Green icebergs Belarus Bashny.Net

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The islands - something great, exciting thing, the bait for romantics and treasure hunters. We read Stevenson and Defoe, but we suspect that we have at hand are created almost the same miracles.
Osveyskoye lake in the north of the country - the true king of the islands. There are as many as two pieces of land with the prefix "most-most" and interesting history.
On the biggest island in Belarus once flourished the whole village, 55 huts.
Even the cows on the island were not simple, and waterfowl. In the summer they are often transported to graze on the mainland under its own power.
By 1970 th people from the Island have disappeared, having left the "mainland" for a better life. Hut burned unattended, overgrown street, there are only so Cemetery stories.

But other "islands" are truly unique - they swim by themselves ...





Wandering owner

- At one time he moored in the south, near the village of Osveja. Then sailed north to the village of Potin. Now settled in the east, near the village Church.

Opened his mouth, I heed the story Verkhnedvinsk forestry director of "adventures" the most unusual of the island, which had heard.
- He does not appear on any map, and still occupies an area of ​​5 hectares and above looks almost like a perfect circle. I saw it on the satellite map «Google».

We are talking about the host - the largest island drifting in Belarus. And this is no joke. He does not really attached to the bottom and free to float on top of an iceberg.
- Who is he, however, four years stands at the bank, but, in principle, could again break away at any time: just waiting for the east wind and high water ...

- A rate of his what? - I'm interested in, while the boat is rushing us from the station to the Boss.

- It depends on the wind strength. But basically somewhere 1-1, 5 kilometers per hour. Lake from east to west 13 km, and from north to south and 8 km. That is for the whole night completely cross the pond.



The owner is getting closer and it becomes clear that he is densely overgrown with birch and aspen. Trunks strongly tipped and form an interesting intersection geometry.

- The fact that the soil on the island is not. It is a quagmire - a carpet of interwoven algae, twigs, roots, organic residues. Once I pulled away from the coast and gradually consolidating.

- But to go on it, it can be?

- It is possible, but dangerous, it's actually a swamp. Failure - one swim back.
Our boat comes close to the owner. And I immediately noticed a piece of driftwood on a green fishing net.

- When the Island moves, collect everything that comes along the way, - says Igor.
- That he is not like the fishermen.

But the owner is nice migratory birds. And when he was near the village of Osveya, locals go there in the winter on ice for firewood.

- Island because unmetered! The forest, which is on it, as it does not exist, and therefore none of the cutting punish.



The owner - absolute landmark lake. But by itself it is a harbinger of the future, and the cause of death of the reservoir.

The fact that the owner is constantly growing. And besides him there are 2 floating island of 2 hectares plus 20 smaller about 10 to 20 meters. They are always worn on the lake like a herd of foals. And their number is also increasing.

- Look at the end of June for the night "uhohotali" 12 fishing nets. And each of them is worth a million and a half.

There is a forecast that if this continues, 8-10 hundred years the lake is covered with a carpet of greenery and will resemble the current morass Elnya.
- Already, about 10-12 percent of the water surface is overgrown. And every 10 years added another half a percent-interest.

And as if in confirmation, the director once again scrolls screw motor back to clear it of accumulated algae.



- What the scientists say? We need to save water, or not? - I ask.

- Yes, in general, they say that is not necessary, it is a natural process and that the swamp is also a product of nature, and talented.

But Igor, I see, yet sadly look at the lake and realize that it is slowly but surely die.

- I do not know, maybe it still will deepen - he muses. - Here at the bottom of huge deposits of sapropel, they became interested in a British company ...

The motor roared again, and we flew to the station. And the owner, the wonderful and terrible, stayed behind - wait for a fair wind for their next trip.



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