Tag Archives: Water

Lake Vostok

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Lake Vostok

Lake Vostok is a preserved jewel of Antarctica.

  • Lake Vostok is a very large water lake that exists underneath an ice glacier in Antarctica, and despite being submerged in darkness, it contains numerous micro-organisms, some of which are not uncommon in other water bodies.
  • Lake Vostok is the largest known underground lake in Antarctica, covering up to 14,000 square kilometres (5405 square miles) in area and reaching estimated depths of 510 to 900 metres (1700 to 3000 feet).
  • Andrey Kapitsa, Russian geographer, accurately predicted the existence and location of Lake Vostok in the early 1960s.
  • ‘Lake Vostok’ was named after the Russian research station, Vostok Station, that is situated directly above the lake.
  • The Russians were not only the discoverers of Lake Vostok, but also the earliest to theorise the existence of underground lakes in Antarctica, first led by Peter Kropotkin, scientist, in the 1800s.
Lake Vostok, Satellite, Colour, Blue, Ice, Ten Random Facts, NASA, AntarticaSatellite Image of Lake Vostok
Image courtesy of NASA
  • Despite evidence of Lake Vostok’s existence, the lake was never actually confirmed until 1993, and it was not until early 2012 when the lake’s surface was first penetrated.
  • It is possible that the water of Lake Vostok is gradually cycled throughout thousands of years, as water is lost while the above glacier is mobile, and is in turn replaced by ice melting.
  • Despite the freezing temperatures of Antarctica, and even though the water temperature of Lake Vostok is approximately minus three degrees Celsius (26.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the lake remains unfrozen due to the enormous pressure it sits under.
  • Tides are evident in Lake Vostok, and therefore are dependent on planetary positioning, while the lake’s surface can reach up to 1.2 centimetres (0.47 inches) higher than normal as a result.
  • One of the longest ice cores,  drilled from more than 3,600 metres (11,811 feet) deep, has been extracted during the studies of Lake Vostok, despite the lake being only 500 metres (1640 feet) below sea level, as the ice above is up to 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) thick.
Bibliography:
Lake Vostok, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Vostok
Lake Vostok mysteries: Biologists find over 3,500 life forms in isolated Antarctic basin, 2013, RT, http://rt.com/news/lake-vostok-bacteria-dna-745/
Maxwell B, Broughton D, Rogers J & Weymouth W, Ethics of Subglacial lake Exploration in Antarctica, 2012, University of Canterbury, http://www.anta.canterbury.ac.nz/documents/PCAS_14/SyndicateReports/Subglacial%20Lake%20Exploration%20Syndicate%20Report.pdf

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Lighthouse of Alexandria

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Lighthouse of Alexandria

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was certainly more than your typical lighthouse.

  • The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a lighthouse originally located next to the city of Alexandria, on the island of Pharos, in Egypt, Africa.
  • ‘Lighthouse of Alexandria’ is also known as ‘Pharos of Alexandria’, ‘Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria’ and ‘Pharos Lighthouse’, and it is known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
  • Around 280 BC, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was built, taking over a decade to complete; and the construction period was during the reign of Ptolemy I and Ptolemy II.
  • The height of the Lighthouse of Alexandria is believed to have been between 117 to 137 metres (383 to 450 feet), making it one of the tallest built structures in the world for hundreds of years.
  • The Lighthouse of Alexandria was among the first lighthouses to be built, and is believed to have had one or more mirrors and a place for fire, that was used to signal, position and detect ships up to a 160 kilometres (100 miles) away.
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A depiction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria
Image courtesy of Ashley van Haeften/Flickr
  • The Lighthouse of Alexandria was destroyed by the end of 1323, due to at least three major earthquakes over a period of 400 years.
  • The Lighthouse of Alexandria had three primary parts, a rectangular prism erected on the foundation; an octagonal prism built above that; and a cylinder sitting on top.
  • After the Lighthouse of Alexandria disintegrated, the Citadel of Qaitbay was built in its spot in the late 1400s, and it is believed that some of the lighthouse stones were used to create this fort that still sits on the site.
  • Some of the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were discovered underwater in the Port of Alexandria during 1994, by Frenchman Jean-Yves Empereur, an archaeologist, and his team.
  • The top section of the Lighthouse of Alexandria is said to have featured the statue of one of two Greek gods – Zeus, god of the sky, or Poseidon, god of the sea.
Bibliography:
Dunn J, Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria, 2013, Tour Egypt, http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/pharoslighthouse.htm
The Great Lighthouse of Alexandria, 2011, The Museum of Unnatural Mystery, http://unmuseum.mus.pa.us/pharos.htm
Lighthouse of Alexandria, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lighthouse_of_Alexandria

 

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Suez Canal

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Suez Canal

Suez Canal has become a worldwide benefit.

  • The man-made Suez Canal is the lengthiest canal without locks in the world, and it is located in Africa’s Egypt, and links the Red and Mediterranean Seas together.
  • As of 2010, Suez Canal had a length of 193.3 kilometres (120 miles), a maximum width of 345 metres (377 yards) at the water level, and reached 24 metres (78.7 feet) in depth, and the canal crossings included two bridges and one tunnel.
  • The Suez Canal Authority owns the canal, and any ship is legally allowed to travel the canal for any purpose as long as they abide by the stated rules; and the number of ships that used the canal in 2008 numbered 21,415, equaling approximately eight percent of the world shipping trade.
  • A canal that connected the Mediterranean and Red Seas via the Nile River, is said to have been first built in 1874 BC by Senausert III, an Egyptian pharaoh, while other pharaohs reopened the waterway throughout history, until the Suez Canal was constructed in the 19th century.
  • The legal authorisation for the construction of Suez Canal was granted to Frenchmen Ferdinand de Lesseps, a diplomat, in 1854 although it wasn’t until 1859 that construction began.
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Suez Canal
Image courtesy of Wilhelm Joys Andersen/Flickr
  • The Suez Canal was opened on 17 November 1869 by the French, while the original estimated cost of the canal was less than half of the actual cost.
  • Although under-used in the first couple of years, the Suez Canal quickly became a staple part of world trade and movement, allowing for much shorter trips around the Earth, and a time saving of as much as 88% on some routes.
  • Suez Canal cannot support two watercraft abreast, and therefore the ships move in a scheduled convoy that takes 12 to 16 hours to travel the length of the canal, while a bypass area is used to pass oncoming boats.
  • Due to the Red Sea’s unique environment, the connection of the seas by the Suez Canal has caused much environmental damage to the Mediterranean Sea.
  • In 2014, at an estimated cost of $8.4 billion, construction began on a second canal of 72 km (44.7 miles) in length, to be connected and run parallel to the Suez Canal, to expand its capacity, and to be completed by the end of 2015.
Bibliography:
Canal History, 2008, Suez Canal Authority, http://www.suezcanal.gov.eg/sc.aspx?show=8
Canal Characteristics, 2008, Suez Canal Authority, http://www.suezcanal.gov.eg/sc.aspx?show=12
Suez Canal, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Canal

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Hidden Beach, Marieta Islands

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Hidden Beach, Marieta Islands

Hidden Beach is perfect isolation.

  • Hidden Beach is a beach totally surrounded by a rock wall, found on one of the Marieta Islands of Mexico, in North America.
  • ‘Hidden Beach’ is also known as ‘Playa del Amor’, which translates directly from Spanish as ‘beach of love’.
  • The Mexican government used the uninhabited Marieta Islands as a military test base early in the 20th century, and a number of bomb tests occurred, one of which is the possible cause of the Hidden Beach open cave area.
  • Hidden Beach was declared a National Park area in 2005, as part of the Parque Nacional Islas Marietas (Marieta Islands National Park), while Frenchman, Jacques Cousteau, a scientist, originally initiated the protection of the area in the 1960s.
  • Kayaking, swimming and sunbathing are said to be the only practices that are legal in the Hidden Beach area, although other activities in the area include whale watching, fishing and birdwatching.

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Hidden Beach
Image courtesy of Christian Bernal/Flickr
  • Visitors are usually transported to the Hidden Beach area by boat, and enter the small channel opening via a small watercraft or swimming, although access via helicopter is also an option.
  • The upper ground level (or roof) of Hidden Beach sits approximately 7 metres above the water, while the small opening in the wall that allows access to the beach is around 1.8 metres (6 feet) in height.
  • Hidden Beach has become a popular tourist area in recent times due to social media on the internet, however, the site can be viewed from above, only from the air, due to it remoteness, natural barricade and protection laws.
  • The Marieta Islands were likely created by volcanic activity, and the Hidden Beach area is generally warm all year round.
  • The Hidden Beach area is the home to much wildlife, including birds, plants and marine animals such as dolphins, rays, whales and turtles.
Bibliography:
Hidden Beach, 2014, Atlas Obscura, http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hidden-beach-2
Hidden Beach in Marieta Islands, Mexico, 2014, When on Earth, http://whenonearth.net/hidden-beach-puerto-vallarta/
Marieta Islands, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marieta_Islands

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Blue Lake Grotto

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Blue Lake Grotto

Watch the sparkling beauty of Blue Lake Grotto.

  • Blue Lake Grotto is a cave that contains a large clear lake, located near Bonito, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, in south western Brazil, in South America.
  • Blue Lake Grotto was designated as a natural monument, and therefore a protected area, by the Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage), or IPHAN, in 1978.
  • The official name of ‘Blue Lake Grotto’ is ‘Gruta do Lago Azul’, in the native Portuguese language.
  • The water of Blue Lake Grotto is coloured a deep, transparent blue, and while the preferred months for viewing it are from September to February, the best are said to be December and January, due to the way the sunlight shines into the cave.
  • Blue Lake Grotto is one of the largest discovered caves at least partially submerged in water in the world, and the lake has a length of 50 metres, and visitors are required to descend 100 metres to reach the base of the cave.

Blue Lake Grotto, Gruta do Lago Azul, Bonito, Brazil, Ten Random Facts, Cave, Water, Blue, Place, Stalacites

Part of Blue Lake Grotto
Image courtesy of Patty Ho/Flickr
  • The first discovery of the Blue Lake Grotto by humankind is believed to have occurred in 1924, by a native Terena Indian.
  • Blue Lake Grotto contains water levels that reach depths of up to 90 metres (295 feet), with an underground river the likely source of water.
  • In 1992, a French Brazilian team discovered numerous fossil bones of many extinct mammals, including sabre tooth tigers and giant sloths, lying at the bottom of the lake in the Blue Lake Grotto.
  • Blue Lake Grotto is the home to numerous stalactites, stalagmites and other limestone formations, and the lake is said to contain a number of crustaceans.
  • Blue Lake Grotto attracts many tourists and researchers alike, although the limited number of visitors each day are required to be guided by a tour guide, and touching the water or rock formations in the cave is prohibited.
Bibliography:
Gruta do Lago Azul, 2013, Wikipedia, http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruta_do_Lago_Azul
Gruta do Lago Azul, 2015, Lonely Planet, http://www.lonelyplanet.com/brazil/the-central-west/bonito/sights/natural-landmarks/gruta-lago-azul
Gruta do Lago Azul, n.d, Portal Bonito, http://www.portalbonito.com.br/guia-passeio/grutas/gruta-do-lago-azul
Gruta do Lago Azul: Blue Lake Grotto, 2014, Atlas Obscura, http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gruta-do-lago-azul-the-blue-lake-grotto

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Phoenix Islands Protected Area

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Phoenix Islands Protected Area

Don’t be isolated in the middle of these Phoenix Islands Protected Area facts.

  • Phoenix Islands Protected Area is a marine location designated as a protected site, found in the Pacific Ocean, in the vicinity of the Republic of Kiribati.
  • ‘Phoenix Islands Protected Area’ is also known by the acronym ‘PIPA’, and the area contains a notable archipelago of coral.
  • Phoenix Islands Protected Area is the home to eight different islands, named ‘Enderbury’, ‘Rawaki’, ‘Orona’, ‘McKean’, ‘Nikumaroro’, ‘Birnie’, ‘Manra’ and ‘Kanton’, and the latter is inhabited by a small number of people.
  • Phoenix Islands Protected Area is a Marine Protected Area (MPA), and the Pacific Ocean’s largest protected area, covering 408,250 square kilometres (157,626 square miles).
  • In the vicinity of Phoenix Islands Protected Area, more than 500 species of fish can be found, as well as up to 200 species of coral, and over 40 species of birds.
Phoenix Islands Protected Area, Silhouette, Ten Random Facts, Mangrove, Dusk, Place, Kiribati
Part of Phoenix Islands Protected Area
Image courtesy of OggiScienza/Flickr
  • Introduced species, including rats, pigs, dogs, cats, rabbits and lantana, have all severely damaged the state of Phoenix Islands Protected Area’s islands, however, eradication programs have been in place on some of the islands, and these have proven to be successful and enabled some damage to be reversed.
  • The UNESCO World Heritage Convention declared the Phoenix Islands Protected Area as a World Heritage Site in 2010.
  • By 2006, an invasion of rats completely destroyed some species of birds on the island of McKean in the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, due to their introduction by a 2002 shipwrecked boat.
  • Fishing in Phoenix Islands Protected Area is guided by set rules, although many people find these rules are not strict enough.
  • Only 25 square kilometres (9.7 square miles) of land, equalling 1 part out of 16330, of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area is above seawater.
Bibliography:
Phoenix Island Protected Area, 2015, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1325
Phoenix Island Protected Area, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Islands_Protected_Area

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