7. The
Geysers of Kamchatka
The Valley of geysers was discovered
not long ago - in April, 1941 when a hydrologist
and a guide, went up along the riverbed of the Shumnaya, and, entering
a narrow passageway
between the rocks, stopped not far from the mouth of an unknown
tributary.
There is still snow everywhere in April. Somehow making themselves
comfortable on a steep
snow-covered slope, exhausted travellers decided to have a snack.
There was a thawed patch
on the opposite shore with a light steam over it, and suddenly a
spurt of hot water bursted
straight towards them!
Courtesy:
http://www.kamchatka.org.ru
The scared people started off - time to save their souls! - but
soon realised that the boiling
water could not reach them, and the rain of cooled splashes was
not dangerous.
The gush stopped as abruptly as it started, so they realized that
she saw an authentic geyser,
the first one in Kamchatka ever seen.They named it "Pervenets"
(The First-Born).
There are over 20 big geysers in the Valley of geysers. Velikan(Giant),
Zhemchuzhny (Pearly),
Sakharny (Sugary), Troynoy (Triple), Konus (Cone), Fontan (Fountain),
Maly (Small),
Bolshoy (Big), Shchel (Slit) - here are some names. There are geysers
that gush forth every
10-12 minutes, while others may erupt once in 4-5 hours.
Courtesy:
http://www.kamchatka.org.ru
The most dangerous spots in the Valley of geysers are covered with
grass looking harmless:
you sometimes feel an irresistible temptation to step on the green
meadow. It is difficult for
a person unaware of the Valley's perfidy to imagine that the attractive
cover often conceals
burning mud, and the foot not gaining a support, will go deep down
as if in butter.
It is dangerous not to wear boots, though not any pair of boots
will protect you from burns -
the burning marshy ground is sometimes over 1m deep. The only thing
you can trust in the
valley is wormwood. This well-known plain plant prefers absolutely
reliable spots.
Where wormwood grows, you can pause with relief, sit or even lie
down without a fear that
the ground will open wide under you.
Uzon
Velley - Geyser
Courtesy:
http://www.kamchatkapeninsula.com/
On October 4, 1981, the Valley of Geysers experienced
a shock. Typhoon Elsa blowing over
Kamchatka, provoked such rains that the water level in the river
Geysernaya went several
meters up. The swelled stream of mud and stones pulled 3-meter boulders
along the river-bed
destroying everything in its way. Geyser Bolshaya Pechka (Big Oven)
died.
Source Malakhitovi Grot (Malachite Grotto), the beauty and pride
of the valley,
was badly damaged.
Nalychevo
thermal springs
Courtesy:
http://www.kamchatka.org.ru
Nalychevo thermal springs are the biggest thermal carbonic acid
springs at Kamchatka;
unloading between Goryachaya and Zholtaya rivers at square more
than 2 km2.
At the foot of Kruglaya mountain deposits of springs created a big
travers plate more than
50000 km2 with dome, which consist from carbonic and chalybeate-arsenic
deposits
(dome was called "boiler"). Along the plate a lot of hot
springs come out, which form brook.
Around the dome are thermal swamps.
Verchne-Zhirovski
thermal springs
Courtesy:
http://www.kamchatka.org.ru
Verchne-Zhirivski steam currents and springs are at the Upper Zhirovaya
river.
Outlets of springs and steam currents are like difficult access
gorges with very abrupt ages
(few hundreds meters in high). Thermal springs and steam currents
dispensed at large territory.
Almost all of them are at the steep slopes. There is three part
of slope, which like slopes of
Severo-Mutnovski therms, has steam currents and mud boilers, and
warm plates with boiling
temperature; And also hot springs (60-72'C). Chemical structure
of steam is sulfat-calcium-
sodium with general mineralization about 0,2-0,5 grams per liter.
The Valley of Death
This uncommon spot in the Kronotsky Biosphere Zapovednik, lies at
the foot of the
Kikhpinych Volcano. Here, a high concentration of volcanic
gases (carbon monoxide,
hydrogen sulfide, and carbon
dioxide), a lack of wind, and an abundance of naturally
occurring heavy metals in the upper layers of the soil cause a variety
of insects, birds,
and mammals to perish when they enter the vicinity.
more
to follow
Text and pictures on this page: Courtesy:
http://www.kamchatka.org.ru
Back to menu - Continue
to next item 
