At the entrance to the Crimea, Lake Sivash is located. More precisely, not a lake, but a bay of the Sea of Azov. Water in it is called brine - concentrated brine, which has an unusual pink color. Of interest to both the chemical industry and tourists who come here to improve their health is Lake Sivash. Crimea has always been and remains a favorite route for vacationers.
How to get to Sivash
Sivash is located between two seas - the Black and Azov, east of Evpatoria. Now this "salt pearl" belongs to Russia. In the recent past, the geographical location of the body of water was Ukraine. Lake Sivash has a large length, so you can get to it from many directions. As an option, the route by personal transport is a ride along the Moscow-Simferopol highway towards the Crimean capital. In the Kherson region, Genichesky district, in the village of Novoalekseevka you need to turn and move towards Genichesk. At the entrance to the city turn onto the Arabat arrow. A peculiar border is Lake Sivash. Crimea borders on the Kherson region in this place.
You can go along the highway to the Chongar Peninsula. In this place there are three villages - Chongar, Ataman and New Labor. A couple of kilometers from each is Sivash Bay. Those who come to rest here should remember that Sivash is a local small resort by no means of international importance, and there is no need to be afraid of the lack of smooth roads and comfortable living conditions.
Hydrological characteristics of the lake
In appearance, Sivash looks a little like an ordinary lake. This is a plexus of islands, ridges filled with water. The water area of the lake has about 60 islands. The area of the lake is about 10,000 square meters. m, three quarters of which are occupied by land. The average depth is about one meter, and the maximum can reach up to four meters. Initially, the reservoir was deep, but over time, due to the formation of sediment, shallows and streamers, Lake Sivash crushed. It has a gently sloping coast.
It feeds on groundwater, surface water and rainwater. In accordance with the cardinal points, it is customary to divide the lake into Western, Eastern, Northern and Southern Sivash.
Due to the high salt content, water has a high density. Those who have been to the Dead Sea know that it is almost impossible to drown in it. Water, on the contrary, pushes the body out. On Sivash you can feel the same effect. Salts of the lake have a high content of sodium chloride, magnesium, calcium, bromine.
The healing properties of the lake
Every year thousands of visitors are received by Sivash Lake. Treatment is the main purpose of their visit. Unique mud has healing properties. It is saturated with silt and beta-carotene. Dunaliella microalgae, which lives in water, produces a large amount of beta-carotene to protect itself from the scorching Crimean sun. Thanks to him, brine acquires a beautiful pink color. With the end of summer, water evaporates, leaving salt containing iodine, beta-carotene and many other valuable trace elements.
Dunaliella microalgae has antioxidant properties due to its beta-carotene content. This substance has no toxic effects on the body. Beta-carotene forms epithelial tissue, which is part of the skin, mucous membranes, connective tissue. It protects the skin from the effects of free radicals.
The mud of Lake Sivash helps get rid of chronic diseases such as psoriasis, eczema, arthritis, arthrosis, intervertebral hernia, gout, acne, dermatitis. Of course, one course of treatment may not be enough. But therapy for several years will help get rid of excruciating diagnoses. The treatment uses both dirt and salt. With their help, applications and compresses are made on the affected skin, baths are taken.
Sasyk-Sivash Lake
One of the small lakes in Sivash is called Sasyk-Sivash. From the Crimean language, “sivash” is translated as “lake”, and “sasyk” - “smelly”. This reservoir is often popularly called the "rotten sea". Its area is about 70 square meters. km The average depth is very small and is only 0.7 meters. The peculiarity of Sasyk-Sivash is that the reservoir is divided into two parts by the dam - fresh and salty. The water level rises, and the dimensions of the dam decrease, so that further “dilution” of the lake and the loss of its value as a source of salts can occur.
On the territory of the reservoir noticeably boiling water. This is the result of underground fountains - griffins.
Salt industry
Since time immemorial, salt mining has flourished on the shores of the lake. The salt miners were called Chumak. In Soviet times, salt production practically stopped; now several small private enterprises are engaged in this. The developed section of the mined salt is called a check. With the beginning of summer, the check is filled with water; throughout the season, salt ripens there. The color of the brine changes as it is saturated with algae. By the end of summer, water evaporates, and salt begins to be deposited on the banks of the check. A small railway is laid here. Salt is cut with a special combine, immersed in mini-cars and transported to a dry place, where it is stored in piles.
Fauna of the lake
Algae diatoms living in water, decomposing, form hydrogen sulfide. It is its specific smell that gives reason to consider the lake "rotten". At first glance, it seems that in such an unusual reservoir there is no animal life at all. But this is not so. There is something to do for amateur fishermen. In desalinated places of the lake, fish species such as crucian carp, carp, grass carp are found. Although fishing is free here, it requires a lot of patience and a lot of time.
On the banks of the rivers many species of birds settle. Build their nests and feed on mollusks, crustaceans and other inhabitants of the lake, gulls, ducks, bitterns, and cormorants. They take a break on the Sivash during the flights of geese, cranes and swans. Some species of swans remain here to winter. You can see graceful herons. Some parts of the islands are reserves, representatives of the fauna of which are listed in the Red Book.
Where to stay vacationers
Interest in the healing properties of the reservoir has led to the development of infrastructure near it. The bulk of tourists coming to Lake Sivash choose the Arabat Spit to accommodate. These are the villages of Genichesk, Schastlivtsevo, Stelkovoe, Gengorka. There are many boarding houses, hotels, holiday homes. You can stay in the private sector. It offers tourists many shops, cafes, markets. There are two thermal springs on the Arabat Spit, as well as an ostrich farm. Nearby is the island of Biryuchiy - a unique reserve with rare animals living in it.