Even in tempest, Siberian lake is a jewel

SOUTHBOUND ON LAKE BAIKAL, Siberia | Though mainly celebrated for its beauty, this jewel of Siberia also commands respect for the frequent mighty gales that can whip along its 400-mile length in any season.

The winds have names, often taken from the topographic features down which they rage — river valleys, and the canyons of mountains rimming the chasm that contains the lake.

At their worst, they can howl at 40 to 50 meters per second — 90 to 110 miles an hour — and create waves as much as 20 feet high.

The one we met today may have been the one called the Kultuk, a lesser storm, but exciting enough.

The day began with banks of low clouds gathering in the southwest, and for much of the morning we progressed uneventfully, the boat nosing through a mild chop.

By the time we gathered for lunch in early afternoon, the wind had freshened greatly. Rain was falling in blinding, horizontal sheets, and the boat’s pitching was much increased.

Borne up on waves that Victor estimated at between 2 and 3 meters, or more than 6 to nearly 10 feet, it would slam down in the following trough with a thunderous jolt. Water cascaded over the bow and the forward window of the galley.

Standing or walking was a challenge. To venture out onto the deck was unthinkable.

Fortunately, the Yaroslavits is a stout, steel-hulled craft. But in the name of comfort, if not caution, the crewman at the wheel reversed course to run with the southwest wind and the waves, not against them.

We all sat tight in the galley area, waiting for the storm to ease, as presently it did.

It was discovered later that a porthole in Victor’s compartment, not securely latched, had swung open and admitted spray that doused his sleeping bag. But apart from that there was no damage.

The sky began gradually to clear, the tumultuous clouds breaking away and sliding down to make a frame above the mountain peaks.

And as we rounded the tip of a peninsula that blocked the wind entirely, we glided on a surface smooth as glass to our anchorage once again in the Bay of Snakes, the very place we’d left that morning.

The evening was spectacular, with clouds lighted from below by the setting sun, and ranks of mountain ridges, one after another, receding in shades of forest green, purple and blue.

Our retreat from the tempest meant that we would return to Victor’s rescue base near the mouth of the Angara River and to the city of Irkutsk a day later than originally planned.

But I don’t for a moment consider that a day lost.

Irrespective of the schedule, an extra day spent on the world’s most beautiful lake is by any reckoning a bit of luck, a day gained.

From here: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/11/2216328/even-in-tempest-siberian-lake.html

Baikal is among 100 coolest places on Earth

The Anthropologist

theanthropologist

Transportation to Olkhon

Irkutsk – Olkhon (Khuzhir)

From the central market place:
Minivans leave at 9:00 and 10:00 (500 rbls).

From the central bus station:
Public bus leaves at 8:10 (395 rbls + 100 rbls for luggage).
Minivans leave at 10:00 (500 rbls).

Olkhon (Khuzhir) – Irkutsk

Public bus:
8:00 Baikalskaya street 44. (395 rbls + 100 rbls for luggage).

Microbuses:
8:30 from Nikita's Homestead (530 rbls).
8:10 from the village hostel (500 rbls).
9:30 in front of the school (500 rbls).

The price of a bus ticket in 2010 (including booking and ticket delivery) is 800 rubles.

Timetable for Krugobaikalka 2010

Wednesdays at 08:16 from Irkutsk railway station, return in Irkutsk around 21:00-22:00

Thursdays at 09:00/09:30 from the Irkutsk Drama Theatre, address: Karl Marx str.14, return in Irkutsk around 22:00

Fridays at 06:55 from the Irkutsk railway station, return in Irkutsk around 20:00

Saturdays at 08:16 from the Irkutsk railway station, return in Irkutsk around 21:00-22:00

Sundays at 09:00/09:30 from the Irkutsk Drama Theatre, address: Karl Marx str.14, return in Irkutsk around 22:00

Travelers saved a man on lake Baikal ice

The ice is very tricky this days. It is very dangerous to walk on it, especially in the end of may. :)

Two french travelers saved a man from a floating piece of ice on the lake. They decided to go for a short hicking trip, and saw a man on the ice. Asked for help from local people who could understand what they are trying to say. Finally this man was saved, by an international team. What a surprise :)

Here is their blog about their eurasian trip.



Thanks to foreign travelers! :) Ура!

Thanks to Baikal

But Irkutsk is an exception. On first sight, it seems like just another flat Siberian city, undistinguished in orientation or architecture, having the usual Lenin and Marx streets, the Musical and Drama Theatres, the Philharmonic Hall, Orthodox Churches and the Eternal Flame dedicated to those who died fighting the Second World War. But if you dive a little deeper, the city is littered with backpacker- hostels serviced by friendly English speaking staff - a concept alien to the rest of Russia! This little ecosystem of hostels is no accident because even at 70 km away, Irkutsk is the closest city to the worldґs deepest lake, Baikal that sustains this ecosystem by attracting travellers from all over the world.

Thanks to Baikal, Irkutsk became an exception for yet another reason. I was no longer alone on the Trans-Siberian; I had made 5 new friends. It was Ryan and Tom in the compartment next to mine, who were speaking in English. They along with their friends Katy, Lizzie and Gary were going to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia for 6 weeks as volunteers from the University of Edinburgh to work with children on protection and development. But before heading to Ulaanbaatar, they too were going to spend a couple of days exploring Irkutsk and Baikal...

The easiest way to get to Baikal from Irkutsk is through mini-buses that run on the hour. So off we went; the 6 of us cramped together in one of these to Listvyanka, a tiny village on the shore of Baikal. Baikal - the "Pearl of Siberia"; the deepest lake in the world; an ocean in the making that with the rift in the tectonic plates over millions of years will split the Asian continent into two! The phrase "crystal clear" must have been coined by someone standing at Baikalґs shoreline. Even from a distance, we could see the plants and rocks below. Baikal seemed like a thin sheet of silvery mirror placed delicately between the tree-covered rocky cliffs around and their undisturbed upside-down reflections!

A quotation from here.

Guy Meachin photographer

Check out great photos from lake Baikal by Guy Meachin.

Circles on the Ice

Jim's Art

Tim, Anika and Children

These two professional videos are in German and Russian and with Russian subtitles. Tim speaks about his experience on Olkhon Island in German. Also videos don't have many speaking, but nice views and music.


Part 1





Part 2

Olkhon Cats

16_09_09

Swimming in Lake Baikal in September

Watch this video of guy swimming in the lake. Its is possible, and yes, its cold.

VOLUNTEER SUMMER SCHOOL IN BURYATIA 2009

One girl from Moscow who is from Buryatiya is organizing summer school for everybody in a tiny village near lake Baikal. Great nature, local food and good days guaranteed.

Find out more about VOLUNTEER SUMMER SCHOOL IN BURYATIA 2009.

This is great that we have projects like this in Russia. I'm happy to see people, like Ayuna, who organize serious things like that.

You can join Summer School and be either volunteer and student at the same time. Also you can travel to a very unique place.

Asiatified

Round the world way. See ther is Baikal!





Another nice mentioning about lake Baikal on this blog. Very stylish stuff.
The Transcontinental Oldbones Project

Back in the USSR........

It's Tuesday afternoon and I'm sitting in an internet cafe in Irkutsk, Siberia.

Another story by another wanderer...
Actually, a good example of a good travel experience! :)))

Gerbi Tsesarskaia

The interaction of Nature and the creative human spirit is the greatest source of inspiration in my work. Composite memories of pine- and cedar-covered hills surrounding the Baikal lake in Siberia, of the stillness of Armenian mountains, of the watery grays, pale blues and pinks of St. Petersburg's magnificent buildings, of the curves of its countless rivers, canals and bridges--all of these find reflection in the forms and colors of my work.

Find out more at Miami Photo

Lake Baikal. Island Olkhon. Nikita Bencharov's homestead

There are many different homesteads, hotels and camping areas. But there is one at the lake Baikal on Olkhon Island hosted by Bencharov family, which could be called at least unique. This place is located in a very beautiful place. They know how to do many things which bring great value to the homestead. They involve many different people, cultures, groups and individuals in making their homestead a living thing. Everytime you visit you will see changes and new perspectives.

Nikita Bencharov is a well known name. I wish there be more people like him.
Learn more about Nikita’s homestead.

Baikal.doc

From 30.06 to 5.07 Baikal.doc documentary movie festival will be held in Ulan-Ude, Buryatiya.

http://www.baikal-doc.ru/ They have eglish version of the website.

There I learned some news about cinema in Buryatiya.

Dad and Dave

Here is a blog by father and son about traveling through Russia from Vladivostok to Moscow. Pretty interesting with nice photos.

Baikal Butterflies

Here is a very interesting web site about Baikal Butterflies. Would be very interesting for people who study this subject or biology.

Here is the link: http://babochki.narod.ru/pi.html

It is both in eglish and russian :-| actually at the same time. :)

Totally must see. There are many photos of butterflies!