What is a pink lake. Pink Hillier Lake in Australia. Where did they get pink salt in Russia for Catherine II? One of the saltiest bodies of water in the world
Senegal has a bright pink lake. As if potassium permanganate was poured into it. The water here is so salty that only one species of microorganisms can survive in it - they give such a color. For days, standing up to their throats in water, local residents scoop salt from the bottom of the lake and pour it into boats. Hard labor, but by African standards it is paid tolerably well.
(14 photos total)
Post sponsor: TEPLOSVIT: Warmth in your home!
1. Amazingly colored water and boats, boats ... They completely cover the two-kilometer coastline of Lake Pink, or Lake Retba, as it is called in the language of the Wolof people, the largest ethnic group in Senegal.
3. What is now called Retba Lake was once a lagoon. But the Atlantic surf gradually washed up the sand, and in the end the channel connecting the lagoon with the ocean was filled up. For a long time Retba remained an unremarkable salt lake. But in the 70s of the last century, a series of droughts hit Senegal, Retba became very shallow and the extraction of salt, which lay in a thick layer at the bottom, became quite profitable.
4. It is now people who work, standing up to their shoulders in water - twenty years ago they did not swim on the Pink Lake, but walked - the water in it was waist-deep. But extracting about twenty-five thousand tons of salt per year, people are rapidly deepening the lake. In some places its bottom dropped quite significantly - by three meters or more.
5. The water in the lake has acquired a pink hue thanks to microorganisms that can exist in a saturated salt solution. Apart from them, there is no other organic life in Retba - for algae, not to mention fish, such a concentration of salt is destructive. It is almost one and a half times higher here than in the Dead Sea - three hundred and eighty grams per liter ...
6. Microbiologist Bernard Oliver decided to scientifically explain the reason for such an unusual color of water. The lake is inhabited by the microorganism Dunaliella salina, which, absorbing the sun's color, secretes pigment
7. Due to the deepening of the bottom, it will soon be impossible to extract salt using the old-fashioned method, and the Senegalese authorities will face the problem of finding jobs for the army of miners and traders feeding around the lake. But for now, every morning dozens of half-naked men, taking some simple equipment, swim out to the middle of the lake, put the boat at a standstill and climb into the incredibly salty water ...
8. A saline solution of this concentration can corrode the skin in about half an hour to such an extent that poorly healing ulcers form on it. Therefore, before getting into the boat, the miners rub themselves with oil. It is obtained from the fruits of the sebaceous tree, scientifically called butyrosperm Parka ... It is this oil that makes their bodies shine in the sun ...
9. Salt at the bottom is first loosened, then, blindly, put it in a basket under water. Allowing excess water to drain from the basket, it is loaded into a boat ... It seems that under such a weight the vessel should sink to the bottom - but a dense salt solution keeps it afloat reliably. The main thing is not to forget from time to time to scoop out the water flowing from the salt from the boat. It takes three hours for a good worker to fill such a boat - here it is called a pie - with salt. During a working day, he must deliver three pies to the shore.
10. Men extract salt from the bottom of the lake ... This is where their participation in the process ends - all further operations are performed by women, often very young, almost girls ... They drag the salt in plastic basins to the shore and dump it there for drying. This work, perhaps, is no easier than a man's - a full pelvis pulls twenty to twenty-five kilograms ... But in Africa, few people are concerned with the protection of women and children ...
11. Freshly mined grayish salt. Therefore, after letting it dry, the women wash and sort it out to remove silt and sand ... From small hills, in each of which a plate with the owner's name is stuck, refined salt is poured into common heaps, a three-kilometer ridge stretching along the shores of Lake Pink ... or two is waiting for wholesale buyers - during this time the salt under the rays of the tropical sun has time to fade and become completely white. Salt, which is extracted here by such primitive methods, is exported to African countries and, as an exotic, even to Europe. The Senegalese themselves are content with salt obtained industrially from sea water.
12. Wholesalers pay about thirty cents for a fifty-kilogram bag. The pie contains approximately five hundred kilograms. It turns out that for a day of hard labor, the worker receives only nine dollars. But by African standards, it's good money. Otherwise, guest workers from neighboring countries - Mali, Guinea, Gambia, Upper Volta would not have gone to Lake Retba ... They usually do not stay here longer than two or three years. Otherwise, you can become disabled. The Senegalese themselves look down on the visiting hard workers. They earn their living by more "qualified" work - buying and resale of salt, as guides and bodyguards they accompany Europeans who come to see the miracle of nature - a lake, the water of which seems to be colored with blood ...
13. Curious tourists strive to look into the village where salt miners live. It is located right next to the shore. When asked what the name of this place is, the residents answer: "No way, just a village" ... There are no less than three thousand people living here. There are even cars on the street, old, like almost all cars in this country.
14. Workers construct dwellings from improvised material - reeds growing nearby, plastic sheeting, old tires ... To say a "shack" about such a building means to flatter it a lot. However, in the local climate, nothing more fundamental is required - houses are designed to protect their inhabitants not from the cold, but from the sun and torrential rains in late summer - early autumn ...
The same car tires are used instead of well log cabins - there are four such wells in the village. In Europe, this muddy, salty-tasting water would probably not even be used for technical needs, but here they drink and cook food on it - there is no other. Grazing goats are almost invisible around the village, although Senegalese peasants breed them in large numbers. Beans and corn are the main food for salt miners ...
The conditions in which African migrant workers live cannot be called anything other than terrible. But the inhabitants of these shacks themselves regard the squalor that surrounds them as something completely normal. They did not live here, but came to work - from morning till night to extract salt from the Pink Lake, which these strange Europeans admire so much.
Probably everyone knows from the lessons of geography that water bodies on maps are displayed in light blue (blue). Mountains, respectively - brown, plains - green, lowlands - dark green. But nature, in contrast to cartography, is more inventive and creative. Our planet is literally "replete" with colors. The colorful Caño Cristales River, the snowless white desert sands in New Mexico, the Chocolate Hills in the Philippines and many other natural sites turn our perceptions of them upside down. Nature "paints" landscapes with unprecedented effects, not depriving attention of any color known in the world.
Nature uses a dizzying palette of colors to the maximum: in natural phenomena (northern lights, rainbows), in natural objects, in flora and fauna.
Moreover, some animals can even change color! For example, the mischievous nature endowed chameleons with the ability to change color depending on the location of the animal at a particular moment in time.
Animal mimicry saves them from voracious predators. For some individuals, color is a signal to other animals. For example, poisonous frogs have warning bright colors. As if they are silently challenging: "Caution! Do not approach! Otherwise ..." 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 is a pink lake in Western Australia. This reservoir will not amaze you with either the wealth of fish or the size. The most important thing is color. The deep pink color of the lake creates a lasting impression! Perhaps Hillier will turn your knowledge of water around ...
The lake is located on a small island called "Middle Island". This piece of land is located just off the coast of Western Australia. Lake Hillier is relatively small. It is only 600 meters long and about 250 meters wide. The reservoir is surrounded on all sides by a small eucalyptus forest. Lake Hillier is a godsend for aerial photography. If you "look" at it from above, you will notice a strong contrast between the pink color of the small body of water and the deep blue 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. Earlier it was assumed that the "culprits" of the pink color of the lake were microorganisms that live in it. However, studies of water samples in 1950 did not confirm these guesses. Over time, previous studies were disproved: it turned out that "Hillier" owes its color to the algae Dunaliella saline, as well as to some other microorganisms that inhabit the amazing reservoir.
Discovering the pink lake
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 Flinders' team, William Hillier, died of dysentery. Flinders decided to name this reservoir in honor of his untimely departed comrade.
Lake Hillier and tourism
More recently, salt was mined from Lake Hillier, but now the reservoir is used only for tourist 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 point is that there are too few ways to get to the pink lake. The most common method of travel to Lake Hillier is by helicopter. But there are several "buts". Firstly, it is quite an expensive pleasure, and secondly, many people are afraid to fly. In this case, there is only one way out - to buy a cruise ticket that includes a stop in the Middle Island. Who doesn't want to visit this isolated wonder of nature surrounded by woodland?
Other pink bodies of water
Lake Hillier is not the only pink lake in the world.
When "constructing" the planet Earth, nature apparently had in stock several "bottles" with a pink color. Part of the lake drops 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 parts of Retba, the salt concentration reaches 40%.
Like Hillier, Retba Lake is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip. It has one unique feature: the color of this reservoir directly depends on the season. During the dry season, which lasts from November to June in Senegal, the color of Retba takes on its brightest 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?
The answer is yes. Raspberry Lake is located in Altai near the village of the same name. The amazing lake is a local landmark. It is best to visit the pink lake in June-September. Like other colored bodies of water, Raspberry Lake got its shade thanks to microorganisms.
An interesting fact is that Catherine II was crazy about the salt mined in the Raspberry Lake. Every year, about a hundred poods of salt was brought to the empress (by today's standards, this value is 1638 kilograms) from the pink lake. It was this salt that was served to the table during the reception of foreign guests. The salt had an unusual raspberry pink color. It was very impressive!
There are many unique lakes in Russia. What is only the "blue heart" of Mount Mashuk - Lake Proval (click to read).
A pink lake is a lake that has a reddish or pink color due to the presence of algae that produce carotenoids (organic pigments)
A pink lake is a lake that has a reddish or pink color due to the presence of algae that produce carotenoids (organic pigments). These include algae such as Dunaliella salina, which is a type of halophile of green microalgae that lives in especially salty seawater. Due to their pink color, these lakes are becoming more and more popular with tourists and photographers from all over the world.
1. Lake Hillier, Australia
This body of water is located on the edge of the Middle Island, which is part of the Exploration Archipelago, which stretches for tens of kilometers along the southern coast of Western Australia. A feature of the lake is its bright pink color. The color of the water is constant and does not change when the water is poured into a container. The lake is about 600 meters long. It is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of land, consisting of sand dunes covered with vegetation.
For the first time, people discovered an unusual lake in 1802. Then the British navigator Matthew Flinders decided to stop at the island on the way to Sydney. What a surprise the traveler was when, among the dense forests of the island, he came across a pink reservoir. The lake is surrounded by white salt deposits and dense forests of tea and eucalyptus trees. In the north, sand dunes separate the lake from the Southern Ocean.
The lake is very popular and tourists tend to get there, even passengers of planes flying over the lake take pictures of this miracle of nature.
2. Retba, Senegal
Lake Retba or Lake Pink is located east of the Cape Vert Peninsula in Senegal, northeast of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. It got its name from the color of the water in which the algae of the Dunaliella brackish species grow.
The color is especially noticeable during the dry season. The lake is also known for its high salt content, which, like the Dead Sea, allows people to float with ease.
There is a small salt mining business on the lake. Many salt collectors work 6-7 hours a day in the lake, which has a salt content of about 40%. To protect their skin, they rub “Beurre de Karité” (shea butter) into it, which softens the skin and prevents tissue damage. What is now called Retba Lake was once a lagoon. But the Atlantic surf gradually washed up the sand, and in the end the channel connecting the lagoon with the ocean was filled up. For a long time Retba remained an unremarkable salt lake.
But in the 70s of the last century, a series of droughts hit Senegal, Retba became very shallow and the extraction of salt, which lay in a thick layer at the bottom, became quite profitable. At the same time, the water in the lake acquired a pink hue thanks to microorganisms that can exist in a saturated salt solution.
Water of amazing color and charming boats completely cover the two-kilometer coastline of Lake Pink, or Lake Retba, as it is called in the language of the Wolof people, the largest ethnic group in Senegal.
Apart from them, there is no other organic life in Retba - for algae, not to mention fish, such a concentration of salt is destructive. It is almost one and a half times higher here than in the Dead Sea - three hundred and eighty grams per liter!
3. Salt Lake Torrevieja (Alina de Torrevieja), Spain
Torrevieja Salt Lake and La Mata Salt Lake are the salt lakes that surround Torrevieja, a seaside town in southeastern Spain. The microclimate created by the largest salt lakes in Europe - Torrevieja and La Mata, has been declared one of the healthiest in Europe, according to the World Health Organization.
Alina de Torrevieja and La Salina de La Mata are the largest salt lakes in Europe. A special type of algae grows in the water, which gives the water a pink hue. The pink color of Lake Torrevieja, caused by the presence of algae and salt, gives it a "science fiction" look. Just like in the Dead Sea in Israel, here you can also just lie on the surface of the water. In addition, it will be of great benefit for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the skin and lungs. At the other end of the lake, salt is mined and exported to various countries. A huge number of bird species can be seen by the lake.
4. Hutt Lagoon, Australia
The Hutt Lagoon is depicted on the left and the Indian Ocean on the right.
Hutt Lagoon is an elongated salt lake located off the coast north of the mouth of the Hutt River in midwest Western Australia. It is located in the dunes adjacent to the coast.
Hutt Lagoon was once the mouth of the 60 km (37 mi) of the Hutt River, but at some point in the prehistoric past, the river changed direction and the mouth remained isolated from both the river and the sea.
The city of Gregory is located between the ocean and the southern shores of the lake. The road between Northampton and Kalbarri, called George Gray Drive, runs along the western edge of the lake.
The lake acquired this color thanks to the abundance of the same algae that produce beta-carotene.
This lagoon is home to the world's largest microalgae farm. The total area of small artificial ponds in which Dunaliella brackish is bred is 250 hectares. The lake is 14 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide.
Lagoon Hutt is a salty pink lake that has a red or pink tint due to the presence of Dunaliella brackish in the water. Algae of this species produce carotenoids, which are a source of beta carotene, a food coloring and a source of vitamin A.
5. Lake Masazirgol, Azerbaijan
Lake Masazir is a salt lake in the Karadag region, near Baku, Azerbaijan. The total area of the lake is 10 square kilometers. The ionic composition of water contains large volumes of chloride and sulfate.
In 2010, a plant for the production of 2 types of salt "Azeri" was opened here. The approximate reserve of salt that can be extracted is 1735 million tons. It can be mined both in a liquid state (from water) and in a solid state.
Due to the increased sulphate content, the water in the lake is pink.
6. Dusty Rose Lake, Canada
Located in British Columbia, Canada, this pink lake is quite unusual, little known, and arguably unique. The water in this lake is not salty at all, and does not contain algae, but it still has a pink color. The photo shows pink water flowing into the lake. The color of the water is due to the unique combination of rocks in this area (rock dust from the glacier).
7. Pink Lake Quairading, Australia
The Pink Lake Kwairading is located 11 kilometers east of the city of Kwairading (Western Australia). Bruce Rock highway passes through it. The local population considers Pink Lake to be a natural miracle. At certain times, one side of the lake turns dark pink, while the other remains pale pink.
8. Pink Lake, Australia
Pink Lake is a salt lake in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It is located about 3 kilometers west of Esperanza and is connected to the east by the South Coast Highway. The lake is not always pink in color, but the distinctive color of the water, when the lake takes on a pink hue, is the result of the life of the green algae of Dunaliella brackish, as well as a high concentration of brackish shrimp. The lake has been marked as an important bird habitat by the international organization for the protection of birds and the preservation of their habitat.
9. And another natural wonder: Field of Pink Lakes, Australia
This unusual landscape was captured from an airplane in western Australia. This field of pink lakes lies somewhere between Esperance and Caiguna. There are hundreds of small pink lakes in the field, each with its own unique shade of pink. This is due to the fact that the concentration of algae and salt in each lake is different from all others.
A pink or red lake is a lake that has a reddish or pink color due to the presence of algae that produce carotenoids (organic pigments). These include algae such as Dunaliella salina, which is a type of halophile of green microalgae that lives in especially salty seawater. Due to their pink color, these lakes are becoming more and more popular with tourists and photographers from all over the world.
Lake Hillier (Hillier), Australia
Coordinates: 34 ° 05'45 ″ S sh. 123 ° 12'10 ″ in. etc.
Lake Hillier is a lake located on Middle Island - the largest island of all the islands and islets that make up the Recherche Archipelago in Western Australia. The lake is very popular and tourists tend to get there, even passengers of planes flying over the lake take pictures of this miracle of nature.
A feature of the lake is its bright pink color. The color of the water is constant and does not change when the water is poured into a container. The lake is about 600 meters long. It is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of land, consisting of sand dunes covered with vegetation.
The lake is surrounded by white salt deposits and dense forests of tea and eucalyptus trees. In the north, sand dunes separate the lake from the Southern Ocean. Middle Island and the lake were discovered in 1812.
Hutt Lagoon, Australia
Coordinates: 28 ° 9 "17.29" S sh. 114 ° 14 "23.99" E etc.
The Hutt Lagoon is on the left and the Indian Ocean on the right.
Hutt Lagoon is an elongated salt lake located just off the coast north of the mouth of the Hutt River in the midwest of Western Australia, in the dunes adjacent to the coast.
The city of Gregory is located between the ocean and the southern shores of the lake. The road between Northampton and Kalbarri, called George Gray Drive, runs along the western edge of the lake.
The lake is 14 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide.
Lagoon Hutt is a salty pink lake that has a red or pink tint due to the presence of Dunaliella brackish in the water. Algae of this species produce carotenoids, which are a source of beta carotene, a food coloring and a source of vitamin A.
This lagoon is home to the world's largest microalgae farm. The total area of small artificial ponds in which Dunaliella brackish is bred is 250 hectares.
Lake Quairading, Australia
Coordinates: 31 ° 58 "22.37" S sh. 117 ° 30 "18.92" E etc.
Lake Kuerading Pink is located 11 kilometers east of the city of Kuerading (Western Australia). Bruce Rock highway passes through it.
The local population considers Pink Lake to be a natural miracle. At certain times, one side of the lake turns dark pink, while the other remains pale pink.
Field of Pink Lakes, Australia
Coordinates: 33 ° 51 "1.01" S sh. 123 ° 35 "34.06" E etc.
This unusual landscape was captured from an airplane in western Australia. This field of pink lakes lies somewhere between Esperance and Caiguna.
There are hundreds of small pink lakes in the field, each with its own unique shade of pink. This is due to the fact that the concentration of algae and salt in each lake is different from all others.
Pink Lake, Australia
Coordinates: 33 ° 50 "43" S 121 ° 49 "40" E
Pink Lake is a salt lake in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It is located about 3 kilometers west of Esperanza and is connected to the east by the South Coast Highway.
The lake is not always pink in color, but the distinctive color of the water, when the lake takes on a pink hue, is the result of the life of the green algae of Dunaliella brackish, as well as a high concentration of brackish shrimp. The lake has been noted as an important habitat for birds by the international organization for the protection of birds and the preservation of their habitat.
Lake Masazir, Azerbaijan
Coordinates: 40 ° 30 "29" N 49 ° 46 "21" E
Lake Masazir is a salt lake in the Karadag region, near Baku, Azerbaijan. The total area of the lake is 10 square kilometers. The ionic composition of water contains large volumes of chloride and sulfate.
Workers load salt into horse-drawn carts
In 2010, a plant for the production of 2 foreign ministries of salt "Azeri" was opened here. The approximate reserve of salt that can be extracted is 1735 million tons. It can be mined both in a liquid state (from water) and in a solid state.
Laguna Colorada, Bolivia
Coordinates: 22 ° 11'55 ″ S sh. 67 ° 46′52 ″ W etc.
Laguna Colorado is a mineral lake located in the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve in the southwestern part of Bolivia near the border with Chile.
The red-brown color of the water is due to sedimentary rocks, as well as pigmentation of some algae growing there. Borax islands can also be found in the lake.
The lagoon area is home to a large number of James' flamingos. Also here you can find Andean and Chilean flamingos, but in small numbers.
Lake Torrevieja, Spain
Coordinates: 38 ° 0 "14.32" s. sh. 0 ° 44 "10.74" W etc.
Aerial view of the Torrevieja Salt Lake from the Mediterranean Sea
Torrevieja Salt Lake and La Mata Salt Lake are the salt lakes that surround Torrevieja, a seaside town in southeastern Spain. The microclimate created by the largest salt lakes in Europe - Torrevieja and La Mata, has been declared one of the healthiest in Europe, according to the World Health Organization.
The pink color of Lake Torrevieja, caused by the presence of algae and salt, gives it a "science fiction" look. Just like in the Dead Sea in Israel, here you can also just lie on the surface of the water. In addition, it will be of great benefit for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the skin and lungs.
At the other end of the lake, salt is mined and exported to various countries. A huge number of bird species can be seen by the lake.
Pond in an old mine, Cyprus, Italy
Coordinates: 35 ° 2 "10.01" N 33 ° 6 "57.53" E
Not far from the Cypriot village of Mitsero, there is a lake with blood-red water. At first glance, it seems that instead of water, it really contains blood.
In fact, the lake is not a lake at all, but a worked-out iron ore quarry. It is the rich presence of iron that explains the rich red color of the water.
Dusty Rose Lake, Canada
Coordinates: 52 ° 33 "38" N 126 ° 20 "31" W.
Located in British Columbia, Canada, this pink lake is quite unusual, little known, and arguably unique. The water in this lake is not salty at all, and does not contain algae, but it still has a pink color. The photo shows pink water flowing into the lake. The color of the water is due to the unique combination of rocks in this area (rock dust from the glacier).
Raspberry Lake, Altai Territory, Russia
Coordinates: 51 ° 40'31 ″ s. sh. 79 ° 46'57 "in. etc.
The crimson lake in the Mikhailovsky district stands out with crimson water.
A distinct pink-crimson tint to the water gives a special appearance of small planktonic crustaceans living in the lake.
Especially bright crimson color near the lake in spring, although in other seasons it is noticeable.
Lake Retba, Senegal
Coordinates: 14 ° 50'20 ″ s. sh. 17 ° 14′04 ″ W etc.
Lake Retba or Lake Pink is located east of the Cape Vert Peninsula in Senegal, northeast of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. It got its name from the color of the water in which the algae of the Dunaliella brackish species grow.
The color is especially noticeable during the dry season. The lake is also known for its high salt content, which, like the Dead Sea, allows people to float with ease.
Aerial view of salt accumulations along the shoreline of Retba Lake
There is a small salt mining business on the lake. Many salt collectors work 6-7 hours a day in the lake, which has a salt content of about 40%.
To protect their skin, they rub "Beurre de Karité" (Shea butter derived from shea nuts harvested from the shea tree) into it, which softens the skin and prevents tissue damage.
Colored salt ponds in San Francisco, USA
Coordinates: 37 ° 30 "23.56" N 122 ° 1 "40.79" W
San Francisco is famous for its colorful ponds, flying over which gives an indelible impression of what you see.
The reason for this beauty is trivial - simple salt. These reservoirs are created for the extraction of salt.
The algae growing in them is the cause of these color effects. The palette of colors depends on the height of the salt level, the more saturated shades are obtained at an increased salt level.
In addition, weather conditions can also make adjustments to the variety of colors. For example, the wind stirring the algae changes the color scale, rain coupled with the wind sometimes generally lightens the water to its usual state.
Lake Natron, Tanzania
Coordinates: 2 ° 25 ′ S sh. 36 ° 00 ′ east etc.
Natron is a salt lake located in northern Tanzania, on the border with Kenya.
The lake has a depth of no more than three meters, and changes the coastline depending on the season and water level. The water temperature in wetlands can reach 50 degrees Celsius, and depending on the water level, the alkalinity can reach a pH of 9 to 10.5.
Lake Natron is covered with a crust of salt that occasionally turns red and pink. This is the result of the vital activity of microorganisms that live in the lake. The lake is home to millions of flamingos.
Lake Chott El Jerid, Tunisia
Coordinates: 33 ° 42 ′ s. sh. 8 ° 26 ′ east etc.
Shott el-Jerid is a lake in central Tunisia and a salt marsh depression located in a series of depressions extending inland from the Gulf of Gabes.
During the winter rains, Shott-el-Jerid turns into a salty, closed-drainage lake with an area of 5-7 thousand km². In summer, when there is no precipitation and the temperature often reaches + 50 ° C, the lake dries up almost completely, and mirages are often observed.
Vegetation is sparse, with a predominance of halophytes; tamarisk and gorse thickets are found near wadi. Along the edges of the depression, there are outlets of artesian waters, around which are located oases, in which the date palm has been cultivated since ancient times.
An asphalt road was laid across the depression in the 1970s along the crest of the constructed dam.
Lake Koyashskoe, Crimea, Ukraine
Coordinates: 45 ° 2 "54" N 36 ° 11 "4" east longitude
Koyashskoye lake changes its color several times a year. This is due to bacteria, which turn reddish in hot weather.
From above, during the dry period, the lake is covered with a thin layer of salt crystals. The silt deposits of the lake are curative mud.
It is impossible to drown in Lake Koyashskoye, since its depth does not exceed 1 meter. But you won't be able to swim there either - the mud is very viscous.
Lake on the Sanetsch pass in Switzerland
The water surface is periodically covered with algae, which give an atypical color to the water.
Blood Pond (Chinoike Jigoku), Japan
Coordinates: 33 ° 19 "37.93" N 131 ° 28 "40.75" E
The Blood Pond (Chinoike Jigoku) is one of the most famous sources of hot water - geysers, which is located on the Japanese island of Kyushu near the city of Beppu.
It got its name due to the fact that its water contains a large amount of iron oxide.
The color of the pond has a red hue, which is very reminiscent of the blood of tourists, and it is for this that the geyser with hot water was nicknamed "bloody". Every day, geysers emit more than 50,000 cubic meters of water, and over the lake one can observe the emission of vapors from active volcanoes, which are located on the shores of the blood pond.
Many legends are associated with the bloody pond, and in translation from the Japanese language its name means "Hell". One of these legends says that sinners were boiled in its waters. This is partly true - you can easily cook here, because the water temperature is about 100 degrees.
Senegal, which is located in West Africa, is famous for the extraordinary Pink Lake, with its color reminiscent of a strawberry cocktail. Lake Retba is an amazing natural phenomenon, unique in its kind, with a truly rich pink color. This fact made it one of the main attractions of Senegal. What is the secret of this miracle of nature, why does the lake have such a color, and what life stories are associated with it?
In fact, everything is quite simple, the water in Retba Lake is salty to such an extent that it is suitable for the life of only one type of microorganism, which, in turn, give a color that ranges from pale pink to brown. The salt concentration index here is many times higher than the value in the Dead Sea. The intensity of the color varies with the time of day, namely the angle of incidence of the sun's rays, as well as the weather. During drought, pink is most pronounced.
Pink Lake is located near the Atlantic coast, 30 km from the capital of Senegal - Dakar. Retba's area is 3 square kilometers.
There is a whole village on the shore of the lake, and the locals spend whole days taking salt from the bottom of the lake and pouring it into boats. This work is very hard, but the pay for it is not bad either.
Previously, Retba Lake was not a lake at all, once upon a time it was a lagoon. But year after year, the Atlantic surf brought sand, which later caused the disappearance of the channel connecting the lagoon with the ocean. For many years the lake was unremarkable. But in the 70s, a severe drought happened in Senegal, Retba was crushed, and the extraction of salt, which lay in a large layer at the bottom, became quite a profitable business.
It is nowadays that people are mining salt in the lake, standing up to their shoulders in water, but about 20 years ago there was so little of it that it was possible to walk. By extracting a huge amount of salt from the bottom of the Pink Lake, people very quickly make it deeper. In some places, the bottom level dropped by three or more meters.
Video: AROUND THE WORLD: Pink Lake Retba