Two-week Safari in August
01.12.2008
Club «ООРS» has joined us yet again: they increased their numbers and chose a unique route this time around.
There were 16 people total: we divided them into 2 groups - divers and non-divers. In diver’s group we had instructors, under-water photographers and of course regular divers. It’s notable that the most part of the diver’s group consisted of children (it’s not surprising, since the club started out as children’s one), and Olga Kamenskaya, one of the group’s organizers, is a children’s instructor CMAS. Among other organizers were Artem Melamed – instructor CMAS and spiritual leader and Dmitri Melamed – diver CMAS* and group’s logistic person. All together the organizers are a part of friendly and fun family Melamed, their other part is Masha Melamed. In the non-diver group we had friends, parents – almost all of them aer also free divers and one is under-water hunter -, and one photographer, Konstantin.
We used “Valery”, which other vessel would be able to fit such a large group?
So what was the unique route? We went all the way to Northern Baikal, Ledyanaya and shore of brown bears – we follow this route only once a year. But this time we also fit in lake Froliha and Ayaya bay. The entire route looked like this: Listvyanka - Eastern Olkhon – Ushkany – Chivyrkui – Ayaya – Hakusy – shore of brown bears – Maloe More and Olkhon – Birkhin – Peschanaya – Bolshie Koty – Round Baikal Railway. However, that also included a land adventures: jeep safari on Olkhon and a visit to Ivolgin Datsan (Temple) in Buryatiya. So all in all that was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Baikal and its surroundings.
Now let’s cover some of the highlights of our trip!
It all started with a delayed flight and down-pouring rain. However, all the participants still were in good spirits and “Valery” held strong in the not-so-good weather. The winds have passed and a good weather took over. First dives were made at eastern Olkhon. We also hiked in Olkhon’s taiga, went free diving, attempted hunting and had a delicious barbeque on the beach with Baikal’s own harius and kebabs. Hunting harius is a separate topic in itself, and before we have never seen a successful day hunt after this very fast fish.
Not everybody is lucky enough to see nerpa at Ushkany. If the “verhovik: wind is blowing, then the habitat is always empty. But the weather was favorable to us and we had a great photo shoot and a dive.
Chivyrkui is a place to relax. You can swim in warm water and hot springs, and enjoy under-water hunting and fishing.
Ayaya is a unique place for diving, because divers don’t get here often. And we decide to explore a new dive-site – the northern cape of the bay. After diving everybody went to lake Froliha – which is a relict lake with relict fish. It was not an easy trip, but it certainly wasn’t boring either. Valdimir stayed behind to do some under-water hunting and his attempt was rewarded. He proved to all hunters from Irkutsk that it is possible to hunt harius in open Baikal. You just need to know hot to dive and swim and water, and have patience. So, my dear hunters, please take free diving classes at BaikalTek and go ahead to hunt at Round Baikal Railway.
The shore of brown bears was our major destination. We didn’t see any bears, but the diving was excellent at the walls of Ledyanaya. Even in August the water was so cold, that out regulators froze, but the visibility was great! Here group’s guide Gennady Misan was allowed to make a dive on Trimix. He has verified the depth of the wall – 110 meters was the maximum depth of the dive, BUT not the max depth og the wall! Ledyanaya thus ahs placed among the deepest walls in Baikal: Katorzhanka, Srednyaya, Varnachka, Izhimei and finally Ledynaya - Baikal’s own deep wall diving, places where vertical walls reach down to 100 meters and below. In the evning there was banya in Elokhin. Banya – in the very center of the shore of brown bears, where there should be 35 species of a bear per 1 square meter. That is a whole town of bears!
Olkhon Island is a pearl of Baikal. If you’re going to Baikal for a short time, then you really should go there, where from the top of northern cape Khoboi you get a phenomenal view on northern Baikal and Olkhon, where there is cliff Burkhan – symbol of Baikal. It is also near mountain Izhimei and the deepest place around Baikal. According to survey, Baikal was recognized as the best place in Russia. And Olkhon is the heart of Baikal. Jeep safari around the island started in Khuzhir, we also did some diving. The day was full of impressions.
Bay Peschanaya could be called a small pearl of Baikal, however Baikal is covered with pearls like this one. Here we dove at Red Yar, walked around the bay and climbed cliff Bolshaya (Big) Kolokolnya, and we finished the day of in Banya in bay Sennaya.
The Round Baikal Railway’s (RBR) unique beautiful landscapes did not leave anyone indifferent. In our opinion some of the best dives around RBR are canyon at the one-before-last tunnel and wall at Katorzhanka. We got some really neat pictures of the remains of train-car crash, which was transporting the gold of admiral Kolchak. The search for this gold (at about 120-180 meters) is one of the key goals of BaikalTek. If the gold is not found at those depths, then deep-water apparatuses “Mir” will be looking for it deeper for about another year.
Safari finished in Vydrino. Here we really should mention the crew of our ship, “Valery”. In short, “OOPS” members were once again impressed by the crew and have a strong opinion that “Valery” is the best ship for safaris at Baikal. They provide great meals, comfortable accommodation and all that at high class. “OOPS” members have always contributed to the variety of our meals. Dmitry Melamed constantly took care that we have various types of fish aboard. The chef turned the fish into variety of dishes like fish pies, fish chowder, fried fish, smoked fish, and so on.
The last treat for “OOPS” was a visit to datsan in Ivolga. It is a holy Buddhist place, where the main Buddhist temple of Russia is located. Here the only person in “somatic” condition is kept. They say that the soul left his body, but still stays in touch with it. The body was put into a box and dug under ground. Rceently it has been dug out and put into datsan. Lama’s body is still warm; it can grow nails and hair. He should be older than 150 years and he promised to come back when three miracles will happen in datsan in Ivolga. Two have already happened, and we’re anxiously waiting for the third.
Well, that was our safari. We wish the best of luck to its participants and thank them for friendly atmosphere, which is the most important part of long journey.
Р. S. To add something else… Members of our club Igor Khanaev and Oksana Kalyuzhnaya have participated in 2 dives in under-water apparatus “Mir” to the depth of 1500 meters. Their pictures and report should be in shortly
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26.01.2021
One can quickly lose the skills. The habit to dive from a boat makes you relax. During the last three years, we haven’t had any deep trimix in Listvyanka. Time to catch up! (Gennadi’s comment: “That’s true. All the deep dives in the last three years were made from the safari boats”). And now, it is December again, the freest time to dive “for yourself”. Be it Covid or not, there is a lot of work in summer, as usual. So, the intensive preparation has begun! (Gennadi’s comment: “The idea is to dive VERY deep!”)
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21.07.2020
The two weeklong “coronavirus” diving safaris in June were technical ones. So, technical diving is always there. BaikalTek is a technical dive center, with Trimix facility TDI & IANTD. However, it does not mean that there is no place for recreation, photography, filming and other kinds of divers. The other way round: we pay attention to everyone’s need and interests, and are ready to accompany you in your diving any time.
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31.03.2020
The BaikalTek instructors often meet the seals under the ice because they dive often. A ‘normal’ diver is rarely so lucky. Jean from Switzerland is one of the lucky guys. Though it was his first Olkhon Ice Safari at Lake Baikal, he saw a lot: huge ice shapes, moving ice mass, dancing planaria… and finally, a seal!
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