Report about Lake Baikal. Lake Baikal - a miracle of Russian nature

Posted Sun, 12/10/2014 - 08:27 by Cap

What boy, since his vagabond childhood, has not dreamed of visiting this Glorious Sea! From school geography lessons we all knew that fate had not harmed our Motherland, giving Lake Baikal!!!

And here it is, old dream The nomadic journey was completed - after the walking and water part.) - We spent 4 days on the shores of the legendary Lake Baikal, approximately between the villages of Slyudyanka and Listvyanka.

I’ll repeat myself a little and tell you about our journey along the shores of blessed Baikal!

We spent the night in the Ministry of Emergency Situations camp on the shore of Lake Baikal in Slyudyanka.

From Slyudyanka we went along the Circum-Baikal Railway - the Trans-Siberian Railway used to pass along the Circum-Baikal Railway, but then the line from Irkutsk was straightened and led directly to Slyudyanka. And the Circum-Baikal Railway is now a tourist single-track road! We recommend everyone to ride it!

Sergey Karpeev
The miracle of Russia and the glorious sea!
There is no limit to your shores!
The wind rejoices in the endless space,
Sluds ascend across the islands.

Waves caress careless stones,
A forgotten volcano lies dormant for centuries.
In the ethereal haze of forest ridges
The Khamar-Daban chain stretches.

Rocks, backwaters, taiga distances,
The hills have a cedar slope.
An ancient Buryat sanctuary beckons
Marvelous, Mysterious Island Olkhon.

Storms, winds, buckets, bad weather -
What does the shaman foretell to us with his tambourine:
In a frenzied dance he conjures under the power
The spirit that everyone calls Burkhan.

Pink-delicate sunset blush
The clouds are drowning in your mirrors.
Melting, blue, evening fog
Hidden on the other side of the shore.

The water is like crystal, deep and transparent.
The fisherman throws his line.
Yarburst, burning like fire,
Pulls the crimson boundary in the sky.

The night begins full of stars:
The ladle sparkled with its seven stars.
With a heart and vision surpassed
You will shout: Our Baikal is beautiful and great!

Train around Baikal

The train runs along it 4 times a week, and also back. The windows of the carriages offer wonderful views of Lake Baikal and the surrounding mountains!

It is advisable to arrive at the station an hour before the train, but we did not do this. There were no more tickets for the train - I had to go to the carriages, where I could negotiate with the conductors to ride the train while standing.

The train itself consists of several comfortable carriages, where everything is decorated for a foreign tourist, and there are also TVs that show films about Lake Baikal, and also minibars with drinks!

For ordinary tourists, there are other carriages, ordinary Sovkov ones, but we were very happy with them, since in the cool carriages the price was more than 700 rubles. per person, and in a simple carriage we agreed on the same price, but for the entire Team!

Moreover, we managed to successfully navigate the train - so that almost everyone got seats! The carriage was packed almost to capacity! In the crowd, no one bothered to figure out who had what seats, and we rolled along Lake Baikal!

However, we didn’t have to sit for long; after Kultyk, the train stopped near the Roerich Museum. There was also a Pure Water Museum there! The viewing cost literally 10 rubles! We looked at the pictures with interest and listened to the lecture!

The train was moving quite slowly, the road was old, but very interesting; in addition to views of the lake, the train passed through a whole system of tunnels that pierced mountain ranges, and then again took us to the steep and picturesque shore of the sacred Lake!

The train stopped a couple of times so that passengers could get out of the cars and take pictures on its shore!

At the same time, Baikal souvenirs were sold, usually made from local gems.

Lake Baikal

On the way, we met one woman and got into conversation with her - she was going to visit one of the stops. She advised us to go down with her, as it was a very beautiful place! I think it was km 146, and there were several houses there. There was a valley in this place - a stream flowed out of the mountains, and there were houses, barns and vegetable gardens. Mostly pensioners lived there. Lake Baikal

The place was really worth it! From here there was a picturesque view of Lake Baikal, about 500 meters from the stop there was a good tourist stop with a fire pit and a table, and also an excellent view of the Lake. The descent to the water was quite steep, you had to either go down the steep slope using a wire (that someone had strung) or go around through the lower parking lot.

But the main thing is real natural silence, even though there was a railway station nearby, the trains ran here once a day, and you can only hear the splashing of waves and the cries of seagulls!

Lake Baikal- sunset

LAKE BAIKAL - THE MIRACLE OF RUSSIA

Baikal. Amazing beauty a lake, a unique creation of nature, crystal clear water... Probably every person has, to a greater or lesser extent, heard about the deepest lake on our planet. What else do you know about Baikal?
Baikal is located almost in the very center of Eurasia, among the high ridges of the Baikal mountain region. The lake stretches 636 km in length and 80 km in width. Baikal's area is 31,470 km2, which is comparable to the area of ​​Belgium (almost 10 million people live in this European country with large cities and industrial centers). The maximum depth of the lake - 1637 km - rightfully allows us to call Baikal the deepest in the world (average depth - 730 m). African Lake Tanganyika, one of the deepest lakes on the planet, is 200 m behind Lake Baikal. Of the thirty islands, Olkhon is the largest.

Baikal is filled with three hundred and thirty-six permanent rivers and streams. One flows out of the lake. To estimate the volume of Lake Baikal, imagine that under ideal conditions (assuming not a single drop falls or evaporates from the surface), the Angara, which carries out 60.9 km3 of water annually, will need 387 years of continuous operation to drain the lake!

In addition, Baikal is the most ancient lake on our planet, its age, according to various estimates, is 20-30 million years.
Clean, transparent Baikal water, saturated with oxygen, has long been considered healing. Thanks to the activity of living microorganisms living in it, the water is slightly mineralized (almost distilled), which explains its crystal transparency. In spring, water transparency reaches 40 meters!
Baikal is the repository of 20% of the world's and 90% of Russia's fresh water reserves. For comparison, this is more than the water reserves of the five Great American Lakes combined! The Baikal ecosystem produces about 60 km3 of clean water per year.

The fauna and flora of Lake Baikal are amazing and diverse, which makes it unique in this regard among other freshwater lakes. Who hasn't heard of the famous Baikal omul? In addition to this, the lake is home to whitefish, lenok, and taimen - representatives of the salmon family. Sturgeon, grayling, pike, carp, catfish, cod, perch - this is not the entire list of fish families living in Baikal. It is impossible not to mention the Baikal seal, which is the only representative of mammals in the lake. In autumn, on the rocky shores you can see numerous breeding grounds of these Baikal seals. The seal is not the only inhabitant of the coasts; many gulls, mergansers, goldeneyes, scoters, scorches, white-tailed eagles, ospreys and other birds nest along the coasts and on the islands. In addition to all of the above, you can observe a massive emergence of brown bears onto the shores of Lake Baikal.
The flora and fauna of Baikal is endemic. 848 species of animals (15%) and 133 species of plants (15%) are not found in any body of water on Earth.
The uniqueness and beauty of Baikal every year attracts an increasing number of tourists, including foreign ones. This is also facilitated by developing infrastructure. That's why main task is to preserve the integrity of the lake ecosystem. Lake Baikal

BAIKAL - THE MIRACLE OF RUSSIA
A narrow blue sickle thrown into the mountains Eastern Siberia, looks like geographical map One of the amazing wonders not only of Russia, but of the entire globe is Lake Baikal.
People composed many songs and legends about him. The Yakuts named the lake Baikal, which means “rich lake”. It splashes in a huge stone basin, surrounded by mountain ranges overgrown with taiga. The lake extends from northeast to southwest for 636 km, which is approximately equal to the distance between Moscow and St. Petersburg. The greatest width of Lake Baikal is 79 km. In terms of its area (31.5 thousand sq. km), it is approximately the same as the Western European countries of Belgium or the Netherlands, and ranks eighth in size among the lakes of the globe.
Baikal is a truly unique lake. Its coastline and surrounding mountains with their unique fauna, flora and microclimate, as well as the lake itself with rich supplies of clean fresh water are an invaluable gift of nature.
You, of course, know that Baikal is the most deep lake of our planet. Its depth reaches 1620 m and exceeds the depth of some seas on the globe. However, as reported in 1991, hydrologists made an amendment, finding a deeper level of 1657 m.
It contains 20% of the fresh water reserves on the globe (23 thousand cubic km). To desalinate the same amount of moisture from sea water, it would be necessary to spend 25 times more money than the cost of gold mined so far on Earth.
Imagine: the Baikal bowl can contain all the water of the Baltic Sea, although its area is approximately 10 times larger than the area of ​​the lake.
You can pour water from 92 seas such as the Azov Sea or water from all five American Great Lakes into the Baikal basin, total area which are 8 times larger than the area of ​​Lake Baikal.
According to the latest information, 1123 rivers carry their waters here, the largest of which are the Barguzin and the Upper Angara, and flow out.
The lake level rises 378 m above the mouth of the Angara, which creates a large fall energy. A cascade of powerful power plants has been built here. There are 27 islands on the lake, all of them small. Only Olkhon, which is located almost in the middle of the lake, has an area of ​​729 square meters. km.

Olkhon Island Lake Baikal

Such a high-water reservoir cannot but influence the climate of the surrounding area. In summer, Baikal moderates the heat, and in winter there are severe Siberian frosts. Therefore, the climate here is milder than in neighboring areas. For example, Peschanaya Bay is the only area in Eastern Siberia where average annual temperature air is about 0 degrees C (more precisely +0.4 degrees C). Baikal freezes only in January. However, even in hot weather the water is no more than +12 degrees Celsius.
Since the difference between air temperatures and atmospheric pressure over the surface of the lake and in the surrounding mountains is very large, storms often occur on Lake Baikal. There are more sunny days a year here, for example, than in some resort areas of the Black Sea region.
There is no lake on the globe whose water is clearer than Lake Baikal. The white disk, lowered here to determine the transparency of the water, is visible from a depth of about 40 m.
In addition, lake water tastes very pleasant. “Whoever has taken a sip of Baikal water at least once,” say the Siberians, “will definitely return for another sip.”

Baikal is the oldest lake on Earth. Its basin began to form 25-30 million years ago. The age of the modern outlines is over a million years. Scientists have recently studied the origin and structure of the lake bottom, as well as the processes that occur there, using the Paisis deep-sea apparatus. Unique photographs of the bottom of Baikal were taken at a depth of 1410 m. The increased seismicity of the basin and the associated change were proven coastline lakes.
It has been established that every year the shores of the lake move apart by an average of approximately 2 cm, and its area increases by 3 hectares.
Earthquakes, and sometimes there are up to 2000 of them a year, are mostly small. Quite noticeable ones also happen, such as in 1862, when part of the coast collapsed and a bay called Proval was formed. And during the 1958 earthquake, the bottom of the lake near Olkhon Island dropped by 20 m.
The active life of the subsoil is evidenced by the presence on the shores of the lake and in the adjacent mountains of numerous hot springs with temperatures from +30 degrees. up to + 90 degrees C. And at the same time, the age of the rocks in the mountainous area around Lake Baikal is approximately 2 billion years.

And Lake Baikal

One of the amazing features of the lake is its truly unique animal world. It has more than 1,500 species, and 75% of them live only on Lake Baikal. There are more fish here than in some seas - 49 species, and almost all are indigenous “Baikalians”, for example, the famous omul. “There is no Baikal without omul” - this is the local saying. The viviparous golomyanka fish is very interesting. It is so fat that washed ashore by a storm, it almost completely melts under the sun's rays. Its fat contains many medicinal organic compounds and vitamins, which is why it is also called “medicinal fish.”
Of the other species of Baikal fauna, there are 80 crustaceans alone, among which the epishura crustacean is very valuable for the ecology of the lake. Small in size (the mass of a thousand crustaceans is only 1 mg), this baby, while obtaining food, works tirelessly for the benefit of the lake. It filters water through a special organ, purifying it from various bacteria and algae. Over the course of a year, these microscopic “orderlies” manage to filter about 1,500 cubic meters several times. km of water to a depth of 5-10 m, which is 10 times more than what enters the lake from all the rivers, and the annual flow of the lake through the Angara is only 60 cubic meters. km. It is thanks to the tireless activity of the epishura crustacean that the unusual purity of Baikal waters is maintained.
A variety of berries, mushrooms, flowers and herbs grow in the coastal taiga forests. The decoration of the animal world is the famous Barguzin sable.
Unfortunately, due to the development of industry in Siberia, including in areas adjacent to Lake Baikal, the construction of a number of large enterprises in the woodworking, forest chemical and other industries, as well as non-ferrous metallurgy, often with gross violations of the environmental situation, over unique lake a mortal threat loomed. Saving Lake Baikal from pollution is an urgent task of our time.

GEOGRAPHY OF LAKE BAIKAL
Baikal (Bur. Baigal Dalai, Baigal Nuur) is a lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake on the planet, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water.
The lake and coastal areas are distinguished by a unique diversity of flora and fauna, most of the animal species are endemic. Locals and many in Russia traditionally call Baikal the sea.
Baikal is located in the center of the Asian continent on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia in the Russian Federation. The lake stretches from northeast to southwest for 620 km in the form of a giant crescent. The width of Lake Baikal ranges from 24 to 79 km. The bottom of Lake Baikal is 1167 meters below the level of the World Ocean, and the surface of its waters is 455.5 meters higher.
The water surface area of ​​Lake Baikal is 31,722 km² (excluding islands), which is approximately equal to the area of ​​countries such as Belgium or the Netherlands. In terms of water surface area, Baikal ranks sixth among the largest lakes in the world.
The length of the coastline is 2100 km.
The lake is located in a kind of hollow, surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. At the same time, the western coast is rocky and steep, the terrain east coast- more flat (in some places the mountains retreat from the coast by tens of kilometers).
Baikal is the deepest lake on Earth. Modern meaning the maximum depth of the lake - 1642 m - was established in 1983 by L. G. Kolotilo and A. I. Sulimov during the performance of hydrographic work by the expedition of the Main Directorate of National Research and Oceanography of the USSR Ministry of Defense at a point with coordinates 53°14′59″ N. w. 108°05′11″ E. d. (G) (O).

Tributaries and drainage of Lake Baikal
According to research in the 19th century, 336 rivers and streams flowed into Baikal; this number only took into account constant tributaries. There are no more modern data on this issue, but sometimes figures are given as 544 or 1123 (which are the result of counting valleys, not permanent watercourses). It is also believed that due to anthropogenic impact and climate change on Lake Baikal from the 19th century to modern times About 150 watercourses could have disappeared.
The largest tributaries of Lake Baikal are the Upper Angara, Barguzin, Turka, Snezhnaya, and Sarma. It flows out of the lake. There are 336 permanent watercourses in total. Lake Baikal

ICE OF LAKE BAIKAL
During the freeze-up period (on average January 9 - May 4), Baikal freezes entirely, except for a small section of 15-20 km in length located at the source of the Angara. The shipping period for passenger and cargo ships is usually open from June to September; Research vessels begin navigation after the lake is cleared of ice and complete it with the freezing of Lake Baikal, that is, from May to January.
By the end of winter, the thickness of the ice on Lake Baikal reaches 1 m, and in the bays - 1.5-2 m. In severe frost, cracks, locally called “stanova cracks,” tear the ice into separate fields. The length of such cracks is 10-30 km, and the width is 2-3 m. Breaks occur annually in approximately the same areas of the lake. They are accompanied by a loud crash, reminiscent of thunder or cannon shots. To a person standing on the ice, it seems that the ice cover is bursting just under his feet and he is about to fall into the abyss [source not specified 539 days]. Thanks to cracks in the ice, the fish on the lake do not die from lack of oxygen. Baikal ice, in addition, is very transparent, and the sun's rays penetrate through it, so planktonic algae that produce oxygen rapidly develop in the water. On the shores of Baikal you can see in winter ice grottoes and splashes.
Baikal ice presents scientists with many mysteries. Thus, in the 1940s, specialists from the Baikal Limnological Station discovered unusual forms of ice cover, characteristic only of Lake Baikal. For example, “hills” are cone-shaped ice hills up to 6 m high, hollow inside. In appearance, they resemble ice tents, “open” in the direction opposite to the shore. The hills can be located separately, and sometimes form miniature “mountain ranges”. There are also several other types of ice on Baikal: “sokui”, “kolobovnik”, “osenets”.
In addition, in the spring of 2009, satellite images different areas of Lake Baikal where dark rings were discovered. According to scientists, these rings arise due to the rise of deep waters and an increase in the temperature of the surface layer of water in the central part of the ring structure. As a result of this process, an anticyclonic (clockwise) current is formed. In the zone where the current reaches maximum speeds, vertical water exchange increases, which leads to accelerated destruction of the ice cover.

Oltrek Island, Small Sea, Baikal

Islands and peninsulas
There are 27 islands on Baikal (Ushkany Islands, Olkhon Island, Yarki Island and others). The largest of them is Olkhon (71 km long and 12 km wide, located almost in the center of the lake on its western coast, area - 729 km², according to other sources - 700 km²). The largest peninsula is Svyatoy Nos.

Seismic activity
The Baikal region (the so-called Baikal Rift Zone) is an area with high seismicity: earthquakes regularly occur here, most of which are one or two points on the MSK-64 intensity scale. However, strong ones also happen; Thus, in 1862, during the ten-magnitude Kudarino earthquake in the northern part of the Selenga delta, a land area of ​​200 km² with 6 uluses, in which 1,300 people lived, went under water, and Proval Bay was formed. Strong earthquakes were also noted in 1903 (Baikal), 1950 (Mondinskoye), 1957 (Muyskoye), 1959 (Middle Baikal). The epicenter of the Central Baikal earthquake was at the bottom of Lake Baikal in the area of ​​the village of Sukhaya (southeast coast). Its strength reached 9 points. In Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk, the strength of the main shock reached 5-6 points, cracks and minor destruction were observed in buildings and structures. The last strong earthquakes on Lake Baikal occurred in August 2008 (9 points) and February 2010 (6.1 points).

schematic map of Lake Baikal

Origin of the lake
The origin of Lake Baikal is still a matter of scientific debate. Scientists traditionally estimate the age of the lake at 25-35 million years. This fact also makes Baikal unique natural object, since most lakes, especially those of glacial origin, live on average 10-15 thousand years, and then fill with silty sediments and become swampy.
However, there is also a version about the youth of Baikal, put forward by Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences A.V. Tatarinov in 2009, which received indirect confirmation during the second stage of the “Worlds” expedition on Baikal. In particular, the activity of mud volcanoes at the bottom of Baikal allows scientists to assume that the modern shoreline of the lake is only 8 thousand years old, and the deep-water part is 150 thousand years old.

What is certain is that the lake is located in a rift basin and is similar in structure, for example, to the Dead Sea basin. Some researchers explain the formation of Baikal by its location in the transform fault zone, others suggest the presence of a mantle plume under Baikal, and others explain the formation of the depression by passive rifting as a result of the collision of the Eurasian plate and Hindustan. Be that as it may, the transformation of Baikal continues to this day - earthquakes constantly occur in the vicinity of the lake. There are suggestions that the subsidence of the depression is associated with the formation of vacuum centers due to the outpouring of basalts onto the surface (Quaternary period).

Borg-Dagan grottoes, Olkhon island

Flora and fauna
About 2,600 species and subspecies of aquatic animals live in Baikal, more than half of which are endemic, that is, they live only in this reservoir. These include about 1000 endemic species, 96 genera, 11 families and endemic subfamilies. 27 species of fish from Lake Baikal are found nowhere else. This abundance of living organisms is explained by the high oxygen content in the entire thickness of Baikal water. 100% endemism is observed among nematodes of the family Mermitidae (28 species), worms Polychaeta (4 species), sponges Lubomirskiidae (14), Gregarinea, isopod crustaceans Isopoda (5), stoneflies Plecoptera. Almost all species and subspecies of amphipod crustaceans (349 out of 350, 99%) and scorpionfish (31 out of 32, 96%) are endemic to the lake. 90% of the species of turbellarian worms (130 out of 150) and barnacle crustaceans (132 out of 150) are endemic. Many fish are endemic to Baikal: 36 out of 61 species and subspecies (59%), 2 families (13.3%) and 12 genera (37.5%).
One of the endemics, the epishura crustacean, accounts for up to 80% of the zooplankton biomass of the lake and is the most important link in the food chain of the reservoir. It performs the function of a filter: it passes water through itself, purifying it.
Baikal oligochaetes, 84.5% of which are endemic, constitute up to 70-90% of the biomass of zoobenthos and play an important role in the processes of self-purification of the lake and as a food supply for benthophagous fish and predatory invertebrates. They participate in soil aeration and mineralization of organic matter.
The most interesting fish in Baikal is the viviparous golomyanka fish, whose body contains up to 30% fat. It surprises biologists with its daily feeding migrations from the depths to shallow waters. Fish in Baikal include Baikal omul, grayling, whitefish, Baikal sturgeon (Acipenser baeri baicalensis), burbot, taimen, pike and others. Baikal is unique among lakes in that freshwater sponges grow here at great depths.

Origin of the toponym “Baikal”
The origin of the name of the lake is not precisely established. Below are the most common versions of the origin of the toponym “Baikal”:
From the name of the nationality and country Bayyrku (bayegu, bayirku, bayurku)
From the Buryat bay - “stand” and gal “fire” (according to legend, Baikal was formed on the site of a fire-breathing mountain)
From Buryat “mighty standing water”
From the Buryat baikhaa “natural, natural, natural, existing”
From Buryat “rich fire”]
From Yakut baai “rich” and kyyol “lake”]
From Yakut baykhal, bayg'al "sea", "big, deep water"]
From the Arabic Bahr al-Bak "the sea that gives birth to many tears", "the sea of ​​horror"
From the Buryat “Baygaal-dalai”, “vast, large body of water, like the sea,” where dalai also means “immense, universal, supreme, supreme.”
From Yukaghir Vayguol “fin: forest washed ashore by water”
The first Russian explorers of Siberia used the Evenki name “Lama” (sea). From the second half of the 17th century, Russians switched to the name adopted by the Buryats - Bur. Baigal. At the same time, they adapted it to their language, replacing the “g” characteristic of the Buryats with the “k”, which is more familiar to the Russian language, as a result of which the modern name was finally formed.

Neutrino telescope
A unique deep-sea neutrino telescope NT200, built in 1993-1998, was created and operates on the lake, with the help of which high-energy neutrinos are detected. Since 2010, construction has been underway on the NT1000 neutrino telescope with an effective volume of 1 km3, the construction of which is expected to be completed no earlier than 2017.

"Worlds" on Baikal
In the summer of 2008, the Foundation for Assistance to the Conservation of Lake Baikal conducted a research expedition “Worlds on Baikal”. 52 dives of the Mir deep-sea manned vehicles to the bottom of Lake Baikal were carried out.
Scientists delivered to the P. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences samples of water, soil and microorganisms raised from the bottom of Lake Baikal.
The expedition was continued in 2009 and 2010.

Lake Baikal, Cape Khoboy

Tourists on Baikal
You can get to Baikal in different ways. As a rule, those wishing to visit it first go to one of the nearest large cities: Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude or Severobaikalsk, in order to plan their route in more detail from there. Traveling along the Trans-Siberian Railway between Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude, you can spend hours admiring the views of the lake stretching right outside the train window.
70 km from Irkutsk, on the shores of Lake Baikal near the source of the Angara, the village of Listvyanka is located - one of the most popular places tourism on Lake Baikal. You can get here from the regional center by bus or boat in just over an hour. Holidays in Listvyanka are valued because huge amount excursions and active rest, this is where most sea-lake cruises originate. The most popular routes run from the village to Bolshiye Koty, to the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, Olkhon Island and other places.
Also on the shores of Lake Baikal are the cities of Slyudyanka and Baikalsk. Located in Slyudyanka Train Station, entirely built of marble. In Baikalsk there is ski slope, V summer time the lift is working; in sunny weather you can see the opposite side of the lake with the spurs of the Baikal ridge.
On the eastern shore, Barguzinsky Bay is especially popular, next to which the construction of the Baikal Harbor tourist and recreational zone continues. In the village of Maksimikha you can take a tour with a visit to the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula. Available horse and hiking. To the south are the villages of Novy Enkhaluk, Zarechye, and Sukhaya. Here, private individuals organized receptions for guests, including in yurts, and comfortable holiday homes appeared. Between Enkhaluk and Sukha there is the hydrogen sulfide thermal spring Zagza.
, which is rich in picturesque bays, mysterious islands, healing springs. A good view of the bay opens from the tops of the Holy Nose, which can be reached from the village of Ust-Barguzin.

Thirty kilometers south of the mouth of the Selenga River is Posolsky Sor Bay, where two tourist camps are located - Kultushnaya and Baikalsky Surf. Many camp sites provide tourist services there.
Almost in the very north of the lake there is a resort called Khakusy, which can only be reached by boat from Nizhneangarsk or Severobaikalsk or in winter on ice.
The Great Baikal Trail passes through various sections around the lake. ecological trails and one of the most wonderful ways for tourists to see unique nature and enjoy breathtaking views and panoramas of Lake Baikal.

Attractions
On and around Lake Baikal there are many natural and cultural monuments, as well as historical and archaeological sites. Below are just a few of them.
Northern Baikal
Rock Shaman-stone

Barguzinsky Bay
Ushkany Islands
Peschanaya Bay
Cape Skala Shamanka on Olkhon Island
Cape Ludar
Cape Ryty
Chersky Peak - 2090 m above sea level
Circum-Baikal Railway
Frolikha (tract)

port Baikal

Interesting Facts
If all the water contained in Baikal (23,615.390 km³) is divided among all Russian citizens (141,927,297 people), then each person will have about 166.4 thousand cubic meters of water, which is approximately 2,773 railway tanks of 60 tons each.
Estimated famous researcher lakes Ph.D. L. G. Kolotilo “The Price of Baikal”, the utilitarian value of water in the lake is 236 trillion dollars. His article aroused some interest, including from Greenpeace Russia, and its main provisions were announced on November 27, 2012 (without reference to the author) in an interview with V.V. Zhirinovsky on the Vesti 24 TV channel.

Myths and legends about Baikal
There is a legend that Father Baikal had 336 son rivers and they all flowed into his father in order to replenish his waters, but his daughter fell in love with the Yenisei River and began to carry her father’s waters to her beloved. In response to this, Father Baikal threw a huge piece of rock at his daughter and cursed her. This rock, called the Shaman Stone, is located at the source of the Angara and is considered its beginning.
Another variation of the legend says that Baikal had an only daughter, Angara. She fell in love with Yenisei and decided to run away to him. Baikal, having learned about this, tried to block her path by throwing the Shaman-stone to the source, but Angara ran further, then Baikal sent his nephew Irkut in pursuit of her, but he took pity on Angara and turned off the path. The Angara met the Yenisei and flowed further along with it.

Bolshoi Kyltygei Island (Shaggy)

Circum-Baikal walking trail
Information for tourists
Section 1: village. Kultuk - st. Marituy - port Baikal, 84 km, 22 hours of net time, average speed - 4 km/h.
There is no such place on Baikal anymore - there are no slopes on it, and from the very beginning, the 156th kilometer to the port and Baikal station at the 73rd kilometer, the traveler theoretically does not rise a single meter. It was about this site that Irkutsk resident P. Taimenev said in his travel notes “A few words about the Siberian Railway”, published in the magazine “Nature” and People in St. Petersburg in 1890: “In our deep, unshakable conviction, the Siberian Railway is an indestructible monument culture of the 19th century, this is a manifestation of Russian national greatness, this is the fulfillment of the moral duty of contemporaries in the face of future generations, this is one of the best pages of modern Russian history, this is the entry into the twentieth century."
Surprisingly, the tourist boom on this section of the Circum-Baikal Railway began only after its “discovery” by a number of newspaper publications in Irkutsk regional newspapers in the seventies. This is partly due to the development of rock climbing on the shores of Lake Baikal. Previously, this was the most exotic section of the Trans-Siberian Railway only for train passengers, especially those traveling to the east, for whom at the Baikal station the sacred lake suddenly and immediately opened up, in all its gigantic beauty and power. Of course, this is still unlikely to be seen anywhere, not only here, but also abroad: on one side, the rearing aquamarine waves of the surf literally lick the carriage wheels, on the opposite side, no matter how hard you try, you will not see the top of the vocal cliff from the window. And every now and then the train plunged into the darkness of endless tunnels; at short stops at numerous stops, there was a brisk trade in the no less exotic “scented” omul.

The builder, who came here in 1899 along the Angara Valley, encountered extraordinary technical difficulties. The Olkhinskoye Plateau breaks off like a wall into the lake throughout the entire section; the shore has largely preserved its tectonic relief. Composed of very strong crystalline rocks - granites, gneisses, crystalline schists - it has undergone relatively few changes over millions of years, is little rugged in configuration and has practically no deep and convenient bays for receiving and settling ships. Still harsh climatic conditions, which contribute to intense processes of physical weathering, high seismic activity favors the development of rock falls and screes.
That is why the line had to be laid on shelves carved into the rocky slopes, sometimes with the reinforcement of mountain slopes to great heights with stone facing. Often this required such a significant amount of work that it was more profitable to lay the route on embankments using retaining walls high altitude, sometimes on bridges across bays and valleys, and most often it was necessary to erect these structures in combination. Often the construction of a tunnel was the only way out (the route was created at both ends). They were built for two tracks at once, using natural stone cladding, and today the circular arches of the tunnel portals with key stones, on which the dates of construction are forever inscribed, amaze with the care of finishing and beauty, fused in harmony with the surrounding wild nature. Rockfall areas caused a lot of trouble - the roadbed was then protected by reinforced concrete or stone galleries. The destructive work of waves was also taken into account - breakwaters and wave-breaking walls follow the contours of the coast almost along their entire length.

Ust-Anga Bay, Lake Baikal

Sometimes not only in one place - in one cut! - up to ten structures had to be built. There is just such a place in front of the Marituy station: the watercourse had to be drawn over the structures and taken to Lake Baikal, but this is not easy to do on a cliff. And today, when you approach from the port of Baikal to this puzzle, brilliantly embodied in stone and concrete from an engineering point of view, with involuntary admiration you follow the path of the stream: high above, where, not only to place building structures, materials and mechanisms, there seems to be nowhere to stand - he was sent into a concrete bypass, then he fell into a stone water well, from where, behind the tunnel portal, he was enclosed in a flume bypass, then placed in a canal, and since there were high retaining and then wave-breaking walls on the way, he had to be carried over them into cantilever reinforced concrete spillway.
Weekend hikes are the great future of the Circum-Baikal Road. In the meantime, good transport connections make it accessible mainly to residents of the cities of Shelekhov, Irkutsk, Angarsk, Usolye-Sibirsky, as well as Cheremkhov and Sayansk. If you use Friday evening for the entrance, then in two days you can complete: short trips, starting from stations and stopping points of the pass section (Rassokha, Orlenka, Taezhny, Podkamennaya, Perezed, Andrianovskaya, Angasolka, etc.), as well as transitions with the intersection of the Olkhinsky plateau and access to the coast. In winter, ski travel comes down to a very popular one-day “family” route from Moving along the valley of the Bolshaya Krutaya Guba river to the Temnaya Pad stopping point or to the city of Slyudyanka, crossing Baikal in its southern part. The tradition of Irkutsk residents firmly includes one-day throw-transitions (running and skiing on ice) from the source of the Angara to Slyudyanka (to the Staraya Angasolka stop) over a distance of 70 - 80 km.

So, no matter what type of tourism we choose, the task before us on a weekend hike is the same - the need to cover the site in two days. It is advisable to start at the port of Baikal. It is connected with Irkutsk by numerous means of communication (motor ships, hydrofoils, buses to Listvenichny), and from Kultuk it is convenient to travel to Irkutsk by train in the evening (stop point "Strawberry"). It remains to add that a boat trip provides an excellent opportunity to look at the panorama of coastal structures from an unusual perspective. Particularly impressive are the magnificent arched bridges across the Shumilikha, Bolshaya Polovinnaya, Marituy, Bolshaya Krutaya Guba, and Angasolka rivers, their outlines reminiscent of Roman aqueducts. As for the organization of bivouacs, here in any place at almost any time you can organize “both a table and a house” - there are many convenient sites within the roadbed. You can also count on the truly Siberian hospitality of the local population at numerous posts and villages, which, by the way, we had to use more than once. On a hiking trip, this will eliminate the need to carry a tent and sleeping gear with you for two nights. Apparently, the administration should take into account the mass interests and build huts and shelters.

It’s worth staying a little longer in the port of Baikal, final destination route, marked by the kilometer column "73" (for the Circum-Baikal Road, the previous kilometer, starting from Irkutsk, has been preserved). It was from here that the construction offensive against the rocky “fortifications” of Baikal unfolded in 1898; here began the famous ferry crossing across Baikal, which had no equal in the whole world and which was designed to ensure uninterrupted train service throughout the Trans-Siberian Railway to Vladivostok during the construction of the route to Kultuk. For this purpose, two icebreakers were ordered in England and assembled in Listvenichny; for transportation of goods - "Baikal" and passengers - "Angara".
In terms of its size, the icebreaker-ferry "Baikal" was considered the second in the world: its length was 100 m and its width was 16 m, with a crew of 200 people. Three railway tracks housed 27 two-axle freight cars and a steam locomotive. Three main steam engines and 20 auxiliary engines served two stern and special bow propellers; it covered the distance from Baikal station to Mysovaya station, 72 km, in 4.5 hours and was able to break ice a meter thick. During the five years of operation of the ferry crossing, only once, in the severe frosts of January 1904, the icebreaker was unable to cope with its duties. I had to build an ice rink railway. The carriages were moved along it by horses, which were mobilized together with the owners from the villages of Transbaikalia and the Irkutsk province. "Baikal" was lost in the civil war at a combat post, "Angara" has survived to this day: by decision of the Irkutsk regional committee of the Komsomol it was proposed to create a museum of military and revolutionary glory on it.

Cape Maly Kolokolny, Baikal

Natural monuments
The White Recess is a wonderful geological natural monument, the object of excursions of the 27th International Geological Congress, located at 105 km. It is simply impossible to pass by it without noticing: especially on a sunny day, its slopes dazzle with a powerful glow, the marble bottom is not immediately lost in the blue of the depths. For ease of study and inspection, all exploration excavations and wells are numbered with red paint; in recent years, it has become increasingly known to lovers of mineralogy due to the presence of numerous crystals of precious spinel, a hard mineral, reaching several centimeters in length. Located at 104 km of the Circum-Baikal section of the East Sib. railway An outcrop of marbles with a rare combination of rocks and minerals in the coastal part of the lake, a place for excursions of the International Geological Year (IGY), monuments of all-Russian significance.
Bird Bazaar - this is how it was decided to call this zoological natural monument, the only nesting site of the herring gull on a steep 300-meter cliff in the southern half of the lake, located at 133 km. For local residents, the arrival of seagulls in May is a sure sign that Baikal will soon disperse (that is, the ice on it will melt). From a boat or kayak, you can clearly see from May to August how the entire cliff, from the water’s edge to the wooded top, is dotted with white columns of birds, their hubbub deafening at a great distance. And naturally, during the period of nesting and growing chicks, the colony cannot be disturbed by visits. Located near the station. Sharyzhalgai Circum-Baikal section (133 km) East Sib. and. e. A place of permanent mass nesting of herring gulls, the only place in southern Baikal where nests are located on the coastal walls.

In recent years, due to restrictions on shooting, flocks of seals often appear along the coast. And although this is a sure sign that everything is fine with the composition of the water here, and the factor of concern is small, one should not be deluded by this (the mass death of animals in 1987 leads to disappointing thoughts).
On February 25, 1985, among 26 natural objects, by decision of the Irkutsk Regional Executive Committee, the source of the Angara River, the only watercourse that drains all the water entering Baikal, was approved as a natural monument.
The source of the Angara is a natural monument of republican significance. The width of the river here reaches a kilometer, and it is here, at the exit from the lake, that there is a peculiar ledge in the form of a rocky threshold, above which the water depth is on average only 3.5 m and the water speed is 12 - 15 km/h. The relatively warm bottom waters of Baikal, entering the threshold, do not allow the surface of the source to freeze in winter. At the same time, the source is a kind of wind chimney, serving as a place for cold northwestern air currents to invade the lake, while in the opposite direction the cooled air of the Baikal basin flows through it. This climatic feature of the source noticeably restrains the development of phenological phenomena here. However, it is included in the section “Zoological Natural Monuments”, and this was made possible by the only mass permanent wintering of lamellar beaks in all of Northern Asia, numbering annually 8 - 12 thousand waterfowl. In the huge polynya, which stretches for 3 - 5 km and exists thanks to high speed and constant positive water temperature, mergansers and ducks predominate, and dippers constantly winter. Severe winters can significantly reduce the size of the polynya (winter of 1983), but only once in 200 years has its short-term complete freezing been abolished. The rarest wintering area of ​​lamellar beaks in northeast Asia, different from its surroundings climatic features at all times of the year. All-Russian significance.
According to scientists, the wintering of waterfowl is the same historically ancient phenomenon as the presence of the polynya at the source, and the peculiar behavior of the birds wintering here suggests that a special ecological group winters here, which has long adapted to extreme living conditions (it has been established, for example, that ducks spend the night in hummocky ice). That is why scientific interest in this wintering is exceptional.

Output of marbles in the port of Baikal. Located in the port of Baikal, on the coastal cliff of the Olkha plateau. Outcrops of marbles in the oldest Precambrian complexes of the world, 3.4-3.7 billion years old. The object of excursions of international and all-Union geological forums.

Krutogubsky outcrop. Located at the mouth of the river. Big Krutaya Guba on the Olkha plateau. Petrographic-mineralogical object.

The Shaman's Stone is a tiny rocky island at the source of the Angara, a geomorphological natural monument, the top of a rocky threshold, and a poetic Buryat legend is tightly connected with the hero Baikal and his beautiful daughter Angara. Located at the source of the river. Hangars. The only ledge of the Angarsk threshold protruding above the water is known from a colorful Buryat legend. It is also connected with the unrealized project for quickly filling the Bratsk reservoir, which could have had fatal consequences for the fauna of the lake. It was developed by MOSGIDEP and provided for the construction at the source of the Angara, in its bed, of a canal up to 9 km long, with a top width of up to 100 m and a useful depth of 11 m, for which a massive explosion was designed to release using 30 thousand tons of TNT. The explosion, which was supposed to lift 7 million cubic meters into the air. m of soil, it was proposed to carry out in 1960 with the aim of reducing the period of filling the Bratsk reservoir from four years to a minimum, obtaining additional energy in the amount of 32 billion kWh. The implementation of the project, according to calculations, could lower the level of Lake Baikal to 11 m, but even lowering it by 3 - 5 m would cause widespread reshaping of the banks, a change in the normal living conditions of fish, ports, timber transshipment bases, and the railway would suffer. Due to the fact that it was difficult to foresee all the possible consequences of this project, which was bold in engineering terms, but apparently adventurous in design, it was rejected.

And here is what I got for the first section - from Kultuk to the source of the Angara, having carefully summed up the data scattered across the pages of diary entries: streams - 41, rivers and rivulets - 13, river - 1 (Bolshaya Polovinnaya), in total - 55.
Conclusions: section of the village. Kultuk - Port Baikal is not so much a ready-made section of the Baikal trail, easily accessible due to developed transport communications, as a real tourist “road”, a highway with extremely grateful natural resources and rare technical history. A lot of work still needs to be done for the Circum-Baikal to become a road for millions, but so much has already been done by man that it is mainly up to the reserve, the owner, who would turn this fertile corner into a paradise for tourists. And it would be urgent to start providing tourists with firewood, since due to the lack of dead wood and the small amount of driftwood on the shore in places of intense influx of tourists and vacationers, threatening conditions are created for the forest, especially in the area that is maximally congested from the mouth of Bolshaya Krutaya Guba to Kultuk. Things got to the point where all picket and kilometer posts disappeared from the village of Angasolki to Kultuk.

Cape Svyatoy Nos, Zmeevaya Bay

TRADES AND LEGENDS OF LAKE BAIKAL
The emergence of Khamar-Daban
I have already told you how the Sayans arose. Mountains such as the Sayans were not created by a small force; from that force, probably, the whole earth trembled. Yes, a small force would never have created them. Then, probably, it was like this: that power burst out of the Earth, and it had been accumulating for maybe millions of years, it threw everything out at once, and the Sayans were ready. When the Sayans cooled down, there was still a lot of strength left in the Earth, they dispersed in different directions and began to push the earth above them along the entire road. But this was no longer the same force that worked on the Sayans. So, in small tremors, the underground force came from the Sayans closer to sunrise and on its way raised the earth. Where the shock was stronger, the mountains rose higher; where it was smaller, the saddle remained.
In a word, the mountains from the Sayan Mountains to the east began to resemble a humpbacked nose, for which the Buryats nicknamed them “Hamar-Daban”. Many years after Khamar-Daban arose, a lot of earth was blown onto it from the plain by the wind. The mountains were not high, so they were covered with earth. All the cracks that were created by the tremors when the earth rose up the mountain were covered with earth from the valleys.
The sun did not scorch the earth very much on Khamar-Daban, and soon it was covered with forest. Then animals and birds spread out in the forest, people migrated there, closer to the mountains, and they began to live and prosper and make good.

Bezymyannaya Bay, Baikal

How Baikal came to be
Old people used to talk about how Baikal came about. There isn't much land on Earth. Everyone knows that if you dig a hole several fathoms, or even less, all kinds of sand, clay, stone and other different rocks will immediately come out. The deeper you dig a hole, the less land there is, that's all bigger stone there is different soil, which is not visible on the ground. And further, in the very depths of the earth, there are only stones, and even further water. Various stones lie in the ground. There is also one that if you drop water on it, it starts to boil and fall apart. There is a lot of such stone in the depths of the earth, much more than on the surface. So it happened a thousand years ago: water and stone came together deep in the earth. As soon as they got together, they began to boil. Where should the couple go? He climbed in different directions and moved the earth from its place, and it went like a wave and, even more than that, shook the whole earth. So the earth seethed in the depths, seethed, and then water and steam rushed up, and the water covered low places. She could not go further, there were mountains all around, and so it turned out to be Baikal. It never decreases, because it is always supported by water from underground, and that water, they say, lives in kin with the Arctic Ocean. Previously, old people often easily said: a boat would break on Lake Baikal, but boards were found in Ledovity, or something that would sink in Ledovity floated up on Lake Baikal.

How Olkhon Island was formed
Not everything that is said in legends is true. There used to be talk that everything was created by God, as the scripture says. Some believed him and some didn’t. Most of all, people did not believe those fairy tales. The priests were angry at this, they cursed with anathema, but what’s the point: a curse is not smoke, it won’t eat your eyes. Let’s take our Olkhon, it’s called an island. Where did he come from? God would not have had enough strength to lower him from heaven. This means that it did not fall from the sky, but came from nature itself.
When Baikal appeared, all the places here were filled with water and there was not a single island. A million years passed, the water settled down, fish began to be found in Baikal, the forests all around began to rustle - in a word, real life began here. After this, strong winds began to blow on Baikal, so strong that they made the whole of Baikal boil, as if in a cauldron. The waves reached to the very bottom, from where all the stone and sand were driven to the shore. But the waves did not reach the stones all the way to the shore; they got caught on an underwater rock. The waves worked for many years, they kept pushing stones and sand towards the sakla. And so a whole mountain, large, wide and long, washed up near that rock. Other waves washed away that mountain and little by little made it flat. This is where Olkhon Island came from. Old people say that Olkhon is higher in years and lower in years. This is because it stands on the rock. When the rocks are washed away, the island sinks a little, and when there is a lot of water under the rocks, it rises a little. At first they thought that some evil spirit was at work here, and then they themselves became convinced that it all depended on the wind. So believe the priests that the island was created by God. Why didn’t he then create it in the middle of Baikal, where there is no rock? That’s why the priests are silent, and the Holy Scriptures don’t say anything about it. That everything was created by God in a week is said by those who don’t want to think, or that intoxication is beneficial to them.

Failure on Baikal
There was a failure at Lake Baikal under my father. He often reminded me about it, and from him our whole village knew how and what went on there. It’s not only scary to talk about failure, but it’s also very painful to remember. In those days of failure, many people remained crippled for the rest of their lives: some had their legs or arms broken, some lost their minds, and some, out of grief, when they were left naked and did not get out of bitter poverty, went to the next world poor.
Where could the poor man go at that time? There is nothing to live for, lie down and die. When all this happened, faith in God was lost. Apparently he is weak before the force of nature. Those who used to say that everything is done by God's will have stopped believing in it. It became clear to us, simple men, that mountains, rivers, lakes, seas and oceans were created not by the power of God, but by the will of nature, which conceals enormous power within itself, and while a person is weak, she will do whatever she wants with him.
It is God’s will that saves you when you don’t know what to do and when you don’t know what’s going on around you. After the Baikal failure, all the old people began to say that Baikal itself happened just like this failure. This means that the grandfathers also correctly conveyed that from the columns of fire and water between the mountains, the water flooded the valley, and in that place the sea-Baikal became. People now firmly believe this truth.

Peschanaya Bay, Maly Kolokolny Cape

Why did Barguzin flow in the other direction?
My grandfather was the first to settle in the village of Tolstikhino, when there were only three houses in Barguzin itself. My grandfather lived here for eighty years, my father lived for about a hundred years, and I’ve been living here for ninety-four years. In short, our entire family has been living here for a long time. We all knew how to speak Buryat and Tunguska. This passed from my grandfather to my father, and from him to me. From the Buryats and Tungus they heard how our river Barguzin used to flow, from them I learned from childhood and I will tell you what I remember.
Previously, a very long time ago, the Barguzin River flowed not to Baikal, but from Baikal to the Arctic Ocean, and then it turned back and began to run back to where it came from. It was not done by God, it was the will of the earth. It happened like this: Baikal stood, stood, surrounded by high mountains, nowhere on Earth higher than them, and between these mountains the water kept accumulating and accumulating. In the mountains, the ice and snow melted, it rained, and it all flowed into Baikal. A lot of water rose in it, it covered half the mountains, and there was nowhere for it to go, and the mountain rivers kept pouring their water into the sea. And then one day one mountain could not stand it and burst. The water broke through and flowed through it into Baikal. She washed away the entire taiga, made a level place from mountain to mountain and reached the Arctic Ocean itself. Back then, Baikal held a lot of water, the river flowed wide and deep, and when it became smaller, it began to gather in a narrow channel. The water flowed and flowed along the river and flooded the entire shore near the ocean, there was great cold there, and ice mountains began to grow from that water. At first, the water broke through them, because there was a lot of it in Baikal, but when it got rid of it, the water lost its power. After many years, icy mountains prevented water from Lake Baikal from going straight into the ocean. The frozen ice began to approach Lake Baikal closer and closer. The river became shorter every year and washed away its top. In the end, it washed out its valley through which it flowed in the first years to such an extent that the valley rose above Baikal. Water stopped flowing from Baikal into it, and at that time other rivers from the mountains and char began to flow into the old channel. There was nowhere for that water to go, the river turned back and went to Baikal. When the water went to the ocean, a lot of silt was deposited into the valley, and the entire forest at the bottom of the river rotted. The river became narrow, the banks became wide. Now, where the Barguzin River flows, the whole place is called a valley, and there is no richer region than this valley. When the Tungus and Barguts arrived in the valley, the river was already running into Baikal; instead of the former wide river, a narrow one flowed, along which the hunters descended to the sea. The valley was overgrown with taiga, animals and birds multiplied, and it became more beautiful than before the river appeared. That’s why later the Buryats and Russians came to these places, and my grandfather settled here.
We lived here and in the bar, for example, Karlych (M.K. Kuchelbecker) really loved such stories, he took them from me on paper. I just don’t know if they went into books. He wrote a lot here and visited all the villages under Muravyov. It’s a pity that I lived my life illiterate, otherwise I at least read his books before I died. He didn’t really believe in God and didn’t rely on the Tsar, he hung out more with our peasants here, and thanks to him for that - he treated them for illnesses. He was able to tell such stories about the past, and he did not tell us that we were sinners before God.

Primorsky Ridge

From the history of the development of the Barguzin Valley
What our Russian peasant has not endured, what he has not experienced. My grandfather came here, my father lived here. I remember them, I’ve lived here for over a hundred years. If you count how long we, the Elshins, walked here, how many mountains we crossed, then, probably, during this time we could walk around the globe on foot, and from the forest that our ancestors uprooted, we could build a second Moscow.
When my grandfather came here, there was a continuous taiga here, under the arable fields there were only small circles of land, but now, look, there are such fields all around that you can’t see them with your eyes. That’s why the land is dear to us here because it smells of the sweat of our ancestors and is watered with their blood and tears.

Barguzin Bay, Baikal

Where did the name "Baikal" come from?
Russians have long heard that somewhere in the middle of Siberia there is huge lake. But no one knew what it was called. When Russian merchants, and then Cossacks crossed the Urals and began to big rivers When the Ob and Yenisei approached, they learned that people lived around the lake, which boiled day and night. Those Russians learned that that lake was rich in fish, and that various animals walked along the shores, and such expensive ones that could not be found anywhere else in the world. The Cossacks and merchants began to hurry to that sea-lake, they walked, did not sleep, did not feed their horses, did not know when the day ended and when the night began. Everyone wanted to be the first to get to the lake and see what it was like and why it was boiling without rest.

Those merchants and Cossacks walked to the sea for a long time, several years, many of them died along the way, but the living ones still reached it and saw the Shaman’s stone in front of them. He blocked their way and blocked the light. You can’t turn away from it to the right or to the left; there are such mountains all around that if you throw your head back, your hat flies off, but you can’t see the top. The Cossacks and merchants hung around the Shaman-stone and thought that they would not be able to get to the sea, but they themselves heard it rustling, heaving and beating against the rocks.
The merchants were sunbathing, the Cossacks were sad, apparently all of them long road disappeared for a sniff of tobacco. They drove back, pitched the tent and began to think hard about how they could cross the Shaman Stone or go around the mountains. They cannot go around the mountains - the sea will swallow them. So the Cossacks and merchants stopped and began to live not far from the sea-lake, but they could not get to the shore.
They had to live here for a long time, perhaps their bones would have rotted there, but then, fortunately for them, an unknown man approached them and called himself a Buryat. The Russians began to ask him to take them ashore, lead them around the sea and show them the way to land where they had not yet been. The Buryat did not say anything to them, he folded his palms into a tube, then raised them to his face and went into the forest. The Russians did not detain him and let him go with God. The merchants and Cossacks were sad again, what could they do next, apparently they would die. They lived like this for who knows how long, no one counted the days or months. The merchants and Cossacks became emaciated and haggard, and grief overwhelmed them worse than before. They wanted to gather their last strength and go back, but then the Buryat came again and brought his son and said:
- I can’t go around Baigal with you - I’ve become old, I can’t go around the Shaman Stone - the years are long gone, take your son, his eyes are light, and his legs are like a deer.
The old man went into the taiga, and his son led the Russians along a new road, brought them to the seashore and said:
- Baigal.
The Russians asked him what it was, he answered them:
“In our opinion, it means a place of fire; there used to be a continuous fire here, then the earth collapsed and it became the sea.” Since then we have called our sea Baigal.
The Russians liked this name, and they also began to call this sea Baikal.

Ushkany Islands

Who can know when this was? Yes, no one probably remembers. Many years have passed since then, during this time mountains have grown on the plains, deep lakes have overflowed in the lowlands, forests have grown on the rocks. At that time Baikal stood calmly, so quietly that the water did not move, like a mirror, the surface shone from shore to shore. Sometimes only early in the morning, at dawn, the fish splashed. But Baikal is not angry about this, he loves various living creatures and, like a father, gives them food.

How long Baikal lived in silence and bliss, only he knows. And then, unexpectedly, a terrible storm fell on Baikal. Baikal has never seen such a storm before. The water of Baikal is covered with terrible bubbles, it seems that it has become higher than before and is trying to spill over the coastal valleys and lowlands. Old man Baikal became angry at the storm and said:
“Don’t make me angry, you won’t be able to defeat the old man, you won’t be able to disperse my bright water in all directions, you won’t be able to dry up my dear home.”
But the storm didn’t even want to listen to the old man. Know walks and walks along the crests of the waves, which have already risen from the heights of the cliffs.
“You, old man, cannot cope with my strength,” says the storm, “I raise the seas and oceans, I destroy the taiga, I uproot the eternal forest, I destroy rocks, and I will splash you like a puddle, and drain you like a drop.”
After such impudent words, Baikal became furious. Evil gives strength. Baikal straightened its mighty shoulders, it remembered its sons and daughters, gathered strength into its heroic chest and let’s fight the storm. He began to build rock after rock around himself, and mountains began to rise behind the rocks. The storm sees that the old man is not to be trifled with and that he cannot be defeated so easily, she called upon the winds Kultuk and Barguzin to help her. The storm immediately increased in strength. Then Baikal resorted to cunning and began to block the storm’s path away from the shore. Rocks began to rise from the bottom, so many of them rose above the water that they began to obscure the sun. The storm hits the rocks with all its force and rolls back; it comes to the shore weakly.
This is how rocks appeared in Baikal, in spite of the storms, to the delight of the shores that they protect. Well, once the rocks appeared, they were later covered with sand and silt. From year to year the rocks became overgrown and grew so large that they turned into islands. This one island was nicknamed Ushkany. Why was he called that? I'll tell you about this now. This island was more successful than others; a forest soon appeared on it: pine, birch, foliage, aspen, but the shrubs didn’t even have a name. There will be so many berries here that there will be enough berry jelly to cook berry jelly for the entire Baikal water. The island is also rich in wild rosemary and flowers. In autumn on the island, the aroma takes your breath away.

The island has its own climate, its own weather, and nowhere else around Lake Baikal is there. When autumn is all around, everything withers and freezes everywhere, on the island everything is in bloom, as far as the eye can see, everything is green: the berries are ripening, wild rosemary is blooming for the second time, and is blooming. The ushkans, which means hares in Siberian, saw about such an island, and they flocked to the island in droves. What are the little panties used to, and when necessary, they swim and get to the island. There were so many ushkans bred there that there was nowhere to go.
But a person does not sleep, he is also cunning. I found out that the island was rich in nature and made my way onto it. People were amazed at how many Ushkans lived here. That’s how the island was called Ushkanim. Then the Ushkans spread to the small islands that stand next to the big ones. Now these small islands are also called Ushkanii.
Many years ago, our grandfathers and great-grandfathers wanted to settle on these Ushkany islands, but they were not suitable for life: winter and summer are not suitable here at the same time as around Lake Baikal. The men wanted to start a farm, but they didn’t have enough urine, and there was no need for it.
People have been protecting the Ushkany Islands from time immemorial, and the animals there are preserved by the hunters themselves. The old people told how a long time ago several thieves came to the island to harass the Ushkans. The hunters agreed among themselves to hire an old man to keep all living things on the island. An old man lived on the island for more than a hundred years, he killed all the thieves, he punished his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren: “Just as a fox does not hunt near its hole, so you take care of all living things around you. Without nature, a person is naked, and you cannot live naked for long.”

Suvo
Some old people said where the name of the village of Suvo, which is not far from Barguzin, came from. One elderly Tungus explained the name in his own way. The Tungus have not lived forever in the upper reaches of Barguzin. Long before them, different peoples roamed here, but no one remembers them. Those distant peoples left the Barguzin Valley in that old time when the Chuds first began to come here, and then the Tungus, the Orochons and the Barguts began to migrate. After them, the Russians began to appear. But that was quite recently, about three hundred years ago.
The Tungus gave names to rivers, mountains and places most of all here, because there were more of them here than other peoples. There are many stories about the name of the village of Suvo, but the truest of them is this. Once upon a time, many Tungus lived near Lake Kotokel. They lived around the lake, fished, killed animals, and lived like this for years. The Tungus were very fertile in those years, because it was very cold, and they love the cold. When warming began, they began to die out, genus after genus completely disappeared from the earth. Warmth, after all, multiplies all kinds of infection, but before there was nothing to save ourselves from it.
At that time, when many Tungus were born, life around Kotokel became crowded, they began to little by little and slowly climb up the Barguzin. The Barguzin road is wide, there are a lot of tributaries near Barguzin, and the Tungus scattered along these tributaries. They are hardy people, they will soon get to know a place, the Tungus will never get lost in the taiga, they will get out of any wilderness straight to where they need to go. They have such an instinct, they know where things grow, they smell where animals are found, where they should go hunting, and where there is no need to break their legs in vain. Everyone here knows about their affairs, and for this reason the Tungus enjoys respect here.

One such Tungus clan walked for many days along the left bank of the Barguzin and saw a path that stretches along a tributary up the mountain. That taiga path led the Tungus to the mountains. The Tungus do not like the steppes and swamps, what should they do there; at that time they did not deal with livestock. At the very top of the mountain, the Tungus stopped, set up yurts and went to check where the path went next. Soon the Tungus returned and told their prince that the taiga path ends here not far from the mountain, and beyond lies the dense taiga, where, apparently, no man has gone before. The prince thought and said:
- Suvo.
This means the end of the road in Tunguska. All the Tungus who stood near the prince repeated at once: “Suvo, suvo, suvo.” Since then, who knows how many years have passed, but the name Suvo has stuck to this place. Even before the arrival of the Russians, all the Tungus said that the Suvo River and the place of Suvo were found and first inhabited by Prince Shoningo, who was famous among all people for his strength and courage. In memory of the Tungus, a Russian village grew up on the very spot where the prince and his Tungus once stood.
The village was founded more than two hundred years ago. Here is how it was. Two Cossacks, Misserkeev and Kozulin, escaped from the Verkhneudinsk fortress. The Cossack ataman did not like them; they refused to serve him or work for the tsar’s treasury. So they took it and left. How long did the Cossacks walk through the taiga, but they ended up on the Barguzin River, and here they met the Belovodsk Tungus. The Tungus advised the Russian Cossacks to settle in the Suvo area near the river itself. The river here then flowed rapidly, there were so many fish in it, you could even pick them up with your hands. Suvo Misserkeev and Kozulin liked the area, they became related to the Tungus and began to build here and raise children. The men lived their own lives, they didn’t bow to anyone here, they considered themselves masters.
The good news went around the world that Cossacks had settled far beyond Barguzin and were living happily. Rumors about them reached the Cossacks beyond the borders, and they flocked one after another to Suvo. The village began to grow day by day and expanded so quickly that the banks of the river were no longer enough; the men began to build along the slopes of the hills. The Suva grain fields turned green, herds of horses and herds of cows appeared. The people began to live where the taiga had just rustled and the wolves howled. This is the story of the Russian village of Suvo!

About the pedigree of the Barguzin Buryats
Our Barguzin Buryats live in great friendship with us. We speak Buryat, they speak Russian to us. Our ancestors knew well where the Buryats came from. It was given. All Barguzin residents talk about that old thing like that. Listen here.
From time immemorial, our great-grandfathers and grandfathers still told us that these places were inhabited long before the arrival of the Russians, when birch trees did not grow here, by Buryats. All our Buryats are from Lena, and now their relatives live there. Buryats Bukha Savonov, who lives right next to Ina, tells to this day: the sixteenth generation of Buryats was born from those ancestors who were the first to come to Barguzin. The Savonov family now has hundreds of generations. All the Buryats who live near Karolik, in Yasy, descended from the Bargut family. Their ancestors first lived on the Angara, then moved to the Lena, and from the Lena to the Upper Angara, then they came to Vitim, and from Vitim to Barguzin. That’s how it was before, the old people didn’t tell lies in vain.
I remember how my other good neighbor, Badma Dilgyrov, used to talk about his relatives, so he kept almost everyone in his mind until the tenth generation of his old people. Now there are few such storytellers left. Those who are more educated and have received a diploma probably read about the Buryat descendants in books. And we, old people, all rely on our old man’s memory.

Master of Olkhon
There is a scary cave on the island of Olkhon. It's called Shamanic. And it is scary because the ruler of the Mongols once lived there - Gegen-Burkhan, the brother of Erlen Khan, the ruler of the underground kingdom. Both brothers constantly terrified the inhabitants of the island with their cruelty. Even the shamans were afraid of the formidable rulers, especially Gegen-Burkhan himself. The islanders knew that if this heartless and merciless ruler got out into the world, then expect trouble: the blood of many innocents would certainly be shed. Many ordinary people suffered from him.
And at the same time and on the same island, on Mount Izhimei, lived the wise hermit Khan-guta-babai. He did not recognize the authority of Gegen-Burkhan, and he did not want to know himself; he never descended into his possessions. Many people had the opportunity to see how at night he lit a fire on the top of the mountain and roasted a lamb for dinner, but there was no way there - the mountain was considered impregnable. The formidable owner of Olkhon tried to subjugate the hermit sage, but retreated: no matter how much he sent soldiers there, the mountain did not let anyone in. Anyone who dared to climb this mountain fell down dead, because huge stones crashed down on the heads of uninvited guests with a roar. So everyone left Khan-guta-babai alone.
It so happened that Gegen-Burkhan executed the husband of one islander, a young herdsman, because, as it seemed to the ruler, he looked at him disrespectfully.
The young woman fell to the ground in grief, burst into burning tears, and then, inflamed with fierce hatred of Gegen-Burkhan, began to think about how to rid her native tribe of the cruel ruler. And she decided to go to the mountains and tell Khan-guta-babai about the severe suffering of the island’s inhabitants. Let him stand up for them and punish Gegen-Burkhan.
The young widow set off on her journey. And surprisingly, where the most dexterous warriors fell, she rose easily and freely. So she safely reached the top of Mount Izhimei, and not a single stone fell on her head. After listening to the brave, freedom-loving islander, Khan-guta-babai told her:
- Okay, I will help you and your tribe. Go back now and warn all the islanders about this.
The delighted girl descended from Mount Izhimei and did what the wise hermit told her to do.
And Khan-guta-babai himself, on one of the moonlit nights, landed on the land of Olkhon on a light white-foamed cloud. He pressed his ear to the ground and heard the groans of the innocent victims killed by Gegen-Burkhan.
“It is true that the land of Olkhon is completely saturated with the blood of the unfortunate,” Khan-guta-babai was indignant and made a promise, “Gegen-Burkhan will not be on the island.” But you must help me with this too. Let a handful of Olkhon land turn red when I need it!”
And in the morning I went to the Shaman’s cave. The angry ruler came out to meet the hermit sage and asked him in a hostile manner:
- Why did you come to me?
Khan-guta-babai calmly answered:
- I want you to leave the island.
Gegen-Burkhan boiled even more:
- This won’t happen! I'm the boss here! And I will deal with you.
“I’m not afraid of you,” said Khan-guta-babai. He looked around and added - There is power for you too!
Gegen-Burkhan also looked around and gasped: not far away stood a dense wall of frowning islanders.
“So you want to settle the matter with a battle?” cried Gegen-Burkhan.
“I didn’t say that,” Khan-guta-babai said calmly again. “Why shed blood?” Let's fight better, it will be peaceful!
- Let's!
Gegen-Burkhan fought with Khan-guta-Babai for a long time, but neither of them could achieve an advantage - both turned out to be real heroes, equal in strength. With that we parted ways. We agreed to settle the matter the next day by drawing lots. It was agreed that everyone would take a cup, fill it with earth, and at night, before going to bed, everyone would place their cup at their feet. And whoever’s land turns red overnight must leave the island and migrate to another place, and whoever’s land does not change color must remain in possession of the island.
The next evening, according to the agreement, they sat down side by side on the felt laid in the Shaman’s cave, placed a wooden cup at their feet, filled them with earth and immediately went to bed.
And then night came, and with it came the insidious underground shadows of Erlen Khan, for whose help his cruel brother firmly hoped. The shadows noticed that the earth was colored in Gegen-Burkhan's cup. Immediately they moved this cup to the feet of Khan-guta-babai, and his cup to the feet of Gegen-Burkhan. But the blood of the ruined turned out to be stronger than the shadows of Erlen Khan, and when a bright ray of the morning sun burst into the cave, the earth in Khan-guta-babai’s cup went out, and the earth in Gegen-Burkhan’s cup turned red. And at that moment they both woke up.
Gegen-Burkhan looked at his cup and sighed heavily:
“Well, you will own the island,” he said to Khan-gut-babai, “and I will have to migrate to another place.”
And he immediately gave orders to his Mongols to load property onto camels and dismantle the yurts. And in the evening Gegen-Burkhan ordered everyone to go to bed. And so at night, picked up by the powerful shadows of Erlen Khan, the Mongols with camels and all their property were quickly transported beyond Baikal. The next morning they woke up on the other side.
But many poor Mongols remained to live on the island. It was from them that the Olkhon Buryats, who inhabit this island today, descended.

Rock trunk
In distant, distant times, it was very warm on the shores of the Glorious Sea - Baikal. Large, unprecedented trees grew here and huge animals lived: giant rhinoceroses, saber-toothed tigers, cave bears and shaggy giants - mammoths. The lingering trumpet sounds of mammoths shook the mountains. Mammoths were considered the largest and most powerful among all animals on earth, but by nature they were modest and peace-loving.
And only one of the Baikal mammoths was distinguished by a tough temperament, exorbitant boasting and arrogance. He always walked alone, important and proud, and woe to those who crossed his path. He grabbed smaller animals with his long trunk and threw them into the bushes, and he picked up those that were larger with thick tusks and threw them to the ground. For fun, the boastful mammoth uprooted giant trees, turned out huge boulders and blocked the rivers running into Baikal.
More than once the leader of the mammoths tried to reason with the braggart:
“Come to your senses, obstinate one, do not offend weak animals, do not destroy trees in vain, do not muddy the rivers, otherwise you will suffer.” The arrogant listened to the speeches of the old mammoth, and he continued to do his own thing. And one day he completely lost his belt. “Why are you teaching me all the time!” he roared at the leader, “why are you scaring me! Yes, I’m the strongest here, and if you want, not only the rivers, I’ll throw stones at the whole of Baikal, like a puddle!”
The leader was horrified, and the rest of the mammoths waved their trunks at the braggart. Baikal also rushed in, washing the shore with a wave and burying an unkind smile in its gray mustache.
But the dispersed mammoth no longer saw anything. He ran up, stuck his tusks into the rock, lifted it to throw it far into the sea, and suddenly the rock became heavy, heavy. The tusks broke from the excessive weight and fell into the water along with the rock. Here the mammoth roared in grief, stretched out its long trunk to the water to get its tusks, and froze, petrified forever.
Since then, a huge rock has stood on the shore of Lake Baikal, hanging over the water like a trunk. And now people call it that - Khobot Rock.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO:
Team Nomads
http://ozerobaikal.info
Baikal // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
http://www.photosight.ru/
Galaziy G.I. Baikal in questions and answers. — 1989.
Grafov S.V., Kolotilo L.G., Potashko A.E. Location of Lake Baikal. Admiralty No. 1007. - St. Petersburg: GUNIO, 1993.
Grushko Ya. M. Around Baikal: A Guide / Prof. Y. M. Grushko. - Irkutsk: East Siberian Book Publishing House, 1967. - 252 p. — 1,500 copies. (in translation)
Gusev O.K., Ustinov S.K. Along northern Baikal and the Baikal region / Photo illustrations by O. Gusev, V. Lomakin, M. Mineev, L. Tyulina. - M.: Physical culture and sport, 1966. - 104 p. - (Across native expanses). — 17,000 copies.
Gusev O.K. Sacred Baikal. Reserved lands of Baikal. - M.: Agropromizdat, 1986. - 184 p.
Kozhov M. M. Biology of Lake Baikal / Responsible. ed. G. I. Galaziy. - M.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1962. - 316 p.
Pounded L.G. Baikal // Marine encyclopedic dictionary. - St. Petersburg: Shipbuilding, 1991. - T. 1. - P. 108.
Navigation and physical-geographical sketch of Lake Baikal / Ed. F. K. Drizhenko. - St. Petersburg: Publication of the Main Hydrographic Directorate, 1908. - 443 p.
Rossolimo L. L. Baikal. - M.: Nauka, 1966. - 170 p. — (Popular science series). — 20,000 copies. (region)
Taliev D.N. Baikal: Biological and geographical essay. - M.; Irkutsk: Ogiz, 1933. - 64 p.
Tivanenko A.V. Around Baikal. - Ulan-Ude: Buryat Book Publishing House, 1979.

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Lake Baikal and its drainage basin belong to the unique geosystems of the world. Baikal is located in the central part of Eastern Siberia, not far from the conventional geographical center of Asia. The mountain basin of the lake represents the most important natural boundary of Siberia. In this area, the boundaries of various floristic and faunal habitats converge, creating biogeocenoses that have no analogues.

Baikal is one of the greatest lakes on the planet, a lake of “superlatives”: the deepest (1637 m) and the oldest (about 25 million years old), containing the largest number of endemics (more than 1000 species) and representatives of flora and fauna (more than 2600 species ), living in fresh water bodies of the Earth. The lake has a unique reserve of fresh water in terms of volume (23.6 thousand cubic km) and quality (20% of the world). The Baikal depression is the central link of the Baikal rift zone, which arose and is developing simultaneously with the world rift system. A number of factors suggest that the lake is an emerging ocean. The climate of the Baikal coasts is unusually mild for Siberia - the number of sunny days here is higher than in many Black Sea resorts. 336 rivers flow into Baikal (Selenga, Barguzin, Upper Angara, etc.), and one flows out. Angara.

The entire basin of the lake (the total catchment area is 557 thousand sq. km, of which 332 are in Russia) is a unique and very fragile natural geosystem, the basis of which is the system of the lake itself with its natural process of formation of the purest waters of drinking quality.

Baikal is the greatest lake on the planet

Baikal is one of the greatest lakes on the globe, the largest freshwater lake in Russia. Its length is 636 kilometers, its water surface area is 31,500 square kilometers. Baikal is 1.7 times larger than Lake Ladoga, the largest in Europe. Among the freshwater lakes of the world, it ranks sixth. There are two larger African lakes - Victoria and Tanganyika - and three of the five Great American Lakes - Superior, Huron and Michigan.

Baikal is not only one of the largest lakes, but also the deepest lake on the planet. As has already been said, his most great depth 1637 meters.

The maximum depth of Tanganyika is 1435 meters, Issyk-Kul - 702. On Earth, only 8 lakes have a depth exceeding 500 meters (L. Rossolimo).

Tanganyika is a fresh body of water, but its water contains a high content of magnesium salts. The entire thickness of fresh water deeper than 800 meters can only be studied in Baikal.

The average depth of the lake is also very large - 730 meters. It exceeds the maximum depths of many very deep lakes. This is what determines the water reserves in Lake Baikal.

Baikal is the largest in terms of water resources freshwater lake Earth. Its volume is 23,600 cubic meters. kilometers, which is about 20% of the planet's fresh lake waters - much more than in all the fresh lakes in the world. The volume of the latter is estimated at 123 thousand cubic kilometers of water. Baikal has more water than all five Great American Lakes combined. The Baikal volume of water is almost twice as much as in Lake Tanganyika, 90 times more than in the Sea of ​​Azov, 23 times more than in Lake Ladoga. Based on the current need of people for water, equal to 500 liters per person per day, Baikal water can provide the entire population of the Earth for approximately 40 years (G.N. Galaziy, 1984).

Geological features of the structure of Lake Baikal

The most remarkable feature of Baikal is its antiquity. Considering the deep relict endemism of the lake’s fauna, most researchers estimate its age at 20-30 million years. The vast majority of lakes, especially those of glacial and oxbow origin, live for 10-15 thousand years, then fill with sediment, become covered with rafts and sooner or later turn into swamps and then dry up. Research recent years allowed geophysicists to hypothesize that Baikal, on the contrary, is an incipient ocean. This is confirmed by the fact that its shores diverge at a speed of up to 2 cm per year, just as the continents of Africa and South America, the shores of the Mediterranean and Red Seas, etc. Along with active movements of the earth's crust, significant magnetic anomalies along its axis were noted in the Baikal region. These anomalies are comparable in scale to similar anomalies in the Mid-Atlantic Rift region. The lake has many features inherent in the ocean - abyssal depths, a huge mass of water, internal waves and seiches, tides, strong storms, high waves, expansion of the basin due to the sliding of the shores, large magnitudes of magnetic anomalies, etc.

The lake lies in the Baikal depression - a bottomless stone bowl, surrounded on all sides by mountains. The depression is framed by the medium-high mountain ranges Primorsky and Baikalsky on the western side, Barguzinsky (with a maximum height of 2840 m) and Khamar-Daban on the eastern and southeastern sides. The depth of the depression is determined by the height of the mountains above it, the depth of the lake and the thickness of the loose sediment lining its bottom. The layer of these lake sediments in some places reaches 6,000 meters, and their volume is twice the volume of the lake and reaches 46,000 cubic kilometers. It is not difficult to calculate that the depth of the crystalline bed of Baikal reaches 8 - 9 kilometers.

The most deep point Baikal's bedrock lies approximately 7,000 meters below sea level. The Baikal depression is the deepest basin on earth's land. Its “roots” cut through the entire earth’s crust and go into the upper mantle to a depth of 50-60 kilometers.

Hydrology of Lake Baikal

Every year, Baikal produces about 60 cubic kilometers of excellent and unique quality water, which in some cases can be used instead of distilled water. The rare purity of the water is ensured by the vital activity of its unique flora and fauna. The main properties of Baikal water are characterized as follows: it contains very few dissolved and suspended minerals, negligible organic impurities, and a lot of oxygen. The total mineralization of water in Baikal is 120 milligrams per liter, while in many other lakes it reaches 400 or more milligrams per liter. The total content of ions in the lake water is 96.7 milligrams per liter.

Its transparency depends on the purity of the water. Baikal is not only extremely clean, but also the most transparent lake in the world. In the spring, after being freed from ice, the transparency of its water reaches 40 meters - tens of times more than in many other lakes. The standard of the highest transparency is the water of the Sargasso Sea, approaching the transparency of distilled water. Here the Secchi disk disappears from view at a record depth of 65 meters. Recent studies have shown that at depths of 250 - 1200 meters, the transparency of Baikal water is no less than in the Sargasso Sea.

Climatic characteristics

In terms of the number of hours of sunshine, Baikal is richer than the neighboring territories of Siberia and even some western and southern regions of the country - in the north of the Baikal depression (Nizhneangarsk) 1948 hours per year, in the south of the lake (Babushkin) and in the middle part (Khuzhir) 2100 and 2277, and on the Riga seaside, located at the same latitude - an average of 1839 hours per year, in Abastumani in the Caucasus - 1994. The average annual air temperature in the depressions of the lake is distributed as follows: in the southern basin -0.7 C, in the middle -1.6 C , in the north -3.6 C.

The water temperature in the surface layer varies from +14, +15 C (in August) to 0 C (in December-January). In coastal areas, during surges, the temperature can reach +16, +17 C, mainly under the eastern coast. In shallow bays and sora it rises in summer to +22, +23 C. On average, the freezing of Lake Baikal begins on December 21 and ends on January 16 - it takes about a month for complete freezing. From the beginning of the destruction of the ice cover in the southern basin, which occurs in April, to the complete cleansing of the entire reservoir in May-June, it also takes about a month or more. The most precipitation falls on the Khamar-Daban coast - about 800 mm/year or more, as well as in the mountains - from 1200 to 1400 mm; least of all - on the islands of Olkhon and Ushkany, on the Malomorsk coast of the lake and on the middle section of the western and eastern coasts. On average, precipitation falls here from 160 to 300 mm per year.

Flora and fauna

The exclusivity of many physical and geographical features of the lake was the reason for the extraordinary diversity of its flora and fauna. And in this regard, it has no equal among the fresh water bodies of the world. Almost half of all species of freshwater mollusks live in Baikal, as well as more than half of all species of oligochaetes, barnacles, etc. Of more than 2630 species and varieties (1550) of animals and plants (1085) found to date in the lake, almost 2 /3 are endemic, originated in it and are not found anywhere else in the world. Of the algae, the most numerous are diatoms - 509 species, tetrasporous and chlorococcal - 99, blue-green - 90, conjugates - 48, ulotrix - 45, golden - 28, volvox - 13 species, etc. Among the animals, the most common are amphipods (gammarids) - 255 species; shell crustaceans, or ostracods, - more than 100 species, gastropods - 83, oligochaetes - more than 100, planarians - about 50, harpacticids - 56, protozoans - more than 300. The lake is home to 52 species of fish belonging to 12 families: sturgeon, Acipenseridae, (1 species - Baikal sturgeon); salmonids, Salmonidae, (5 species - davatchan, taimen, lenok, Baikal omul, Coregonus autumnalis migratorius Georgy, whitefish); grayling, Thimallidae, (1 species - Siberian grayling); pike, Esocidae, (1 species); Cyprinidae, Ciprinidae, (13 species); loaches, Cobitidae, (2 species); catfish, Sibiridae, (1 species); codfish, Gadidae, (1 species); perciformes, Percidae, (1 species); sculpin gobies, Cottidae, (7 species); Abissocottidae, (20 species); golomyanka, Comephoridae, (2 species). 29 species - very diverse in body shape, color and lifestyle of sculpin gobies, or broadheads. Two species - viviparous fish, large and small golomyanka - are known to ichthyologists around the world.

The food pyramid of the lake ecosystem is crowned by a typical marine mammal - the seal, or Baikal seal, Pusa sibirica Gmel.

In Baikal there are 848 species of endemic animals - about 60% and 133 species of endemic plants - 15%. 11 families and subfamilies, 96 genera, uniting about 1000 species are completely endemic in Baikal. All this allows us to allocate the lake to the Baikal subregion of the Holarctic, equivalent in area to the enormous European-Siberian subregion.

Angara River

Angara is the “daughter of Baikal”, the only river flowing from the lake, its length is about 1860 km. Every year the Angara carries 60.9 cubic km of water from Baikal, and all its tributaries bring 58.75 cubic km per year. It is noteworthy that the Angara at the mouth, at the confluence with the Yenisei, brings 120 cubic km of water per year, and the Yenisei before the confluence of the Angara has a water flow of only about 100 cubic km. The source of the river is located at the level of Lake Baikal, i.e. at an altitude of 456 m above sea level, and the mouth is at an altitude of 76 m. The difference is 380 m, which is used by a cascade of hydroelectric power stations built on the Angara. The width of the Angara at the source is about 1 km, the depth varies in the range of 0.5 - 6 m, the flow speed along the fairway is 1-2 m/sec.

Baikal omul

The Baikal omul (Coregonus autumnalis migratorius Georgy) is an endemic fish that came to Baikal relatively recently (during the glacial or post-glacial period), presumably from the estuarine areas of rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean. The omul has adapted well to its new ecological niche, undergone significant changes and acquired the biological characteristics of the subspecies. There are four populations of omul in Baikal: Selenga, Chivyrkui, Severobaikalsk and Posolsk. The most numerous population is Selenga. It spawns mainly in Selenga and in a number of tributaries of the lake. Inhabits the southern basin of Lake Baikal and the southern part of the middle basin. The omul spawns in rivers from the end of August - beginning of September until the end of November. The number of spawning herds ranges from one and a half to two to six to eight million individuals.

The total biomass of all age groups of omul in Baikal is about 25 - 30 thousand tons. The lifespan of the omul is up to 20 - 25 years, it spawns up to 6 times during its life at the age of 5 - 6 to 14 - 15 years. The average size and weight of each population is different. Size 30 - 35 cm, weight from 300 to 600 g. The largest specimen found in the Selenga population weighed up to 5 kg and was about 50 cm long.

Baikal seal

The Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica Gmel.) is the only representative of mammals in the lake. According to the classification, the seal belongs to the family of true seals (Phocidae), genus Pusa. Researchers believe that the Baikal seal descended from a common ancestor with the ringed northern seal. It is believed that the seal penetrated from the Arctic Ocean along the Yenisei and Angara during the Ice Age, when the rivers were dammed by ice advancing from the north. In the mid-80s, there were about 70 thousand seals in Baikal. The maximum age of the Baikal seal (according to V.D. Pastukhov) is 56 years for females and 52 years for males. Childbearing age lasts from 4-7 to 40 years, pregnancy lasts 11 months. During her life, a female can give birth to more than 20 cubs. The average weight of seals in Baikal is about 50 kg, the maximum weight of males is 130-150 kg, length 1.7-1.8 m. Females are smaller in size - 1.3-1.6 m and up to 110 kg. (+ video fragment - Baikal seal on the ice of the lake, 5-10 sec) (Based on materials from O.K. Gusev and G.N. Galaziy)

The nature of anthropogenic impact in the lake basin. Baikal.

Based on materials from the TERKSOP of Lake Baikal and the “National Report of the USSR to the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development,” 4 main areas of detrimental anthropogenic impact on the ecosystems of the region are identified in the Lake Baikal basin.

1. The basin of the Selenga River in its lower reaches with 3 large industrial centers: Gusinoozerskaya State District Power Plant, Selenginsky Central Control Plant and Ulan-Ude. Ulan-Ude is the largest polluter of the Selenga, accounting for 53% of all wastewater discharged into the largest river in the Baikal basin. Above the city, the total concentration of impurities in the waters of the Selenga is 0.76 conventional units, below it increases to 62 conventional units. In 1988, the city's emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere amounted to 152.2 thousand tons, of which 58.2 thousand tons came from industrial enterprises, 94 thousand tons from vehicles.

In the same year, the Selenga Central Control Plant emitted 44.1 thousand tons of pollutants into the atmosphere. The plant discharged 11.9 thousand tons of mineral substances, 3.4 thousand tons of organic substances and 135 tons of suspended matter into the waters of the Selenga. Air emissions from the Gusinoozerskaya State District Power Plant exceeded 63 thousand tons/year.

2. The southern end of the lake, where the main polluter is the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill. In 1988, the plant's emissions into the atmosphere amounted to 30.4 thousand tons. harmful substances into the water of Baikal - 51.9 thousand tons of mineral substances, 4.7 thousand tons of organic substances and 532 tons of suspended substances. The maximum permissible concentrations (MPC) of petroleum products and phenols were exceeded 3-4 times, and the maximum permissible concentrations of sulfates and chlorides were exceeded. As a result of the plant's activities, a vast pollution zone was formed. The area of ​​bottom sediment contamination is 20 sq. km. Over the past 10 years, the number of benthic species of living organisms has decreased here from 27 to 10, and the biomass of zoobenthos has decreased by 3 times.

3. The valley of the Barguzin River in the middle and lower reaches. Here, the cut-down areas of the estimated logging area are significantly exceeded; 67% of the arable land is covered by erosion processes. Unregulated use of mineral fertilizers in this agricultural area may contribute to eutrophication of the lake.

4. Severobaikalsky area - a section of the coast between the cities of Severobaikalsk and Nizhneangarsk. The commissioning of the Baikal-Amur Railway significantly increased the anthropogenic load here. Atmospheric emissions of harmful substances in Severobaykalsk amounted to 15 thousand tons in 1988. The content of petroleum products in the water near Severobaikalsk is 3-5 MPC, the coli index is 238 tons. An additional source of pollution of Lake Baikal is the bank protection work carried out in this area.

The current influence of local anthropogenic sources in the lake basin is local in nature, but if we consider the characteristics of the atmosphere, it covers large parts of the lake, mainly its southern basin. This influence, in addition to local sources, is due to the transfer of air masses from the Irkutsk territorial complex, especially the Novo-Irkutsk Thermal Power Plant.

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- the greatest on our planet. It is inextricably linked with Russia and is one of its symbols. Located near the center of Asia, Lake Baikal is known far beyond the borders of this continent.

The Baikal basin was formed by tectonic processes: the lake lies in deep depression surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges. - the oldest lake on Earth. It is about 25 million years old. During all this time, the shores of Baikal have diverged at an average speed of 2 cm per year, and in the distant future Baikal may turn into a real ocean. Baikal is the deepest lake on Earth. Its maximum depth is 1620 meters. This allows Baikal to small area surface (31,500 km 2.) contain 20% of the world's fresh water reserves: 23 thousand km 3. All five Great Lakes contain about the same amount. North America taken together - Superior, Michigan, Erie, Ontario and Huron. In order to fill the empty basin of Lake Baikal, it would require the volume of water that all the rivers of the planet bring into the world ocean in 300 days. And the other “Great Giant,” the Amazon River, would have needed to feed Baikal for four years.

336 rivers flow into the lake, but the main role in the water balance of the lake is played by Selenga, introducing 50% of the annual water influx into the basin. At the same time, the lake gives life to only one river - Hangar, on which the dam of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station was built in 1959, increasing the water level in Lake Baikal by a meter. It is on the Angara, which is called the “daughter of Baikal,” that the largest reservoir on our planet, Bratsk, with a volume of 169.3 km 3, was created. The water in Baikal is dark blue and so clear that in June, when transparency reaches its maximum, depths of forty meters can be observed with the naked eye. It is curious that the water in the lake is fresher than the water of the rivers flowing into it, and its mineralization decreases with depth. Scientists have put forward a hypothesis about the existence of a permanent powerful super-fresh source at the bottom of Lake Baikal. So far it has not been proven or disproved.

Water exchange of Lake Baikal

Speaking about exceptional purity, we should mention one of its inhabitants, thanks to which the water from the lake can be safely drunk without any additional purification. This is a tiny crustacean epishura, which is one of the endemics of the lake (that is, it is not found anywhere except Baikal). It is this crustacean that repeatedly passes the waters of the lake through itself and purifies them. Epishura is not the only Baikal endemic. Two thirds of the lake’s flora and fauna live only in Baikal. The most famous are the Baikal seal, the Baikal omul, the Baikal seal, some species of gobies, as well as the viviparous fish golomyanka. In total, the lake is home to 2.6 thousand species and varieties of plants and animals.

Ecology of Lake Baikal

In the 20th century unique world The lake is faced with a problem that threatens the possibility of the continued existence of nature. In the early 60s of the XX century south coast Lake, construction of the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill (PPM) began. In this regard, a discussion immediately developed. Scientific expeditions were sent to the Baikal region, the purpose of which was to find out how the plant’s negative environmental activities affect the unique nature of the lake. Newspapers actively discussed the possibility of creating “clean” technologies for pulp and paper production. The problem was reflected even in art: in 1970, director S. A. Gerasimov made the film “ At a lake“, whose heroes are looking for a compromise between the need to create a plant and the desire to preserve Baikal. Despite harsh criticism, the pulp and paper mill was built and put into operation in 1966. Its wastewater, as well as the wastewater from the pulp and cardboard mill (CPM) on the Selenga River, contains large quantities of toxic phenols, chlorides, sulfates and suspended matter.

Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill

As a result, back in 1994, in the area of ​​the Baikal pulp and paper mill, the water pollution zone spread to 10 km 2, and the area of ​​the contaminated bottom area was 70 km 2. The Selenga River, which plays a vital role in the water balance of the lake, also brings runoff from the city of Ulan-Ude into its basin. An increased concentration of phenols was found in its waters, and the content of petroleum products exceeds the MPC (maximum permissible concentration) by 3 to 15 times. The forces of the lake are still coping with the misfortunes that have befallen, but Baikal’s resources are not unlimited, and if nothing is done, sooner or later they will run out. Then the life of the lake, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, will be in danger, and it is possible that, many years later, our descendants, coming out to the water surface

Lake Baikal - what is it like?

Map of Lake Baikal

In outline, Baikal resembles a narrow crescent, so easy to remember that even those who are not particularly good at geography can easily find it on a map of Russia. Stretching from southwest to northeast for as much as 636 kilometers, Baikal seems to squeeze between mountain ranges, and its water surface is located at an altitude of more than 450 meters above sea level, which gives every reason to consider it mountain lake. The Baikal and Primorsky ranges adjoin it from the west, and the Ulan-Burgasy, Khamar-Daban and Barguzin massifs from the east and southeast. And this entire natural landscape is so harmonious that it’s hard to imagine one without the other.

Also Oleg Kirillovich Gusev (1930-2012), Candidate of Biological Sciences, professional game specialist, editor-in-chief of the oldest magazine in Russia “Hunting and Hunting Management” and author of several books on conservation issues unique nature of this lake, wrote: “Baikal gives us great joy and great pleasure.” And he added: “It amazes with its monumental style and the beautiful, eternal and powerful that lies in its very nature,” emphasizing that the more you get closer to it, the more tempting it becomes, and the clearer you understand that Baikal is unique and enchantingly inimitable. Anyone who visits here at least once can be convinced of the veracity of these words.

Lake depth

The depth of the lake is truly impressive - 1637 meters. In this indicator, Baikal surpasses such largest reservoirs as Tanganyika (1470 m), Caspian Sea (1025 m), San Martin (836 m), Nyasa (706 m), Issyk-Kul (702 m) and Great Slave Lake (614 m). m). The rest of the deepest lakes in the world, twenty-two in total, have a depth of less than 600 meters. And the climatic conditions on Baikal, as they say, match its unique features: here the sun mercilessly scorches and cold winds blow, or storms rage and the quietest weather sets in, conducive to beach holidays.

Features and mysteries of Baikal

The length of the coastline of the Siberian “crescent” is 2100 km, there are 27 islands on it, the largest of which is Olkhon. The lake is located in a kind of basin, which, as mentioned above, is surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. This gives reason to assume that the shoreline of the reservoir is the same throughout. In fact, only the western coast of Lake Baikal is rocky and steep. The relief of the east is more flat: in some places Mountain peaks are located 10 kilometers or more from the coast.

Lake Baikal water

Clear water of Lake Baikal

23,615.39 km³ - this fantastic figure measures the reserves of Baikal water. According to this indicator, the lake is second only to the Caspian Sea. Considering that in the latter it is salty, it is Baikal that occupies the first place in the world ranking in terms of fresh water reserves, that is, suitable for drinking. In addition, it is extremely transparent, and all thanks to a very small amount of suspended and dissolved minerals, not to mention organic impurities - there are generally negligible amounts of them. At a depth of 35-40 meters, you can even distinguish individual stones, especially in spring, when the water turns blue. It is also distinguished by its huge reserves of oxygen. It is not for nothing that Baikal, for its combination of such unique properties and qualities, is called the national treasure of Russia.

The water in Baikal is very clean. Previously, you could drink it straight from the lake and not even boil it. But now crowds of tourists have flocked to Baikal, who still pollute this area, so now, before drinking Baikal water, you should ask the local residents where you can do this.

Ice of Baikal

The freeze-up period on the lake lasts on average from early January to early May. During this period it freezes almost completely. The only exception is a small 15-20 km section located at the source of the Angara. At the end of winter, the thickness of the ice can reach 1 meter, and in the bays it is even more – one and a half to two meters. During severe frosts, huge cracks form on the ice, which are called “stagnant cracks.” They are so impressive that they can reach from 10 to 30 km in length. The width, however, is small: only 2-3 m. Such “cracks” literally tear the ice blanket into separate fields. If it were not for the cracks, the formation of which is accompanied by a loud sound, like a cannon shot, then the lake fish would die en masse from lack of oxygen.

The ice of Lake Baikal also has a number of other features that are unique to it, and truly mysterious, which scientists have never been able to explain. Back in the middle of the last century, specialists from the local limnological station discovered the so-called “hills” - hollow ice hills in the shape of a cone, reaching a height of 5-6 meters. Being “open” in the direction opposite to the shore, they even somewhat resemble tents. Sometimes there are “single hills”, that is, located separately from each other. In some cases, they are grouped, forming “mountain ranges” in miniature.

Ice of Lake Baikal

Dark rings on the lake

Another mystery is the dark rings, the diameter of which is 5-7 km (and the width of the lake itself is 80 km). They have nothing in common with the “Saturn belt”, although they were also discovered through space photography. Satellite photographs of amazing formations, taken back in 2009 in different parts of Lake Baikal, went around the entire Internet. Scientists have been scratching their heads for a long time: what could it be? And they came to the conclusion that the rings arise due to the rise of deep waters and an increase in the temperature of the upper layer in the center of the ring structure. And as a result, a clockwise flow occurs, reaching maximum speeds in certain zones. As a result, vertical water exchange increases, provoking the destruction of the ice cover at an accelerated rate.

Bottom of Baikal

It is impossible not to say about the bottom of the amazing reservoir. It also differs from others, and above all in that it has a very pronounced relief - there are even underwater mountain ranges. The three main basins of the lake - northern, southern and middle, separated by the Academic and Selenginsky ridges - are distinguished by a pronounced bed. The first ridge (its maximum height above the bottom is 1848 meters) is especially expressive: it stretches for as much as 100 km from Olkhon Island to the Ushkany Islands.

Bottom of Lake Baikal

Earthquakes

Another feature of these places is high seismic activity. Oscillations of the earth's crust occur regularly here, but the strength of most earthquakes does not exceed one or two points. But there have been powerful ones in the past. For example, in 1862, when a ten-point “shake” led to the sinking of an entire section of land in the northern part of the Selenga delta, one of the many tributaries of Lake Baikal. Its area was 200 km, about 1,500 people lived on this territory. Later, a bay was formed here, which is called Proval. Strong earthquakes also occurred in 1903, 1950, 1957 and 1959. The epicenter of the latter, magnitude 9, was at the bottom of the lake in the area of ​​the rural settlement of Sukhaya. The tremors were then also felt in Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude - about 5-6 points. In our time, the region shook in 2008 and 2010: the strength of the tremors was 9 and 6.1 points, respectively.

Origin of Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal still hides the secret of its origin. Researchers often argue about its age, coming to the conclusion that it is at least 25-35 million years old. The indicator is impressive, especially considering that the life cycle of most lakes, primarily those of glacial origin, does not exceed 10-15 thousand years. After this period, they either become swamped or filled with silty sediments. Nothing like this has happened and is not happening with Baikal. And, according to scientists, it is unlikely to happen in the future. The lack of signs of aging is explained by the fact that the lake is... an emerging ocean. The hypothesis did not arise out of the blue: as it turned out, its banks move away from each other by 2 cm every year.

Flora and fauna

An interesting fact: the purity of Baikal water - by the way, very cold (the temperature of the surface layers even in the warm season does not exceed + 8-9 ° C on average) - is maintained by the microscopic crustacean epishura, one of the most famous local endemics. During its life, this 1.5-mm crustacean consumes organic matter (algae), passing water through its small body. The role of epishura in the lake’s ecosystem can hardly be overestimated: it forms 90 percent or more of its biomass, serving in turn as food for the Baikal omul and predatory invertebrates. Oligochaetes or oligochaete worms, 84.5 percent of which are endemic, also play a significant role in the self-purification processes of Baikal.

Of the 2,600 species and subspecies of the local fauna, more than half of the aquatic animals are endemic, that is, living exclusively in this lake. Other fish include grayling, Baikal sturgeon, whitefish, taimen, pike, burbot and others. Of particular interest is the golomyanka, which from a human point of view “suffers” from obesity: its body contains about 30% fat. She loves to eat so much that in search of food every day she makes a “journey” from the depths to shallow water, which surprises researchers a lot. This underwater resident is also unique in that it is a viviparous fish. Distant “neighbors” of golomyankas include freshwater sponges that grow at great depths. Their presence here is an exclusive phenomenon: they are not found in any other lake.

If the biosphere of the lake is imagined in the form of a pyramid, then it will be crowned by the Baikal seal or seal, which is the only mammal in this reservoir. Almost all the time he lives in water. The only exception is autumn, when seals lie en masse on rocky shores, forming a kind of “settlement”. The coast and islands are also inhabited by many other inhabitants of Lake Baikal, for example, seagulls, goldeneyes, razorbills, mergansers, white-tailed eagles and other birds. Characteristic of these places is the phenomenon of brown bears coming onto the shores in large numbers. And in the mountainous Baikal taiga you can find musk deer - the smallest deer on Earth.

Sights of Baikal

Lake Baikal is so majestic that it is often called the Siberian Sea. In 1996 it was included in the UNESCO list of sites World Heritage. But not only due to the unique ecosystem that requires careful treatment - there are also many historical and architectural attractions concentrated here, not to mention natural and cultural monuments.

One of them is a protected rock called the Shaman Stone, located near the lake, at the source of the Angara. It can be seen in the middle of the river, between capes Rogatka and Ustyansky. If you focus on the Port-Baikal ferry line, the rock will be 800 meters lower. Since ancient times, the Shaman Stone was endowed by the inhabitants of the Angara region with unusual powers; they prayed near it and performed various shamanic rituals.

Between the mainland and the Holy Nose Peninsula is located perhaps the most famous bay on Lake Baikal - Chivyrkuisky. Its area is approximately 300 km², it is the second largest on the lake, and is also shallow (depth about 10 m). Thanks to the latter circumstance, the water in the bay warms up well, on average up to +24 degrees. On the southwestern coast there are settlements such as Kurbulik, Katun and Monakhovo. The main wealth of the bay is its fish resources. Here you can find pike, perch, and sorog, the weight of which can reach tens of kilograms. However, fishing on an industrial scale is prohibited - only amateur fishing. Chivyrkuisky Bay is also famous for its thermal spring, one of the hottest: the temperature of the water used to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system ranges from 38.5-45.5 °C. The source is located in Zmeinaya Bay, on the western side.

On the north-eastern coast of Lake Baikal there is a tract belonging to the natural-geographical region of Podlemorye. It is called Frolikha and includes the river of the same name, which flows into the Baikal Bay of Frolikha and flows out of the lake of the same name. In the river valley - its bed, by the way, is crossed by the famous a tourist route 95 km long - the Frolikhinsky reserve is located. Together with the Transbaikal National Park and the Barguzinsky Nature Reserve, it is subordinate to the federal budgetary government agency"Reserved Podlemorye".

Other attractions:

• Northern Baikal is the last area on the great lake, the nature of which, due to its remoteness and lack of highways retains its originality,
• Barguzin Bay is the largest and deepest on Lake Baikal,
• Ushkany Islands are a small archipelago with rocky shores in the Barguzin region of Buryatia,
• Peschanaya Bay, known for its unique picturesqueness,
• Cape Ryty is the northernmost point of the coast, where there are vast pastures, and one of the most anomalous places,
• Cape Ludar, located near the old village of Zabaikalskoye,
• Chersky peak - from its slopes the Slyudanka and Bezymyannaya rivers begin, flowing into Baikal,
• The Circum-Baikal Railway, which has historical significance.

Holidays on Baikal

It was along the Circum-Baikal Railway in the 80s of the 20th century that the Bureau of International Youth Tourism “Sputnik” (Irkutsk) developed the first ecological tour. Since that time, ecotourism on Lake Baikal has been actively developing, despite the fact that tourism infrastructure It is not well developed here and there are some transport difficulties. There are also problems associated with environmental pollution from emissions from the Baikal pulp and paper mill. But all of them are to some extent compensated for by activities to create and equip excursion trails, regularly carried out by tourism organizations in the region.

The most favorable time for relaxing on the lake is from May to October. You can swim in July and August, since these months are the hottest - the air warms up to +30° C, the shallow waters - up to +25° C. A vacation on Lake Baikal will satisfy the needs of even the most demanding tourists. Beach holiday, bicycle and car excursions, hiking along the coast, rafting on catamarans and kayaks, quad biking and even helicopter excursions - this is not a complete list of what travel agencies offer their clients. Climbing coastal cliffs and descending into caves are popular.

Fishing

Fishing should be mentioned separately. Many amateurs fish from the rocks adjacent to the lake. The most passionate fishermen prefer to settle in specialized bases, of which there are many here, and which differ in different levels of comfort. They go fishing on rented vessels. The most popular places for fishing on Lake Baikal are the already mentioned Chivyrkuisky Bay, Mukhor Bay, shallow bays of the Small Sea and, of course, the rivers flowing into it. The largest of them (besides Selenga) are Upper Angara, Snezhnaya, Barguzin, Kichera, Turka, Buguldeika and Goloustnaya. And only one river flows out of the lake - the Angara.

Fishing on Baikal

Fishing, only ice fishing, also finds its fans in the winter season, which here lasts from late December to mid-May. Fans of the “second Russian hunt” are helped by professional instructors: without them, it is difficult for inexperienced fishermen to make the right hole in the unusually transparent ice. They willingly share secrets on how to organize comfortable stay in conditions of 40-degree frosts, which are not uncommon for Lake Baikal. And those who don’t want to test their health in extreme cold, go underwater fishing in March and April. At this time, the ice is still strong, and the air temperature begins to reach positive levels.

Winter sports

Among the winter activities, tourists are also offered dog sledding (the routes vary in complexity and length), snowmobiling (excursion programs are also different and depend on the level of preparedness of the riders), horseback riding alpine skiing, sleds and snowboards (you can rent ski equipment at numerous rental shops on the coast). In winter, as well as in summer, helicopter excursions are held in high esteem among vacationers, giving unforgettable experiences for a lifetime.

Children and youth tourism

Children's tourism is also quite developed on Lake Baikal, involving holidays in summer camps. We will immediately please parents: your children will not be bored here. Staying in a children's institution involves a rich excursion and creative program, including the holding of sanatorium and health-improving events at specialized bases. One of the most convenient places On Lake Baikal, Mandarkhan Bay is ideal for families with small children. It’s as if it was specially created by nature for this very purpose: it’s very shallow, and in the summer the water here is perhaps the warmest and children don’t risk catching a cold.

Young people are not left behind either. For her, the interregional public organization "Great Baikal Trail", created in 2003, implements various international programs taking into account the specifics and needs of people under 30. For example, the arrangement and reconstruction of ecological trails, holding educational lectures on the topic of nature conservation. Schoolchildren are also actively involved as listeners of the latter.

Video: The underwater world of Lake Baikal

Hotels and recreation centers on Lake Baikal

Many tourists come to relax on Lake Baikal, as they say, as savages, traveling in their own cars. They choose a place they like on the coast and stop there, spending the night in tents. There are very few campsites on the lake specially equipped for car travelers. Having planned to stay at such a site, you should take into account that in this place there may not be wood for a fire and basic amenities (for example, a toilet). Therefore, think in advance about how you will “survive”.

Those who prefer to travel in comfort, even minimal, will be spared such experiences. At their service are many hotels, recreation centers and guest houses scattered along the entire coast of Baikal. Moreover, each tourist will be able to find the most suitable accommodation option for him - taking into account, of course, individual preferences and financial capabilities. We have to disappoint the bohemian public: there are no five-star hotels with the highest level of service here. She, like “mere mortals,” will have to be content with ordinary rooms with all amenities. Another note: some recreation centers accept vacationers only in the summer.

Tourists traveling independently run the risk of running into unscrupulous intermediaries when booking a hotel room or recreation center. To prevent this from happening, reserve a hotel room only through proven and reliable services, which will not only save you from scammers, but will also allow you to rent a room at the lowest cost, without unnecessary markups. We recommend Booking.com, one of the first and most popular online hotel booking systems.

How to get there

You can get to Baikal in various ways. The starting point, as a rule, is the nearby large cities: Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Severobaikalsk. Tourists first come to one of these settlements and already there they plan in detail their further route. The trip on the section of the Trans-Siberian Railway between Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk is especially memorable: the lake stretches right outside the train windows and you can admire its magical panorama for hours.

One of the most popular tourism destinations on the Siberian Sea is the village of Listvyanka, located at the source of the Angara River, 65 km from Irkutsk. You can get here from the regional center by bus or boat, the journey time is just over an hour. All routes start in Irkutsk water transport, plying not only along Lake Baikal, but also on the Angara.

They say that this is an untouchable supply of fresh water for all humanity, in addition, it is a very mysterious and enigmatic place of power. Further about the features, miracles and what is famous for the deepest lake on the planet, Baikal.

Baikal is located in the center of the Eurasian continent, surrounded by mountain ranges: Khamar-Daban, Baikalsky, Primorsky and Barguzinsky. This is the deepest and oldest lake in the world, the age of which, according to scientists, is from 20 to 30 million years.

This fact also speaks of the uniqueness of Baikal, since lakes, especially those of glacial origin, live no more than 10-15 thousand years, and then become swamped, overgrown with silt. But Lake Baikal is not going to grow old. Moreover, researchers discovered that the shores of Lake Baikal continue to diverge by 2 cm per year. Geophysicists consider Baikal to be an incipient ocean.

The lake stretches 636 km in length and 80 km in width. The maximum depth of Baikal is 1637 m. The clean, transparent water of Baikal contains a lot of oxygen and few minerals, which makes it close in composition to distilled water. This is largely due to the epishur crustacean - plankton, which is found only in the waters of Lake Baikal and cleanses them. In spring, water transparency can reach up to 40 meters deep.

Baikal is a natural repository of 20% of the world's and 90% of Russia's fresh water reserves. It is fed by 336 rivers and streams, the largest of which is the Selenga River. The only river flowing from Baikal is the Angara.

Depth of Lake Baikal, the deepest on the planet

Lake Baikal is called a “biodiversity laboratory”. It is home to almost 3 thousand species of animals and plants, many of which are found nowhere else. Only here lives the Baikal seal - the only mammal inhabiting the lake.

Birds nest along the entire coast: gulls, goldeneyes, scoters, burnt eagles, white-tailed eagles. In addition, at the end of May you can observe a massive emergence of brown bears who love to feast on river fish.

Baikal is simply a godsend for fishing lovers. The waters of Lake Baikal are home to salmon (whitefish, taimen, lenok), as well as sturgeon, perch, catfish, cod and other fish families.

Baikal – Tourism
You can go on a tour of Lake Baikal through Irkutsk, Severobaikalsk or Ulan-Ude. 70 km. from Irkutsk there is the village of Listvyanka, where many excursions and cruises around Lake Baikal begin.
The main tourist route passes through the village of Bolshie Koty, the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, Olkhon Island and Peschanaya Bay. Rich in healing springs and picturesque views, Chivyrkuisky Bay is one of the most beautiful on Lake Baikal. It is also worth visiting the Shaman-stone Rock, Ushkany Islands, Cape Shamanka Rock on Olkhon Island, Capes Ludar and Ryty, Chersky Peak, Frolikha tract.

Lake Baikal is fraught with many secrets and mysteries, which have given rise to many myths and legends, however, they have completely scientific explanations.

What is the origin of the cleanest Lake Baikal?

Funnel

Not only mirages occur near Olkhon Island, but also an eerie funnel that forms spontaneously regardless of meteorological conditions. To see it, you need to move in a south-eastern direction from the island; about 30 kilometers from it there is a place called the Devil's Funnel. A couple of times a year, it is here that, when there is complete calm, the elements begin to rage, forming a rotating column of water.
Scientists offer several versions of the causes of the phenomenon. One of them is based on the assumption of local dips in the bottom of Lake Baikal with the formation of cavities that quickly fill with water, which leads to the formation of a whirlpool on the surface.

According to another theory, it is at the point where the funnel is formed that a collision of two local countercurrents occurs. The directions and strength of these currents depend on the time of year and weather, so that under certain conditions the water flows move strictly towards each other. This interaction of countercurrents can indeed lead to very powerful whirlpools.

Lake Baikal- the deepest lake. Depth of Baikal about 1700 meters. In the world only one lake can be compared in depth with Lake Baikal. This lake Tanganyika in East Africa. Its depth is about 1400 meters. Depth of Lake Baikal comparable to the depth of the Arctic Ocean, whose average depth is 1220 meters.

Baikal - the most big lake in Asia. Water surface area Lake Baikal more than 30 thousand square kilometers.

Lake Baikal water- its main value. Lake Baikal – the most large fresh water storage facility in the world. Baikal contains approximately one-fifth of the world's reserves.

Deepest Bay Lake Baikal- Barguzinsky. The depth of the Barguzinsky Bay is almost 1300 meters.

The largest bay Lake Baikal- Barguzinsky. The area of ​​the bay is 725 square kilometers.

The youngest bay of Baikal– Proval Bay. Proval Bay was formed after a powerful earthquake in 1862. A part of the Selenga delta with an area of ​​about 200 square kilometers went under water. This earthquake also caused the formation the youngest cape of Baikal- Cape Oblom.

Biggest island Lake Baikal- Olkhon. The island is located in the middle part Baikal and divides lake to the Big and Small Seas. The length of the island is 71 kilometers, the width reaches 12 kilometers.

At Cape Kotelnikovsky there are the hottest springs of Lake Baikal. Water temperature in mineral springs Cape Kotelnikovsky plus 81 degrees Celsius.

Basin of Lake Baikal – deepest continental depression. Bottom of Lake Baikal lies below sea level approximately 1200 meters.

Biggest influx Lake Baikal- Selenga River. The Selenga has a length of about 1000 kilometers. About half of all water that flows into lake, it is Selenga that brings.

The largest peninsula Lake Baikal- Holy Nose. The peninsula measures about 50 kilometers long and about 20 kilometers wide.

Depth of Lake Baikal

Origin of the lake basin of Lake Baikal

Baikal basin consists of three rather separate parts. The middle basin is the deepest. It is here that eastern shore Olkhon Islands depth of Lake Baikal reaches almost 1700 meters. Depth southern basin Lake Baikal approximately 1432 meters. Largest measured depth northern part Lake Baikal 890 meters. Average lake depth is also very large - more than 700 meters. The biggest depth Small Sea - near the northwestern coast of Olkhon Island. It is approximately 250 meters. The smallest depth in the open Baikal- about 30 meters. Northern and middle basins Lake Baikal divides the underwater Academic Ridge. Lake depth in these places it is about 260 meters. Between the middle and southern basins Lake Baikal The Selenginskaya jumper is located. The smallest depth here 360 ​​meters.

Where is Baikal?

Baikal is located in the middle of Asia in the south of Eastern Siberia between the Republic of Buryatia and Irkutsk region Russian Federation. Close to lakes The cities of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude are located.

Length, extent, width of Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is a fracture in the earth's crust filled with water. Water in lake carry several hundred large and small streams. Lake Baikal stretches from south to northeast: length or length of Baikal about 640 kilometers. Greatest width of Baikal 80 kilometers. Small earthquakes constantly occur in the vicinity of the lake. Large ones happen occasionally. Shores Baikal moving away from each other at a rate of 2 centimeters per year – Baikal growing!

Lake Baikal is located in Eastern Siberia, namely in the southern part of its territories. Baikal is the deepest lake on the planet, the largest natural reserve of fresh water. The lake itself and the surrounding areas are famous for the diversity of their animals and flora. The largest part of their species is found only in these territories.

The local population calls this lake the sea due to its colossal size. Lake Baikal has the shape of a crescent and extends from its southern borders to its northern borders for about 640 km. The width of the waters in some places reaches 80 km, their area is equal to the territories of small countries, for example, Belgium or the Netherlands.

Lake Baikal ranks 6th in area among the largest lakes in the world. As mentioned above, Baikal is considered the deepest lake on the planet, because its maximum depth reaches more than 1.5 km. If we talk about the average depth of this lake, it is also very large and equal to just over 700 meters. All these features together allow us to judge the fresh water reserves of Baikal as 20% of all fresh water reserves in the world. The uniquely pure and clear water of this lake contains very few mineral salts and is therefore an excellent alternative to distilled water.

More than three hundred different streams and rivers flow into Baikal and only one river flows out of it - the Angara. In the waters of the lake there are 22 islands, of which Olkhon is the largest. The inhabitants of Baikal waters are almost 3,000 different species of animals and plants, and two thirds of them live only in this lake and are not found anywhere else. The giant freshwater reservoir is surrounded on all sides by hills and mountain ranges. On the western part, the coast of Baikal is more rocky, in contrast to the eastern part of the coast, where it is more flat.

In summer, the temperature of the upper water layers of the lake is only up to 9 degrees, in individual bays it rises to 15 degrees. Towards the end of winter, the ice on Lake Baikal reaches a thickness of 1 meter. During particularly severe frosts, the ice is torn by huge cracks into separate sections reaching a length of 30 km. This happens every year and is approximately repeated in the same places in the lake. The explosion is accompanied by a deafening crash, similar to thunder. These cracks prevent the fish living in Baikal from dying, since thanks to the cracks, oxygen enters the water column in winter.

Lake Baikal and its surroundings are full of wonderful natural monuments and historical and archaeological sites.
These include Cape Burkhan on Olkhon Island, the Shaman Stone rock, Peschanaya Bay and the Circum-Baikal Railway, as well as many others. When you travel by train along the Trans-Siberian Railway, between the cities of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude, a stunning view of Lake Baikal opens up, which you can admire for hours.

The uniqueness of Lake Baikal is known to many, but not many understand how much attention should be paid to it. The point is that this lake may be much more amazing than is commonly believed. This idea is supported by very reliable and simply fantastic information.
Lake Baikal is located in the south of Eastern Siberia. This is the deepest lake in the world, with unique features, and the largest fresh water reservoir on the planet. It has no equal in the world in terms of age, depth, reserves and properties of fresh water, diversity and endemism of organic life.

Since ancient times it has been called the sacred sea, glorious, gray and formidable. Among the many epithets we can highlight the following: “world source of drinking water”, “blue eye of Siberia”, “oasis” virgin nature Earth”, “sacral center of North Asia”, “God-made creation”, “sacred gift of nature”, “natural monument with unique landscapes”, “ priceless treasure genetic wealth of the Earth”, “a miracle of limnology, a center of unique natural values”.

Wonderful guides at the Baikal Museum in Listvyanka will tell you in a fascinating and accessible way about Lake Baikal, its flora, fauna, as well as its geological structure and natural landscapes.

Let's start with the simplest knowledge that everyone should know. They themselves are no less interesting than all the incredible events that regularly occur in this place. Moreover, in contrast to unknown phenomena in the lake, the descriptive data known about it have been precisely proven and are therefore of even greater interest than everything else.

Mysteries begin from the very name of the lake. No one can definitely answer the question of where this word came from. And this is not a joke, but a completely serious question. Many scientific works and even books were dedicated to him. But no one was able to suggest any categorical evidence for at least one theory.
In the distant past, the peoples inhabiting the shores of Baikal each called the lake in their own way. The Chinese in ancient chronicles called it “Tengis”, “Tengis-dalai”, the Buryat-Mongols called it “Baigaal-dalai” - “big reservoir”.
The most common version is that “Baikal” is a Turkic word, coming from “bai” - rich, “kul” - lake, which means “rich lake”.
The first Russian explorers of Siberia used the Evenki name “Lama”. After Kurbat Ivanov’s detachment reached the shore of the lake, the Russians switched to the Buryat name “Baigaal”. At the same time, they linguistically adapted it to their language, replacing the characteristic “g” for the Buryats with the more familiar “k” for the Russian language - Baikal.

HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF LAKE BAIKAL

The lake has been known to local peoples since ancient times. However, information about him reached Europe quite late. The first mentions in chronicles date back only to the 2nd century. A complete description of the lake was made only in 1773 by Alexei Pushkarev.
In 1643, there are documentary references to Kurbat Ivanov, who went to “reconnaissance” Baikal. As a result of Kurbat Ivanov’s campaign to Baikal in 1643, the Buryats of the Baikal coast and the population from Olkhon Island began to belong to the Russian state.
After Kurbat Ivanov, Ataman Vasily Kolesnikov went to Baikal with an expedition in 1646. His detachment explored the eastern coast of Lake Baikal and the Barguzin River. In 1647, Ivan Pokhabov sailed along the southern part of the lake. He followed the Angara River to Lake Baikal. Brief information about the southern part of Baikal is in the letter “to the Yenisei governor Afanasy Pashkov, son of the boyar Pyotr Beketov (June 1653) about his voyage along Baikal and along the Selenga and Khilka rivers.”
The tsarist government in those days was very interested in information about distances, about the peoples of the Baikal coast, about silver ore and furs.
The authorities needed information about the riches of subsoil and water, about the possibility of developing agriculture.
Archpriest Avvakum, a representative of the Old Believers, exiled to Siberia, spoke about his impressions of the “Siberian Sea” in 1656 in his book “The Life of Archpriest Avvakum.”
At the beginning of the 18th century, on the instructions of Peter I, exploration of Eastern Siberia, especially the Baikal region, began, led by Messerschmidt.
The expeditions and research of the first travelers, with the goal of developing the richest territory of the Baikal region, marked the beginning of the future study of the region.

AGE

Baikal is one of the oldest lakes on the planet. The lake was formed about 20-30 million years ago during tectonic processes in the earth’s crust, which, by the way, are still ongoing and increase the width of the lake up to a centimeter per year, which is quite a lot on a historical scale; over millions of years the lake can become a sea. If the stated age of Baikal is correct, then it is the oldest on Earth.
Most lakes, especially those of glacial and oxbow origin, live for 10-15 thousand years, and then fill with sediment and disappear from the face of the Earth. There are no signs of aging on Baikal, like many lakes in the world. On the contrary, research in recent years has allowed geophysicists to hypothesize that Baikal is an emerging ocean. This is confirmed by the fact that its shores diverge at a rate of up to 2 cm per year, just as the continents of Africa and South America diverge.

DEPTH OF BAIKAL

The lake stretches for 636 km and has a width of up to 81 km. The length of the coastline is 1850 km, and the water surface area is about 31 thousand square meters. km (second Belgium). 336 rivers flow into it, and only the Angara flows out. But a completely different characteristic is unique - the depth, which is 1637-1642 m.
This is the deepest lake in the world. Baikal is 200 m ahead of the second deepest lake, African Tanganyika.
& On Earth, only 6 lakes have a depth of more than 500 m. The depression of Lake Baikal morphologically represents three independent basins - Southern with the greatest depth of 1430 m, Middle (1642 m) and Northern (920 m). The Baikal depression is asymmetrical. Its western side is distinguished by a steep underwater slope (40-50 (steepness), while the eastern side is more gentle.

With a huge area and an average depth of more than 700 m, the lake holds an incredible volume of water - 23 thousand cubic meters. km.
Baikal is the largest reservoir of fresh water on the planet, which exceeds the volume of water contained in the five Great Lakes of North America - Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario combined, or 2 times more than in Lake Tanganyika. About 20% of the world's reserves of fresh lake water on the planet are concentrated in the Baikal basin (excluding glaciers, snowfields and ice, where the water is in a solid state) and 90% of all Russian fresh water.
No other place in the world has such quantities of drinking liquid.

SEISMICITY

The Baikal region has high seismicity - it is one of the most seismically active inland areas of the planet. Strong earthquakes occur with a frequency of 7 points - 1-2 years, 8 points - 5 years. In 1862, during a ten-magnitude earthquake in the northern part of the Selenga delta, a section of land with an area of ​​200 km2 with 6 uluses, in which 1,300 people lived, went under water, and a new Gulf of Proval was formed. Weak earthquakes with a magnitude of 1-2 are recorded in the waters of Lake Baikal every day. Every year their number reaches 2 thousand or more. Scientists call Baikal “the ancient crown of Asia.”

WATER OF BAIKAL

Baikal is the cleanest natural reservoir of fresh drinking water on Earth.

The lake contains chemically pure and oxygen-rich water, the water of no other lake can compare with it. Moreover, the water is so slightly mineralized that its properties are very close to distilled water. You can drink it without fear of anything. Moreover, it is much better than most of the quality source waters sold in bottles. Previously, Baikal water was even used for treatment.

The rare purity and exceptional properties of Baikal water are due to the vital activity of the animal and plant world of the lake. Over the course of a year, an armada of crustaceans (epishura) is capable of clearing the top 50-meter layer of water three times. Baikal water contains very few dissolved and suspended minerals, negligible organic impurities, and a lot of oxygen. Excess oxygen is promoted by active vertical water exchange in the periods before freezing and after ice-freezing. The mineralization of the lake's waters is 96.4 mg per liter, while in many other lakes it reaches 400 or more milligrams per liter. Low mineralized Baikal water is ideal for the human body. Analyzes carried out at the University of South Carolina (USA), at the Fresenchus Institute (Germany, 1995), as well as in world-renowned laboratory centers in Japan and Korea, confirm that Baikal water has high quality indicators. According to the conclusion of the All-Russian Scientific Center for Medical Sciences of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, natural drinking water from Lake Baikal is recommended for normalizing water-salt metabolism in diseases of the musculoskeletal system, hypertension, and also as drinking water in areas with a high salt content.
There are no open reservoirs of fresh water in the world suitable for bottling drinking water. The only exception is Lake Baikal.

Baikal water has the highest transparency, reaching 40 meters. Sometimes you can see the bottom at a depth equal to the height of a 9-story building, which is tens of times greater than in other lakes. For example, in the Caspian Sea, water transparency is 25 m, in Issyk-Kul - 20 m. A silver coin thrown into the water can be traced to a depth of 30-40 m. Piece Baikal ice with a thickness of more than 15 cm, it retains transparency no worse than ordinary window glass.

ICE FLOWS ON BAIKAL

Baikal freezes every year. With the onset of cold weather at air temperatures below -20 C in the first 3-4 days, ice grows by 4-5 cm per day. At the end of October, shallow bays freeze, January 1-14 - deep-water areas. In the southern part, Baikal is closed for 4-4.5 months, in the northern part - 6-6.5 months. In the water area of ​​the lake, the ice thickness ranges from 70 to 113 cm, and a pattern has been identified: the more snow, the thinner the ice. Hummocks reach 1.5-3 m in height. Some of them can reach 5 meters in height. Ice 50 cm thick can withstand a weight of up to 15 tons, so in winter you can freely move on the ice of Lake Baikal by car.

Ice conditions off the east coast are more difficult than on the west coast. The danger is cracks and crevices 0.5-2 m wide, extending for tens of kilometers. Many of these cracks do not freeze all winter, periodically narrowing or expanding. The appearance of cracks is often accompanied by a strong “artillery” crack, which often frightens people on the ice.
In winter, winter roads are laid along the ice of Lake Baikal, which are sometimes marked with poles frozen into the ice.
In addition to cracks, steam vapors that occur at the outlets of underwater thermal springs and gases pose a danger to vehicles. Steam holes covered with snow are almost impossible to detect. Therefore, it is better not to leave the winter road, but in places where steam holes and cracks are possible, move with a local guide who knows the characteristics of the ice well.
Along the northwestern coast and in the Small Sea, snow-free, transparent ice more than 1 meter thick forms, through which you can very clearly see the bottom in shallow water.

The smooth Baikal ice has recently attracted more and more people who like to ride ice boats.
Ice breaking begins at the end of April from Cape Bolshoy Kadilny, opposite which ice begins to melt under the influence of updrafts warm waters from underwater sources. The last thing (June 9-14) is freed from ice. Northern part lakes.

Sokui

This is one of the types of ice on Lake Baikal, formed along the shores during the initial phase of freezing of the lake in the form of a thin ice edge - zaberegi, as well as ice formed in the fall from splashing waves on rocks and stones.

The thickness of the ice on the rocks can reach several tens of centimeters. During a strong storm, windward rocks can be covered with splash ice up to a height of tens of meters.

Spectacular sokui are found on the rocks of the Ushkany Islands, capes Kobylya Golova, Kurminsky in the Small Sea and on the rocks of the northern tip of Olkhon Island. The ice shell binds the stones and decorates the branches of trees and bushes close to the water with fancy icicles.

Dead gap

Through cracks in the ice of Lake Baikal, which form annually in the same places and persist throughout the winter. With daily fluctuations in air temperature, ice expands or contracts. The width of the gap can vary significantly during the day. They most often have a width from 0.5 to 1-2 m and a length of up to 10-30 km.

They are most often found in the middle part of Lake Baikal between Olkhon Island, the Ushkany Islands and the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula. Poses a danger to cars. They overcome them with the help of thick boards or jump over them at speed, which is more risky.

Ice thrusts

In March, ice movement, enhanced by the wind, can squeeze ice onto the shore at a distance of 20-30 m and rise in height by 15-16 m.

Ice thrusts remain on the shore unmelted until the end of May, when the entire lake is already free of ice.

OTHER FEATURES AND INTERESTING INFORMATION

If all the rivers of the world fill the empty basin of Lake Baikal, it will take them a whole year to do so. Even if water stopped flowing into the lake, the same Angara would have been able to dry it up “in just” half a thousand years. The volume of water in this lake exceeds the volume of water in many seas, including the Baltic and Azov, which, for example, contains only 1/90 of the water compared to Lake Baikal.

STORMS

Baikal is one of the most stormy lakes on the globe. The waves there can reach 6 meters in height. Interestingly, this can happen even in calm weather, since this process is of a tectonic nature.
Characteristic of the lake is the presence of a crowd, which occurs when oppositely directed waves meet. The speed of some types of winds on Lake Baikal often exceeds 20-25 m/s (more than 90 km/h).
The strongest waves occur in the Olkhon Gate Strait, at the entrance to the Chivyrkuisky Bay, where wave heights can exceed 4 m, as well as in shallow waters - opposite the mouth of the river. Selenga, at the entrance to the Barguzin Bay and at north coast Bolshoi Ushkany Island, where the wave height can reach 6 m with a steepness of 22°.

Stormy winds on Lake Baikal are common in late summer and autumn. The maximum wind speed on the lake is observed in April, May and November, the minimum in February and July. 80% of summer storms occur in the second half of August and September, while the wave height in the middle basin of Lake Baikal reaches 4-4.5 m.

The biggest tragedy on Lake Baikal (From the Irkutsk Chronicle): from October 14 to 15, 1901, 176 people died on Lake Baikal. The steamer “Yakov”, sailing from Verkhneangarsk, was towing three ships: “Potapov”, “Mogilev” and “Shipunov”. In the Small Sea, opposite Cape Kobylya Golova, the steamer ran into a strong storm. The towed vessels were released. The ship “Mogilev” was thrown ashore, the ship “Shipunov” stayed at anchor, the ship Potapov was smashed into pieces on the rocks of Cape Kobylya Golova. All the people on it died. The storm lasted two days and was so strong that the corpses froze to the rock at an altitude of 10 fathoms.

BAIKAL WINDS

The variety of stable Baikal winds is reflected in their local names (more than 30).
Centuries-old observations of local residents have made it possible to identify a number of patterns for each wind.

VERKHOVIK(ANGARA) - that’s what they call it North wind, blowing from the river valley. Upper Angara along the lake from north to south. The frequency of this wind at times reaches 30%. The first long-lasting high season occurs on Lake Baikal in mid-August. Often such wind persists continuously for more than 10 days. During the Verkhovik weather, the weather is sunny, it blows calmly, without sharp gusts, there is almost no excitement near the shore, but in the open part of the lake the water darkens and the lake is covered with white foam. At the end of November - beginning of December, the verkhovik rocks Baikal with heavy, steep waves up to 4-6 m.
Signs of strengthening of the verkhovik can be a glowing bright red horizon before sunrise and a cloudy “cap” over Capes Baklaniy and Tolstoy

BARGUZIN- a mighty wind, sung in the song “Glorious Sea - sacred Baikal”, blows mainly in the central part of the lake from the Barguzin Valley across and along Lake Baikal. This wind blows evenly, with gradually increasing power, but its duration is noticeably shorter than the Verkhovik wind. This wind brings with it sunny, stable weather.

KULTUK- the wind blowing from the southern tip of Baikal along the entire lake. Kultuk brings with it severe storms and rainy weather. This wind does not last as long as the high wind. Kultuk occurs more often and stronger in the fall. A characteristic feature of the kultuk is the appearance of fog on the ridges of the Khamar-Daban ridge.

SHELONNIK Spring is the time of warm sheloniks (southern and south-eastern winds are called sheloniks everywhere), which blow on Baikal from the south, bringing air through Khamar-Daban Mongolian steppes. Shelonik blows softly, measuredly, without sudden gusts. During sheloniki, the air immediately warms up by ten degrees.
Spring winds push Baikal ice onto the shores. And in May, the ice on Lake Baikal melts, splits into separate fields, then into small ice floes. Gradually, the ice floes become smaller and smaller, and the sheloniks and other winds drive them from place to place until they completely melt. Melting in the north of Lake Baikal floating ice In other years they last until the end of June...

MOUNTAIN- western and northwestern side Baikal wind, suddenly falling from the mountains. This is the most treacherous and gusty wind. It starts unexpectedly and quickly gains strength. A harbinger of wind may be the appearance of fractus cumulus clouds flowing over the mountains of the west coast. This wind prevails from October to November.

SARMA- a type of mountain wind, the strongest and most terrible of the winds on Lake Baikal. The wind rushes out of the river valley. Sarma, flowing into the Small Sea. Its speed exceeds 40 m/sec. The wind increases to its maximum during the first hour. In summer, the wind can suddenly begin and end just as suddenly; in autumn, sarma sometimes blows for a whole day. The reason for the occurrence of hurricane winds is the peculiarity of the Sarma valley, which narrows towards the mouth, which at the exit forms a kind of wind tunnel among the steep cliffs.
The harbinger of sarma is the clouds above the Trekhglavy char (53°21°N, 106°42°E, 1728 m) of the Baikal ridge. Then wisps of clouds begin to break away from them and crawl down, which immediately dissipate over the lake, forming wide stripes of ripples on the water.

FOG

Fogs on the lake are most frequent in June, when they arise from the condensation of moisture brought to the cold surface of the lake by heated air. Fogs are usually observed in low windy weather, rarely at wind speeds of more than 10 m/sec. In summer, their duration is 5-6 hours, mainly in the morning, rarely more than 2 days. The number of days with fog in July in the northern part of the lake averages 15-18 days, in the southern part - 6-12 days.

Quite often there is a huge density of fog. The stones on the shore seem wet from the fog. It is impossible to walk along the path without getting wet due to the abundant moisture on the plants, and the person walking in front is practically invisible.

FLORA AND FAUNA OF BAIKAL

Wonder of the world Baikal is the most endemic lake in the world. That is, there is no other lake in which three of the four species of animals would not be found anywhere else. In no other place do such a large number of living creatures, extinct in all other places, live.

1. Siberian cedar

The height of the cedar is 35-40 m, the trunk diameter is up to 1.8 m, it lives up to 500 years. Known primarily for the pine nut, which produces a bountiful harvest every 5-6 years. The local population called him breadfruit Siberia.

Cedar cones ripen in September. They are knocked down with a 40-70 kg wooden hammer, which is used to hit the cedar trunk. With such a hammer on his shoulder, the harvester walks around the taiga all day. The cones knocked off the cedars are carried in bags to the winter hut, sometimes several kilometers from the harvesting site. Then the nuts are removed from the cones in a homemade hand mill, the debris is winnowed out and dried.

Before the revolution, when sunflower oil was scarce, pine nut oil was made from pine nuts. Currently, the production of cedar oil, milk, sour cream and halva is undeservedly forgotten. Pine nuts are sold in cones (milk nut) and shelled (heated). Cedar wood has a not strong, but persistent odor that lasts for decades, which repels moths. A house made from cedar logs is considered beneficial for the health of the people living in it. Cedar wood has exceptionally high technical qualities (strength, resistance to decay). Cedar forests are characteristic of the Eastern Sayan region, the upper reaches of the river. Lena, northwestern slopes of the Baikal mountains.

2. Daurian rhododendron – Ledum

The harbinger of the Baikal spring is called wild rosemary.

The blooming of a huge number of pink flowers, when no noticeable green foliage has yet appeared, creates the impression of a blooming garden on the shores of Lake Baikal. Ledum grows throughout Eastern Siberia, often forming thickets. Blooms in May – June.

3. Thyme, Bogorodskaya grass (Thymus serpyllum)

Thyme grows on rocky slopes, open sandy areas, and steppe meadows. Distributed both in the Baikal region and in Transbaikalia. Blooms from June to August. The pink patches of flowers are hard to miss on the sandy hills.

Thyme herb contains up to 1% essential oils, and if the sprig is crushed in your hands, a persistent characteristic odor is formed.
For medicinal purposes, the flowering apical part of the plant is collected. Infusions and decoctions of thyme are widely used in folk medicine to treat various diseases, incl. to prolong life, as a general tonic for the immune system, for nervous diseases and insomnia. A shaman throws a pinch of dried thyme into the fire during a cleansing ritual.
The infusion is usually prepared from one or two spoons of dried herbs per 100 g of boiling water. The herb is brewed in a glass container and left to infuse for 4-5 hours.

4. Ramson (Allium viktorialis)

It grows in almost all areas of Lake Baikal, in some places forming large thickets.

Sold in markets in May - June, when the stems and leaves of wild garlic are softest and juiciest. Fresh wild garlic is widely used in the form of salads, for filling pies, and in the preparation of meat dishes instead of onions. For storage, wild garlic is finely chopped and salted, like cabbage. The salad is dressed with sour cream or mayonnaise. It has a garlicky smell and stimulates the appetite.

5. Sagandailya, Adams Rhododendron (Rhododendron adamsii Rehder)

It grows in the highlands on rocky slopes in the Eastern Sayan, Khamar-Daban, and on the Barguzinsky ridge.

It blooms in the second half of June - July. The leafy apical parts of the plant are harvested from the beginning of flowering until fruit formation. Dry in the shade. The local Buryat population widely uses sagandailya as a tonic and stimulant. Stimulates the functioning of the kidneys, heart, and brain. Increases potency, relieves fatigue and hangover. Also known by the Tibetan name “White Wing”, a herb that prolongs life. The food additive gives tea a specific, surprisingly pleasant and strong aroma. To obtain a tonic tea, no more than 3-5 leaves and stems are brewed for 1 glass along with the tea leaves. Overdose is not recommended.
You can buy sagandailya in Irkutsk pharmacies or order by phone. 35-06-24,45-08-65, Rzhanova, 29 JSC “Fitomed”. The grass is sold by the local population at the springs in the village. Arshan.

6. Golden root, Radiola rosea L.

It grows in rock cracks, on rocks, rocky slopes in almost all areas of Lake Baikal.

Golden root has an effect similar to ginseng, relieves fatigue, and has a stimulating effect on the entire body. Blooms in late June, early July. Rhizomes are harvested during the flowering and fruiting period in the second half of July and August. The largest specimens are dug up, cleared of soil and quickly washed in running water, the brown plug is removed, cut into pieces, split lengthwise, dried and dried in the shade. It is recommended to dig up the roots of Radiola rosea in one place no more than once every 10 years. Used as a liquid extract infused with alcohol.

7. Lingonberry (Rhodococcum vitis-idaea)

Lingonberries are often found in the forests of Siberia, sometimes they form a continuous carpet.

The berry ripens in August – September. With a good harvest, the berry picker collects a full bucket with a scoop in 2-3 hours.
For long-term storage, fresh berries are covered with sugar or filled with water. Frozen berries are especially good with hot game or with tea after a bath.
Lingonberry is a well-known home remedy. In the form of decoctions or juice, it is used as an antipyretic. Tea with lingonberry jam is a good diaphoretic.
Siberia is famous not only for its healing berries and herbs, but also for its herbalists and folk healers.

FAUNA OF BAIKAL

The fauna of Lake Baikal includes almost all types of animals living in fresh water bodies. There is no other lake in the world whose biological diversity is so great and unique. Of the 2,635 known species and varieties of animals and plants found so far in the lake, almost 2/3 are endemic and not found anywhere else in the world. Therefore, Baikal can be considered one of the geographical centers of origin of biological species.
There are currently 53 species of fish in Baikal, of which only 15 are commercially available. The most famous among them are omul, grayling, and whitefish. Baikal sturgeon is found in smaller quantities, and fish such as taimen, burbot, davatchan, lenok, sorog, perch, and ide are found in completely insignificant quantities.

1. Baikal omul

Archpriest Avvakum was the first to praise the fish wealth of Lake Baikal. Returning from exile in Dauria in the summer of 1662, he wrote: “And the fish in the lake are very thick: sturgeon and taimen are much fatty - you can’t fry them in a frying pan: everything will be fat. The water is fresh, the fish in it are sturgeon and taimen, sterlet and omul, and many other types of whitefish.” The Baikal omul has received special fame.

Omul is the most numerous commercial fish in Lake Baikal. It is also found in the Arctic Ocean basin; the Baikal subspecies lives in Baikal. Omul is a fish from the whitefish family. There are four populations of omul in Baikal: Selenga, Chivyrkui, Severobaikalsk and Posolsk. The most numerous of them is the Selenga population. The biomass of all age groups of omul is estimated at 25-30 thousand tons. The largest size of omul is 50 cm, weight is up to 5 kg. The omul lives 24-25 years. Salted omul is especially valued because of its unique delicate taste.

2. Golomyanka

This translucent viviparous fish is of exceptional interest. Golomyanka is the most numerous fish on Lake Baikal. Its total number and biomass are 2 times greater than all other fish. Lives in the water column dispersed at all depths from surface waters to the bottom. It is the main food for seals.
The body of the golomyanka is translucent and half consists of fat. The fat content of the great golomyanka is more than 40% of its weight. Therefore, through the tail part you can read text from large letters.

Golomyanka gives birth to live larvae, unlike all other fish that spawn to breed. This method of reproduction, like that of the golomyanka, is unknown in any of the fish in the world.

3. Baikal seal

The seal is the only seal in the world that lives in fresh water. The seal is distributed throughout Lake Baikal, but especially widely in its northern and middle parts.

The seal is curious and sometimes swims close to a drifting ship when the engine is not running, and stays nearby for a long time, constantly looking out of the water. The Baikal seal is very friendly and easy to train; a whole show with these amazing creatures can be seen in the Nerpinarium in Listvyanka.
Now in Baikal, according to experts, there are about 80-100 thousand animals. Until now, there is no consensus among scientists on how this animal got to Baikal.

Most researchers are of the opinion of I.D. Chersky that the seal entered Baikal from the Arctic Ocean through the Yenisei-Angara river system during the Ice Age at the same time as the Baikal omul. You can see especially many seals on the rocky shores of the Ushkany Islands in June. At sunset, the seal begins a mass movement towards the islands. According to scientists, the number of seals in the rookery fluctuates around 2000 animals and has not changed since 1934.
The seal feeds on non-commercial fish (golomyanka, goby). She eats about a ton of fish a year.

In search of food, the seal dives to a depth of 200 m and remains under water for 20-25 minutes. Males reach 130-150 kg, and their length can be up to 1.8 m, females are smaller in size. The maximum swimming speed of the seal is 20-25 km/h. Seals live a maximum of 55-56 years.
The seal gives birth to its young on the ice in a snowy lair. Most seals are born in mid-March. The cubs have white fur, which allows them to remain almost unnoticed in the snow in the first weeks of life. The Buryats call a young seal calf a khubunk.
Commercial hunting is carried out for seals; about 6 thousand seals are shot annually. Arctic foxes are fed seal meat, fur is used to make hats, and is used to line hunting skis. Seal meat is eaten, and seal fins, boiled in water, are considered a delicacy.

The meat of young seals - khubunks - is especially tender, the meat of which does not smell of fish and tastes like chicken. The seal's liver contains a lot of vitamins.
In ancient times, seal oil was used in tanning and soap making. In 1895-1897 seal lard was mainly used in the Lena gold mines for lighting the mines. Local residents consider seal fat to be medicinal and use it to treat pulmonary diseases and stomach ulcers.

4. Barguzin sable

The homeland of the sable is the forests and mountains of Eastern Siberia. Currently, sable is found throughout the taiga of Russia from the Urals to the coast Pacific Ocean. Because of its beautiful, durable and expensive fur, sable is called the king of wild furs - “soft gold”.

The darker the sable, the more valuable its skin is. Barguzin sable is the darkest sable found in Siberia and is therefore especially prized at international fur auctions.
The body length of the sable is up to 56 cm, the tail is up to 20 cm. It is most active in the morning and evening. Rarely rises into the crowns of trees, more often it stays on the ground in the thickets of dwarf trees, among stone placers. Often lives in cedar trees and in the upper reaches of mountain rivers.
At a traditional international fur auction in St. Petersburg, a sable skin in the early 90s cost over $100; in the late 90s, the price dropped to $62 per skin. In developed countries, natural fur is increasingly being replaced by artificial fur.

BIRDS

Of the birds found on Lake Baikal, there are mainly various species of ducks. Ducks often gather in large flocks, which are quite often found on the water while sailing along Lake Baikal. Seagulls live in large numbers on the rocky islands of Lake Baikal. Open Baikal is also characterized by the cormorant. There are especially many birds in river deltas and shallow bays. Less commonly, you can also see geese and screaming swans on the shores of Lake Baikal. Gray herons and black-throated loons can be found here and there.

Eagle

The eagle, the bird of Baikal legends, is especially revered by the Buryat population.

The cult of the eagle has roots in very ancient myths, according to which the first person to receive the shamanic gift was the son of the formidable spirit of Olkhon Island, who lived in the form of a bald eagle. Therefore, the Buryats still firmly believe that a person who kills or wounds an eagle will certainly die soon. Perhaps the belief in the holiness of the bird has helped preserve the rare species, which is rapidly declining in other places on the planet.

The only place on Baikal where the number of sea eagle has not changed significantly over the last decade is Olkhon Island.
There are 7 species of eagles in the Baikal region: golden eagle, imperial eagle, steppe eagle, greater spotted eagle, dwarf eagle, white-tailed eagle, and long-tailed eagle. Such diversity and abundance of “eagle birds” is not observed anywhere else in Northern Asia.
One of the most beautiful and majestic bird predators is the bald eagle - the imperial eagle. In all Western European countries, the imperial eagle is called the imperial eagle. Its wingspan reaches 2 m. It lives up to 100 years.
Eagles almost always nest high in trees, usually on the edges of forests in the same places for many decades. The diameter of perennial nest buildings can reach 2 meters.

Chicks appear in late May - early June, and until the end of August, young birds stay in the nesting area. For the winter, eagles migrate south.
See wildlife You can visit the Baikal region in all its diversity in the nature reserves and sanctuaries of the Baikal region.

More details about the unique Lake Baikal, its history, attractions and interesting features can be found in the book by professional traveler Sergei Volkov “Your Guide to Baikal” or on the author’s website.

 

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