Winter Baikal: the world of ice and wind

• Winter Baikal: the world of ice and wind

Photographer Dmitry Pitenin, having gone to Baikal winter, made a series of amazing photos that we present to you today.

One of the symbols of Baikal and Olkhon - Shaman Rock.

Baikal - the lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake on the planet, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water.

A view of the snow-covered steppes of Olkhon.

During freeze-up (average, in the period from 9 January to 4 May) Baikal freezes over completely, except for a small section of a length of 15-20 km, located in the source of the Angara.

In the southern part of the island - the steppe with rare trees standing alone. After a frosty night they were all covered with sparkling frost.

By the end of winter ice thickness on Baikal reaches 1 m, and in the bays -. 1, 5-2 m the case of strong cold crack having a local name of "gap becomes" break the ice into individual fields.

on the hummocks type that formed when shifting of the ice.

Gaps occur annually, about the same areas of the lake. They are accompanied by a loud crack, resembling thunder thunder or shots from guns. Due to the lake cracks in the ice fish do not die from lack of oxygen. Baikalsky ice, moreover, is very transparent, and penetrate therethrough solar rays, however in water rapidly developing planktonic algae emit oxygen. On the banks of Lake Baikal can be seen in the winter ice caves and spatter.

The frozen waters of Lake Baikal - it is also an ice rink for winter sports holidays. But often the ice is so hard that even honed his skates do not cut.

The hummocks, cracks, ice floes, snowdrifts give the lake endless variations of the pattern combinations.

In spite of the thickness of the ice a few meters, which can withstand the weight of the machine, fishermen drilled wells for catching whitefish - Baikal endemic.

In the depths of a frozen lake can be found traces of strange life forms.

In addition to the ice of frozen lakes, is still very interesting napleski on coastal rocks. They are formed as a result of the freezing of water emitted waves on a cold surface when the ground is already frozen, and the water did not grab an ice crust.