After a remarkable three-day expedition on the frozen Baikal lake in Siberia, Russian photographer Kristina Makeeva has returned with captivating pictures that appear otherworldly.
“It’s the deepest and the cleanest lake on Earth,” explains Kristina. “When we were planning a trip, we didn’t even suspect it is so wonderful, majestic and fairy. We were raptured over its beauty so much, that we almost didn’t sleep all 3 days we were here.”
“The thickness of it [the ice] reaches 1,5-2 meters. This ice can tolerate the vehicle of about 15 tons, but sometimes we saw cars that had been fallen down. Ice has different patterns in different parts of the lake. It happens because water is freezing layer by layer. Especially it is very interesting to find a fish or a branch in the ice. The ice in Baikal is the most transparent in the world!”
“In some parts, ice is slippery like the mirror. You can shoot ideal reflections. A lot of travelers are moving about on skates, bicycles or sled. Some of them are walking for several hundreds of kilometers and are sleeping in the tents on ice.”
“Ice is cracking all the time. When the frost is very heavy, cracks divide ice in different areas. The length of these cracks is 10-30 km, and the width is 2-3 m. Cracks happen every year, approximately in the same areas of the lake. They are followed by a loud crack that reminds of thunder or gun shot. Thanks to the cracks, the fish in the lake don’t die from the lack of oxygen. Generally, ice of Baikal carries a lot of enigmas, the majority of formations provokes the interest of scientists.”
Kristina says that “Baikal is the most beautiful place in the world,” and looking at these pictures it’s hard to disagree.
More info: ipai.ru | instagram (h/t: boredpanda)
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For more amazing ice formations head over right here.