Salt lakes of Crimea. Pink Koyash Lake in Crimea: breathtaking landscapes

One of the most fantastic and beautiful places on the Crimean peninsula is Koyashskoe salt lake pink color. Its shores consist of crystallized salt, which has the smell of violets. The color of the water in spring is soft pink, and by summer it becomes deep red. The mirror-like surface of the lake contains incredible landscapes made up of salt icebergs and frozen stones.

(22 photos of the pink Koyash salt lake)

It is located in such a windswept place where there could hardly be anything beautiful. The sun-scorched Cimmerian steppe is completely sprinkled with salt. There is a lake in it in the form of a bright pink spot. Looking at it from above, it will seem as if it was stolen from the sea and repainted in a different light.

This lake is actually considered to be something of a natural chemical laboratory of gigantic proportions, in which one can study the ability of microorganisms and living beings to survive in an aggressive environment. Incredibly, the bottom of the lake is an extinct mud volcano, and the pink color of the water is due to microscopic green algae that leads vigorous life activity there.

Sunrise and sunset on Lake Koyashskoe.

Mid-April is the time when around the lake you can see lush greenery that has not yet been bleached by the sun. During this short period, wild tulips and wildflowers bloom, and the grasses have not yet had time to die under the hot sun.

The Black Sea and Koyash Lake are separated from each other by a narrow strip of land, which is called the Koyash bay-bar. Its maximum width is 100 meters and its length is about 3 km. It seems that the lake has truly been stolen from the sea. This separate body of water was part of the sea two thousand years ago, but gradually separated from it under the influence of the surf. The lake is 3.7 km long, almost 2 km wide, and less than 1 meter deep.

In spring, the salinity of the water is not yet off the charts, and the color of the water is not yet quite pink. You can see many waterfowl during the April-May period.

But in subsequent months the water will become too aggressive for these birds. However, this does not apply to various waders. Also in spring, summer, and early autumn you can find avocets on the lake.

In the spring, laughing gulls build their nests on the shores of Lake Koyashkoye, since during this period there is no salt crust yet.

With the onset of summer comes intense heat. Small areas in this part of the Kerch Peninsula are equated by scientists to semi-deserts, and not to steppes.

The amount of water in the lake is significantly reduced. Instead of water, a lot of salt remains on the usual shores. This salt is carried by the wind throughout the surrounding steppes, which makes these lands unsuitable for cultivation and life, practically dead.

Where there was water in the spring, there appeared salt desert, through which you can approach the water. But you need to walk carefully, since the bottom of the lake is a mud volcano, which means that under the layer of salt there is viscous, sometimes shifting mud.

The lake's color peaks during the hottest summer months. During this period, the amount of water becomes minimal and its salinity increases. Salinity reaches 35%, which is many times higher than that of the Black Sea (1.8%). When water is too salty, green algae develops at its peak, causing the color of the water to be incredible.

The algae is called Dunaliella Salina. It colors the lake water due to the beta-carotene produced. The salt crystals of the lake are painted a soft pink hue, and in some places red. In addition to color, the seaweed imparts the characteristic violet smell of local salt.

There are more than 300 lakes and estuaries in Crimea. Almost all lakes are “salty” to one degree or another and are located along the coast, in the low-lying steppe part, with the exception of small fresh lakes located on the yayas of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains, and several desalinated lakes.

Most lakes are shallow. Depending on the concentration of salts, lakes are divided into self-propelled(there is a natural precipitation of salts from the solution - “sediment”) and non-landing. There are lakes containing healing mud. During the summer, some lakes dry up.

All lakes and estuaries Crimean peninsula are divided depending on location into 7 groups: Perekop, Tarkhankut, Evpatoria, Chersonesos, Lakes on Yayla, Kerch and Genichesk (Chongaro-Arabat, Prisivash). The lakes of the Genic group are located in the northern part of the Arabat Strelka, which belongs to the Crimean Peninsula, but the border of the Republic of Crimea cuts off this part Arabat Spit and passes significantly south of the village. Strelkovoe.

Mud and brine are the main riches that the salt lakes of Crimea possess. These substances are recognized by Russian doctors as a means of prevention and healing.

Salt lakes and estuaries of Crimea

Aktash salt lake, Cape Kazantip

Aktash (“white stone”) – a corner of the spacious Cape Kazantip, famous for its abandoned nuclear power plant, beach discos and the biosphere reserve of the same name. This is the saltiest lake in Crimea(in mineral saturation it is equal to Baskunchak and Elton, inferior to them only in size, because the salt level here is 40%). The nearest settlement to it is the center of the rural settlement of Shchelkino. In terms of infrastructure, this recreation is almost undeveloped. A road leads to it from Shchelkino.

Tobechik salt lake, Zavetnoye village

Lake Tobechik is an estuary reservoir on the shore of the Kerch Strait, located between settlements Chelyadinovo and Zavetnoye. This is an endorheic bowl of water that is as much as 9 kilometers long. Its average width is 2 kilometers, and its average depth is a meter. Being small and salty, it is recognized as a convenient health-improving recreation for both adults and children.

Uzunlar Lake, Kerch

This is a rather elongated body of water from north to south (10 km). Its name is translated from Crimean Tatar - “the narrowest”, because in some places its width is no more than a kilometer. Like Tobechik, it is separated from the sea only by an isthmus along which the road goes. Therefore, access here is very comfortable for those traveling from Kerch strictly to the south. In summer, the reservoir often dries up. In place of the water, brine appears. The bottom is covered with a rather thick layer of healing mud, for which the whole area comes.

Pink (Koyashskoe) salt lake, Opuksky reserve

Lake Koyashkoe lies between Lake Uzunlar and the village of Yakovenkovo (Leninsky district). Koyash Lake in Crimea is also a pink “sea”. It is not as salty as in the West and North of the peninsula, but also not as “lightly salted” as most of the reservoirs of the Kerch Peninsula. Therefore, the color of the water here is “diluted” – pink, not red. Moreover, the level of “pinkishness” also changes depending on the season. The bowl is the crater of an extinct mud volcano.

Chokrak salt lake

This salt lake is known for its proximity to natural park"Karalarsky", being its eastern extremity. The reserve consists of relict fescue-feather grass steppes, found nowhere else in the world, as well as bizarrely shaped coastal rocks. Chokrakskoye Lake is desalinated by many springs (from the Crimean Tatar “chokrak” is translated as “source”). Therefore, brine crust can be found only in one of its areas.

Salt lake "Red" (Kyzyl-Yar), Krasnoperekopsk

The color of this small closed reservoir was determined by the Crimean Tatars, which is why its historical name isKyzyl-Yar(“rich in red”). The lake is localized between Krasnoperekopsk and the artificial estuaries of the main water area of Sivash (Krasnoperekopsk urban district). The local landscape is more reminiscent of the surface of Venus - with its crater hills emitting smoke.

Kyzyl-Yar becomes red only at the moment of almost complete drying out. In other seasons it has a pleasant golden hue. This is a highly salty body of water, on the shore of which there is a private mini mud bath and bridges.

Salt lake "East Sivash"

The northernmost of the mineralized water bowls is the estuary of a complex-shaped reservoir (Sivasha, whose name translates as “mud”). Sivash turned the Crimean peninsula almost into an island, cutting it off from “ big land"everywhere, leaving only the Perekop isthmus. Its eastern waters administratively belong to the Dzhankoy district and lie between the villages of Medvedevka and Chaikino.

Estuary Eastern Sivash- “the main salt shaker” of northern Taurida, since its mineralization is 20% (for the steppe part of the peninsula this is a record, although compared to Lake Aktash, Eastern Sivash is “lightly salted”). But, like all salt marshes, near the shore it has a pinkish tint. Another advantage of the estuary is its length (at its largest diameter it is identical to 23 kilometers, which puts it on a par with the extremely elongated Donuzlav).

Aigul salt lake, Dzhankoy

Aigul Lake is located on the border of Krasnoperekopsky and Dzhankoy districts. The area is about 38 sq. km. The depth in some places reaches 5 meters. The level of mineralization is low. The steppe lake has no medicinal value, but already belongs to the class of salt lakes. "Aigul" in Turkic means "single flower". The fact is that the decoration of a reservoir is called coastal vegetation (in this area it looks like a green oasis).

Donuzlav, salt lake, Saki district

Another "soluble mineral" Western Crimea– the border of the Saki region and the protected Tarkhankut peninsula. Lake Donzulaw– the deepest “half-open” bay of the peninsula. Herodotus in his writings called the lake the Hypokiris River. After all, it is shaped like a river. It is worth noting that only one fragment of Donuzlav, covered by a dam, is a salty bowl. The predominant area of the bay is fresh water area. After all, it is a branch of a large river of the same name, the sources of which lie near the village of Zimino. The estuary is popular among visitors due to its navigable depth (27 meters), which provides opportunities for boat fishing.

Salt lake "Solenoye", Molochnoye village

This lake differs from other estuary reservoirs in that the water in it constantly evaporates, increasing the percentage of salinity every year. Perhaps very soon Salt Lake will become the very first health-improving recreation center in Crimea. It lies not far from Evpatoria - between the sea and the village of Molochnoye (the western suburb of the large village of Zaozernoye). A branch line has been laid along the eastern shore railway. The fact is that in the old days salt was mined here. The size of the water bowl is small - at its largest diameter it is only 2 kilometers. It’s easy to find by smell... Visiting the reservoir is free. By the way, it’s faster to get here through Evpatoria, and then through Zaozernoye. Suburban buses run constantly to it.

Moinak salt lake, Evpatoria

Moinak Lake- “satellite” of Sasyk, the place where the first mud baths appeared in Russia (there is even a mud bath museum in the Moinaki area). After all, the reservoir is located right in the center of Evpatoria. Accordingly, there are no fewer sanatorium complexes here than on the shore of the Saki reservoir. Most of them were built on Kirov, Kievskaya, Pavlik Morozov streets. They combine balneology with sports activities and massages.

Saki salt lake, Saki

Sasyk's neighbor lake is called Saki. It speaks volumes about the location of the reservoir (within the city of Saki and its suburbs, which is why there are the most sanatoriums here). The very word “Saki” is a memory of the ancient Indo-Iranian tribes, whose descendants were found here by the Horde (future Crimean Tatars). There are plenty of recreational facilities for children and adults, as well as beaches simply equipped with everything you need. Therefore, half of the lovers of Evpatoria go here - to the sanatoriums “Saki”, “Imeni Burdenko”, “Imeni Pirogov” and others.

The water bowl of the lake has no drains and is the same in depth as Sasyk-Sivash (with which it is connected by a canal). Saki is crossed by several dams along which pedestrian and automobile routes are laid. The salinity level is average. Has an evaporator section (Bucket).

Salt lake Sasyk-Sivash, Saki

This “health center” is undoubtedly the most famous among Russians. After all, it is the shallowest (the greatest depth is 1.2 meters). This circumstance attracts thousands of families with small children. Object area – 75.5 square kilometers(which makes it the largest Crimean lake). On the shore of the water recreation there is a salt extraction plant. The location of the water body is the space of the Saki district, adjacent to the urban district of Evpatoria. From Tatar the name of the salt marsh is translated as “stinking mud”. Interesting feature you can call it an opportunity to go fishing here.

There are about 300 lakes on the territory of the Crimean peninsula. Each of them is unique in its own way and has its own history. We will tell you where the lakes in Crimea are, why they are popular and useful, and there will also be many photos of the lakes in Crimea.

Geographically they are divided into several groups:

Evpatoria;
Perekopskaya;
Tarkhankutskaya;
Lakes on yailas;
Kerch;
Chersonesos;
Genicheskaya or Chongaro-Arabatskaya (despite the territorial affiliation with Crimea, they are not part of it).

Most of the Crimean lakes are shallow, salty reservoirs located along the sea coast. Small lakes With fresh water are located on high plateaus in the Crimean Mountains and on the Tarkhankut Peninsula.

Lakes of Crimea on the map

Koyash pink lake in Crimea

One of the most visited places is Koyash Lake in Crimea, located in the Cimmerian steppe (Kerch Peninsula). The lake is separated from the Black Sea by a narrow strip of land (the Koyash bay-bar).

It owes its popularity to its unusual color. In the spring months, its water is pink, and closer to summer it becomes scarlet, so it is often called the red lake in Crimea. This is due to a special algae that colors the salt crystals and gives them a violet smell.

The shores of the pink-red lake are crystallized salt, and the bottom is an extinct mud volcano. Its depth does not exceed a meter, and its area is about 5 km2. In summer, with the arrival of intense heat, the amount of water in the lake decreases significantly, and the salt concentration reaches 35%. This is the saltiest lake in Crimea.

Koyash Lake in Crimea on the map:

Pink Lake in Crimea: how to get there?

The easiest way to the lake is by passenger bus towards the villages of Yakovenko and Maryevka. Then, having reached the end of the route, you need to walk several kilometers to the foot of Mount Opuk, where you will see the lake. If you are coming by car, take the Kerch-Feodosia highway. Teach that for 100 kilometers you will drive on a normal road, and then on old “broken” roads. When you pass the village of Borisovka, turn right, and after 10 km you will be at the lake. Admission is paid - 200 for adults, 100 rubles for children.

The healing lakes in Crimea are the deep-water Donuzlav, the iodine lake Sivash and the mud lake Moynakskoe.

Moinak Lake

There are several lakes on the territory of Evpatoria, but the most popular among them is Moinak (Mainak) lake. It is located on the western outskirts of the city and is easy to get to.

The water is rich in minerals, and the bottom is covered with healing silt. The healing silt mud of the lake-estuary resembles bluish clay. It covers the entire bottom with a thick layer. In some places its thickness reaches 80 cm.

The area of Moinaki is no more than 2 km2. The average depth is approximately 45 cm, in the most deep places about a meter. Therefore, the water warms up quickly. In the summer months its temperature is above 30°. Because of this, strong evaporation occurs. But even in the hottest summer the lake does not dry out. It is replenished by precipitation, seepage of sea water and springs. If you are looking for a mud lake in Crimea, you won't find anything better.

Lake Castel

7 km from the city of Alushta, at the foot of Mount Paragilmen, at an altitude of more than 500 m above sea level, there is a freshwater lake called Kastel. Translated from ancient Greek, its name means “fortress.” In the Middle Ages, there was a watch fortress nearby, which has not survived to this day.

It is filled with underground springs, so its water is always cool and crystal clear. Many different medicinal herbs and rare, exotic plants grow around.

There are a lot of fish in the lake. It has become a favorite place for many fishermen. Carp, crucian carp and gobies are especially good at catching.

On the banks of the reservoir there are specially equipped places for tourists and fishing enthusiasts to relax. Kastel is one of the most popular mountain lakes in Crimea and is famous for hosting various competitions and tourist camps.

Lake Donuzlav in Crimea

The deepest lake on the Crimean peninsula is Lake Donuzlav. The depth in some places reaches 27 m. Its shores are high and very winding, forming many small bays.

The bottom is covered with a layer of silt 10 m thick. chemical composition it resembles the healing mud of Moinaki and is used in folk medicine and cosmetology. If you type “Crimea, lake, mud” into a search engine, know that you are looking for this particular lake.

The water at the mouth of the reservoir is as salty as in the sea. But moving upward, the lake becomes shallower, and the concentration of salt in it decreases due to the large number of underwater springs. Thanks to this feature, there is a lot of sea fish(mackerel, mullet, goby, flounder, mullet), and in the upper part of the lake freshwater (pike perch, carp, silver carp, bream and others). Some fish species are listed in the Red Book.

During the Soviet Union, the lake was a secret facility. Until the beginning of the 90s. the base of the Black Sea Fleet was located here.

Lake Sasyk (Crimea)

Between the resort towns of Evpatoria and Saki there is the most large lake Crimean peninsula - Sasyk (Sasyk-Sivash). The area of the reservoir is 71 km.

Lake Sivash (Crimea) is rich in brine reserves, which includes a whole complex of various salts. In the summer, this Saki lake in Crimea dries up, releasing beneficial iodine vapors into the air. Breathing such air is beneficial for human health.

Part of the reservoir (in the north) is freshwater. Salt and fresh water are separated by a dam. Every year the amount of salt water increases, while the width of the dividing dam decreases. If it breaks, fresh water will mix with salt water and all the useful resources of the lake will disappear.

Yusupovskoye Lake

Not far from the village of Sokolinoe there is a small reservoir of artificial origin - Yusupovskoye (Trout) Lake. It was named in honor of Prince Yusupov, by whose order it was built. The reservoir was intended for trout breeding. At the beginning of the 20th century this valuable fish delivered to the royal and princely tables. Today there are no fish in the lake. The reservoir has turned from a fishing spot into a tourist attraction.

The reservoir is replenished from a nearby cave, so its water is clear and cold even in summer (no more than +8°). Yusupov Lake forms a small waterfall - Silver Strings, which is popular among tourists. It is better to visit these attractions in May-June, since in the hot summer the lake often dries up.

Turquoise Lake (Crimea) in Skalistoe

18 km from the capital of Crimea there is another interesting lake. It doesn't have a name, but local residents called nothing more than Marmara or Martian Lake. Thanks to him, Crimea is becoming more and more popular among tourists. The water in the lake is an unusual turquoise color, but clean and transparent. Due to the large number of underground springs, the reservoir almost does not freeze in winter.

There used to be a limestone quarry here. In 1992, an underground spring opened, the quarry was flooded, and a lake formed in its place. Residents of Skalistoy say that many attempts were made to save production, but the water was rising at high speed. Half of the working equipment remained submerged at the bottom of the reservoir.

The depth of the reservoir is 10-12 m, but some sources believe that it is much deeper.

The Crimean lakes Chokrak and Tobechikskoe are not only beautiful, but also healthy mud, which is a panacea for many diseases. After relaxing on these lakes, people return not only filled with positive emotions, but also healthier.

Lake Chokrak in Crimea

Chokrakskoye Lake in Crimea is popular not only in Russia, but throughout the world. For example, in Europe it is very famous for its healing mud. Not far from the village of Kurortnoye, just four kilometers, Lake Chokrak is located, which is also known from historical records and legends. So, according to legends, Alexander the Great himself took water treatments in this natural source to improve health. The Crimean khans used mud rich in various microelements for men's health before they went to the harem.

The area of the lake is 8.5 square kilometers, and the maximum depth is 1.3 meters. Vacationers during the holiday season turn into pilgrims who come to the lake every year. The reserves of healing mud are so large that they will be enough to treat people for many, many years. The volume of mud is 4.5 million cubic meters.
The lake is fed by hydrogen sulfide springs rich in iodine, manganese, iron, bromine, strontium, titanium, boron, copper, barium, aluminum, and lithium.

The mud of the lake has anti-inflammatory, bactericidal properties, strengthens the nervous and endocrine systems, improves metabolism and the condition of tissues (especially connective tissue). Mud is used as a means of combating excess weight, as a panacea for diseases of the respiratory, cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, etc. The product is also of great importance in cosmetology: gels, masks, lotions, creams with mud improve the condition of the skin.
Chokrak Lake is picturesque, as it is surrounded by rocks on which oregano, immortelle, hawthorn, fireweed and many other useful plants grow.

Tobechik Lake

Lake Tobechik is located just twelve kilometers from Kerch. Once upon a time it was a bay of the Kerch Strait, but over time it was separated by a sand spit. Today Tobechikk is considered the largest salt lake in Crimea. The surface area of the lake is 18 square kilometers: 9 kilometers long, 2 kilometers wide, and the greatest depth is 1.2 meters.

One of the lake's beaches is simply gorgeous and is the best in the area. Its width reaches 100 meters and its length is about a kilometer. And all this is shell sand.

Mud volcanoes located at the bottom of the lake saturate the bottom and water with useful substances contained in salt and mud. The beneficial properties of local mud have been known for a long time. There is information that mud clinics functioned here back in ancient times (this is confirmed by archaeological finds along the lake shore - the remains of buildings, inscriptions). In the 19th century, the mud of the lake was exported to Italy, where it was used as a cure for many diseases: gynecological, joint, skin, spinal cord, and preventive measures after severe injuries. Unfortunately, the last such mud clinic was closed at the beginning of the 20th century, for unknown reasons. And on at the moment The wealth of nature, which gives health and beauty, is enjoyed only by those tourists who know about the beneficial properties of Tobechik mud, which in its composition and effect is close to the healing mud of Lake Chokrak.

According to experts in the field of tourism, Lake Tobechiksoke is promising in a recreational sense not only for the territory of Crimea, but throughout Europe.

The Crimean lakes Tobechik and Chokrak are a storehouse of health and huge potential for the development of a balneological resort.

Where can you go fishing?

Undoubtedly, such a cozy resort place as Crimea, with its huge amount of water resources, is an ideal place for fishing. You can do a lot of fishing here, and it’s very productive! There are paid parking lots for fishermen, equipped with the “joys” of civilizations, as well as many places for “wild” and free fishing for your own pleasure. We wrote in detail about where you can go fishing in Crimea on lakes and the sea.

This is the bottom of the most beautiful and fantastic places in Crimea.
Near the lake, the shores of which consist of crystallized salt with the smell of violets, the water has a color from soft pink in the spring to deep red at the peak of the summer heat, and on the mirror-like surface you can see incredible landscapes of frozen stone and salt icebergs...
It is located where, it would seem, there could be nothing beautiful at all - among the windswept, literally sprinkled with salt and scorched by the sun Cimmerian steppe.
A kind of bright pink spot that from above looks like it was stolen from the sea and repainted a different color.
In fact, this lake is something of a giant natural chemical laboratory for studying the survival of living beings and microorganisms in an aggressive environment. It’s hard to imagine, but the bottom of the lake is an extinct mud volcano, and this rose water- a direct consequence of the vigorous activity of... microscopic green algae.
Yes, and this is the saltiest lake in Crimea.

2. It’s a rare time when around the lake there is not sun-bleached steppe, but lush, although not tender, greenery.
It is mid-April, a short period when the grasses have not yet died under the hot sun, various wildflowers and wild tulips are blooming.
Lake Koyashskoye is separated from the waters of the Black Sea by a narrow strip of land and really looks like it was stolen from the sea.
It was once part of the sea, but under the influence of the surf over the past two thousand years, a separate body of water less than a meter deep appeared, stretching 3.7 km in length and almost 2 km in width.

3. Three months have passed since the date of the previous photo, the steppe has acquired a completely different look, just as the color of the water in the lake has changed. it became much more intense.
Below you can see how much.

4. A strip of land separating the lake from the sea. It is called the Koyash bay-bar, its length is about 3 km, and its maximum width is 100 meters

5. In spring, the water in the lake is still quite far from pink, and the salinity has not yet gone off scale.
In April-May there are quite a lot of waterfowl here. Later, for many of them, the water will be too aggressive

6. True, this does not apply to various waders. Avocet can be found on the lake in spring, summer, and early autumn.

7. In spring, the shores of Lake Koyashskoe are not yet covered with a salt crust, and laughing gulls make their nests here.

8. Sunset over the pink lake...

9. ... and moonrise

10. But summer comes, and the drying heat comes (some scientists equate small areas in this part of the Kerch Peninsula not even with the steppe zone, but with semi-deserts).
The water in the lake becomes significantly less, it retreats from its usual shores, leaving salt in its place. Lots of salt.
It is the wind that gradually carries it across the surrounding steppes, making them practically dead and unsuitable for life or cultivation.

11. There was water here in the spring. It is in this place that photo No. 5 was taken. Now there is a salt desert, through which we carefully wander towards the water.
Why neat?
The fact is that the bottom of the lake is an extinct mud volcano. In fact, underneath the salt there is a very thick layer of dirt. Viscous and sometimes unsteady.

12. Salt of Koyash Lake

13. The peak color of the lake occurs during the hottest months of summer.
It is during this period that there is least water, the salinity of the lake increases significantly - up to 35% (for comparison, the salinity of the Black Sea is 1.8%), which leads to a peak in the development of green algae. which gives such an incredible color to the water.
Her name is Dunaliella Salina.
It produces beta-carotene, which colors the waters of the lake, as well as its salt crystals, in a soft pink, and in some places almost red, hue. Interestingly, in addition to color, the algae also gives the local salt a characteristic smell of violets.