Sivash Lake, Crimea

At the entrance to Crimea, Lake Sivash is located. More precisely, not the lake, but the Gulf of the Azov Sea. The water in it is called brine, a concentrated saline solution that has an unusual pink color. Interest for both the chemical industry, and for tourists who come here to improve their health, is Lake Sivash. Crimea has always been and remains a favorite route for tourists.

How to get to Sivash

Sivash is located between the two seas - the Black and Azov, east of Evpatoria. Now this "salt pearl" belongs to Russia. In the recent past, the geographical location of the water body was Ukraine. Lake Sivash has a long stretch, so you can get to it from many directions. As a variant of the route on personal transport is a ride on the highway Moscow - Simferopol towards the Crimean capital. In the Kherson region, the Genichesky district, in the village of Novoalekseevka, you need to turn and move towards Genichesk. At the entrance to the city turn on the Arabatskaya arrow. The peculiar boundary is the lake Sivash. Crimea borders on this place with the Kherson region.

You can go along the road to the Chongar Peninsula. In this place there are three villages - Chongar, Ataman and Novy Trud. A couple of kilometers from each is the Gulf of Sivash. Those who come to rest here should remember that Sivash is a local small resort that is by no means of international importance, and there is no need to be frightened of the lack of even roads and comfortable living conditions.

Hydrological characteristics of the lake

In appearance Sivash does not look like an ordinary lake. This is a plexus of islands, ridges filled with water. The water area of the lake has about 60 islands. The area of the lake is about 10,000 square kilometers. M, three quarters of which are occupied by land. The average depth is about one meter, and the maximum can reach up to four meters. Originally, the reservoir was deep, but over time due to the formation of sediments, shoals and shoals, Lake Sivash was chopped. It has a gently sloping coastline.

It feeds the pond with underground, surface waters and water falling in the form of precipitation. In accordance with the parties of the world, it is common to divide the lake into the Western, Eastern, Northern and Southern Sivash.

Due to the high salt content, water has an increased density. Those who visited the Dead Sea know that it is almost impossible to drown in it. Water, on the contrary, pushes the body out. In Sivash you can feel the same effect. Salt lake have a high content of sodium chloride, magnesium, calcium, bromine.

Healing properties of the lake

Every year thousands of visitors take the lake Sivash. Treatment is the main purpose of their visit. Unique mud has healing properties. It is saturated with silt and beta-carotene. The microalga dunaliella, which lives in the water, produces a large amount of beta-carotene to protect itself from the scorching Crimean sun. Thanks to him the brine acquires a beautiful pink color. With the end of summer, the water evaporates, there remains a salt containing iodine, beta-carotene and many other valuable trace elements.

The microalgae dunaliella has antioxidant properties due to the content of beta-carotene. This substance has no toxic effect on the body. Beta-carotene forms epithelial tissue, which is part of the skin, mucous membranes, connective tissue. It protects the skin from the effects of free radicals.

The mud of Lake Sivash helps to get rid of such chronic diseases as psoriasis, eczema, arthritis, arthrosis, intervertebral hernia, gout, acne, dermatitis. Of course, one course of treatment may not be enough. But therapy for several years will help get rid of the tormenting diagnoses. In treatment, both mud and salt are used. With their help, the affected areas of the skin are applied and compresses, baths are taken.

Lake Sasyk-Sivash

One of the small lakes in the Sivash is called Sasyk-Sivash. From the Crimean language "sivash" is translated as "lake", and "sasyk" - "smelly". This pond is often called "rotten sea" by the people. Its area is about 70 square meters. Km. The average depth is very small and is only 0.7 meters. The peculiarity of Sasyk-Sivash is that the pond is divided into a two-piece dam - fresh and salty. The water level is increasing and the dam is decreasing, so that later the "dilution" of the lake and the loss of its value as a source of salts can occur.

Water bubbling is noticeable on the territory of the reservoir. This is the result of the activity of underground fountains - griffins.

Salt fishery

From time immemorial, on the shores of the lake, the salt industry flourished. The salt extractors were called "chumak". In Soviet times, salt mining practically ceased, now several small private enterprises are engaged in this. The developed area of the extracted salt is called a check. With the beginning of summer, the check is filled with water, salt ripens throughout the season. The color of the brine varies with the saturation of the algae. By the end of summer, the water evaporates, and salt is deposited on the banks of the check. A railroad of small dimensions is laid here. Salt is cut with a special combine, plunges into mini-cars and is transported to a dry place, where it is stored in cans.

Animal world of the lake

Algae diatoms, living in water, decomposing, form hydrogen sulphide. It is his specific smell that gives reason to consider the lake "rotten". At first glance it seems that in any unusual pond there is absolutely no animal life. But this is not so. There is something to do for amateur anglers. In the freshened places of the lake there are such species of fish as crucian carp, carp, white cupid. Although fishing here is free, it requires a lot of patience and plenty of time.

Along the river banks many species of birds live. Build their nests and feed on shellfish, crustaceans and other inhabitants of the lake gulls, ducks, drink, cormorants. They take a breather in Sivash during the flight of geese, cranes and swans. Some species of swans remain here for the winter. You can see graceful herons. Some parts of the islands are nature reserves, the fauna of which are listed in the Red Book.

Where to stay

Interest in the medicinal properties that the reservoir possesses has led to the development of infrastructure near it. Most of the tourists who come to the Sivash lake, choose the Arabatskaya arrow for accommodation. These are settlements Genichesk, Schastlivtsevo, Stekovoe, Gengorka. There are a lot of boarding houses, hotels, rest houses. You can stay in the private sector. To services of tourists it is a lot of shops, cafe, the markets. There are two thermal springs on the Arabat arrow, as well as an ostrich farm. Nearby is Biryuchiy Island - a unique reserve with rare animals living in it.