Blue lake in new zealand against. emerald lake, new zealand

Blue Lake, Blue Lake, in national park Nelson Lakes on the North Island of New Zealand is considered the purest lake on the ground. According to measurements, underwater visibility in the reservoir ranges from 73 to 80 meters!

Miraculous, wonderful, but only specialists can see it from the inside. All the rest, with a certain perseverance, can admire the Blue Lake only from the outside - swimming is prohibited here, since the local indigenous population from the Maori tribe considers the reservoir sacred.

The original name sounds like Rotomairewhenua, which translates as “lake of peaceful lands” and makes you think very much, since the Maori have always been a warlike people, let alone cannibalism in general.

• The crystal clearness of the reservoir, by the way, is simply explained. The lake is filled with water from the neighboring, much more extensive Lake Constance (not to be confused with the German Lake Constance))), and before getting where it needs to go, it passes through the mountain range, clearing itself of impurities and suspension.

Relatively close (even further north) is another well-known landmark of New Zealand, volcanic lake Rotorua, occupying the crater of an ancient volcano.

As you know, due to its remoteness and unlittered beauties, it is now considered one of the exclusive tourist destinations and is popular with wealthy or accomplished travelers. Nothing that is expensive - but how beautiful!

Nelson Lakes National Park has the most transparent body of water in the world. This is the "Blue Lake" (Blue Lake), which the Maori call Rotomairewhenua. The New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) conducted a scientific experiment here in 2011, which showed that Blue Lake is the most transparent natural reservoir known to man. According to studies, the visibility in the lake is up to 80 meters, which means that it is as "optically transparent" as distilled water.

The waters of the nearby Lake Constance pass through the rocks that act as a natural filter and feed the Blue Lake, which is characterized by blue-violet hues. The water temperature in it ranges from 5 to 8°C.

The indigenous people of New Zealand - the Maori - consider Blue Lake sacred, so no one is allowed to enter it. In early 2013, Danish photojournalist and environmentalist Klaus Thymann received special permission to film the site from Maori, NIWA and New Zealand's Department of Conservation. It is his photographs that you see here.

New Zealand is famous for its natural attractions, a lot of pristine places and a unique climate. One of the most popular and picturesque tourist routes runs past two unusual lakes - Pukaki and Tekalo - which are separated by a mountain range and amaze eyewitnesses with sky-colored water. It seems that these are not lakes at all, but real pools!

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Our review will focus on one of these amazing reservoirs, namely Lake Pukaki. The lake is located in the most beautiful corner South Island, which is part of New Zealand.

Azure Pond is one of three lakes that are located high in the mountains, south of the Mackenzie Pit. The hero of our review belongs to the lakes of glacial origin, and the water level is maintained thanks to the flow of water that comes down from the mountains during the melting of glaciers. Perhaps that is why the lake has such an unusual sky-turquoise hue. The area is almost 178 square meters. km, and the height above sea level exceeds 500 meters!

In addition to glaciers, the Tasman River, which connects to it in the northern part, is responsible for replenishing the reservoir with fresh water. But from south coast another river with the same name originates.

Since New Zealand has always sought to use the potential of nature for peaceful purposes, the government of the country has not ignored our reservoir. For several decades, Pukaki has been an important part of the island's hydropower system, and water from it, through specially created channels, goes straight to the Ohau A hydroelectric station. It is thanks to the lake that the local population can enjoy the delights of civilization and use electricity.

By the way, the New Zealand estuary was not always so large-scale. Up until the 1940s maximum depth lakes did not exceed 20-25 meters. Since there was an urgent need to increase the capacity of the water, work was carried out to deepen the reservoir, first by 9 meters, and later by almost 40 more. This is the reason for the flooding of a small area of ​​​​land, which was located in the middle of the water surface.

Unusual and interesting facts about the lake

The water temperature in Pukaki almost never rises above 7 degrees. It is easy to guess that glaciers that feed it in every possible way contribute to this.

According to the results of the research, the approximate age of the lake is at least 16 thousand years. Just imagine that almost nothing has changed here since that distant time. After all, the human factor had practically no effect on the pristine nature.

Another interesting fact connected to a local power plant that converts lake water into electrical energy. It turns out that the installation has an impressive capacity, which reaches 105 megawatts. As mentioned earlier, water enters the station through a special channel, which is laid from the river of the same name.

But regarding the true name and its origin, disputes do not subside to this day. According to local legend, unusual name the reservoir owes its discoverer - Raikaikhait. And in translation from the local dialect, Pukaki means something like "Bound Water".

According to another legend, the lake was named after the great warrior, and later the leader of the Maori tribe that once lived in these parts. If you believe the legend, then the local lands for long years simply drowned in the rivers of blood that the warring tribes shed. In order for peace to finally reign in these parts, the leaders of the warring tribes decided to tie both clans with the strongest bonds - the bonds of marriage. When a boy was born in a family of young descendants of the leaders, he was named Pukaki, and from that moment there was no more strife between the tribes.

As the years passed, Pukaki became more and more courageous, became a real leader and lived up to the hopes of the great Maori people. He is considered the greatest peacemaker in New Zealand history. And that is why in 1990 it was decided to immortalize the warrior on a coin with a face value of 20 cents. Today you can find such a coin in any souvenir shop. And do not pass by, because the great warrior is depicted on the coin not at all with a spear, but in the form of a well-fed boy who is frozen in a yoga position.

If you watched the recently released film about the continuation of the adventures of the well-known Hobbit, then the Misty Mountains, which are shown in the film, were copied precisely from the local landscapes. They were inhabited by dragons. Who knows, maybe the real mountains were once the abode of huge creatures that spewed fire from their mouths and had the ability to fly?

Acquaintance with the lake

As soon as you find yourself alone with the wonderful landscapes of sky-blue waters, which are diligently hidden from human eyes by huge mountains, you understand how great a creator nature can be. Like a huge stone scarf, the mountains encircle the marvelous estuary, complementing the already unique image with their snow-white caps. Indeed, how can the best "photoshop" reflect such a rich range of colors? Can the highest quality lens convey the spirit of these places? Of course not!

The lake is located in a kind of dead end and away from the settlements. You will have to travel more than 9 km to the nearest town along winding paths and roads, which are far from always covered with asphalt.

the best observation deck allowing you to see all the charms paradise, is considered Mount Cook, which is equipped information center. The view that opens from here can be envied not only by mortals, but also by the Gods!

You can get to the lake by rented car. Usually, sightseeing buses, especially, public transport, there is no. And so that the road does not seem so difficult and you do not get lost among the rocks, it is better to stock up on a map in advance and set up the navigator in the car.

Two more articles about New Zealand: Bridge to Nowhere and Waitomo Firefly Cave - we read on our website.

Within the borders of the very southwest, the region has one interesting lake called Howroko. The lake is not large, its area is 63 square kilometers. Near it are the lakes Monovai and Poteriteri, and Houroko lies between these lakes. And a little further is the southernmost lake of the country Hakapaua. A few kilometers south of Lake Houroko rises Mount Coroline Peak, whose height is 1704 meters. From the lake to the largest fjord is only 18 kilometers, but this road is very difficult and difficult to pass. Houroko lies in a remote area, there is no bus service. There is only one road leading to the lake, which leads to road number 99 in the Clifden area. The section of this road, about 10 kilometers from the lake, is of poor quality. There is no asphalt surface here, the road is strewn with fine gravel, but it is quite smooth. The rest of the road is in very good condition. The nearest settlement is a small town, somewhere at a distance of 35 kilometers east of the lake.

Most deep lake countries.

The main reason for the interest in Houroko Lake is not only its beauty. This lake is the deepest lake in the world and ranks seventeenth in the list of the deepest lakes in the world. Its depth is 462 meters. When you imagine that there is a layer of water almost half a kilometer under your boat, you involuntarily tremble. Houroko is also one of the southernmost lakes in the world. Lake Houroko is elongated from north to south and is very long, but narrow. If you sail on a boat on the lake, you get the impression that you are floating on the river. Its length from north to south is 40 kilometers, and its width does not exceed three kilometers. Even on a speedboat, the lake has to be crossed along the length, at least an hour. If you look at the lake from a bird's eye view, the lake resembles the Latin letter "s". The water in the lake is very clean and cold, probably due to its depth and alpine location, as it is located at an altitude of 150 meters above sea level. Lake Houroko is connected to the ocean. In the southernmost part of the lake, the Wairaurahiri River flows out of it, which carries the waters of the lake to the ocean. The distance from the shores of the lake to the shores of the ocean is 20 kilometers.

Tourism.

So far, the lake is not an object of tourist pilgrimage. There are no hotels, motels or restaurants here. Not available in the lake area tourism infrastructure. Nearby hotels and restaurants are located in and the distance to which is from eighty to one hundred kilometers. There is, however, not a large hotel in the town of Tuataper, but the town is not a tourist site and therefore there are no proper conditions here, although you can spend another night. The hotel has a refrigerator, hot water, internet and all other necessary conditions. The route of one of the most difficult tourist routes, the Dusky track, passes through the lake, the length of which is 68 kilometers. You don’t often meet people on the lake, sometimes local farmers come to rest, mostly on weekends. But on the lake you can fish well.

Cursed island.

Mary Island is located in the eastern part of Lake Howroko. It is the largest of all the islands in the lake. Many local myths are associated with this island. It is said that this island was cursed by Maori sorcerers. Like it or not, we do not know about it. The local Maori deny this fact. The lake and the island did not cause any harm to people. Let's hope that the stories about the cursed island are myths and legends, folklore. But be that as it may, in order to avoid trouble, it is better to admire the island from the outside, otherwise who knows, everything can be.

Lake Houroki is very beautiful. Uninhabited area, snowy mountain peaks surrounding the lake from all sides and untouched by human nature. All this causes unforgettable impressions, and memories settle in our memory for life.

Lake Taupo is the most large lake New Zealand. It is located in the administrative district of Waikato in the center North Island in the caldera of the dormant volcano of the same name. Along with our Baikal, Lake Taupo is a unique and valuable reservoir of reserves. fresh water on the ground.

Lake Taupo on the map

• Geographic coordinates (-38.785717, 175.896058)
• The distance from the capital city of Wellington is about 300 km in a straight line
• The nearest airport is located 5 km south of the city of Taupo in the northwestern part of the lake

Approximately 30 rivers flow into the lake, and only one, but the longest and largest river in New Zealand, the Waikato, flows out. In the language of the Maori people, it means "water flowing into the sea."
Lake Taupo is not only the largest in New Zealand. It is the largest freshwater lake in the entire South Pacific. And the second largest (after Lake Murray in papua new guinea) throughout Oceania.

Lake Taupo in numbers

• Length - 40.5 km
• Width - up to 28 km
• Lake area - 616 km 2
• The absolute height above the sea is 356 meters
• The length of the coast is 153 kilometers
• The volume of water is estimated at 59 km 3
• The average depth of the lake is 110, and the maximum reaches 186 meters

About 26,500 years ago, a powerful volcanic eruption (also known as the Oruanui eruption) occurred in these places, as a result of which a depression was formed. It began to gradually fill with the waters of the rivers, which changed their course and began to flow into the nascent lake. The rains also partially filled it with water. As a result, after a while, a full-fledged lake was formed. In its southeastern part there is a small island called Motuteiko. Its dimensions are 560 by 400 meters.

In ancient times, the volcano, in the caldera of which Lake Taupo lurked, was quite active. About 70,000 years ago there was a strong eruption. Scientists have calculated that it can be estimated at 8 points. Then about 1170 km 3 of volcanic ash and lava were thrown out of the bowels of the planet. Large eruptions were noted in 180 AD. The last volcanic eruption known to history was recorded in 210 AD. Since then, the area around has been uninhabited for several decades. Only in 1280 Maori tribes returned here.

Nature and climate of Lake Taupo

The lake has a temperate maritime climate. Daily maximum temperatures recorded here range from 23.3 o C in January and February to 11.2 o C in July, while nighttime minimum temperatures range from 11.6 o C in February to 2.2 o C in July. It can rain at any time of the year, but most a large number of precipitation is recorded in winter and spring, from June to December.

Life is in full swing both in the waters of the lake and on its coast. The surroundings are covered with dense thickets of coniferous and beech forests, ferns and various shrubs.
In the depths of the lake there are geothermal springs that have become home to colonies of sponges and several species of invertebrates.
The aquatic environment is abundantly inhabited by crayfish, small sprat and cocopa, rainbow and brook trout, which were brought from North America and Europe in the 19th century. And smelt, brought from there, became food for trout. Now the fish population has multiplied greatly, which cannot but rejoice fishing enthusiasts. Fishing is one of the most favorite activities on the lake, both for tourists and for local residents. Here it is quite possible to catch a trout weighing 10 kg.

Attractions of Lake Taupo

Tourism is the main component of Taupo's commercial sector. It attracts more than 2 million visitors a year. The largest influx of travelers is observed in the high summer season during the celebration of Christmas and New Year.

Volcanoes

Near the lake are active volcanoes Ruapehu (2797 meters high) and Ngauruhoe (2291 meters high).

rock art

Lake Taupo is also famous for its rock carvings. In particular, the Maori bas-relief on the rock of Maine Bay, which depicts a face. It is more than 10 meters high and can only be seen by reaching it by boat, boat or kayak. It is noteworthy that this image did not appear in ancient times, but quite recently. They were created on the rocks in the late 1970s by Matahi Wakataka-Brightwell and John Randall. The face of the leader of the Tukharetoa tribe is carved on the rock. According to legend, he lived about a thousand years ago. The sculpture is designed to protect the lake and its surroundings from destructive volcanic eruptions. Now it is not only a kind of totem, but also another attraction popular with tourists.

100 km north of Lake Taupo is Hobbiton - a real hobbit village. These are large-scale scenery for filming films about the mysterious country of Middle-earth. Worth a visit interesting place and recall the famous scenes about the "halflings".

5 kilometers from the source of the Waikato River, downstream, in a place where the width of the river sharply decreases from 90 meters to 15 meters, Huka Falls (in the original Huka falls) formed. This is a stormy water stream with a length of about 250 meters.

And two kilometers from the Huka Falls along the Karapiti Road there is another interesting place called Craters of the Moon (in the original Craters of the Moon). As you guessed, these are natural formations very similar to the craters of our satellite.