Retba Lake
Imagine you had to dive into a giant pool of strawberry milkshake! Yummy and refreshing, isn’t it? Such a thing does not exist. But there is a pink lake that lies 30km northeast of Dakar, the capital of Senegal called Retba lake, also known as Lac Rose. Its fuchsia-pink waves lap up against crystalline white shores, conjuring an unusual sight. Believe it or not, it is a natural phenomenon.
The 3 sq.m. lake is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow strip of dunes. This contributes to the high levels of salt in the lake, comparable to the levels present in the Dead Sea. The high salinity makes the lake a perfect habitat for a kind of micro-algae called Dunaliella salina. The organisms produce a red pigment that absorbs and uses sunlight to create more energy, turning the waters pink.
The high concentration of salt contributes to a flourishing salt industry. Salt miners scrape the bottom of the 3m-deep lake for salt, take the sludge ashore in wooden canoes and lay it out in mounds to procure salt. The workers cover themselves in shea butter to protect their skin against the harsh waters. Tourists visit Retba Lake not only to see the oddity of nature, but also to enjoy a buoyant experience - floating on the lake like on the Dead Sea.
Many other countries around the world have natural pink lakes; including Canada, Spain, Australia and Azerbaijan.
