Fishing on the World's deepest lake
Severo-Baikalsk, Siberia, Russia
From anyone coming from the comfort of Southern climate or the mild coldness of central Europe, experiencing temperatures touching -40 degrees Celsius could be to say the least surrealistic. Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake and one of the planet’s most ancient transforms itself into a magical ice plane, snow and colours mainly brought about by its unique micro-climate.
Severo-Baikalsk, or Northern Baikal is still considered one of the remotest regions of our planet. A small town which came to life with the BAM project, begun by the communists and still underway; namely this is the ‘Baikal, Amurski Magistral’ literally the railroad which joins northern Baikal with the Amur. Previously these regions where habitable, by the peoples of the north mainly the Chukotkis, who are now in a minority and whose blood has mixed with that of Russians as the communists led to an almost complete dissolution of the minorities leading the majority of minor races to live in concrete skyscrapers. in towns instead of huts in villages in the taiga. The town itself is to say the least unattractive, yet one experiences a different world when just a few kilometers out.
Lake Baikal takes those who are not familiar with it by surprise, especially around Winter, when its uniqueness is felt even more. This atmosphere although remote gives one a sense of peace and freedom, realizing why some people prefer living around these remote regions than in relatively more habitable centres.
The coldness of the weather was balanced by the warmness of my hosts; namely Sasha a retired worker originally from Moscow, who as the majority was posted here to build the BAM and was one of the pioneers on the project; his two nephews, Sasha and Pasha who decided to pass some years here instead than being in Moscow with their family, their faithful dog Gera and Vladimir, a retired sailor who practically crossed to the world and being Sasha’s old friend drove all the way from home in Murmansk.
From the comfort of our small hut surrounded by nature and the magical atmosphere of the Baikal, the four of us left in the old and small Lada while leaving young Pasha on guard at the hut to begin our fishing adventure. Literally Sasha, drove over the lake, and myself with the camera in the backseat, although sure of what my hosts were doing as for them this is normal everyday life, wondered how deep and cold it would be beneath the ice we were driving on.
The unbearable coldness and cutting wind coming from the openness of our surroundings made it impossible to stay out longer than 15 minutes and with the car heater on, very occasionally we took refuge in the car to normalize our body temperature.
After the actual fishing, a warm tea accompanied by soup and boiled potatoes awaited us back at the hut, followed by the Siberian Banya and as expected several shots of vodka.
From anyone coming from the comfort of Southern climate or the mild coldness of central Europe, experiencing temperatures touching -40 degrees Celsius could be to say the least surrealistic. Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake and one of the planet’s most ancient transforms itself into a magical ice plane, snow and colours mainly brought about by its unique micro-climate.
Severo-Baikalsk, or Northern Baikal is still considered one of the remotest regions of our planet. A small town which came to life with the BAM project, begun by the communists and still underway; namely this is the ‘Baikal, Amurski Magistral’ literally the railroad which joins northern Baikal with the Amur. Previously these regions where habitable, by the peoples of the north mainly the Chukotkis, who are now in a minority and whose blood has mixed with that of Russians as the communists led to an almost complete dissolution of the minorities leading the majority of minor races to live in concrete skyscrapers. in towns instead of huts in villages in the taiga. The town itself is to say the least unattractive, yet one experiences a different world when just a few kilometers out.
Lake Baikal takes those who are not familiar with it by surprise, especially around Winter, when its uniqueness is felt even more. This atmosphere although remote gives one a sense of peace and freedom, realizing why some people prefer living around these remote regions than in relatively more habitable centres.
The coldness of the weather was balanced by the warmness of my hosts; namely Sasha a retired worker originally from Moscow, who as the majority was posted here to build the BAM and was one of the pioneers on the project; his two nephews, Sasha and Pasha who decided to pass some years here instead than being in Moscow with their family, their faithful dog Gera and Vladimir, a retired sailor who practically crossed to the world and being Sasha’s old friend drove all the way from home in Murmansk.
From the comfort of our small hut surrounded by nature and the magical atmosphere of the Baikal, the four of us left in the old and small Lada while leaving young Pasha on guard at the hut to begin our fishing adventure. Literally Sasha, drove over the lake, and myself with the camera in the backseat, although sure of what my hosts were doing as for them this is normal everyday life, wondered how deep and cold it would be beneath the ice we were driving on.
The unbearable coldness and cutting wind coming from the openness of our surroundings made it impossible to stay out longer than 15 minutes and with the car heater on, very occasionally we took refuge in the car to normalize our body temperature.
After the actual fishing, a warm tea accompanied by soup and boiled potatoes awaited us back at the hut, followed by the Siberian Banya and as expected several shots of vodka.
