiful. However, in the Crimea there are also other salt lakes of the same pleasant color. In this case, the effect is caused by the same algae. On the territory of the peninsula, for example, lakes such as Krasnoi and Staroe have a pink tint.

Both reservoirs are located on the territoryKrasnoperekopsky City Councilin the west of the peninsula. These lakes also look very impressive.

There are many sights in Crimea. The most famous of them are: the Grand Canyon, Mount Ai-Petri and the Swallow's Nest. However, there are other very interesting, but, unfortunately, little-known places on this peninsula. Pink Lake belongs to the category of such attractions. In Crimea, it is the most salty.

Where is located?

This interesting object for visiting tourists is located on the territory of Cape Opuk, about 30 km from Kerch. Once upon a time there was a military training ground in this place. But not so long ago, the Opuk nature reserve was created here. The area of ​​this reserve is not too large. But at the same time, just a huge number of various kinds of rare birds live on its territory. Opuk was withdrawn from the command of the military training ground in 1998. At the moment, it includes not only this cape itself, but also part of the coastal territory, as well as the remnants standing in the sea, called “Rocks-Ships” for their unusual shape.

Pink Lake itself in the Crimea is located on Opuk in the immediate vicinity of the Black Sea. This reservoir is separated from it only by a not too wide sand embankment.

A bit of history

Story ( bcnjhbz) at the Pink Lake in the Crimea is quite interesting. It belongs to the volcanic group. That is, it has been formed for a very, very long time. In fact, even today its bottom is a dormant volcano. Not so long ago, Pink Lake was part of the Black Sea. However, later the surf brought a lot of sand here. Because of this, an embankment was formed.

Short description

So, where the Pink Lake is located in the Crimea, we found out. It is located near Kerch. Its official name is Koyashskoe. The size of this unusual reservoir is quite large. Its total area is about 5 hectares. The lake is 4 km long and 2 km wide. Swimming in this reservoir will not work. Its depth in spring reaches only 1 meter. By autumn, the lake dries up completely. This body of water is actually very salty. Therefore, practically no living creatures are found in it. The concentration of salt in it reaches 350 grams per liter. This is definitely a lot. Koyashskoye is the saltiest body of water on the Crimean peninsula.

The mud in this lake is healing. They are mined and delivered for the treatment of vacationers in local sanatoriums. You can't swim in this lake. However, you can smear yourself with mud on the shore. In order to wash them off, water is enough.

Why pink?

The main feature of this reservoir, which attracts tourists to it, is, of course, not at all a shallow depth or high salt content. The lake was called pink, of course, not in vain. The water in it really has such a shade. This pond looks especially beautiful at sunset. Actually, the name Koyashskoye itself is translated as "a lake in which the sun hides."

In the spring, the water in this reservoir has an ugly brown-brown dirty color. However, already in June, with an increase in air temperature, its shade begins to change rapidly. This is primarily due to the vital activity of the algae that reproduces in the lake. Dunaliella Salina.It produces beta-carotene and gives the water a delicate, juicy pink tint.

When is the best time to go?

In spring, the water in Lake Koyashskoye is not very beautiful. But you can admire the surroundings of this reservoir in April-May. At this time, just a huge number of tulips bloom along the shores of the lake. They cover the local hills with almost a carpet.

For the same toappreciate the beautymostPink Lake in Crimea, it is worth coming here in the middle - end of summer. It is during this period that algae develop most actively, and the water actually acquires a beautiful shade.

Closer to autumn, the lake, as already mentioned, dries up. But at this time it looks quite impressive. The fact is that the beta-carotene contained in its water turns salt and pink.

Later, in autumn, due to rains, the lake begins to draw water again. Its layer at this time of the year in its bowl is not too large - about 2 cm. But because of it, the lake looks like a huge clean mirror. Tourists walking along the reservoir at this time of the year feel like they are floating in the air because of the reflected clouds.

How to get to Pink Lake in Crimea?

Get to this unusual natural objectOn the peninsula, you can follow the Feodosia-Kerch highway. On the sign "Marfovo-Marievka",before reaching about 20 km from the city,you need to turn towards the Black Sea. The road ahead is not very good. You should be prepared for this. Having reached the village of Maryevka, you need to turn straight to the coast onto a country road. You may not be able to drive through it in a regular car, because it is heavily pitted. Some part of the way, most likely, will have to be overcome on foot. But by jeep to get to the capeThe puff will turn out no problem.

Opuk Nature Reserve

Where is Pink Lake in Crimea located specifically -It's clear. But to go on an excursion to him spontaneously is still not worth it.Illegal entry into the reserveat Cape Opukprohibited. In order to get into the reserve, you needat firstobtain a pass by first submitting an application to its administration. Hereshouldindicate the purpose of the visit, the number of people wishing to inspect the cape and their age.You don't need to travel anywhere to apply. Do itpossible, for example, via the Internet. The reserve has its own VKontakte group.

Other Pink Lakes of Crimea

Looks Koyashskoe is actually very beautiful. However, in the Crimea there are also other salt lakes of the same pleasant color. In this case, the effect is caused by the same algae. On the territory of the peninsula, for example, lakes such as Krasnoi and Staroe have a pink tint.

Both reservoirs are located on the territoryKrasnoperekopsky City Councilin the west of the peninsula. These lakes also look very impressive.

Probably everyone knows from geography lessons that water bodies on maps are displayed in blue (blue) color. Mountains, respectively - brown, plains - green, lowlands - dark green. But nature, unlike cartography, is more inventive and creative. Our planet is literally full of colors. The colorful river Canyo Cristales, the snowless white sands of the desert in New Mexico, the chocolate hills in the Philippines and many other natural objects turn our ideas about them upside down. Nature "paints" landscapes with unprecedented effects, without neglecting any color known in the world.

Nature uses a dizzying palette of colors to the maximum: in natural phenomena (Northern Lights, rainbow), in natural objects, in flora and fauna.

Moreover, some animals can even change color! For example, the naughty nature endowed chameleons with the ability to change color depending on the location of the animal at a particular point in time.

The mimicry of animals saves them from voracious predators. For some individuals, color is a signal for other animals. For example, poison frogs have warning bright tones. As if silently challenging: "Be careful! Do not get close! Or else ..." Even the snow is sometimes red! (if interested, click)

In this article, we will focus on the pink color of Lake Hillier in Australia.

pink lake in australia

Hillier- pink lake in Western Australia. This body of water will not amaze you either with the abundance of fish or with its size. Most importantly, it has color. The rich pink color of the lake creates an indelible impression! Perhaps Hillier will turn your knowledge of water bodies upside down...

The lake is located on a small island, which is called the "Middle Island". This piece of land is located very close to the coast of Western Australia. Lake Hillier is relatively small. Its length is only 600 meters and its width is about 250 meters. On all sides, the reservoir is surrounded by a small eucalyptus forest. Lake Hillier is just a godsend for aerial photography. If you "look" at it from above, you will notice a strong contrast between the pink color of a small body of water and the rich blue color of the ocean.

Unlike other pink lakes around the world, the color of the water does not change even if it is poured into a vessel. Previously, it was assumed that the "culprits" of the pink color of the lake were the microorganisms that live in it. However, studies of water samples in 1950 did not confirm these conjectures. Over time, previous studies were refuted: it turned out that "Hillier" owes its color to Dunaliella salt-like algae, as well as some other microorganisms that inhabit the amazing reservoir.

Pink lake discovery

Lake Hillier was discovered in 1802 by cartographer Matthew Flinders. He took samples from the pink lake and wrote about it in a magazine. Later, in May 1803, Flinders visited the lake again. During the expedition on May 20, 1803, one of the members of the Flinders team, William Hillier, died of dysentery. Flinders decided to name this reservoir in honor of the untimely departed comrade.

Lake Hillier and tourism

More recently, salt was mined from Lake Hillier, but at present the reservoir is used only for tourism purposes. Despite the fact that the water in the lake does not have any negative effect on human skin, it is not easy to swim in the reservoir. The fact is that there are too few ways to get to the pink lake. The most common way to travel to Lake Hillier is by helicopter. But there are several "buts". Firstly, it is quite expensive, and secondly, many people are afraid to fly. There is only one way out in this case - to buy a ticket for a cruise that includes a stop on the Middle Island. Who wouldn't want to visit this isolated natural wonder surrounded by forest?

Other pink ponds

Lake Hillier is not the only pink lake in the world.

During the "construction" of the planet Earth, nature apparently had several "bottles" with a pink color in stock. Part of the drops-lakes splashed in different parts of the world. These bodies of water have different shades of pink.

pink lake in Senegal - one of the most famous colored reservoirs. Another name for the colorful reservoir is Retba (pictured above). This lake is located about 30 kilometers from Dakar (the capital of Senegal). The color of the water is again due to local microorganisms. The reservoir is very salty: in some places of Retba, the salt concentration reaches 40%.

Like Hillier, Lake Retba is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip. It has one unique feature: the color of this reservoir directly depends on the time of the year. During the dry season, which lasts in Senegal from November to June, the color of the Retba takes on its most vibrant hue. But in the rainy season, everything changes to the opposite: from July to October, the water in the lake becomes dimmer and less noticeable.

Are there pink lakes in Russia?

Answer: yes. Raspberry Lake is located in Altai near the village of the same name. The amazing lake is a local attraction. It is best to visit the pink lake in June-September. Like other colored reservoirs, Raspberry Lake got its shade due to micro-organisms.

An interesting fact is that Catherine II was crazy about the salt mined in Raspberry Lake. Every year, about a hundred pounds of salt were brought to the Empress (by today's standards, this value is equal to 1638 kilograms) from the pink lake. It was this salt that was served to the table during the reception of foreign guests. Salt had an unusual crimson-pink color. It was very effective!

There are many unique lakes in Russia. What is worth only the "blue heart" of Mount Mashuk - Lake Proval (click to read).

The Pink Lake of Senegal (also known as Lake Retba) is not a very famous attraction in Africa, but still quite extraordinary.

The local population from the Wolof ethnic group prefers to call it Lake Retba. But we know it as Pink Lake. Again, as in the case of the Blue Grotto, the lake owes its name to its color, which is unnatural for a reservoir.

And here there is just something to be surprised at, the color of the water varies from pink to blood red. This phenomenon is associated with the presence in the water of a huge number of halophilic archaea of ​​the genus Halobacterium. Translated into an understandable language, there are a lot of specific bacteria in the water, which paint the lake in such incredible colors. Especially bright colors are characteristic of the lake during the dry period.

Pink Lake on the map

• geographic coordinates 14.838150, -17.234862
• distance from the capital of Senegal Dakar about 25 km
• the distance to the nearest airport of the same Dakar is about 30 km

The history of the emergence of the Pink Lake is quite earthly and sacrifices with abundant blood flow were not carried out here. Initially, it was an ordinary lagoon connected to the ocean by a small channel. But, over time, the ocean surf tightened the channel with sand and thereby blocked the communication of the lagoon with the "big water".

And that is not all. So the lake would have remained ordinary and inconspicuous, if one day, during a severe drought, they had not become very shallow. Then the locals began to extract salt in it, and in the simplest way, almost like on the territory of the Uyuni salt marsh, collecting it from the bottom of the lake. Over time, bacteria began to develop, which painted Lake Retba in abnormal colors. As a result, we have another attraction.

Lake Retba in numbers

• Surface area about 3 km2
• Maximum depth up to 3 meters

It is noteworthy that local residents who extract salt are in the water for 6-7 hours. This is insanely high for such a rich brine solution. But to protect the skin from burns to workers, a special karite remedy made from shea butter helps. Rubbing it into the skin, people are able to stay in the water for a long time.

Hard workers live right next to the lake in unpresentable shacks. There is not much entertainment here. Except maybe boat trips, a short swim and jeep rides in the local environs. You can buy souvenirs that locals sell, usually carrying them in baskets on their heads.

• The lake has long been the final destination of the famous Paris-Dakar rally.
• The salt content in the waters of Pink Lake reaches 40%
• Do not stay in water for more than 10 minutes, as this is fraught with chemical burns.
• There are no living creatures (no fish, no algae), except for the aforementioned bacteria, in the lake (try to survive in a reservoir where there are almost 400 grams of salt per liter of water)
• Salt content in Lake Retba exceeds that of the famous Dead Sea in Israel
• it is almost impossible to drown in the lake, since the density of its water is very high and, accordingly, the buoyancy force does not allow you to sink to the bottom
• salt has been mined here since the 70s of the last century