We got up early to catch the ferry that would take us across
the Angara River, which is where the Baikal Limnological Institute and Museum
is located. I was looking forward to visiting this museum and learning much
about the physical limnology of the lake. I got my wish, and then some. The
exhibits were very well done, and with some patience I could decipher at least
the major titles of the maps and cross-sections.
Christine, Raimund, and I paid a bit extra for the privilege
of squeezing ourselves on the tiny submarine used in the past to collect
samples of organisms, sediments, and rocks. It gave me much appreciation for
the dedication of the scientists who spent hours at a time in such a confined
work space!
Did I mention that Lake Baikal has its own small population
of seals? They are short and very fat, but accomplished swimmers, as we had a
chance to corroborate in the portion of the museum devoted to the aquarium. We
also saw living specimens of sturgeon, the ubiquitous omul, and a very strange
looking yellow crab.
I wish I could summarize for you the many nifty limnologic
features of the lake itself, but I am afraid I am not conversant enough with
them to do them justice. Flashes include the fact that the lake has an overall
counterclockwise pattern of circulation, and significant vertical variations in
temperature and density, which together lead to significant seasonal changes.
In the summer the epilimnion (the upper portion of the water column above the
thermocline, roughly coincident with the photic zone) is significantly less
dense than the underlying water (the hypolimnion), so the vertical structure is
only disrupted by the odd deep diving of the seals. In the winter, however, the
thermocline disappears (or is even reversed as surface water cools down to 4⁰C
and achieves its maximum density), so the vertical structure is disrupted and
oxygen-rich water sinks unto the deeper levels of the lake.
The museum also has a hall devoted to the history of the
Earth, and the evolution of life throughout geologic time. Small and a bit
imaginative, but attention grabbing nonetheless.
I also saw all sorts of geologic maps, but I have to confess
that I have a hard time reading Russian geologic maps. I am not sure if this is
because of the color scheme, or the fact that their chronostratigraphic
divisions are different than the ones we use (I suspect that in some instances
they are tectono-stratigraphic divisions, atuned to their own conceptions of
tectonic processes). In any case, they show Lake Baikal as occupying a rift,
but the extensions of said rift seem to be more imaginary than real.
Having saturated myself with limnological information I went
out toward the town of Listwjanka,to catch up with my group. It was rainy and
very windy, and the placid Lake Baikal had turned into a sea with big braking
waves. I was hanging for dear life to my trusty umbrella, rushing the parts of
the waterfront that were being sprayed by the braking waves, when I finally
spotted Christine coming out of a souvenir shop. She didn’t mind turning around
and accompanying me in the purchase of a couple of gifts, and after that we
joined the rest of the group in the search of a place to eat. We decided to try
Mongolian food, inside a genuine Mongolian Yurt. It was good, but to be honest
I have but little recollection of what we ate (cabbage leaves stuffed with
ground lamb?). My mind was already thinking on flying back home ☹
After lunch we went back to the museum, where we had left
our backpacks, and a few minutes later we boarded the small bus that was to
take us back to Irkutsk. Once there I had about an hour of free time, which I
used to go out to buy a book for Ronnie to add to his international library.
Packed and ready I said goodbye to my friends (parting is such sweet sorrow),
got a ride to the airport, and at 10 pm departed to Seoul. I loved visiting
Siberia, and have now added to my bucket list a trip to Georgia, and a trip to
eastern Siberia. I don’t know when, but I will be back!
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