Is there a pink sea? Pink lakes. Lake Hillier, Australia
A pink or red lake is a lake that has a reddish or pink color due to the presence of algae that produce carotenoids (organic pigments). These include algae such as Dunaliella salina, which is a type of halophile green microalgae that lives in particularly salty sea water. Thanks to their pink color, these lakes are becoming more and more popular among tourists and photographers from all over the world.
Lake Hillier (Hillier), Australia
Coordinates: 34°05′45″ S sh. 123°12′10″ E d.
Lake Hillier is a lake located on Middle Island, the largest of all the islands and islets that make up the Recherche Archipelago in Western Australia. The lake is very popular and tourists tend to get there, even passengers of planes flying over the lake take pictures of this miracle of nature.
The peculiarity of the lake is its bright pink color. The color of the water is constant and does not change if water is poured into a container. The length of the lake is about 600 meters. It is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of land, consisting of sand dunes covered with vegetation.
The lake is surrounded by white salt deposits and dense forests of tea and eucalyptus trees. To the north, sand dunes separate the lake from the Southern Ocean. Middle Island and the lake were discovered in 1812.
Hutt Lagoon, Australia
Coordinates: 28° 9"17.29"S sh. 114°14"23.99"E d.
Hutt Lagoon is depicted on the left side, and the Indian Ocean is depicted on the right.
Hutt Lagoon is an elongated salt lake located off the coast north of the mouth of the Hutt River in the midwest of Western Australia. It is located in the dunes adjacent to the coast.
The city of Gregory is located between the ocean and the southern shores of the lake. The road between Northampton (Northampton) and Kalbari (Kalbarri), called George Gray Drive (George Gray Drive), runs along the western edge of the lake.
The lake is 14 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide.
Hutt Lagoon is a salty pink lake that has a red or pink hue due to the presence of Dunaliella saline in the water. Algae of this species produce carotenoids, which are a source of beta-carotene, food coloring and a source of vitamin A.
This lagoon is home to the world's largest microalgae farm. The total area of small artificial ponds in which Dunaliella saline is bred is 250 hectares.
Lake Quairading, Australia
Coordinates: 31°58"22.37"S sh. 117°30"18.92"E d.
Pink Lake Quarading is located 11 kilometers east of the city of Quairading (Western Australia). The Bruce Rock Highway passes through it.
The local population considers Pink Lake a natural wonder. At some times, one side of the lake turns deep pink while the other side remains pale pink.
Pink Lake Field, Australia
Coordinates: 33°51"1.01"S sh. 123°35"34.06" E d.
This unusual landscape was captured from an airplane in western Australia. This field of pink lakes is located somewhere between the city of Esperance and Caiguna.
There are hundreds of small pink lakes on the field, and each of them has its own unique shade of pink. This is due to the fact that the concentration of algae and salt in each lake is different from all the others.
Pink Lake, Australia
Coordinates: 33°50"43"S 121° 49"40" E
Pink Lake is a salt lake in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It is located about 3 kilometers west of Esperanza and is connected to the east by the South Coast Highway.
The lake is not always pink, but the distinctive color of the water when the lake takes on a pink hue is the result of the green algae Dunaliella brackish, as well as a high concentration of brine shrimp. The lake has been noted as an important bird habitat by the international organization for the protection of birds and the conservation of their habitat.
Lake Masazir, Azerbaijan
Coordinates: 40°30"29"N 49°46"21"E
Masazir Lake is a salt lake in the Karadag region near Baku, Azerbaijan. The total area of the lake is 10 square kilometers. The ionic composition of water contains large amounts of chloride and sulfate.
Workers load salt into horse-drawn carts
In 2010, a plant for the production of 2 foreign ministries of Azeri salt was opened here. The approximate reserve of salt that can be extracted is 1735 million tons. It can be mined both in liquid state (from water) and in solid state.
Laguna Colorada, Bolivia
Coordinates: 22°11′55″ S sh. 67°46′52″ W d.
Laguna Colorado is a mineral lake located in the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve in southwestern Bolivia near the border with Chile.
The red-brown color of the water is due to sedimentary rocks, as well as the pigmentation of some algae growing there. Also in the lake you can find islands of borax.
The lagoon area is home to a large number of James's flamingos. Also here you can meet the Andean and Chilean flamingos, but in small quantities.
Lake Torrevieja, Spain
Coordinates: 38° 0"14.32" s. sh. 0°44"10.74"W d.
Aerial view of the Torrevieja Salt Lake from the Mediterranean Sea
Torrevieja Salt Lake and La Mata Salt Lake are salt lakes surrounding Torrevieja, a seaside town in southeastern Spain. The microclimate created by the largest salt lakes in Europe - Torrevieja and La Mata, is declared one of the healthiest in Europe, according to the World Health Organization.
The pink color of Lake Torrevieja, caused by the presence of algae and salt, gives it a "science fiction" look. Just like in the Dead Sea in Israel, here you can also just lie on the surface of the water. In addition, it will bring great benefits for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the skin and lungs.
At the other end of the lake, salt is being mined, which is exported to different countries. Near the lake you can see a huge number of bird species.
Pond in an old mine, Cyprus, Italy
Coordinates: 35° 2"10.01"N 33° 6"57.53"E
Not far from the Cypriot village of Mitsero there is a lake, the water in which is colored blood red. At first glance, it seems that instead of water, it really has blood.
In fact, the lake is not a lake at all, but a depleted iron ore quarry. It is the rich presence of iron that explains the rich red color of the water.
Dusty Rose Lake, Canada
Coordinates: 52°33"38"N 126°20"31"W
This pink lake, located in British Columbia, Canada, is quite unusual, little known, and possibly unique. The water in this lake is not at all salty, and does not contain algae, but it still has a pink color. The photo shows pink water flowing into the lake. The color of the water is due to the unique combination of rocks in the area (stone dust from the glacier).
Raspberry lake, Altai region, Russia
Coordinates: 51°40′31″ s. sh. 79°46′57″ E d.
Raspberry Lake in the Mikhailovsky district stands out with crimson water.
A distinct pink-crimson hue to the water gives a special appearance to small planktonic crustaceans living in the lake.
Especially bright crimson color near the lake in spring, although in other seasons it is noticeable.
Lake Retba, Senegal
Coordinates: 14°50′20″ s. sh. 17°14′04″ W d.
Lake Retba or Pink Lake is located east of the Cape Vert peninsula in Senegal, northeast of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. It got its name because of the color of the water in which Dunaliella salina algae grow.
The color is especially noticeable during the dry season. The lake is also known for its high salt content, which, like the Dead Sea, makes it easy for people to float.
Aerial photography of salt accumulations along the shoreline of Lake Retba
There is a small salt mining business on the lake. Many workers who collect salt work 6-7 hours a day in the lake, which has a salt content of about 40%.
To protect their skin, they rub "Beurre de Karité" (Shea butter, obtained from shea nuts harvested from the shea tree) into it, which softens the skin and prevents tissue damage.
Colored salt ponds in San Francisco, USA
Coordinates: 37°30"23.56"N 122° 1"40.79"W
San Francisco is famous for its colored ponds, flying over which delivers an indelible impression of what you see.
The reason for such beauty is banal - simple salt. These reservoirs are created for the extraction of salt.
The algae growing in them are the cause of these color effects. The palette of colors depends on the height of the salt level, more saturated shades are obtained with an increased salt level.
In addition, weather conditions can also make adjustments to the variety of colors. For example, the wind stirring the algae changes the color scheme, the rain, coupled with the wind, sometimes even lightens the water to its normal state.
Lake Natron, Tanzania
Coordinates: 2°25′S sh. 36°00′ E d.
Natron is a salt lake located in northern Tanzania, on the border with Kenya.
The lake has a depth of no more than three meters, and changes the coastline depending on the season and water level. The water temperature in the wetlands can reach 50 degrees Celsius, and depending on the water level, the alkalinity can reach a pH of 9 to 10.5.
Lake Natron is covered with a crust of salt that periodically turns red and pink. This is the result of the vital activity of microorganisms that live in the lake. The lake is home to millions of flamingos.
Lake Chott El Jerid, Tunisia
Coordinates: 33°42′ s. sh. 8°26′ E d.
Chott el-Jerid is a lake in the central part of Tunisia and a saline depression located in a series of depressions stretching deep into the Sahara from the Gulf of Gabes.
During the winter rains, Chott el-Jerid turns into a salty drainless lake with an area of 5-7 thousand km². In summer, when there is no precipitation, and the temperature often reaches +50 °C, the lake almost completely dries up, mirages are often observed.
The vegetation is sparse, with a predominance of halophytes; thickets of tamarisk and gorse are found near the waters. Along the edges of the depression there are outlets of artesian waters, around which there are oases, in which the date palm has been cultivated since ancient times.
In the 1970s, an asphalt road was laid through the depression along the crest of the constructed dam.
Lake Koyashskoe, Crimea, Ukraine
Coordinates: 45°2"54"N 36°11"4"E
Koyashskoye Lake changes its color several times a year. This is due to bacteria that become reddish in color during the hot season.
From above, during the dry period, the lake is covered with a thin layer of salt crystals. The silt deposits of the lake are therapeutic mud.
It is impossible to drown in Koyashsky Lake, since its depth does not exceed 1 meter. But you won’t be able to swim there either - the mud is very viscous.
Lake at the Sanetsch pass in Switzerland
The water surface is periodically covered with algae, which give an atypical color to the water.
Blood Pond (Chinoike Jigoku), Japan
Coordinates: 33°19"37.93"N 131°28"40.75"E
Blood Pond (Chinoike Jigoku) is one of the most famous sources of hot water - geysers, which is located on the Japanese island of Kyushu near the city of Beppu.
It got its name due to the fact that its water contains a large amount of iron oxide.
The color of the pond has a red tint, which is very reminiscent of blood to tourists, and that is why the hot water geyser was nicknamed "bloody". Geysers throw out more than 50,000 cubic meters of water per day, and over the lake you can observe vapor emissions from active volcanoes, which are located on the banks of the bloody pond.
Many legends are associated with the bloody pond, and in Japanese, its name means "Hell". One of these legends says that sinners were boiled in its waters. This is partly true - you can easily cook here, because the water temperature is about 100 degrees.
Why is the water pink?
This question comes to mind in the first place, it is asked by almost every traveler who has visited this anomalous place. But the answer has not yet been found. Unlike other colored lakes in the world, such as Retba in Senegal and the salt waters in San Francisco Bay, the origin of Lake Hillier's pink color has not been unequivocally proven.
At first it was believed that the color was the result of paint created by organisms Dunaliella and Halobacteria that live in salt water. Another hypothesis says that the pink color is due to red halophilic bacteria. It was assumed that the reason for the pink color of the water is a combination of a certain salinity of the water and specific microorganisms. But tests conducted in 1950 did not confirm these assumptions. In subsequent years, a number of studies were also carried out, but the mystery of Lake Hiller remained unsolved, seriously disturbing the minds of scientists.
Lake location
Lake Hillier is located on the very edge of the Middle Island, it is separated from the ocean only by a small strip of eucalyptus trees surrounding the reservoir from all sides. The evergreen trees provide a great contrast to the landscape, especially against the backdrop of the pink lake.
As for the size of the lake, it cannot be said that it is large. Its width is about 600 meters. Due to its oval shape, the lake is often compared to a fabulous cake with delicious pink icing.
History of Pink Lake
The first mention of Lake Hillier dates back to 1802. British navigator and hydrographer Matthew Flinders stopped at Middle Island and noticed an unusual lake on his way to Sydney.
In the years 1820-1840, sealers and whalers stopped on the island, and at the beginning of the 20th century they began to extract salt from rose water. But the resource quickly dried up, and after 6 years, salt mining was stopped. Since then, the lake has not been used for industrial purposes.
Legend of Lake Hillier
This mysterious place has its own, very beautiful legend that explains the pink color of the water. It is known to a few sailors and rare travelers.
In the 17th century, in the waters surrounding the island, the ship fell into a severe storm and sank. The only surviving sailor was thrown onto uninhabited lands. The fight against the elements severely wounded him. Because of the broken limbs, every movement brought pain to the sailor, and the extraction of food became torture. A few weeks later, mad with pain, loneliness and hopelessness, he exclaimed: “I will sell my soul to the devil if this nightmare stops!” Then a man came out from the shade of a nearby tree with two jugs in his hands: one was blood, and the other was milk. He walked slowly to the island's small inland lake and said, “The blood will help you forget what pain is. Milk will relieve you of hunger. All you have to do is take a dip in these waters.” After that, the stranger poured the contents of the jars into the lake, which caused it to change color. The sailor, who thought he had lost his mind, slowly entered the suspicious pink water and dived, and when he surfaced, the strange stranger was nowhere to be found. To the surprise of the traveler, there was no trace of fractures and hunger. Later, pirates landed on this island and captured a poor sailor. In the future, the filibusters were alerted by the fact that the prisoner did not feel pain and did not need food. Considering this a bad sign, superstitious pirates threw the sailor overboard, not believing in his mystical story of healing. By the way, the original name of the lake “Hiller” is absolutely consonant with the English word “Healer”, which translates as “Healer”.
Probably everyone knows from geography lessons that water bodies on maps are displayed in blue (blue) color. Mountains, respectively - brown, plains - green, lowlands - dark green. But nature, unlike cartography, is more inventive and creative. Our planet is literally full of colors. The colorful river Canyo Cristales, the snowless white sands of the desert in New Mexico, the chocolate hills in the Philippines and many other natural objects turn our ideas about them upside down. Nature "paints" landscapes with unprecedented effects, without neglecting any color known in the world.
Nature uses a dizzying palette of colors to the maximum: in natural phenomena (Northern Lights, rainbow), in natural objects, in flora and fauna.
Moreover, some animals can even change color! For example, the naughty nature endowed chameleons with the ability to change color depending on the location of the animal at a particular point in time.
The mimicry of animals saves them from voracious predators. For some individuals, color is a signal for other animals. For example, poison frogs have warning bright tones. As if silently challenging: "Be careful! Do not get close! Or else ..." Even the snow is sometimes red! (if interested, click)
In this article, we will focus on the pink color of Lake Hillier in Australia.
pink lake in australia
Hillier- pink lake in Western Australia. This body of water will not amaze you either with the abundance of fish or with its size. Most importantly, it has color. The rich pink color of the lake creates an indelible impression! Perhaps Hillier will turn your knowledge of water bodies upside down...
The lake is located on a small island, which is called the "Middle Island". This piece of land is located very close to the coast of Western Australia. Lake Hillier is relatively small. Its length is only 600 meters and its width is about 250 meters. On all sides, the reservoir is surrounded by a small eucalyptus forest. Lake Hillier is just a godsend for aerial photography. If you "look" at it from above, you will notice a strong contrast between the pink color of a small body of water and the rich blue color of the ocean.
Unlike other pink lakes around the world, the color of the water does not change even if it is poured into a vessel. Previously, it was assumed that the "culprits" of the pink color of the lake were the microorganisms that live in it. However, studies of water samples in 1950 did not confirm these conjectures. Over time, previous studies were refuted: it turned out that "Hillier" owes its color to Dunaliella salt-like algae, as well as some other microorganisms that inhabit the amazing reservoir.
Pink lake discovery
Lake Hillier was discovered in 1802 by cartographer Matthew Flinders. He took samples from the pink lake and wrote about it in a magazine. Later, in May 1803, Flinders visited the lake again. During the expedition on May 20, 1803, one of the members of the Flinders team, William Hillier, died of dysentery. Flinders decided to name this reservoir in honor of the untimely departed comrade.
Lake Hillier and tourism
More recently, salt was mined from Lake Hillier, but at present the reservoir is used only for tourism purposes. Despite the fact that the water in the lake does not have any negative effect on human skin, it is not easy to swim in the reservoir. The fact is that there are too few ways to get to the pink lake. The most common way to travel to Lake Hillier is by helicopter. But there are several "buts". Firstly, it is quite expensive, and secondly, many people are afraid to fly. There is only one way out in this case - to buy a ticket for a cruise that includes a stop on the Middle Island. Who wouldn't want to visit this isolated natural wonder surrounded by forest?
Other pink ponds
Lake Hillier is not the only pink lake in the world.
During the "construction" of the planet Earth, nature apparently had several "bottles" with a pink color in stock. Part of the drops-lakes splashed in different parts of the world. These bodies of water have different shades of pink.
pink lake in Senegal - one of the most famous colored reservoirs. Another name for the colorful reservoir is Retba (pictured above). This lake is located about 30 kilometers from Dakar (the capital of Senegal). The color of the water is again due to local microorganisms. The reservoir is very salty: in some places of Retba, the salt concentration reaches 40%.
Like Hillier, Lake Retba is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip. It has one unique feature: the color of this reservoir directly depends on the time of the year. During the dry season, which lasts in Senegal from November to June, the color of the Retba takes on its most vibrant hue. But in the rainy season, everything changes to the opposite: from July to October, the water in the lake becomes dimmer and less noticeable.
Are there pink lakes in Russia?
Answer: yes. Raspberry Lake is located in Altai near the village of the same name. The amazing lake is a local attraction. It is best to visit the pink lake in June-September. Like other colored reservoirs, Raspberry Lake got its shade due to micro-organisms.
An interesting fact is that Catherine II was crazy about the salt mined in Raspberry Lake. Every year, about a hundred pounds of salt were brought to the Empress (by today's standards, this value is equal to 1638 kilograms) from the pink lake. It was this salt that was served to the table during the reception of foreign guests. Salt had an unusual crimson-pink color. It was very effective!
There are many unique lakes in Russia. What is worth only the "blue heart" of Mount Mashuk - Lake Proval (click to read).
A pink lake is a lake that has a reddish or pink color due to the presence of algae that produce carotenoids (organic pigments). These include algae such as Dunaliella salina, which is a type of halophile green microalgae that lives in particularly salty sea water. Thanks to their pink color, these lakes are becoming more and more popular among tourists and photographers from all over the world. We invite you on a short journey through the pink lakes of our planet:
1 Lake Hillier, Australia
Lake Hillier is a lake located on Middle Island, the largest of all the islands and islets that make up the Recherche Archipelago in Western Australia. The lake is very popular and tourists tend to get there, even passengers of planes flying over the lake take pictures of this miracle of nature. 
The peculiarity of the lake is its bright pink color. The color of the water is constant and does not change if water is poured into a container. The length of the lake is about 600 meters. It is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of land, consisting of sand dunes covered with vegetation. 
The lake is surrounded by white salt deposits and dense forests of tea and eucalyptus trees. To the north, sand dunes separate the lake from the Southern Ocean. Middle Island and the lake were discovered in 1812.
2. Lake Retba, Senegal
Lake Retba or Pink Lake is located east of the Cape Vert peninsula in Senegal, northeast of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. It got its name because of the color of the water in which Dunaliella salina algae grow. 
The color is especially noticeable during the dry season. The lake is also known for its high salt content, which, like the Dead Sea, makes it easy for people to float. 
Aerial photography of salt accumulations along the shoreline of Lake Retba
There is a small salt mining business on the lake. Many workers who collect salt work 6-7 hours a day in the lake, which has a salt content of about 40%. 
To protect their skin, they rub "Beurre de Karité" (Shea butter, obtained from shea nuts harvested from the shea tree) into it, which softens the skin and prevents tissue damage.
3. Salt lake Torrevieja (Torrevieja), Spain
Aerial view of the Torrevieja Salt Lake from the Mediterranean Sea
Torrevieja Salt Lake and La Mata Salt Lake are salt lakes surrounding Torrevieja, a seaside town in southeastern Spain. The microclimate created by the largest salt lakes in Europe - Torrevieja and La Mata, is declared one of the healthiest in Europe, according to the World Health Organization. 
The pink color of Lake Torrevieja, caused by the presence of algae and salt, gives it a "science fiction" look. Just like in the Dead Sea in Israel, here you can also just lie on the surface of the water. In addition, it will bring great benefits for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the skin and lungs. 
At the other end of the lake, salt is being mined, which is exported to different countries. Near the lake you can see a huge number of bird species.
4. Hutt Lagoon, Australia
Hutt Lagoon is depicted on the left side, and the Indian Ocean is depicted on the right.
Hutt Lagoon is an elongated salt lake located off the coast north of the mouth of the Hutt River in the midwest of Western Australia. It is located in the dunes adjacent to the coast. 
The city of Gregory is located between the ocean and the southern shores of the lake. The road between Northampton (Northampton) and Kalbari (Kalbarri), called George Gray Drive (George Gray Drive), runs along the western edge of the lake. 
The lake is 14 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide.
Hutt Lagoon is a salty pink lake that has a red or pink hue due to the presence of Dunaliella saline in the water. Algae of this species produce carotenoids, which are a source of beta-carotene, food coloring and a source of vitamin A. 
This lagoon is home to the world's largest microalgae farm. The total area of small artificial ponds in which Dunaliella saline is bred is 250 hectares.
5. Dusty Rose Lake, Canada
This pink lake, located in British Columbia, Canada, is quite unusual, little known, and possibly unique. The water in this lake is not at all salty, and does not contain algae, but it still has a pink color. The photo shows pink water flowing into the lake. The color of the water is due to the unique combination of rocks in the area (stone dust from the glacier).
6. Pink Lake, Australia
Pink Lake is a salt lake in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It is located about 3 kilometers west of Esperanza and is connected to the east by the South Coast Highway. 
The lake is not always pink, but the distinctive color of the water when the lake takes on a pink hue is the result of the green algae Dunaliella brackish, as well as a high concentration of brine shrimp. The lake has been noted as an important bird habitat by the international organization for the protection of birds and the conservation of their habitat.
7. Lake Masazir, Azerbaijan
Masazir Lake is a salt lake in the Karadag region near Baku, Azerbaijan. The total area of the lake is 10 square kilometers. The ionic composition of water contains large amounts of chloride and sulfate. 
Workers load salt into horse-drawn carts
In 2010, a plant for the production of 2 foreign ministries of Azeri salt was opened here. The approximate reserve of salt that can be extracted is 1735 million tons. It can be mined both in liquid state (from water) and in solid state.
8. Pink Lake Quairading, Australia
Pink Lake Kwairading is located 11 kilometers east of the city of Kwairading (Western Australia). The Bruce Rock Highway passes through it. 
The local population considers Pink Lake a natural wonder. At some times, one side of the lake turns deep pink while the other side remains pale pink.
Bonus: Pink Lake Field, Australia
This unusual landscape was captured from an airplane in western Australia. This field of pink lakes is located somewhere between the city of Esperance and Caiguna. 
There are hundreds of small pink lakes on the field, and each of them has its own unique shade of pink. This is due to the fact that the concentration of algae and salt in each lake is different from all the others.
The ancient lands of the Black Continent contain many natural wonders, one of which is a fantastic lake located near the Green Cape. This is Retba - the most interesting landmark of Senegal and one of the most colorful places on the planet.
Colorful in the truest sense of the word! The waters of the Pink Lake, as Retba sounds in the dialect of the Wolof ethnic group, shimmer under the sultry African sun with a whole palette of pink colors - from soft crimson to carmine-scarlet. Particularly bizarre is the view of the reservoir from a bird's eye view - a strawberry spot framed by the emerald greenery of the jungle - a truly bewitching landscape!
Pink Lake - a bright point on the map of Africa
An amazing reservoir is located in the Western part of the African continent, just thirty kilometers from the main city of Senegal - Dakar. A narrow strip of sand dunes separates Pink Lake from the mighty waters of the Atlantic. The two-kilometer coastline of Retba is a truly picturesque canvas: a string of small boats on the purple surface of the water, the finest golden sand and snow-white mounds of salt pyramids. The French-speaking population of the country gave the lake another name - Lac Ros.
History of the Magic Lake
It may surprise you, but Retba was not always a lake. Once the reservoir was part of the Atlantic Ocean, a cozy lagoon separated from the Big Water by a narrow channel. Ocean surf and wind washed up the sand for centuries until the channel completely disappeared, forming a salt lake with an area of \u200b\u200bno more than three square kilometers.
Why is it this color? Until the 70s of the last century, Retba did not stand out among ordinary salt lakes. But the worst drought in the history of Senegal caused the lake to become shallow, opening access to the deepest salt deposits at the bottom of the reservoir. In those years, an extraordinary rainbow phenomenon appeared.
The Rose Water Mystery
How can we explain the extraordinary shade of Lac-Rose? Everything is very simple, there is nothing mystical and supernatural.
The amazing purple color of the water is due to myriads of microscopic organisms - cyanobacteria of the genus Dunaliellasalina, which have chosen Retba as their habitat.
It is the pigmentation of these ancient living creatures that tints the lake with the delightful color of flamingos and dawn. Also, the abundance of fossil deposits of minerals and chlorine on the coast affects the coral shade of water. The color shade of the lake is very heterogeneous and can vary depending on various factors: the angle of incidence of sunlight on the lake surface, cloudiness and dry weather. The brightest and richest pink color is typical for the drought season in Senegal - from May to November.
One of the saltiest bodies of water in the world
Dunaliellasalina is the only form of organic life that can exist in the concentrated brine of Lake Retba. Salt content in Lac Ros is more than 380 grams per liter, which is one and a half times higher than the characteristics of the Dead Sea. The increased density of water facilitates swimming and prevents drowning, however, staying in rose waters for more than ten minutes is fraught with severe burns and non-healing ulcers on the surface of the skin.
Labor-intensive salt extraction
The richest salt deposits are the main source of income for the local population. On the shores of Pink Lake, there is a small village of the Wolof people, whose inhabitants are completely engaged in the extraction of salt. This is a very difficult job - male miners manually, standing shoulder-deep in water, scoop salt crystals from the lake bottom. In order to protect themselves from the corrosive solution, the skin is treated with shea butter. At the bottom of the lake, workers first loosen the salt blindly, and then fill bulky baskets with the powder and send it to the shore in boats.
Due to the high density of water, small punt boats are able to hold up to half a ton of cargo, which significantly saves time on transportation. On the shore, women and girls are involved in the work process - the collected salt is dragged ashore, washed from dirt and silt and left to dry. In the future, salt from the bottom of Lac Ros goes to dealers and is used mainly for preserving seafood, and in some restaurants in Europe it is served as an exotic product.
Not only local residents are employed in salt mining, men from neighboring countries of the continent come here to earn money. The modest pay of $9 for a hard day's work is considered acceptable in Africa. These “guest workers” build their temporary dwellings from improvised material right on the banks of the Retba. Every year, up to 25 thousand tons of salt are taken out from the bottom of the pink lake, which leads to a rapid deepening of the reservoir - earlier the water in Lac Ros reached only the waist, and it was possible to walk along it.
Interesting information for travelers
Every year, thousands of tourists come to the pink waters of the Retba, who want to see and capture the extraordinary miracle of nature with their own eyes. For those who are just about to discover Senegal and its remarkable places, some of the nuances of traveling around the lake will be useful:
- Pink Lake is located just an hour from Dakar. It is best to go on an acquaintance with the beauties of Retba as part of an organized excursion route. But you can also get to the place on your own by minibus, or by renting a car. For those wishing to admire the fabulous landscape at sunrise or sunset, there is a chain of small hotels nearby.
- From entertainment - romantic boat rides on the pink surface of the lake, car rides along the picturesque coastline. For a small fee, tourists can get acquainted with all the intricacies of salt mining and try themselves in this difficult business. Local residents are happy to take on the fishing of all comers.
- During the day, the lake repeatedly changes its shade - from elusive pink and rich purple to brownish cherry with orange notes in color, so it is best to admire the magical landscape several times during the day.
- Along the coast of Lac Rose, not so long ago, the final stage of the famous Paris-Dakar race took place.
- Not far from the pink lake there is an interesting turtle reserve.
Lake Retba is a fantastic natural site that you must visit when traveling through the expanses of hot Africa. The bewitching beauty of the pink surface in the light of day and in the first rays of the awakening sun will not leave indifferent connoisseurs of beauty. Tell us about your impressions of this delightful corner.
