“…Look at the water. First blue water will flow, then red, then black. And after the black water, yellow water will flow. That’s when you need to wake me up. The witch dozed off, and the girl began to look at the water. Every hour the water changed its color: first it flowed blue, then red, and then black. Finally, yellow water flowed, and the girl woke up the witch. She jumped up, grabbed the girl by the hair and plunged her into the water. Then the witch took the girl out of the forest, showed her the way home and said goodbye to her. When the girl entered the house, everything around began to shine, because the yellow water was golden and the girl also became golden after she bathed in it…”
(“The Tale of the Golden Girl”)
As they say, a fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it… There are also many miracles in our lives, one of which is rightly considered colored lakes. The most famous are about fifty lakes, five of which we will plunge into virtually.
Lake Hillier in Australia
Perhaps this is the most fabulous lake in the world. The water there is a rich pink color, and the shores are a salt belt. Everyone who sees the lake wonders about its color. There is no single correct answer to this question. Initially, researchers believed that the water has such an unnatural hue due to the microorganisms in it and the high salt content, but later these assumptions were refuted. For tourists, a beautiful legend was invented that says that in the 17th century a ship was wrecked, during which only one sailor managed to escape. Miraculously, the surviving man was seriously wounded and prayed that his suffering would end soon. Suddenly a man appeared with two jugs, one of which contained blood and the other milk. The stranger poured the contents of the jugs into the lake one by one, causing the water to turn pink. The wounded sailor plunged into the lake and was surprised to find that there was no trace left of the terrible wounds. By the way, the name of the lake (Healer) is translated from English as “healer”.
Lake Las Salinas de Torrevieja in Spain
The coast of this almost red lake is not very well maintained, but the water is crystal clear, and the bottom is covered with salt crystals. The high salt content in this reservoir will not allow you not only to drown, but also to reach the bottom. The color of the lake is explained by the presence of almost all known chemical elements in it. The water and mud of the lake are considered medicinal and are especially useful for diseases of the skin and joints. Local residents advise gargling a sore throat with a salt solution. In summer, the water here heats up to 40 degrees. Instead of sand, there is evaporated salt on the shore.
You don’t have to take bottles of clean water with you for rinsing, because… There are small accumulations of fresh water near the lake.
Jiuzhaigou Lake in China
The color of the Five Flower Lake changes from yellow to dark green. The water here does not freeze even in winter, while the neighboring lakes are covered with thick ice.
It was originally assumed that there were hot springs at the bottom of the lake, preventing it from freezing. However, they were never discovered subsequently, due to the fact that the entire bottom of the lake was covered with trunks of fallen trees. After many years of research, scientists managed to discover an underwater cave with a tunnel connecting Jiuzhaigou with neighboring lakes.
Lake Kerid in Iceland
This lake was formed about 3000 years ago in the crater of one of the volcanoes. It has an almost perfect oval shape. The name of the lake is translated from Icelandic as “chan”. The color of the water changes depending on the lighting. The lake is quite shallow, up to 14 meters deep, while its shores rise 55 meters. There are also lowlands along which you can approach the water. The rock that formed the crater of the volcano is red in color, which makes the water in the lake even more mesmerizing. The acoustics inside the volcano are excellent, which once made it possible to hold a concert here. The artists performed on a floating platform in the middle of the lake, and the crater itself served as an auditorium.
Lake Sasyk-Sivash in Crimea
Translated from Turkic, Sasyk-Sivash means “stinking mud.”
The color of the water is explained by the presence of Dunaliella salina algae in it, the waste products of which change the color of the lake from pink to red-orange . The lake looks especially unrealistic thanks to the natural fountains located at its bottom.
The black silt lining the bottom is also considered an advantage of the lake. With its help, diseases of the heart and joints are successfully treated. The evaporation of water from the lake in summer saturates the air with iodine vapor, making it healing for diseases of the respiratory system.
Swimming in amazing colored lakes will most likely not increase the level of precious metals in your body, as in the fairy tale about the golden girl, but you are guaranteed an unforgettable experience and pleasure!
Text author: Elena Yatsenko
