The beautiful and unusual Blue Lake, located near the village of Staroe Yakushkino in the Samara Region, has a surprisingly regular round shape, which is explained by its formation in a karst funnel. Hydrogen sulfide springs from the bottom of the lake make the water fabulously blue, and the complete absence of life makes it crystal clear.
Reservoir description
The map of the Samara region is painted in different colors. This area is not deprived of rivers and reservoirs. One of the most amazing bodies of water is Blue Lake in Sergievsky District. The area of its water surface is almost 300 square meters. meters, and the diameter is only 16, but there are endless debates about the depth. In the mid-nineteenth century, the local historian P. S. Losievsky made a detailed description of this unusual reservoir and marked a depth of 40 meters. The most powerful source at the bottom of the lake, according to the scientist, creates such a stream of water that "could make three mill sets work". A century later, the scientist A.D. Belkin established the existence of a dip at the bottom of the lake with a depth of more than 800 meters, from which a source beats of enormous force, exceeding a daily flow rate of 6220 cubic meters. meters. Modern research shows the depth of the reservoir is not more than 18 meters. In 2013, Samara divers installed a new bottom dip, deepening the lake by another 6 meters. The water temperature in the lake is constant at any time of the year and corresponds to 7.3 ° C.
Flora
Non-freezing in winter and cold in summer, this amazing lake is attractive and unusual. Charlaceous algae are very interesting ancient plants combining the characteristics of algae and higher representatives of the plant kingdom and similar in appearance to horsetail or hornwort framed on the slopes of the karst funnel along the bottom of the reservoir. Another representative of the underwater flora of the lake is perennial water-bearing from the Podorozhnikovy family. The absence of other vegetation at the bottom of the reservoir created excellent conditions for the emergence of peculiar underwater meadows of the Harov family, whose name comes from the ancient Greek word “hara”, which means “joy, beauty”. Tidying up the bottom and slopes of the lake, fragments of the plant carpet add mystery and beauty to the pond. Crystal transparency of water allows you to see in detail its splendor. The mineralization of underwater plants with the compounds contained in the water gives them a marble solemn appearance. And diving walks give such a lot of impressions and bright memories! Not everyone can afford to plunge into the blue transparent cold, although divers from the Seal Club do this with enviable regularity. They say that a special pleasure is the opportunity to see the sky, clouds, the sun and all friends on the shore from the bottom of the lake. Is there still such an opportunity anywhere in the world?
Mysteries of the amazing pond
Blue Lake in Sergievsky District is a fairly young reservoir by historical standards. He is no more than 250 years old. Samara divers found that the bottom of the lake is constantly changing. In 2013, they opened a gallery with crystal clear water, going far inland. The fact is that this most unusual blue lake in Russia is a source lake, in fact, a kind of griffin of an underground river flowing to the surface and replenishing the Shungut river. And his presence in the active karst region explains the constant changes taking place in the lake. The reasons for these geological processes are being investigated by hydrogeologists.
Legends and beliefs
Blue Lake in Sergievsky District is a regional natural monument. And like any other attraction, besides such an extraordinary one, it is covered with legends and stories. The indigenous people supported an interesting belief, based on the presence near Goluboy, which, in their opinion, contained dead water, a second reservoir that is filled with living water. It is believed that getting rid of all diseases will bring ablution first in dead water, and then in living water . I must say that there are few people who want to plunge into the Blue Lake - after all, the water is very cold.
Local residents are confident in the extraordinary healing properties of sulphurous water, and in the absence of a bottom in this lake. A map of the Samara region, on which more than a dozen water bodies are marked, confirms the saturation of the region with water resources, but the quality of the lake formed in the karst funnel is so amazing that legends have been formed and will still arise at all times. Old-timers say that a horse harnessed to a cart, which they could not find, fell into the water and drowned. There are rumors about sometimes tarred boards surfacing with mysterious ligature of ancient letters, and about many attempts in ancient times to measure the depth of a reservoir.
Road to the blue lake
The starting point will be the city of Samara. Blue Lake is 115 kilometers from it. Start driving on the M-5 highway in the direction of Ufa. The reference point is Sergievsk. From it, on the right side, you need to find a turn to the village of Old Yakushkino and go straight to the bridge over the Shungut River. Then turn left and drive along the river bed. Another landmark is an abandoned farm. It is important to remember that the road is unpaved, and it is better to plan a trip in dry weather, especially if the car is not a powerful SUV. From the last turn at the bridge to the lake no more than 2.5 km. The last landmark on the way to the reservoir can serve as a yellow building trailer, located on a hill opposite the lake.
Pearl of Sergievsky district
Aerial view Blue Lake in Sergievsky District is a bright transparent cornflower blue sharply defined circle, with sloping banks descending to a water mirror and framed by the poor vegetation of the Samara steppes. It is also surprising that through a small isthmus from the reservoir there is another lake with the usual parameters and freshwater inhabitants. And if fishing on the Blue Lake is impossible in principle, then a nearby body of water may provide such an opportunity.
One of the most amazing natural monuments is rightly proud of Samara. Blue Lake is a crystal miracle, requiring careful attitude to yourself.