A barrel floating on the sea

In summer 2011 one retired man from Kultuk village decided to swim across Baikal in…a barrel. He was inspired to do such a heroic feat by an old song “Sacred sea, sacred Baikal,” in which the main hero – a state convict – swims across the lake in an omul barrel. Modern barrel was made in accordance of author’s drawings. The vessel consists of two sections – large wooden spools, on outer side of them pieces of foam and empty plastic bottles are fixed. There is a cabin with a table inside the barrel.

However Nikolay Lupynin had more difficulties than his inspirer. The Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) prohibited this adventure, explaining that he must register the barrel as a vessel and pass through a technical inspection.

The barrel is ready. Photo taken from www.gazetairkutsk.ru

Nilolay was not ready to such requirements and wrote a letter to Irkutsk Region Governor with a request for assistance and permit to swim. However, Nikolay didn’t get any answer. But the traveler is not discouraged, he is confident that the voyage will take place in summer 2012. By this time the retiree promises to fulfill all the demands of the MES and will sail according to the official rules.

Swimming across the Lake

In July 2011 an athlete from Lithuania swam across the lake in its deepest and widest point, he overcame 50 kilometers in the cold water of Lake Baikal.  Vidmantas Urbonas started near Cape Nameless in Republic of Buryatia, and finished near Olkhon Island. From time to time he rested, warmed, and then again plunging into cold water.

Vidmantas Urbonas is swimming across Lake Baikal. Photo taken from www.irk.aif.ru

After the swim, while resting in Irkutsk, Vidmantas Urbonas met with the Minister of Physical Culture, Sport and Youth Policy of the Irkutsk Region Igor Ivanov. During the meeting, Urbonas proposed to adopt a law for the nature protection of Lake Baikal. The law would obliged everyone who leaves the shores of lake after camping, take the garbage bag or pay a small tax that would go for the installation of dumpsters and cleaning of the lake and its shores. The Minister promised to offer swimmer’s suggestion to the Governor of Irkutsk region.

Extreme Jet-skies expedition

Baikal was swam across, passed on the ice, and flew over. Back in 1996, Irkutsk balloonist Leonid Aminov crossed the lake on a hot air balloon. Although it is believed that aeronautic battalion of Russian army first succeeded to cross Lake Baikal in 1907. They flew over the lake, warming bowl by burning straw. However, there are no true records about this trip.

The extreme jet-skies expedition. Photo taken from http://www.ulan-ude-vostochnyi.ru

The first experiment by crossing the lake on jet-skies was organized in summer of 2011. Extreme fans came to Baikal from Moscow, Surgut, Krasnoyarsk. They sailed from Irkutsk to Severobaikalsk, then turned around and finished at the Small Sea (which is between Olkhon Island and big land) They used about 11 tons of gasoline. This fact has caused very negative comments from Irkutsk citizens because it’s clear that there is no use to water from such records.

How much is Baikal water cost?

In 2011 scientists estimated the value of the largest freshwater reservoir in Russia. During the study, experts took the average retail price of bottled water and shifted to the reserves of water in the lake. As a result, they’ve counted a cost of all Baikal waters – 7 quadrillion rubles. For clarity, the figure is as follows: 7 000 000 000 000 000 (15 zeros).

Bottled Baikal water. Photo taken from http://vodabaikala.narod.ru

To Baikal

One more interesting fact that relates to Lake Baikal: the movie filmed by Ulan-Ude filmmakers at the shores of the lake. The romantic comedy “To Baikal” became so popular among regional residents and was included into All-Russia showing. An official day of All-Russia premiere is February 2, 2012.

"To Baikal" movie poster

The film shows the story of a student from St. Petersburg, which takes a documentary on Lake Baikal. Friends from Ulan-Ude are helping him to film this documentary and telling stories about the beauty of the Sacred Lake, while getting into funny situations.

After release in Ulan-Ude, this movie during the first week earned more money than “Pirates of the Caribbean.” (while showed in Ulan-Ude, of courseJ). This is the first precedent in the history of Russian cinema when the local film grossed more than American one at the box office.  And it’s not surprising that the filmmakers are planning to shoot the second part of “To Baikal – 2″.

P.S. I would say some jokes are understandable if you were 20-23 years old resident of our region)

Every year a solid ice cover binds waters of Lake Baikal. In this respect, Baikal is an exception among the larger lakes in the world. These panoramas were made by Andrey Kamenev at a -20C temperature

The temperature on Lake Baikal shores is higher than in neighboring cities - Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude. On average, it is-21C

From September to January, the water level lowers by 50 centimeters.

Ice thickness of 50 centimeters can withstand weight up to 15 tons, and about a meter thick - the weight of the helicopter

The water of Lake Baikal on the content of mineral substances is comparable to distilled water

Here under the 60-centimeter ice nearly 1,400 meters of water.

Russia learned about Lake Baikal in XVII century

After the thaw in March, a strong wind polishes the ice of Lake Baikal and makes it sparkling

In winter, there are ice caves formed in many places on the shores of the lake

Lake Baikal has been existing and evolving for more than 25 million years.

To be continued…

As in any lake, waves in Lake Baikal arise from the effects of wind on water, on the difference of atmospheric pressure on different parts of the valley, from earthquakes, from the tides, from undersea volcanic eruptions, from the vessels motion and other external forces.

Lake Baikal waves. Photo by http://baikali.ya.ru/

Lake Baikal waves. Photo by http://baikali.ya.ru/

Lake Baikal waves. Photo by http://baikali.ya.ru/

Waves on Lake Baikal may reach a height of 4 meters. Sometimes they evaluated as 5 and even 6 meters, but it is most likely an estimation “by eye”, which has a large error. Height of 4 meters obtained by instrumental measurements on the high seas. The waves are usually strong in autumn and spring, and even in winter before lake freezes. In the summer on Lake Baikal strong waves and storms are rare.

• north-western wind - Gorny (Mountain wind);
• Barguzin, or north-eastern;
• then Verkhovik (in the northern part of the lake it’s also so-called Angara);
• Kultuk, or south-western;
• Shelonnik, or south-eastern wind;
• and Sarma, north-west wind in the area, opposite the mouth of the Sarma river.

After the wedding the bride decided to enroll in diving more seriously.

Oh, forgot to tell you – it happened on December 20th, the temperature outside was -15C.

What do you think about this idea, dear Readers? Would you do the same?

To make my answer more complete, I decided to describe some islands of the Lake. There are different opinions on how many islands actually are at the Lake.

Wiki says that there are 27 islands at Lake Baikal.

The largest one is Olkhon Island, its length 71 km, width – up to 12 km, area – 730 square km. There is the deepest point – 1637 meters – not far from the outer side of island.

Olkhon Island. Photo by Vasiliy Maslukov

There are also Uskanyei Islands, a small archipelago of rocky shores in the middle of Lake Baikal near the Holy Nose Peninsula (Republic of Buryatia). There are 4 islands in the archipelago – Big Ushkaniy (the area of ??9.4 km²), the maximum height above the lake – about 210 meters, and Thin, Round and Long islands. They are covered with larch forest. There are Baikal Seal rookeries on the banks. Human impact is minimal, because these islands are part of the Trans-Baikal National Park. One needs permission to land for visiting Ushkaniye Islands.

Ushkaniye Islands. Photo by Vasiliy Maslukov

Yarki Island is located at the north of Lake Baikal, its length is 20 km, and width from 10 to 200 meters. The island is rapidly destroying because of its sandy structure and the constant rise of water level in Lake Baikal.

Yarki Island. Photo by Anna Lempert

The writer and Baikal researcher Vitaliy Bryanskiy in his book “Hello, Baikal!” (1989) says there are 35 islands at Lake Baikal. He suggests that Lake Baikal has also such islets as separate large stones, boulders, pebbles or clusters.  Some of them have vegetation and nests with gulls’ eggs.

Currently, most of the islands of Lake Baikal are enlisted as natural monuments or included to the two national parks.