What does a blue lake mean according to scientists? Amazing lake in the Samara region. Turquoise abyss changing its depth
Lower Blue Lake (Tserik-Kel) is located in the valley of the Cherek-Balkarian River at an altitude of 809 meters above sea level
"Ogonyok" together with scientists searched for its bottom. So far we have reached a depth of 279 meters, but this is clearly not the limit.
There is an unusual liveliness on the shore. Numerous tourists are vying with each other to argue: “What are they looking for here? Or have they already found it?” The question is relevant, considering that the surface of a small reservoir is literally boiling from air bubbles rising from the depths. Every now and then divers, hung with oxygen cylinders, dive into the lake, here and there bathyscaphes float to the surface, and above water surface Quadcopters with video equipment are hanging.
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“Tamerlane’s cavalry drowned here - at the bottom there are a lot of bones, ancient weapons and jewelry,” an elderly Balkar man confidently asserts. “It’s a bottomless lake, there’s so much to be found at the bottom, but you can only get there with such equipment. Apparently, we got there.” “What a cavalry! There’s a locator installed at the bottom, and the lake itself is a big radar. These are turbulent times, so they urgently repair it. Isn’t it clear?” - the woman standing next to her objects with a mysterious look...
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Tserik-Kel sounds fascinating to the ear, but when translated from Balkar into Russian, the magic of sounds disappears, because Tserik-Kel only means “Smelly Lake”. In essence, everything is correct - there is a smell of hydrogen sulfide, sometimes quite strong. But, being on the shore, you quickly get used to it, and the amazing picture of what is before your eyes obscures everything else: a miracle of nature with a diameter of 235 meters and an unclear depth, unusually clear water with a greenish-blue tint. All this, however, is not for swimming ( all year round the water temperature in the lake is about 9 degrees) and not for fishing (only small crustaceans live in the cold depths, saturated with hydrogen sulfide), but its beauty is indescribable.
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Rumor has surrounded Blue Lake with many legends, and nature has surrounded it with a lot of secrets, the keys to which scientists have been trying to find for almost 100 years. The first groups of researchers appeared on the shores of Tserik-Kel, attracted by the phenomenon: the depth of the lake exceeded its width. Professor Ivan Georgievich Kuznetsov, one of the first to conduct a detailed study of the curiosity in 1926-1927 (the study was awarded the Silver Medal of the Russian Geographical Society for its special significance), suggested that the depth of the Blue Lake exceeds 250 meters. But to what extent, it was not possible to determine then - the necessary tools simply did not exist. It was also a mystery to the scientist that the lake, into which not a single stream flows from the surface, gives rise to a river that carries 70 million liters of water every day. The professor suggested that Tserik-Kel is fed by underground springs and is of karst origin, that is, washed away by waters rushing to the surface. However, it was not possible to confirm the theory at that time. Many other questions remain unanswered: in particular, scientists still cannot explain the nature of the constant water level, which does not change depending on the time of year and the amount of precipitation. It is also unclear why the lake has the same temperature throughout its entire depth all year round and never freezes. Finally, the source feeding Tserik-Kel is also unknown. Judging by the volume, it should be an entire underground river, but it has not yet been discovered. The current expedition of the Russian Geographical Society should provide answers to these questions.
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This time, the specialists were thoroughly prepared and brought with them the latest equipment: 14 divers, three manned underwater vehicles and two remote-controlled robots conquer the mysterious depths.
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Blue Lake is a unique and little-studied object. We are lucky that the research area is convenient from a logistics point of view: all the necessary infrastructure is available, we are not dependent on weather conditions. Thanks to this, we were able to bring here a whole arsenal of equipment,” says Sergei Fokin, executive director of the Center for Underwater Research of the Russian Geographical Society, head of the group of inhabited underwater vehicles.- Almost all types of equipment that we have are presented here. The use of underwater vehicles gives scientists a lot of opportunities: with our help, specialists take water and soil samples, measure temperatures, and test their hypotheses. Manned underwater vehicles are the only opportunity for a scientist without diving training to see the underwater space with his own eyes.
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The deep-sea vehicle C-Explorer 3 at the expedition’s disposal (divers affectionately call it “orange” for its bright red color) copes with the assigned tasks perfectly. It can take three specialists on board: a pilot and two passengers (fortunately, one of them turns out to be an Ogonyok correspondent). “The crew is ready to dive, allow us to perform the “bottom”,” Sergei Fokin reports to the shore. Permission was received, and in a matter of seconds we went under water. “Visibility is excellent, CO2 levels are normal,” the captain reports upstairs. It doesn’t stuff your ears, it’s quiet and cool in the cabin, behind the glass there is a layer of water of an unusually beautiful blue color. The walls of the karst well and layers of rocks are clearly visible. The sensations are fantastic, and only the changing numbers on the board bring you back to reality - you’ve walked 30 meters, 60, 90... Diving to the very bottom takes almost 15 minutes, and it will take about the same amount to ascend. And the air reserves on the “orange” are enough for several hours of work at such a depth where it is almost impossible for a diver to get close.
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The Russian record for the depth of diving with a breathing apparatus, set by divers Roman Prokhorov and Igor Galaida (they, by the way, also participate in the work of the Russian Geographical Society expedition) on this very lake in 2004, was 180 meters. At the same time, the divers required lengthy training, assistants and several hours of time, most of which went to the surface. And Sergei Fokin and I go lower, much lower...
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- The capacity of the device is its absolute advantage. The crew may consist of different specialists, each of whom will perform their own functions: control the apparatus, work with the manipulator, take the necessary measurements,” he comments during the dive. “And also inspect the walls of the karst well in detail, take water samples. In the near future, the device will be equipped with a suspended manipulator, this will make it possible to carry out various works at depth. Finally find and explore the bottom of the reservoir.
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The last remark regarding Tserik-Kel is significant: there is still... no clear understanding of where it is, this is the very bottom. Almost every new dive brings surprises. Until recently it was believed that the established maximum depth(for specialists this is a special term) 258 meters, but already during this expedition the numbers changed: a new maximum depth of the reservoir has now been established - 279 meters. A sensation, without exaggeration, of global significance became possible thanks to modern technology: into a narrow cave going deep into earth's crust, a remote-controlled robot was able to climb through and a new underwater horizon opened.
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- Divers effectively explore depths of up to 100 meters, but further diving is associated with great risks and requires quite a long time. Manned vehicles also have their limitations - they cannot go everywhere,” explains Ilya Korablev, head of the group of remote-controlled uninhabited underwater vehicles. “But our charges can.” "Marlin-350" is a domestic development. It can dive to depths of up to 350 meters. The device is equipped with color video cameras and manipulators for filming and sampling. With the help of "Marlin" we explore underwater caves, scan the walls of the fault and compile 3D map underwater part of the lake.
So the new depth taken is his, “Marlin’s” merit. It is obvious to researchers: not the last.
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As for the solution to the main mystery - where the water comes from into the lake - then, according to scientists, it is not far off. More precisely, just around the corner: “We discovered a horizontal continuation - a niche that goes to the side mountain range. This means that other horizontal caves may soon be found, through which water rich in hydrogen sulfide probably penetrates,” says Nikolai Maksimovich, deputy director of the Natural Science Institute of Perm State National Research University. “So the past season can be assessed unambiguously - it is a success ".
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Caprice of nature
The most famous karst reservoirs on the planet / Dossier
Pozzo del Meppo(Italy) - the deepest natural well in the world. Karst cave with a diameter of 20 meters, filled with water, it goes 392 meters deep into the earth.
Sunset(Mexico) - the deepest karst lake in the world, whose depth is 339 meters. The lake is filled with thermal water, but is not fed by a spring.
Source Vaucluse(France) - a small (only 25 meters in diameter) patch of water in Provence has a depth of about 308 meters and forms maximum reserves fresh water France.
Red Lake(Croatia) - the lake itself, depending on the season, has a depth of 248-270 meters, but the reservoir is “drowned” into a 530-meter funnel - sheer stone walls more than 200 meters high hang over the surface of the water.
Great Blue Hole(Belize) - an underwater karst sinkhole of an almost perfect circular shape, 120 meters deep and 300 meters in diameter. Discovered by the famous explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, who included it in the list of "10 best places for diving."
The team of the Center for Underwater Research of the Russian Geographical Society began studying the Lower Blue Lake (Tserik Kel). This unique natural monument is located 30 km from Nalchik, in Kabardino-Balkaria. As part of a complex expedition, scientists are conducting large-scale geological and hydrological studies of the reservoir.
According to legend, the Blue Lake was formed when a dragon fell to the ground, slain by the fairy-tale hero Batraz. Now the monster lies at the bottom and replenishes it with its tears. Researchers have a less poetic, but no less interesting version of the origin of the reservoir, and in its depths they hope to find underwater springs feeding the lake.
The peculiarity of Tserik Kel is that it has no external inflows, but the water level and its temperature are stable throughout the year. At the same time, a river flows out of the reservoir, which means that the influx of water comes from underground.
The executive director of the Center for Underwater Research of the Russian Geographical Society says: Head of the group of manned underwater vehicles Sergei Fokin:
– Since ancient times, the lake has been an object shrouded in many mysteries and even mystical rumors. Therefore, it is not surprising that it is of particular interest for study by many specialists, mainly professional divers. As part of this expedition, our Center uses autonomous deep-sea vehicles to operate, which allow us to effectively conduct research at depths at which diving surveys are ineffective and involve unnecessary risk, or are impossible at all. In addition, manned vehicles are the only opportunity for scientists without diving training to see the underwater space with their own eyes...
Divers have already completed 55 dives, during which they took water and soil samples at different depths, and also collected samples of flora and fauna.
“The diving team has several tasks,” explains head of the diving group Sumbat Aleksandrov.– The first is sampling for scientific research. Water samples are taken at depths of 6, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 meters. At great depths, samples are taken by colleagues from a group of manned underwater vehicles. The second task is related to testing various diving equipment: closed-circuit apparatus, underwater towing vehicles, masks, etc. It is carried out in order to select the optimal equipment that we will use in our future expeditions and during underwater technical work...
“Blue Lake, or Tserik Kel, is the deepest spring and one of the deepest karst lakes in the world,” says one of the expedition members, Deputy Director for Research Natural Science Institute of Perm State National Research University Nikolai Maksimovich.– Unfortunately, it has been studied extremely little. Not at the moment reliable information about the shape of the bottom of the reservoir. The reasons for its occurrence are not completely clear. The question of the location of the zone from which water rich in hydrogen sulfide comes from also remains open. Perhaps there is a horizontal continuation at depth - an underwater cave...
Head of the Department of Physiology of Diving Military Medical Academy named after S. M. Kirov (St. Petersburg) Dmitry Zverev:
– We are conducting scientific research to assess the body functions of divers during long descents in difficult conditions: the lake is located at an altitude of 820 meters above sea level, the water temperature is about 9 degrees, the diving depth is up to 100-120 meters. Our research is necessary to improve medical support for diving descents and prevent long-term negative consequences for the health of divers...
Mysterious blue Lake Tserik-KelThe Center for Underwater Research of the Russian Geographical Society brings together representatives of a wide variety of professions: historians, archaeologists, divers, oceanologists and many others. The team is engaged in comprehensive research of underwater spaces and objects to preserve natural, cultural and historical heritage.
Blue Lakes are a group of five karst lakes in the Chereksky region of Kabardino-Balkaria. Located at the foot of the rocky ridge, where it begins Cherek-Balkarian Gorge. The uniqueness of the Lower Blue Lake lies in the fact that with a relatively small surface (only 235x130 m), it has a depth of 258 meters. The surface water temperature in winter and summer is about +9.3C. Not a single stream or river flows into the lake, but about 70 million liters of water flow out every day. The lake level remains unchanged, which is explained by powerful underwater sources. The water is blue due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide in it and the refraction of light rays in a deep pool.
Located at the entrance to the gorge, Blue Lake is a unique a natural phenomenon, interesting not only for Kabardino-Balkaria, but also on a national scale. The Lower Blue Lake has several names: Chirik-kel (bulk) - rotten (smelly) lake; Sherej-ana (kab.) - Cherek’s mother; Psykhurey (kab.) - round water (lake), natural artesian well. Animal and vegetable world The lake is very poor due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide.
About the origin of this lake among local population there is a legend going around. Once upon a time, on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria there lived a fearless hero, Bataraz, who defeated an evil dragon in a duel. And when the dragon collapsed, a hole formed in the mountains, which filled with water. To this day, the dragon lies at the bottom of this lake and sheds tears, thereby filling the lake with water and an unpleasant odor.
However, the nature here is quite picturesque: green hills, dense beech forests on steep slopes, and in the distance, in the blue haze, peaks sparkling in the sun. Closer to Babugent the greenery becomes brighter and juicier. Near the village of Babugent there is a fork in the road. At the beginning of the road to the lake in the rock there is a cave in which traces of an ancient parking lots V-X centuries AD. Now many bats live there, and sometimes, in bad weather, shepherds with flocks of sheep take shelter.
Before reaching the lake 200 meters, a gravel road leading to the Upper Blue Lakes goes left in a serpentine uphill from the main road. On a plateau, 500 meters above the lower lake, there is Dry Lake. The Balkars call it Kel-ketkhen (Gone Lake), since the lake itself (the area of the water surface is 2 times larger than the lower lake) is located in a hole 160 meters deep.
On a slope, 2 km from the lower lake, in a beech forest, there is the Secret Lake (so named because it is difficult to discover) 17 meters deep and smaller in area than the lower lake. Balkars call it Tasha-kel (Stone Lake).
In the Chereksky district of Kabardino-Balkaria everyone knows five karst lakes, affectionately called Blue lakes. This most beautiful place is located fifty kilometers from Nalchik in the delta of the Cherek-Balkarsky river. The lower lake is different from the rest. It is called Chirik-Kel (or Tsirik-Kel). It is very cold, the water temperature here does not rise above nine degrees. But it is so crystal clear that the walls of the lake can be seen to a depth of twenty-two meters. The weather changes the color of the lake so often that it is sometimes compared to a gemstone with similar properties. Gilyarovsky, for example, spoke of it as “an oval sapphire in a frame mountain peaks and trees."
Externally, Lake Chirik-Kel seems frozen and motionless, but this calm is deceptive. The circular movement of water, invisible to the eye, creates a whirlpool, and woe to the swimmer if he falls into it. Even professionals take risks. Let's say, in the winter of 2012, a group of divers went there to study the features of the lake. After the first dive, disaster struck - one of the researchers died. They decided not to stop the work, and almost lost the second one. However, in 2003, divers Igor Galaida and Roman Prokhorov dived here to a depth of 150 meters and set a record Russian Federation. However, tourists know little about these exploits.
Tourists come here just to relax, enjoy the beautiful nature, clean air and water. There are a lot of tourist centers located on the shores of the lake. To the east of Chirik-Kel there is Lake Kel-Ketchchen. It is located deep in a karst mine (177 meters). At the bottom of the well the lake sparkles bright colors and corresponds to its name, which translated means: the lake has flowed away. Upper Lakes have a depth of up to seventeen meters. They all communicate with each other. Everywhere, except Nizhny, there is quite decent fish: grass carp, carp, trout. And Chirik-Kel can only boast of the crustacean Gumarus. Unfortunately, no one lives there anymore.
The area where the Blue Lakes are located is one of the most sparsely populated. The main inhabitants here are the mountains. There are many legends about the place. They say that in the thirties a truck carrying port wine fell in Chirik-Kel. Maybe that's why the lake has become so dangerous for swimmers and bathers? By the way, it is in these places that one of the oldest mountaineering camps in the country, “Bezengi,” is located, where, in fact, domestic mountaineering originated, because the Lower Lake is unique in that it is the second deepest karst spring in the world. It has no tributaries, but is a wastewater.
By the way, everything here is provided for tourists in such a way that they never have to complain about their vacation. Besides, you can become famous here. It was at the Blue Lakes that two records were achieved for entry into the Guinness Book. In 2002, for example, a unique barbecue was made here - a shish kebab 103 meters long. And the next year they were included in the publication again, having prepared the biggest khychin. This is a Balkar dish, which is something like pancakes with curd filling. So, apparently, it’s not in vain that eyewitnesses say that it’s just great on the Blue Lakes.
Address: Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, Chereksky district
The length of the route is 106 km. Nalchik - Urvan (16 km) - Aushiger (28 km) - Sovetskoye - (42 km) - Babugent (51 km) - Blue Lakes (56 km) - Upper Balkaria(76 km) - Shtulu Valley (106 km).
From Nalchik to Cherek Gorge There are two routes: automobile and pedestrian.
Car route: Nalchik - Urvan - Aushiger - Sovetskoye - Babugent - Blue Lakes - Upper Balkaria. Pedestrian: Nalchik - Khasanya - Gerpegezh - Sovetskoye - Babugent - Blue Lakes - Upper Balkaria.
Both routes connect near the village of Babugent. Before reaching the village, there is a fork: the road leads to the right to the Bezengi gorge, to the left to the Cherekskoye. From here, in fact, the main and only road to the Cherek Gorge begins, not counting the pedestrian tourist pass trails.
Leads to Urvani main road. Here the terrain is already slightly hilly, and beyond the village there are increasingly sharp turns, ascents and descents. Between Urvan and Aushiger there are the so-called “Urvan Oaks”. This young oak forest is home to wild boars, foxes, and hares. Occasionally you can see a pheasant, which, like other animals and birds, feels safe in the reserve. Pheasants were once almost completely exterminated, but now their number has increased significantly. Behind the forest stretch fields, mostly corn, they rise to the mountains, climbing higher and higher and displacing the forest, and even further - a panorama of the snowy peaks of the Central Caucasus Range.
The village of Aushiger opens immediately, around the bend of the road that dives down to the river. The village lies in a wide valley cut by mountain rivers silvering in the sun. These are Cherek Balkarsky and Cherek Bezengiisky, which, having united, bring here placers of sand and small pebbles and lead them north, into the smoky blue of the Kabardian plain, to the Terek. The Kheo River flows into Cherek. Not far from here is the Sovetskaya Hydroelectric Power Station.
The road from Aushiger to Sovetsky follows the capricious curves of the steep bank of the Cherek. And so on all the way to the bridge. Beyond the bridge, the highway leads to the villages of Zhemtala and Zaragizh. There are attractions in this area: for example, near the Margusha River there are mineral hydrogen sulfide and salt springs, and on the right bank of the Cherek there are remains of ancient Alan earthworks. Beyond the regional village of Sovetsky, the road goes to the very foot of the mountains. They are already very close. The nature here is very picturesque: green hills, dense beech forests on steep slopes, and in the distance, in a blue haze, peaks sparkling in the sun. To the right of the road there are smoother hills, the forest on them is smaller, and there are many cozy, flowering meadows. In the woods here great amount mushrooms: white mushrooms, milk mushrooms, honey fungus, pig mushrooms. Closer to Babugent the greenery becomes brighter and juicier - the zone of large mountain water begins. The twin rivers: Cherek Balkarsky and Cherek Bezengisky are incessantly noisy.
At Babugent there is a fork in the road, which was mentioned at the beginning. Here you can make a stop and mentally return to Nalchik to follow the walking route.
Nalchik and Khasanya are nearby. The park, located between them, begins near the city itself and is closely adjacent to Khasanya. At the beginning walking trail goes (by main street village and then turns left towards green wooded hills. In summer there are tall grasses, a lot of flowers, and in the forest grow almost all the trees and shrubs that can be found in the North Caucasus: beech, hornbeam, ash, maple, oak, apple, pear, cherry plum, hawthorn.
There is silence in the beech forest. Huge gray trunks resemble the columns of a giant forest temple, and the tree crowns are so high that the noise of the foliage remains somewhere up there. In such forests, ferns are sure to grow, sometimes reaching human height. Often they are intertwined with thickets of forest raspberries or blackberries and then it is not so easy to pass here. Having overcome this interesting forest path, you can get a complete picture of the Caucasian forests. Upon exiting the forest, the road descends to Sovetsky.
So, there are two different routes leading to Babugent, and then, to Upper Balkaria, there is one common route. From Babugent to Blue Lake - 4 kilometers. At the beginning of the road, in the rock, there is a cave in which traces of an ancient site of the 5th-10th centuries were discovered. ad. Nowadays, shepherds drive their sheep here in bad weather.
To the left of the road, behind a stone fence, lies a well-kept collective farm garden. Below, in the deep canyon, Cherek is noisy. In 1913, in this place there was an uprising of Balkar peasants who opposed the Zhankhotov princes, whose estate and at the same time the stone wall, which, like a fortress, protected the princes from the outside world, were destroyed. And now, even in the collective farm garden, above the steep bank of the Cherek, traces of fortifications once built by the Balkars are visible.
At the entrance to the Cherek Gorge lie the famous Blue Lakes- an interesting phenomenon not only for Kabardino-Balkaria, but also throughout our country.
One of them - Lower Blue Lake, this natural artesian well, ranks sixth in depth among the lakes of the USSR. With a very small area of the water surface (235X125 m), its depth is 258 m. The water is blue due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide in it. Not a single stream flows into the lake, while up to 70 million liters of water flow out of it every day. This indicates that the lake is fed by powerful underwater sources. The constant water temperature in it is +9.3°.
The fauna and flora of the lake are very poor. The only representative of the fauna lives here - the humarus crustacean, and sometimes trout accidentally swims from Cherek. Scanty algae is found at the very outlet of the lake.
The Blue Lake has several names: Chirik-Kel (rotten lake), Cherek-Ana (mother of Cherek), Psykhurey (round water). Three to four kilometers from it, up the forest road (to the northeast) are the Secret and Communicating lakes. Secret (in Balkar - Tasha-Kel) is interesting because, although the road passes from it only a few meters, you can not notice it at all - it is surrounded by dense vegetation and lies in a deep thicket. The water there is greenish and clear. Depth - 17 meters. The depth of the Communicating Lakes, which are even higher, is 11-15 meters. Trout and roach are found here. All these reservoirs belong to the group of lakes of karst origin.
Above, above the Blue Lake, on a rocky plateau overgrown with dense forest, is the so-called Dry Lake. This is a gigantic failure 160 meters deep. In terms of surface area, Dry Lake is twice the size of Blue Lake. Its walls are completely vertical, and only in the northern part are they gentler and in some places form small terraces. At the bottom of the hole there is a small lake, and large trees overgrown with mosses and lichens grow around. You can go down to the bottom of the Dry Lake only if you master rock climbing techniques and have the appropriate equipment. Tourists have a tradition: whoever goes down to the bottom leaves a note in a tour made of stones, and takes out the previous one. In a word, everything is the same as when climbing to the top. In winter, there are many tracks of wild cats and lynxes on the snowy bottom of the lake.
From Blue Lake the road immediately goes into the Cherek Gorge. The camp site building and the whole town remain behind summer houses, lined along the road on a high green terrace. It is free and sunny here, but the greenery is never burned by the sun. This picturesque corner leaves unforgettable impression: trees pierced by the sun resemble fantastic green lace.
In the narrow gorge, tourists are greeted by coolness - in the summer it is pleasant. And where the walls of the gorge converge to a distance of 30-40 meters, a cold wind blows, and you need to dress warmly. The road along the gorge climbs up all the time, the climb is very steep. Tourist buses, as a rule, do not reach the gorge itself, but stop in a small green clearing. Tourists walk to the center of the gorge, where a tunnel is made in the rock (6 kilometers from the beginning of the gorge). The walls of the gorge are almost vertical, more than 500 meters high. Approximately in the middle of this height, people cut a road along which cars and tractors can freely pass.
From the gorge the path lies into a relatively wide, sun-warmed valley. The vegetation here is much poorer than at the Blue Lakes. It is all the more pleasant to encounter a cold and deep stream running from above, which is overgrown with tall, lush grass and mint. The water in the stream smells like mint.
8-9 kilometers from the tunnel, in a wide mountain valley, resembling a giant bowl, is the village of Upper Balkaria. It has a modern layout, the houses are new, solid. The new village stands on the right bank of the Cherek, and on the left bank the ruins of old villages and ancient battle towers live out their days. Among them, the most famous are the towers of the Bozievs, Abaevs, the ruins of the village of Kunyum and several other already half-forgotten villages. The remains of ancient buildings have been preserved near the new village - these are the crypts near the village of Turakhable, the famous “ City of dead"behind Upper Balkaria and the Amiranovs' battle tower, built on a huge boulder ten meters high. Now this once watchtower serves as a landmark for tourists heading to the Rtsyvashki gorge. The path to this gorge, starting near the tower, turns sharply to the left and up. Rtsyvashki is one of the many wonders of the Caucasus, but for some reason it is rarely visited by tourists. At the end of the gorge is the glacier of the beautiful Gulchi, a mountain that resembles a blooming flower. (Gulchi, translated from Balkar - flower). Its height is 4471 m. Here favorite places habitats of the tours. However, during the time of icing and avalanches, many of them die, and evidence of this is the skulls with powerful horns scattered on the slopes of the Turya.
In the Rtsyvashka valley, dense hazel trees grow, aurochs, bears live, partridges, chukars, and quails are found. The path is first blocked by scree falling into Cherek, then by the fast Tyutyun-Su river. Finally, the gorge branches. The Dykh-Su gorge extends to the west, and Shtulu to the east. The most powerful glacier in the Caucasus, Dykh-Su, is very beautiful, but it is difficult to access, as it lies in a rocky gorge. The length of the glacier reaches 1 kilometer, the area is 48.4 square kilometers. The glacier is sliding down the Side Ridge.
The Cherek Gorge ends with the Shtulu Valley, which tourists call the “Shtulinsky Glade”. It's always warm and sunny here. Tourists willingly spend the night in the clearing, enjoying the smells of fragrant, lushly growing herbs - gentian, cinquefoil, saxifrage and others. In the Shtulu Gorge you can see the aurochs, the red-winged wall climber, the lamb vulture, which has long disappeared in Western Europe. Air, sun, abundant vegetation, originality of the animal world, picturesque mountains, located in the shape of a circus, the Kara-Su river flowing from the ice grotto of the Shtulu glacier, the Narzan spring - all this makes the “Shtulinskaya Polyana” one of the unforgettable corners of Kabardino-Balkaria.
Blue lakes Kabardino Balkaria how to get there
Lake Nizhneye is considered the most interesting of all. This lake is located 809 meters above sea level. Its area is about two hectares. But not a single researcher has yet reached the bottom of this lake; there are only assumptions about its depth of 386 meters. This indicator puts Lake Nizhneye in third position as the deepest lakes in Russia.
The uniqueness of this lake is that not a single river carries water into the lake, but quite a lot flows out of it. Among the local population this lake is known as Tserik-Kel (rotten lake). This is probably due to the fact that the water has the smell of hydrogen sulfide. The water in the lake is clean, but there are no fish here. The fauna here is represented by only one representative, the small crustacean Gammarus. The flora is represented by small algae.
The water in the lake is always very cold, only 9-10 degrees, so it is impossible to swim in the lake. But it is on this lake that the only Deep Sea Diving Center in Russia and the diving club operating at it are located. The origin of the lake is associated ancient legend, according to which it was formed after the fall of a giant dragon in this area, which he defeated fairy tale hero Batraz. Now this dragon lies at the bottom of the lake and replenishes the water with its tears. Many divers joke that they are looking for this dragon at the bottom.
The Upper Blue Lakes are represented by two lakes - Western and Eastern. They also have another name - Communicating. A dam was built between them, so the water East Lake falls into Western. These two lakes are much smaller than Nizhny, and they contain fish.
The next lake, located near Verkhniye, is Secret. Its name suggests that it is invisible. To see it, you need to clearly know where it is located. It is hidden from human eyes deep in a karst sinkhole, which is densely overgrown with a forest of beech trees.
Well, the fifth lake, which is part of the Blue Lakes, is called Sukhoe. Its other name is Missing. It is located deep in the resulting karst sinkhole. Currently water
visible only at the bottom of a deep hole, although previously it reached the very top. There is a version that the water went into a hole, which was formed after a powerful tremor of the mountains.
Kabardino-Balkaria. Where are the Blue Lakes located?
Lake Chirik-Kel, which is located in Kabardino-Balkaria, is considered one of the deepest lakes of karst origin. Many tales about this fishless lake can be heard from local residents. For example, that in the 1930s a truck loaded with alcohol drowned in it. Many tourists are attracted by Kabardino-Balkaria. Blue Lakes are a special attraction of the region.
The purest water
A lake with blue water can be found in the beautiful Cherek Gorge, adjacent to the area of the same name. Chereksky district is the largest in area in Kabardino-Balkaria, but has the smallest population. This is explained by the fact that the main part of the territory is occupied by mountains. Here are:
- five of the seven peaks of the Caucasus, having a height of more than 5000 meters;
- the longest glacier in the Old World;
- one of the oldest climbing camps “Bezengi”, where many Soviet climbers started.
In any weather, you can see what is happening underwater at a depth of 20 and even 50 meters. It is possible that the mine has greater depth, but this has not yet been proven by research.
Lake exploration
The first descriptions of Blue Lake were made by the scientist I. Dinnik in late XIX century. I. Shchukin continued this work at the beginning of the 20th century. The lake was also studied by Professor I.G. Kuznetsov, who graduated from the Petrograd Mining Institute. He was awarded the silver medal of the Russian Geographical Society. In the summer of 1980, representatives of the Institute of Geography from the Georgian SSR began studying. The mineral content of the water is low. Of the inhabitants, only algae were found.
Very hospitable land Kabardino-Balkaria. Blue lakes are a good reason to visit this area.
More than one record-breaking dive into the Blue Lakes (Kabardino-Balkaria) was made in this area. How to get to this wonderful reservoir can be found below.
All lakes
Notable places
If you move along the gorge, you can get to the Circassian tunnels and the ancient road. It starts at a small waterfall and lies on the edge of a 150-meter cliff. Standing on it, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the valley and snowy mountain peaks. Driving further, you can get to the village of Upper Balkaria. On the edge of the village is suspension bridge, leading to old village. During Stalin's time, the village was destroyed, only parts of the houses and the outlines of the former streets remained.
The Abai-Kala tower is incredibly beautiful, famous for the apricots growing near it. A few kilometers away there is a preserved watchtower. It is built on a huge 10-meter stone, and it is impossible to get into it without the appropriate equipment. Kabardino-Balkaria is famous for its natural landscapes. Blue lakes are perfect bodies of water with clear water.
Fifteen kilometers from the lakes there is a spring with mineral hot water. It is called Aushiger, and the water in it rises from a depth of about 4 kilometers. It was discovered in the middle of the 20th century during oil exploration. Philologists believe that the word “Aushiger” can be translated as “Saint George” or “Jesus the Greek.” This indicates the early spread of Christianity in these lands.
Legends of the Blue Lakes
Locals They consider the Blue Lakes to be bottomless, however, like most similar lakes. You can hear many stories from the population about those who drowned in lakes and surfaced in other places. The bottom of the lakes is rumored to contain:
- the cavalry of Tamerlane or Alexander the Great (possibly both) with all the decorations made of precious metals and stones;
- a large number of military vehicles of the Germans and Romanians, who abandoned them while retreating;
- a statue of Joseph Stalin himself, cast in bronze;
- many cars of our time;
- truck with port wine.
The bottom of the lakes now represents a legendary unique museum, keeping the history of many centuries. The whole of Kabardino-Balkaria is full of myths and legends. Blue lakes are directly related to mysticism and secrets.
How to get to the lakes?
In the Blue Lakes area, all the infrastructure for vacationers and travelers has been created.
The water in these lakes is truly blue. Anyone can come to this place and scuba dive, having previously completed training. It remains to find out where the Blue Lakes are located in Kabardino-Balkaria.
Getting to the Blue Lakes is not difficult. Not far from them there are a significant number of tourist centers that are open to tourists. Systematic excursions from Pyatigorsk, Nalchik and others are also organized to this place. settlements Kabardino-Balkaria.
You can get to the Blue Lakes by personal transport. From Nalchik you need to go to the village of Babugent (via Urvan and Sovetskoye). At the same time, a little before reaching Babugent, at the fork you need to turn left - to the Cherek Gorge.
The mystery of the Blue Lake in Kabardino-Balkaria - one of the deepest in Europe - remains unsolved. The expedition, led by a British diver, was to find out whether a cave system existed at depth. But the research was stopped after one of the team members died under water.
NTV correspondent Maxim Berezin found out the circumstances.
Former English special forces soldier Martin Robson cannot live without thrills even in civilian life. The award-winning diving instructor dived in all sorts of extreme places on the planet: from Arctic Circle to the underwater caves of Mexico. Martin's new goal was an inconspicuous lake in the mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria. Local residents believe that it is bottomless. And this is not far from the truth. There really is no exact data on the depth of the lake. To begin with, Robson planned a dive of 160 meters.
Martin Robson: “I noticed what scientists noticed. They helped us and suggested what we actually needed to explore in this lake. They themselves still don’t fully understand how it was formed and what’s down there. That's why it's interesting to me."
The last time Blue Lake was explored was in the 20s of the last century. It is known that its level can change several times a day. For what reason, scientists still do not know. Somewhere very deep there is probably a cave from which water flows into the lake. No one has yet been able to discover the cave. Martin Robson hoped to become a pioneer, thus helping Russian science.
Day “x” did not go well for the divers from the very beginning. Fog fell on the lake. The dive time was shifted for various reasons. In the end, the Englishman finally put on a wetsuit and went into the depths. The beginning of the operation was filmed by Andrei Rodionov, a volunteer videographer for the expedition. He joined Robeson's support group.
A few hours later, rescuers from the Ministry of Emergency Situations noticed the motionless body of a diver on the surface. Andrey was no longer breathing. Attempts to bring him back to life were in vain.
Rodionov's computer showed that in the last minutes of his life the diver was at a depth of 16 meters. What happened next remains to be determined by the investigation. According to one version, Andrei’s breathing apparatus could have broken down. He lost consciousness, which is tantamount to death under water. It was dangerous to stop the operation; all that remained was to wait for the return of the English diver.
Martin Robson spent almost eight hours underwater and during this time he was still unable to find the mysterious cave. Not having time to reveal the secrets of Blue Lake, the researchers decided to end the expedition ahead of schedule.