Bet you never heard of the Rotten Sea. All have been to Chernoy many times, and some have traveled to the Mediterranean or Adriatic. And few people know about the Rotten Sea. We decided to fix this annoying nuisance and tell you why you should definitely go there.
What kind of phenomenon is this?
You will not believe it, but it is located very close to the mainland of Russia. The Rotten Sea is located in Crimea. The smooth mirror waters of this natural monument separate the peninsula from the rest of the mainland.
Another name for this water body is Sivash. Locals know about him, and for them the sea is a real value. It has many healing properties and is not as polluted as other bodies of water.
Mendeleev table collection
Sivash (The Rotten Sea) is not much different in composition from the nearest Black Sea. The water in it is just as salty, and in some places not quite clean. However, when compared with the chemical composition of the oceans, here Sivash has something to surprise you.
Scientists have found that the Rotten Sea contains a concentration of salt 5 times more than in the oceans. Anyway, Sivash collected a lot of different elements: sodium, potassium and magnesium in combination with chlorine, magnesium sulfate and much more.
Don't downplay it
If you go to that part of Crimea, which is located near Sivash, you can hear how locals call it a lake. But this is fundamentally wrong. Crimean Rotten and Shallow Sea, albeit small. However, for geographical reasons, it cannot be called a lake.
If we turn to science, then Sivash is the bay of the Sea of Azov. Let it not be too deep, but its waters extend in breadth. If you look at the map, the lagoon is a winding interweaving of water and land. It is accompanied by the formation of numerous islands, peninsulas and small bays.
A bit of geography
Well, it's time to go a little deeper into the numbers. For example, the Rotten Sea has a length of more than 200 km, and in some sections its width reaches 35 km. About 60 small islands are located in its waters, on which unique species of birds, animals live, and amazing plants grow.
But Sivash cannot boast of its depth, unfortunately. The maximum rate throughout the bay is only a few meters. Moreover, in the summer season, when the temperature is high, part of the water evaporates. Because of this, the salt concentration in the remaining water increases significantly. For comparison: in the Rotten Sea, this figure is 17%, while in the Black Sea - only 2%, and in the Sea of Azov - 1.1%.
Why rotten?
Agree, the name by the sea is not the most attractive. This is probably why it is not so popular among tourists. But the Rotten Sea has plenty of healing properties. And all thanks to a very high concentration of salts. Here they appear most vividly.
So where does that name come from? In summer, the water in the lagoon evaporates, the rest is very hot, the algae begin to bloom and after some time decompose. All these processes emit a huge amount of sulfur, which gives an unpleasant odor.
By the way, they began to call this sea Rotten long before it became known about the reasons for its fragrances. Historical sources indicate that the ancient Greek thinker Strabo so called him.
Gives and takes away
In addition, the Rotten Sea helps other nearby water bodies exist. For example, during summer vapors, water is redistributed into nearby shallow lakes.
Sivash himself takes water from the Sea of Azov. It enters through the Genic Strait, which helps to overcome the stretch of sand that separates the Rotten Sea and the Sea of Azov and is called the Arabat Arrow.
For vacationers Sivash is not particularly attractive. Although the entrance to the water is gentle, in the tourist season the bottom is covered with a thick layer of silt. Add to that an unpleasant odor. As you can see, there are more than enough reasons not to come to Sivash.
Place for business
But for some species of fish in the Rotten Sea - a real expanse. Therefore, it often attracts precisely fishermen. By the way, there is no commercial hunting at sea. But it plays an important role in the chemical and salt industries.
Most businessmen prefer to extract salt on Sivash. Several factories have been built on its shores that are engaged in the extraction of natural resources and also in the production of phosphate fertilizers.
However, not everything is so rosy. In the western part of the lagoon they created a fenced off area into which chemical waste from the nearest factories merges. By the way, this is not the first case of such use of water resources. The practice, when the lake turns into a “trash”, is quite widespread for factories, especially in states with undeveloped environmental laws.
Healing properties
Until the industrialists took all the water resources to their needs, ordinary people use Sivash for healing. Not so long ago, it was discovered that the western part of the bay contains not only a high salt concentration, but also a source of healing mud.
By the way, the quality of such a composition is considered one of the best in the world. For this reason, there are many hospitals in this region that offer to improve their health with the help of mud baths.
An interesting fact : the oldest of these institutions arose in 1828. It exists now. The institution operates under the name "Saki." Therefore, on occasion, be sure to visit this place.
By the way, because of the algae, the water in Sivash not only has a characteristic odor. They also give an appropriate color to the sea. Thanks to the salts, specific plants inhabit the Rotten Sea, which is why the water turns a pale pink color. By the way, these algae are very appreciated in cosmetology, since they cope well with the elimination of toxins.
It just so happened that for a comfortable life, these algae require harsh conditions. This and an insufficient amount of nutrients, heat, high salt content and a lot of ultraviolet radiation. Over time, the plants adapted to live in such Spartan conditions and now attract some tourists.
For humans, a useful property is that algae produce various carotenoids, which are responsible for maintaining immunity and removing toxic substances from the body. During a stay in healing water, our body is saturated with useful elements, which are later processed through chemical processes in the body into vitamins necessary for a person.
As you can see, the Rotten Sea has many useful properties. Why pay for expensive spa treatments when nature gives us everything we need for free? And the next time you will be in the territory of Crimea, do not forget to call on Sivash. Be sure that without vivid impressions you won’t leave there.