Huge bodies of water dry up, leaving only kilometers of desert in their place. Life figured out why this is happening and where you urgently need to go to, perhaps, be one of the last witnesses.

Late last year, Google updated its Timelapse service. With this tool, you can see how our planet has changed over the past 32 years. The most impressive changes were edited into separate videos and uploaded to the YouTube channel earth outreach, there you can find a video about the drying up of the Aral and Dead Seas, as well as the Bolivian Lake Poopo. We figured out what happened to these reservoirs.

From the Aral Sea to the Aralkum Desert

Back in 1960, the Aral Sea ranked fourth among the largest inland waters of our planet, it stretched over 67 thousand square kilometers. And now the Aral is turning into a desert called Aralkum.

In fact, the Aral Sea is not a sea at all, it is a very lake, just salty and very large. It was located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and was fed with water from two rivers: the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, while water left the Aral itself only through evaporation. That is, the natural balance has been maintained for millennia: the rivers give the lake water, part of which then evaporates from its surface - it would seem that there is nowhere to expect trouble.

After the 1920s, when Soviet Union entered Uzbekistan, it was decided to build several thousand kilometers of irrigation canals, which for all subsequent decades supplied cotton fields with moisture in the arid Central Asia. Where did the irrigation water come from? Of course, from the very rivers that fed the Aral Sea.

At first, the reservoirs coped well and no one noticed any significant shallowing or desiccation. But in the 60s, they decided to put into operation additional channels, which became disastrous for the salt lake. The water level in the Aral Sea began to drop rapidly, and by 1987 the reservoir became so shallow that it broke up into two separate lakes, which were named the South (Big) and North (Small) Aral Seas. IN In the Great Aral Sea, absolutely all the fish died due to the high salinity.

They decided to restore a small part of the once huge lake by isolating the Syrdarya River and directing its resources exclusively to feed the Northern and not so salty Aral, thereby predetermining the fate of the southern part.

Despite the lost sea, tourists continue to travel to the Aral Sea, which fascinates with its post-apocalyptic landscapes. The popularity of jeep tours in the desert is growing, because in those places where until recently there were busy ports, now there are ship cemeteries that are more like scenery for a disaster movie, and the preserved part of the sea is more like a mirage.

What is dead cannot die

The Dead Sea, in fact, also turns out to be not a sea at all, but a salty drainless lake. It is located between Israel and Jordan, and the water level drops in it by an average of one meter per year. In perspective, since 1984, it looks something like this.

The Dead Sea is one of the most popular tourist attractions. Many people know about the healing properties of the water in this lake and almost the entire area adjacent to it: freshwater springs, healing black clay, safe solar radiation. Even the air near the lake is special; people with respiratory diseases are strongly recommended to visit this unique place. So what's going on with one of the planet's most popular bodies of water?

The level of the Dead Sea often changed depending on the state of the climate, this is an absolutely normal natural situation. But due to the active development of the resources of the Dead Sea, the water level in the lake has fallen by 25 meters in the last century alone. The fact is that since 1977, when due to drainage, the sea was divided into the Northern and Southern parts, the latter came under the control of mineralogical plants that extract bromine, potassium chloride and other minerals. The southern part was divided into a system of pools, violating the natural circulation inside the reservoir. Subsequently, the level of groundwater decreased, so cavities began to form in the soil, which eventually turn into failures (karst funnels). It is easy to guess that the ground that falls under your feet does not have the most favorable effect on the people who walk on it, and on the buildings that stand on it.

The main water supply of the Dead Sea is the once mighty Jordan River. Now there are dams on its way, which significantly reduce the amount of water that subsequently enters the Dead Sea. All these factors contribute to the frightening desiccation of the lake.

Today, there are plans to supply water from the Red Sea, but first the water will need to be desalinated so as not to disturb the unique chemical composition lakes, and then delivered through pipes to their destination.

It is not known how many more generations of people will be able to freely enjoy the healing properties of these places. We have the opportunity to visit one of the most mysterious lakes on our planet. It is worth doing this while the Dead Sea still exists.

Gone but promised to return

The second largest lake in Bolivia completely ceased to exist in February last year. Lake Poopo, which averaged 1,300 square kilometers, is disappearing for the second time, the first time it dried up in 1994.

Guess what it tasted like? That's right, salty. And by tradition, drainless. Poopo has been evaporating since 2014, as you can see, it did not take him very long, because, despite the vast area, the depth of the lake was only three meters. The vanished body of water was second in size only to Lake Titicaca, the largest in Bolivia.

For tourists visiting Bolivia, this place was one of the must-haves. Still, how not to stop by a huge salt lake? Moreover, it is adjacent to the largest body of water in Bolivia - Lake Titicaca. But now, only many kilometers of wasteland are left for tourists to contemplate.

Of the causes of drying, fluctuations in the temperature of the surface layer of water in one of the parts are noted. Pacific Ocean, which is affectionately called El Niño ("baby, boy"). El Niño has a significant impact on the climate, and hence on the drying up of water bodies. Also, mining and agriculture are actively developing in the lake area, which increases the load on the sources that feed the Poopo, which scientists call almost the most main reason perhaps the temporary disappearance of the lake.

Huge lakes disappear before our very eyes. Against the background of talk about global warming and melting glaciers, dried-up lakes seem somewhat surreal, but this is a harsh reality.

We can still look at the preserved part of the Aral Sea and experience the healing properties of the Dead Sea, but we may never see the Bolivian Lake Poopo again.

After reading the article “Why did the Aral Sea dry up?” would like to know more about this natural disaster, therefore I decided to dedicate this post to the once fourth largest lake in the world ...

You probably noticed that I called the Aral Sea a lake? And I was not mistaken, it really is a drainless salt lake, and by tradition it is attributed to the sea because of its large size, like the “neighboring” Caspian Lake. By the way, they are both remnants of the ancient, now defunct, Tethys Ocean.

And a little geography for those who don't know where is the Aral Sea, I explain: it is located in Central Asia, on the border of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

The drying process of the Aral began in the 1980s. The beginning of its end is considered to be the 1960s, when in the then Central Asian Soviet republics– Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan began active development Agriculture, including cotton growing, for which they began to actively divert water from the Syrdarya and Amudarya rivers feeding the lake through canals for irrigation.

As a result of the constant increase in the volume of water diversion from the rivers, by 2009 the Aral Sea left the cities that in the past stood on its shores for tens of kilometers, and split into two isolated reservoirs.

The first is the North or Small Aral Sea (located on the territory of Kazakhstan), and the second is the South or Big Aral Sea (Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan).

Problems Aral Sea

The drying up of the sea affected the entire region of its former water area as a whole: ports were closed, commercial fishing stopped, as the salinity of the water increased almost 10 times, and many species of flora and fauna could not survive in the dramatically changed conditions. The climate of the Aral Sea has also changed - winter has become colder and longer, and summer - even drier and hotter.

In addition, the winds carry from the drained territories great amount dust containing both sea salt and pesticides and many more chemicals. This is one of the main causes of high mortality among the inhabitants of the region, especially among children.

What to do? How to save the Aral Sea?

Many experts thought about ways to solve the problem of the shallowing of the Aral Sea, but apart from the "crazy" Soviet project along the turn of several Siberian rivers, there were no other options. But since this turn will entail very serious environmental impact for many regions of our Siberia, there are no chances for its implementation.

The only real steps to save the Aral Sea and the economy of the region as a whole are now being taken only by the authorities of Kazakhstan. True, they decided to save only the Small Aral, that is, the northern part of the sea, which is completely located on the territory of their country.

In 2005, the construction of the 17-kilometer Kokaral dam, 6 meters high and about 300 meters wide, was completed, which fenced off the Northern Aral from the rest of the sea.

Because of this, the flow of the Syrdarya River now accumulates only in this reservoir, due to which the water level is gradually rising. This made it possible not only to reduce the salinity of the water, but also to breed commercial varieties of fish in the Northern Aral. And in the future, this should also help in restoring the flora and fauna of the Aral Sea region.

Also, in the near future, the Kazakh authorities want to build here in the Small Aral a dam with a hydroelectric complex and a navigable canal, thanks to which it is planned to connect the former port of Aralsk with the departed large water.

Well, the Great Aral Sea, located on the territory of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, was less fortunate. No one is involved in its rescue, and most likely in the next decade it will disappear altogether from the maps.

Between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is the Aral Lake, which has a rich history, being one of the largest salt lakes in the world. But since the middle of the last century, it began to shrink due to the human factor, people needed water to water their livestock and irrigate the land.

Aral Lake: origin

More than 20 million years ago, the lake was a sea and connected to the Caspian Sea. However, scientists found that it once became shallow and then filled with water again, since human remains dating back to the 1st millennium, as well as the remains of trees that grew on this site, were found at the bottom.

An interesting find after the shallowing was the discovery of several mausoleums and the remains of two settlements. Scientists believed that peoples lived here, and the Kerderi mausoleum, dating back to about the 11th-14th centuries, and the remains of the Aral-Asar settlement, dating back to the 14th century, have been preserved.

The change in the water level was associated with natural cycles, when it either waxed or waned, some rivers stopped flowing, and small islands formed. However, this did not affect the depth of the Aral Lake, continuing to be the largest body of water in the world, although not connected to the World Ocean. The Aral military flotilla was located on the sea, research was carried out, the reservoir was studied.

In 1849 the first expedition led by A. Butakov was carried out. Then an approximate measurement of the depth was made, the islands of Barsakelmes were photographed and part of the Renaissance islands was studied. These islands were formed at the end of the 16th century, when the water level was lowered. The same expedition carried out meteorological and astronomical observations and mineral samples were collected.

Research was carried out even when fighting for the annexation of the Central Asian states, and the Aral flotilla participated in these battles.

At the end of the 19th century, another expedition was created led by A. Nikolsky in the south, and academician Lev Berg in the north. They mainly studied climate, flora and fauna. In 1905, industrial fishing began, when the merchants Lapshin and Krasilnikov created fishing unions.

Catastrophe

In the 30s of the last century, people began to be highly active in agriculture. But the reservoir was still safe, and the water level did not decrease. In the 60s, its decrease began, and already in 1961 the level decreased by 20 cm, and after 2 years by 80 cm. it was unambiguous to answer: Aral Lake - fresh or salty?

In 1989, it completely split into two reservoirs, and they began to call it the Big Aral and the Small Aral. All this affected the number of fish that remained only in Maly.

Aral Sea-Lake: why did the disaster happen?

Upon learning that this reservoir had become so shallow, people wondered why this happened? After all, many people live off rivers and lakes, use their waters not only for agriculture, but also for construction, for drinking, and they do not shrink.

Once the area of ​​the sea was 428 km long and 283 km wide. The inhabitants, located along the coast, lived off the water, fished and earned in this way. For them, grinding turned into a tragedy, and by beginning of XXI century, the area was only 14 thousand square meters. km.

Experts believe that this situation has developed due to the fact that resources were incorrectly distributed. The Aral was fed at the expense of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, due to which up to 60 cubic meters of water entered the reservoir. km of water, and now this figure is only 5.

The rivers flowing in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are mountain reservoirs that have been used for land irrigation. Initially, it was planned to irrigate about 60 million hectares, and then this figure increased to 100 million hectares, and the reservoir simply did not have time to replenish.

Fauna

The catastrophe for the inhabitants of the shores of the Aral Sea came even when it was divided into two parts, it became more and more salty, which made it impossible for the fish to survive. As a result, there were no fish left in the Big Aral at all due to the high concentration of salt, and in the Small Aral, its number has sharply decreased.

The situation was completely different before drying up, once more than 30 species of fish, worms, crayfish and mollusks were found in the sea, 20 of which were commercial. People made a living by fishing, for example, in 1946 23 thousand tons were caught, in the early 80s 60 thousand tons.

Since salinity increased, the biodiversity of living organisms began to decrease sharply and first invertebrates and freshwater fish died, then brackish water fish disappeared, and when the concentration increased to 25%, species of Caspian origin also disappeared, leaving only euryhaline organisms.

In the 80s, they tried to improve the situation a little and created hydraulic structures, which reduced the salinity in the Small Aral and even fish such as grass carp and pike perch appeared, that is, the fauna was partially restored.

Things were worse in the big Aral, and the salt concentration reached 57% in 1997, and the fish began to disappear gradually. If by the beginning of 2000 there lived 5 species of fish and 2 species of gobies, then in 2004 the entire fauna died completely.

Environmental consequences

If you see the animation of satellite images from 2000 to 2011, you can understand how rapidly the reservoir has decreased, that now, looking from the satellite, you ask yourself: where is Aral Lake, why is it disappearing and what could it threaten?

The fact that the fauna died due to the high concentration of salt is one of the consequences. This led to the fact that residents lost their jobs, and the ports of Aralsk and Kazakhdarya also ceased to exist.

In addition, pesticides and pesticides coming from the fields into the channel of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya fell into the sea, and now everything is left on the shallow salty bottom, and because of the winds it all spreads for many kilometers.

Small Aral Sea

In 1989, when the Berg Strait dried up, the Small Aral Lake was formed, but a few years later, when the use of the Syr Darya River was sharply reduced, the strait began to fill with water again, because of which the Small Lake was filled, from where it flowed into the Large. This situation led to the fact that literally in a second more than 100 m³ of water came in, this led to the deepening of the channel, the erosion of the natural barrier, and subsequently the complete drying of the North Sea.

In 1992, experts came to the conclusion that it was necessary to create an artificial dam. The level of the Small Aral Lake increased, the salinity of the water decreased, and the Saryshyganak Strait revived, and the separation of the Butakov and Shevchenko bays was also prevented. Flora and fauna began to recover.

The natural dam was fragile, and it often collapsed during floods, and in 1999 it was completely destroyed by a storm. This again affected the sharp decline in water, and the leadership of Kazakhstan came to the conclusion that it was necessary to build a capital dam in the Berg Strait. The construction lasted for a year, and already in 2005 the Kokaral dam was created, which meets all technical requirements. The difference between this dam and a dam is that it has a culvert, which allows excess water to be discharged during floods and maintain the level at a safe level.

Big Aral Sea

Things are quite different with the Great Sea, significant changes have taken place literally over the past 15 years. In 1997, the salinity level exceeded 50%, which led to the death of the fauna.

In the same year, the island of Barsakelmes joined the land, and in 2001, the island of Vozrozhdenie, where biological weapons were tested.

The whole sea was first divided into 2 parts: northern and southern, but in 2003 the southern part was divided into east and west. In 2004, Lake Tushchibas formed in the eastern part, and when the Kokaral dam was built in 2005, the inflow of water from the Small Aral Sea stopped, and the Large began to decrease sharply.

In subsequent years, the East Sea completely dried up, the salinity in the West was 100%, the area of ​​the South Aral changed with varying degrees of success. In 2015, all parts have decreased in size, and it is possible that the western reservoir may soon be divided into 2 parts.

Climate

The change in the area and size of the Aral Sea also affected the climate - it became drier and colder, continental, and where the sea receded, a salt desert appeared. In winter, frosty time, when water does not freeze on the surface, the so-called “snow lake effect” appears. This is the process of cumulonimbus when cold air moves over warm lake water and this leads to the development of convective clouds.

Land in the sea

The Aral Lake in the last century began to decrease sharply, as a result of which new lands were formed. Some of them have become of particular interest to scientists and researchers:

• The island of Barsakelmes, which is distinguished by its amazing nature, where one of the largest reserves is located. This territory belongs to Kazakhstan.
• Kokaral Island, also belongs to Kazakhstan, and in 2016 it was an isthmus that connected the two parts of the former sea.
• The Renaissance Island belongs to two countries - Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. A lot of biological waste is buried on this island.

Facts of recent history

Even in the ancient Arab chronicles, the Aral Lake was mentioned, which was once one of the largest in the world. Today it is even difficult to say right away where the Aral Lake is located, which is so difficult to find on the map.

Scientists are studying this natural object, and someone finds the cause of the disaster in a completely different way. Some believe that this happened due to the destruction of the bottom layers, and the water simply does not reach the place, others consider a different point of view, believing that due to climate change, negative changes occur in the glaciers, due to which the Syr Darya and Amu Darya feed.

Once the former wastewater Aral Lake was well studied by a member of the Russian Geographical Society L. Berg, who wrote a book about it “Essays on the history of the Aral Sea research”. He believed that in ancient times, none of the ancient Greek and Roman peoples described this reservoir, although it had been known about it for a very long time.

When the sea began to shallow, and land appeared in the 60s of the last century, the Renaissance Island was formed, which is divided into the territory of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, 78% and 22%, respectively. Uzbekistan has decided to carry out exploration work in search of oil, many experts believe that if minerals are found, this could lead to a clash between the two countries.

Lessons for the whole world

Until quite recently, many experts believed that it was not possible to restore the salty Aral Lake. However, progress has been made in the restoration of the northern Small Aral, including thanks to the built dam.

Before destroying nature, it is worth thinking about what the consequences might be, and the Aral Sea is a good example for everyone. People can easily destroy the natural environment, but then the recovery process will be long and difficult. Yes, Lake Chad Central Africa and the Salton Sea in the US may suffer the same consideration.

The tragedy of the Aral Sea was also touched upon in art. In 2001, the Kazakh rock opera "Takyr" was staged, and the book "Barsakelmes" by the Uzbek writer Jonrid Abdullahanov was written. Similar relationships between man and nature are revealed in the film "Dogs".

Aral Sea: description, photo, video

In Central Asia, it is a salty drainless lake. it is called solely because of the large size that it had before the beginning of the shoaling process. By its size, the reservoir was one of the four largest lakes on the planet. However, it was not this fact that made him famous all over the world, and not even the beautiful and charming water surface. The sad glory of the Aral Sea is associated with the action of man, whose activities in the early 60s of the last century led the natural oasis to almost extinction.

In fairness, it should be noted that the lake once dried up for natural reasons. At the bottom, archaeologists have found cemeteries and ruins dating back to the 13th century. Current state The Aral Sea undoubtedly gives it a special attraction. Many landscapes of the lifeless desert are similar to Martian ones. What happened to the Aral Sea? Observation of the reservoir began in the 19th century and until the middle of the last century, the water level here remained unchanged.

In the 1930s, the construction of an irrigation system began on the territory of the Aral Sea, designed to provide water to cotton fields in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The diversion of the rivers that fed the lake led to irreversible consequences. The Aral Sea began to shallow and already in 1989 it actually turned into 2 reservoirs. In 2003, the volume of water in the Aral Sea was about 10 percent of the previous figures, and the area was reduced by three fourths. Today, the authorities of Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan are developing projects to revive the lake. But in practice, most of them have not yet been implemented.

The shallowing of the Aral Sea contributed to the appearance of a large number of islands on the surface. Many of them are quite impressive in size. For example, the island of Barsakelmes is a natural reserve, and the island of Kokaral is a land isthmus between two large parts of the sea. Previously, greenery was rampant on the coast of the Aral Sea, now only individual bunches of plants can be found here. They managed to adapt to highly saline and dry soil. The population of local mammals and birds has also decreased by more than half.

Panoramas of the Aral Sea

Where is the Aral Sea

The Aral Sea is a unique natural object. It is located on the Turan plate and is much younger. The depression under the reservoir was formed in the Neogene, and it was filled with water in the Anthropogen. According to preliminary calculations, the age of the Aral does not exceed 10 thousand years.

Where is the Aral Sea located? It is spread over two countries:

• Kazakhstan - Aktobe and Kyzylorda regions;
• Uzbekistan - Eastern Ustyurt.

The Uzbek part is a dead desert. The area of ​​the Aral Sea still struggling for life is concentrated on the territory of Kazakhstan. Thanks to the erected dam, the reservoir even adds a little to the water level.

Aral Sea coordinates on the map: 44.9784775, 58.4369659.

Aral Sea on the map

How to get to the Aral Sea

If the trip is planned only for exploring the Aral Sea region, then the best and fastest option would be to fly by plane to the city of Nukus. Jeep tours start here, both from local travel companies and Moscow companies. However, most tours are limited to a few days and do not allow you to fully immerse yourself in the features of Uzbekistan. Many of them do not include a visit. ancient city Samarkand.

The best way to get to the Aral Sea is to fly to Samarkand, and from there go by train to Nukus. It is important to choose a coupe with air conditioning, as in summer the temperature here can rise to 55 degrees Celsius.

Nearby cities:

• Aralsk (Kazakhstan);
• Kungrad (Uzbekistan);
• Nukus (Uzbekistan).

When is the best time to visit the Aral Sea

Subtropics are widespread on the territory of the Aral Sea. Also, weather conditions are affected by the surrounding deserts and changes in the atmosphere. Northwest winds contribute to a significant decrease in temperature in winter, which lasts here for about 160 days. At the beginning of spring, dry and cloudless weather is maintained. The duration of this season is 60 days.

If you are looking for a beach holiday, then we advise you to pay attention to, which is on a par with very popular among Russians. Or, if you are not afraid of flights, check out, undersea world which attracts a huge number of divers from all over the world.

In the summer, the weather in the Aral Sea is very hot. At the same time, for Central Asia, this region has rather high humidity levels - up to 60 percent. The best time to visit the Aral Sea is September-October. During this period, very comfortable weather is observed. Also good time for the trip is the beginning of March-end of May.

Peculiarities

Traveling to the Aral Sea is not an easy task. Before the shallowing, there were port cities and others near the reservoir. settlements. After the arrival of the lake "in decline", people moved to more favorable regions. Today there are no hotels and other benefits of civilization. You can only stay in a tent, and to get to the Aral Sea, you need an off-road vehicle. The nearest city where you can rent a hotel is Nukus.

In Nukus, you can also order a jeep tour with a professional guide. Similar offers are provided by Russian travel companies. The most budget options involve delivery to the Aral Sea and back. More interesting are tours that involve visiting other sights of Uzbekistan, as well as hotel accommodation and meals.

Going to the Aral, you should soberly assess your capabilities. Despite the fact that most tours are very well organized, the load on the body will be much higher than in ordinary life. When choosing a jeep tour, you should pay attention to ensuring safety, food and sufficient water. Also, don't forget the hats. Mobile communication in the vicinity of the reservoir does not catch, so it is advisable to warn your relatives about this.

What to see in the surroundings

What attracts tourists to the Aral Sea? Consequences of ecological catastrophe. The lake itself has an unearthly turquoise color. The sandy-saline desert, formed at the bottom of a dried section of the reservoir, is called Aralkum. The very road to the Aral lies through the endless Kyzylkum desert and the huge Ustyurt plateau, from which an amazing panorama opens up. Also on the way there is a freshwater lake Sudochye and an abandoned fishing village.

Muynak is a must-see place recommended by all guidebooks. This is a former port. In the years of high water of the Aral Sea, it was a haven a large number ships. The indifference of local governments and the shallowing of the reservoir have led to the fact that many have forgotten them. So the ships stand in the middle of the formed desert. The landscapes here are truly apocalyptic and look more like scenery for films.

In Nukus, from where almost all excursions depart, the main attraction is the Museum of Art. It exhibits collections of Russian avant-garde and examples of applied art of cultures Central Asia. The mausoleums of Shamun Nabi, Nazlumkhan Sulu and an ancient fortress from the time of Genghis Khan are located in the village of Khozheili near Nukus.

is a modern monument to the irresponsibility of man. Dust from the Aral Sea region has even been found in Antarctica. You should definitely come here, but not only to admire the unearthly landscapes. Lake on good example makes it clear how humanity should not behave. A negligent attitude towards nature can lead to a global catastrophe and affect the lives of each of us.

Scum - in the literal sense: those who walk along the bottom. To meet these people, I also had to sink to the very bottom. I was not happy, but it worked out.

What is happening in the Uzbek Muynak, a barely alive city on the shores of the Dead Sea? Unlike that Dead the sea that is in Israel, it is the people who killed themselves.

1 The disaster zone begins long before the seashore. In stunted villages here and there are pieces of rusty metal, something that for several decades was called ships and walked on water. Some ships were lucky, they were preserved and made improvised monuments.

In the Soviet Union alone, two of the world's largest catastrophes happened - a technological one in Chernobyl and an ecological one in Central Asia. That country no longer exists, but the entire country will deal with the consequences of both disasters for a very long time. In January, I was in, at the end of spring I was brought to the other side of the once great united country. Here, too, a kind of Zone. Not so long ago, a prosperous land has become a bare lifeless desert, and millions of people have lost the most important source of life - water.

Muynak, the farthest city of Uzbekistan from Tashkent, is the edge of geography in every respect. Once it was a major seaport with fishermen and industry.

IN Ancient Greece there was a parable about a drunkard who wanted to drink the sea. At a noisy feast, Xanth boasted that everything is subject to man. Word for word, in the dispute, the comrades took "weakly."
- Will you drink the sea? they asked him.
- I'll drink! - answered Xanth and they bet on the bet.
In the morning he sobered up and was horrified by such a shame. Aesop, who was a witness to the dispute, undertook to help the fool Xanthus.
“As you go out with judges and spectators to the seashore, so you say: I promised to drink the sea, but I did not promise the rivers that flow into it; let my rival block up all the rivers that flow into the sea, then I will drink it!” Xanthus did so, and everyone marveled at his wisdom.

Several thousand years later, the Aral Sea was destroyed in approximately the same way.

2 What is left of the Amu Darya River. The width of the dried riverbed is impressive.

3 The rivers have become shallow already, but they continue to dry up. Vast territories and millions of people suffer. Although the inhabitants of almost any post-Soviet hinterland, such devastation will not seem like something special even without an ecological catastrophe.

4 The road seemed endless. In time, only two hours from Nukus, but they dragged on much longer. At some point, all the cars disappeared. No one went with us to Muynak, no one returned from there. such lulls occur in the last kilometers before the border. When local traffic has already ended, and oncoming cars are held by customs.

5 Yes, there is a real border here, but not between states. The boundary of time and timelessness, that's what Muynak is. A little more, and you will understand it. I'll try to convey my feelings. I remember now, three months after the trip - to goosebumps. It's like if tomorrow you arrive in Sochi or Nice, and the sea has disappeared there.

6 Exactly the same feeling grips you when you enter the former coastal town. There are still waves, a seagull and a lone fish jumping out of the water on the old entrance sign.

7 It was necessary to come on that one day when at least something happens in the town. That evening there was a big concert at the city stadium. sports arena here is as phantom as the sea. Trampled ground with bald patches of old lawn. The stars of the Karakalpak stage are unpretentious, they agreed to such conditions. And the audience is happy. Police officers were rounded up from all over the Autonomous Republic, iron fences were brought in and access to the body was blocked. An impromptu stage was set in the middle of the "hippodrome", but the singer literally walked along the edge! The songs were long, drawn-out and pitiful. I am sure that it is about love, and not about the Aral Sea.

8 Entrance ticket - five thousand soums. 43 rubles 15 kopecks Russian. They even accepted plastic cards, but only Uzbek ones. A group of guys clustered at the entrance, not daring to enter. They did not speak Russian, but I understood that they tried to slip through without money, but my aunt did not let me in, even though she knows them from kindergarten.

9 Five thousand money is not big, but it is better to spend it on seeds or cigarettes.

10 Why so many young people in a city of 18,000 without work and production can only be guessed at. As well as about the fate that awaits the younger generation of Muynak.

11 Having hardly defended a couple of songs, I decided to continue walking around the city. I slipped the ticket to one of the loser hares on duty at the entrance, I took one last look at the pop star and left the stadium.

12 Muynak is a very strange place. Everywhere in Uzbekistan people live not richly, but with dignity, they sweep the streets and clean the inner chambers of their dwellings to a shine. They smile at those they meet, and especially tourists. Most of them are not aggressive at all. But hostility is in the air here. Each look glares at you, as if wanting to drill through. And these people obviously do not like that you came here. You are not welcome here.

13 We're standing on the seashore right now. Right there, behind the blue fence splashing salt water. Now it's quiet here, because the whole city is listening to the concert. You can stand in silence, and in the morning everything will boil again, bubbling, flocks of hungry gulls will chase fishing boats and yell: "give, give, die ..."

There is none of this. No water, no fish, no seagulls. Boats sank to the bottom, people fell to the bottom. This strange triangle of concrete is a monument to the Great Patriotic war. They used to be a long time ago. Now it is a monument to the Dead Sea. For something that can't be returned.

The word "Aral" in translation means "island", that is, the Island Sea in the middle of the deserts. Unlike the Caspian Sea, which is a "torn off" piece of the World Ocean, the Aral Sea has never been a real sea - but it was the third largest lake on Earth.

It was fed by the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya, and the life of the Aral from time immemorial depended on the latter. Even its drying up is not the first: on the opened bottom, archaeologists discovered settlements and foundations of palaces and mausoleums (Kerderi, Aral-Asar) of the not so distant 11-15 centuries. It is believed that the last time the Aral dried up in the 4th century, and again began to fill in the 1570s, and this was also an unheard-of disaster for the desert - people had to leave their villages, which were inevitably attacked by water!

But for 400 years everyone got used to the sea-lake, and the life of Khorezm in the 19th century could not be imagined without the Aral fishermen. IN Soviet time Cheese and Amu were dismantled for irrigation of the fields of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and in itself this step was by no means insane - in Central Asia there is no shortage of water, so characteristic of countries in deserts. However, the runoff could no longer exceed evaporation, and since the 1960s, the shallow sea began to shallow and leave before our eyes. By 1989, having halved in area, and tripled in volume (that is, to the size of Azov), the Aral split into two - the Small Aral in Kazakhstan and the Large Aral in Uzbekistan. The Kazakhs managed to stabilize the Small Aral by concentrating the flow of the Syr Darya in it, and now fishing is even reviving in it, from Aralsk to the water 25 kilometers.

But the Big Aral continued to dry out. It has long since become smaller than the Small Aral and itself has broken up into several parts, and the fish in it have died. The salt dust left at the bottom turned out to be contaminated with pesticides that the Amu Darya and Syr Darya carried from the fields, and now sends the earth hundreds of kilometers around. The island of Vozrozhdeniye “moored” to the shore, on which in Soviet times there was a testing ground for testing bacteriological weapons and abandoned burial grounds remained. // from log varandej

15 The old lighthouse has been preserved, its classic round tower was thoroughly mutilated with plastic double-glazed windows. For a long time it stood abandoned, but now it has been bought out and several young guys are trying to build a tourism business. They let you upstairs for a little money, but I refused - the equipment was not preserved, and I myself can look down on the world with the help of a quadrocopter.

16 In the neighborhood of the lighthouse, a yurt camp was set up, somewhat traditional for nomadic peoples (the Karakalpaks, unlike the Uzbeks, are not too assiduous historically), where anyone can now spend the night. The price of the issue is ten "bucks" from the nose, there is a shower, but in a separate annex. You can view the amenities by clicking on the arrow right on this photo.

17 In the parking lot in front of the monument, almost at the very edge of the cliff, there is a MAN truck, converted into a motor home. Judging by the numbers, travelers came from Munich itself to look at the consequences of the largest environmental disaster. On such and such transport you can get to the water, and to the former island of the Renaissance.

18 We drove in an ordinary rental car, so we couldn’t spend the night right in the desert. It is good that yurts appeared near the lighthouse, but they did not suit us. They do not register there, and according to the law, foreign tourists must report when leaving the country where they spent every night. Now this law can already be repealed, in Uzbekistan now everything is changing rapidly in better side but then it still worked. So we found two more hostels where we can accommodate. One is right on the main street, opposite the school. The place is new, opened in April 2018 and is clearly designed for groups of foreign tourists. There are only three rooms, more like barracks - there are single beds in a row, the shower and toilet are shared. We were lucky that there were no guests at all that day, we spent the night in the room alone. But if anything, the settlement cannot be avoided, there are simply no options. The night cost 20 dollars per person, which is of course damn expensive for Uzbekistan and such a hole, but there is not much to choose from. Even at the stage of preparing the trip, I "rang" the numbers indicated in earlier travel reports, people recommended people with whom to stay. None picked up the phone. So we went at random, but we were not left without a roof over our heads. They even gave us breakfast. Pictures of food and interiors will open to those who will click on the right arrow right on this photo.

19 Early in the morning we went to the airport to look at the city from above. In full view! Green meadows with small puddles are what was once called the sea. They say there was a time when it was possible to get here only by water or by plane. The air harbor served 20 flights a day! A flight of passenger AN-2s was based at the airfield, and the runway received AN-24s, Yak-40s, and lighter aircraft and helicopters of any model. Although the sea left in the 70s, they flew here before the collapse of the USSR.

20 Now the airport is abandoned, and only birds and quadcopter owners can see Muynak from above. Climbing a hundred meters, I saw water. Much water!

21 Another artifact from the past is a gate with TU planes and the logo of the Soviet Aeroflot.

22 Some things are changing for the better. Like the lighthouse on the cliff, I also expected to see the terminal building empty and abandoned. All of a sudden it was repaired, painted, windows put in, and "Zhenis!" - and then completely incomprehensible words. With the help of a Google translator, who does not know the Karakalpak language, I found out that this is a banquet hall. Well, yes, just for weddings.

23 A meteorological station that appears to be operational.

24 For some time, air ambulances still landed here, but even those wonderful years are long gone. The airport is completely dead. Although some navigation and lighting equipment survived.

25 Life in Muynak, even by the water, did not look like a resort, and now it has completely begun to slide back towards the Middle Ages.

26 I don't know how old these blocks of flats are, or if the amenities were originally designed, but these crooked sheds with numbers on them are nothing more than...toilets! No common toilets, this is a city, not a village! Each apartment has its own! But... what the hell to live like that!

27 Some apartments don't even have windows! But there are satellite dishes. The unfortunate inhabitants of the city on the sea are trying to hide from the horrifying reality, at least in the dreams of the TV. But the caring state has recently painted the walls of all houses. From a distance, they don't look so bad.

28 The logo of the 1980 Moscow Olympics is visible under a layer of paint.

29 Having read other posts about Muynak, we took several packages of sweets with us to distribute to children. Usually they chase foreigners and demand to give them something. Better carry fresh water in bottles, they need it more, but we did not have the opportunity and space. We didn't meet little beggars on our way, so we gave the whole pack to this guy. I look, and on his brand new bike the brand is UKRAINA. What is that? After all, the Kharkov plant seems to have closed?

30 An overgrown and abandoned Orthodox area at City Cemetery No. 1. As in Nukus, a community of Cossacks-Old Believers lived in Muynak. Maybe even now the last old people are living out their lives. We did not meet a single Russian on the streets.

31 Cinema "Berdakh" and the head of the same Karakalpak poet. They promise cafes and movies at 3D, but the place doesn't look active. Only the facade is painted with the same yellow paint that all the old houses in the city of the republic. The appearance that all is not yet lost.

32 Is it true that life is being reborn? In the center is a tiny amusement park for the little ones. For such a hole, this is already good.

33 And there's also an internet cafe.

34 The ground here is sand.

35 The most modern and "rich" building in the whole city is the building of the registry office and the notary's office. There is even a ramp for the disabled. According to which, perhaps, to drive cows. Because there is such devastation around that even if there is even one wheelchair user here, he will not even be able to get to this street.

36 In its fat years, the city lived not only on fish. This is reminiscent of fading

37 There are two ways to truly be horrified by the Aral Sea disaster. Hire an SUV with a guide and drive 100-200 kilometers to the nearest water: where the sea has gone. It costs about two hundred dollars per person. We didn't go. I picked up the quadcopter and flew a little over the ship graveyard, a poignant and sad monument.

38 "The Graveyard" is ten boats and ships of various sizes, from fishing schooners to small barges, all in a deplorable state with only rusty metal left.

39 They say that all this pile of iron was dragged here from all over the coast for scale and to attract tourists. After all, the sea left Muynak not yesterday, but almost half a century ago. It moved further and further, running away from people.

40 port facilities, marinas and docks have not survived at all over these long years.

41 The expanse of water has given way to mounds of sandy bottom, but the boundless view and horizon still hint at the origin of the landscape, which was not desert at all.

42 "Beware of the tug."

43 The seabed is covered in shells.

46 Navigator Maps.me, unlike Google, Yandex, Waze and others, always shows much more roads. Does he take them from the old General Staff maps? And if you believe the map, then along the coast, not far from the embankment and the cemetery of ships, there was once a pioneer camp. We tried to get there, but had to turn back halfway through the 10-kilometer journey. What was the road was completely covered with sand, and only traces from off-road vehicles made it clear that they sometimes drive here. But how often? If we were stuck here, it wouldn't be fun at all. Communication does not catch, walk 5 kilometers through the desert ... turned back

47 Cannery ruins.

48 There is also little left of the fish processing plant. But before, when the trees were large, Muynak supplied almost the entire Soviet Union with canned food. Jars with labels are shown in the Aral Sea Museum, which is also here, on the main street, but was closed for reconstruction.

49 The industrial zone seems empty and abandoned, but one of the buildings of the former fish factory is functioning. On the walls of the cell, in the security booth, in front of the entrance there is a Toyota with "thieves" numbers, and in Uzbekistan a foreign car of this level means a lot. What are they doing there? We don't know this.

50 Muynak is called the end of the earth, but the road does not end there. Another 15 kilometers on broken asphalt, and there will be a working settlement Uchsay.

51 There are several more villages along the road, even poorer and more insignificant than Muynak. But people do not just live here, but even a regular bus runs. Even if only to the city, this is already something. But still I can’t understand inside myself how people can live in such lost, forgotten and useless places on the map. Unless they themselves, forgotten and lost. And there is some bitter truth in this.

52 Heavy rotational "Urals" are rushing along Uchsay, several change houses stand on the former shore, a yellow giraffe-like crane drags black pipes from place to place. Oil was found here, or gas, that's why life is glimmering, that's why the bus. And it was only by a miracle that a white small memorial to those who died in the Great Patriotic War was preserved here. With Soviet symbols, long blotted out in independent Uzbekistan (decommunization took place here before Ukraine), with naive nomenklatura lines. Probably, this is one of the last places in the country where such memorials still remain, even in Muynak there are no more.

53 We're on our way back. There is nowhere else to go here, it is not possible to get to the Vozrozhdeniye Island, it is too expensive to drive 200 kilometers in an UAZ just to look at the water. Again we pass a lonely entrance sign with a faded fish jumping on the waves. Cows stand in the tall roadside grass and nonchalantly chew on plants. These smart ones figured it out. They stand waist-deep in cool water and chew juicy grass while others choke on dried stems. Where does the water come from - do not ask, it has not rained in the desert for a long time. I look at the map - there was also the sea here. And these drops are the last tears of the Aral.

54 If you liked this report, feel free to "like" it and share the link with your friends. I will be glad to comments, additions and stories of those who remember these places quite differently.