V National park Lake Nelson is the most transparent reservoir in the world. This is the Blue Lake, which the Maori call Rotomairewhenua... New Zealand's National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) conducted a scientific experiment here in 2011, which showed that the "Blue Lake" is the most transparent natural reservoir known to man. According to research, the lake has a visibility of up to 80 meters, which means that it is as “optically clear” as distilled water.
The waters of the nearby Lake Constance pass through the rocks, which serve as a natural filter, and feed the Blue Lake, which is characterized by blue-violet hues. The water temperature in it ranges from 5 to 8 ° C.
The indigenous people of New Zealand - the Maori - consider Blue Lake sacred, so no people are allowed to enter it. In early 2013, Danish photojournalist and environmentalist Klaus Thymann received special permit on footage of the site from Maori, NIWA and New Zealand's Department of Environmental Conservation. It is his photographs that you see here.
Blue Lake, Blue Lake, in Nelson Lakes National Park on New Zealand's North Island, is considered the cleanest lake on the ground. According to measurements, the underwater visibility in the reservoir ranges from 73 to 80 meters!
Miraculous, but only specialists can see it from the inside. All others, with a certain perseverance, can admire the Blue Lake only from the outside - swimming is prohibited here, since the local indigenous population of the Maori tribe considers the reservoir sacred.
The original name sounds like Rotomairewhenua, which translates as "lake of peaceful lands" and makes you think very hard, since the Maori have always been a warlike people, let alone cannibalism.
- The crystal clearness of the reservoir, by the way, can be easily explained. The lake is filled with water from the neighboring much more extensive Lake Constance (not to be confused with the German Lake Constance))), and before getting where it is necessary, it passes through the ridge, clearing itself of impurities and suspended matter.
Relatively close (even further north) is another famous landmark of New Zealand, the volcanic lake Rotorua, which occupies the crater of an ancient volcano.
As you know, due to its remoteness and unspoiled beauty, it is now considered one of the exclusive tourist destinations and is popular with wealthy or successful travelers. Nothing that is expensive - but how beautiful!
The distant country of New Zealand attracts tourists with its striking history. There are many natural monuments preserved in their original form. And this is the Blue Lake.
it freshwater lake located in the northern part of the country, in Nelson National Park. On our planet, New Zealand's Blue Lake is the most extraordinary. The water here is cold all year round, as the glaciers are very close. They allow the lake to maintain the water level. The water in the lake changes its color depending on the season, and the lower the air temperature, the bluer the lake. In summer, the lake takes on a purple hue.
There are numerous platforms on the shore from which tourists admire the beautiful landscapes. And they observe a wonderful view of the Blue Lake, which is surrounded by majestic rocks and unique trees. Not so long ago, it was discovered that it is extremely pure water... It takes its origin from the waters of the underground Lake Constance, here almost all particles that are suspended in the water are filtered out by the soil.
After heavy showers, the water in the lake becomes cloudy. But after a day, the water is completely renewed. Depth visibility is eighty meters. From the surface of the lake, you can view the inhabitants of the reservoir at a depth of up to eighty meters, without intruding into their world. Diving and swimming are not permitted in the lake.
The lake is fed by glaciers in the Southern Alps. The lake is located at an altitude of over a thousand meters above sea level. The water temperature in the lake is very cold, it does not exceed five to eight degrees Celsius.
The Maori tribes consider this lake sacred. They hold a ceremony on the lake for dead people. The Maori think that the purified souls of the dead can travel to Hawaiki. The Maori tribes believe that the souls of the dead will return to their homeland after death.
How to relax here
During the hot daytime, tourists love to be near the cool, refreshing surface of Blue Lake. Here, on the shore of the lake, there are restaurants offering tourists to taste Mediterranean cuisine or Italian.
In New Zealand, a lot of attention is paid to ecology. Scientists noted that this amazingly beautiful country is also the cleanest on the planet. It is not surprising that the Blue Lake in New Zealand is located in this country. I can't believe that in our time you can find a piece of land with pristine stunning nature.
In previous posts on the topic - lakes of the world, we introduced you to floating islands and amazing flowers. Today we propose to travel to New Zealand, to unusual lake on the planet - Rotomairewhenua, which in Maori means blue Lake... This small freshwater lake is located in the Nelson Lakes National Park, in the northern regions of the Southern Alps, New Zealand.
It has become famous since 2011, when specialists from the National Institute Water resources and Atmospheric Research found that the lake has an extreme visibility that reaches 80 meters deep. Previously, the world record was held by another lake - Te Waykoropupu Springs, which is also located in New Zealand and which has a visibility of 63 meters.
Blue Lake is characterized by blue-purple hues, which are caused by natural filters that purify the water. The lake is fed by a glacial reservoir located in the mountains. The dam between them, consisting of different rocks, is an excellent natural filter.
The first person to spark interest in the small lake was hydrologist Rob Merriles. Then specialists from the National Institute came into play, headed by Dr. Rob Davis-Colley. Six scientific flights to the blue lake confirmed that its waters are crystal clear. “In theory, the visibility in distilled water is about 80 meters, and this is the best estimate,” says Rob Davis-Colley. "Blue Lake comes close to such estimates."
New Zealand is famous for its natural attractions, a mass of pristine places and a unique climate. One of the most popular and picturesque tourist routes runs past two unusual lakes - Pukaki and Tekalo - which are separated by a mountain range and amaze eyewitnesses with water of a heavenly shade. One gets the impression that these are not lakes at all, but real pools!
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Our review will focus on one of these amazing bodies of water, namely Lake Pukaki. The lake is located in the most beautiful corner of the South Island, which is part of New Zealand.
Azure Pond is one of three lakes located high in the mountains south of the Mackenzie Trench. The hero of our review belongs to lakes of glacial origin, and the water level is maintained by the flows of water that descend from the mountains during the melting of glaciers. Perhaps that is why the lake has such an unusual sky-turquoise hue. The area is nearly 178 sq. km, and the height above sea level exceeds 500 meters!
In addition to glaciers, the Tasman River is responsible for replenishing the reservoir with fresh waters, which connects with it in the northern part. But from south coast another river with the same name originates.
Since New Zealand has always sought to use the potential of nature for peaceful purposes, the government of the country did not ignore our reservoir. For several decades, Pukaki has been an important part of the island's hydropower system, and water from it flows through specially created channels directly to the Ohau A hydroelectric power station. It is thanks to the lake that the local population can enjoy the delights of civilization and use electricity.
By the way, the New Zealand estuary was not always so large-scale. Until the 1940s maximum depth the lake did not exceed 20-25 meters. Since there was an urgent need to increase the capacity of the water, work was carried out to deepen the reservoir, first by 9 meters, and later by almost 40 more.
Unusual and interesting facts about the lake
The water temperature in Pukaki almost never rises above 7 degrees. It is easy to guess that the glaciers that feed it in every possible way contribute to this.
If you believe the results of the research carried out, the approximate age of the lake is at least 16 thousand years. Just imagine that practically nothing has changed here since that distant time. After all, the human factor had practically no impact on the pristine nature.
One more interesting fact connected to a local power plant that converts lake water into electrical energy. It turns out that the plant has an impressive output of 105 megawatts. As mentioned earlier, water enters the station through a special canal that runs from the river of the same name.
But about the true name and its origin, the controversy does not subside to this day. According to local legend, unusual name the reservoir owes to its discoverer - Raikaikhait. And translated from the local dialect, Pukaki means something like "Bound water".
According to another legend, the lake was named after the great warrior, and later the leader of the Maori tribe once living in these parts. If you believe the legend, the local lands for many years simply drowned in rivers of blood that were shed by the warring tribes. In order for peace to finally reign in these parts, the leaders of the warring tribes decided to bind both clans with the strongest bonds - marriage. When a boy was born in the family of young descendants of the leaders, he was named Pukaki, and from that moment there was no more strife between the tribes.
As the years passed, Pukaki became more and more courageous, became a real leader and justified the hopes of the great Maori people. He is considered the greatest peacemaker in New Zealand history. And that is why, in 1990, it was decided to immortalize the warrior on a 20-cent coin. Today you can find such a coin in any souvenir shop. And do not pass by, because the great warrior is depicted on the coin not with a spear at all, but in the form of a well-fed boy who is frozen in a yoga pose.
If you watched the recently released film about the continuation of the adventures of the well-known Hobbit, then the Misty Mountains, which are shown in the film, were copied from the local landscapes. Dragons lived in them. Who knows, maybe real mountains were once the abode of huge creatures that spewed fire from their mouths and could fly?
Acquaintance with the lake
As soon as you find yourself alone with the wonderful landscapes of sky-blue waters, which are carefully hidden from the eyes of man by huge mountains, you understand how great a creator nature can be. Like a huge stone scarf, the mountains encircle the marvelous estuary, complementing the already unique image with their snow-white hats. Indeed, can the best "Photoshop" reflect such a rich spectrum of colors? Can the highest quality lens convey the spirit of these places? Of course not!
The lake is located in a kind of dead end and far from the settlements. You will have to get to the nearest town more than 9 km along winding paths and roads, which are not always covered with asphalt.
The best observation deck allowing you to consider all the charms paradise, is considered Mount Cook, which is equipped with an information center. The view that opens from here can be envied not only by mortals, but also by the Gods!
You can get to the lake by renting a car. Usually, sightseeing buses, especially, public transport, there is no. And so that the road does not seem so difficult and you do not get lost among the rocks, it is better to stock up on a map in advance and set up the navigator in the car.
Two more articles about New Zealand: Bridge to Nowhere and Waitomo Firefly Cave - read on our website.
