The Pink Lake
Le Lac Rose - Senegal's Pink Lake
Yes, it really is pink. Why is this lake pink? Mostly because of its high mineral content that generates a chemical reaction with the high salt content. And because it has so much salt, everything on the water floats. It's a great place to teach people to swim because you will not sink! I found an excellent article that describes the lake and its people in great detail.
Follow this link to read that article, http://www.jhr.ca/fieldnotes/view.php?aid=216, which was written by Amanda Fortier for Journalists for Human Rights in 2006. Unfortunately, we visited the lake on a Sunday, it was New Year's Eve, and the day of the Muslim "Feast of the Sacrafice", so we didn't see many people and didn't get to talk to any of the locals who collect salt in the lake.
What fascinated me though, is what fascinates everyone -- the beautiful color. And I learned that it can change to a violet or mauve color after the sun goes down. Also fascinating is the little brook (creek to some of us) that lies just a few yards from the salty lake, that is pure fresh water. You'll see pictures below of fish and frogs happily swimming around in the fresh water - not affected at all by the salty lake nearby. Enjoy these few pictures of Senegal's Pink Lake. (Don't forget to click on the picture for a closer view)
The afternoon was kind of hazy, but the brilliance of the lake is still evident.
The salt also makes the foam that circles the lake.
It was really quite amazing!
The lake is huge. On a busy day hundreds of boats are in the water and people all along the edges collect the salt.
You can see the little fish swimming here in the fresh water brook that is beside the lake.
