Lake Assal

Sun rise at Lake Abbe

We got up around 5am the next morning to catch the sun breaking over the chimneys and walked around the mazy of the chimneys and the hot springs that are still bubbling.

After getting back to the camp, I gobbled up my breakfast as soon as possible so I could spend some more time around the lake the chimneys. With a little more time on my hand, I even tried in vain to ambush the gazelles on the salt flats with the help of the guide so I could get better shots of them but all that we ended up doing was chasing shadows. Oh…well…it was a good early morning exercise anyway.

A Camel caraval amidst the backdrop of the chimpeys (taken from the spot i was sitting the previous night)

Soon it was time to leave as we had to make it to the other lake (Lake Assal) around lunchtime. I sent back the guide to fetch Mike and the driver and asked them to pick me up on the way out while I walk through the fascinating lands of Lake Abbe one last time.

Gazelles

Locals mode of transport other than camels

Since it was already late, the driver was zooming through the dirt tracks and it felt like we were on a desert rally but soon we got on the sealed roads around Dikhil. Further on our way we encountered more camels, baboons and right around the Grand Barra a dust storm.

Afar Tribesman

Sand Storm

To go to Lac Assal we had to essentially retrace our path three fourths of the way back to Djibouti before taking a detour around the Bay of Ghoubbet and then descend about 150 meter below sea level to reach the lake which is the lowest land point on the African continent and 2nd lowest point on earth after Dead sea.

Canyon that is splitting Djibouti into two halves

The lake is unique because it’s the point where the East African Rift originated on land and this rift passes all the way through Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique and in a few million years this rift will separate east Africa from the rest of Africa to form a new continent. I was glad to hear that that’s not going to take place anytime soon.

Lake Assal from a distance

Lake Assal is essentially a crater lake surrounded by dormant volcanoes and its lava flows. The lake has sea water hot springs that are connected underground to the Gulf of Tadjoura which is separated from Lake Assal by volcanic mountains by about 10 kilometers. The lake water contains more than 34% salt (more than the Dead Sea) and I have to concur with it after tasting some of the saltiest water ever.

The lake is also one of the hottest places on earth and hence most of the water from the saline hot springs evaporates rapidly resulting in salt deposits around the shores. This has resulted in the lake being surrounded by a semi-ring of salt layer 80 meters deep. At one glance it seems like white sandy beach with aquamarine water except that the white sand is essentially solid salt and the aquamarine effect is also due to the lake bed being of salt.


Trying to not sink in the salt fields



A rock surrounded by the salty shoreline 


Since ancient times, the Afar tribesmen have mined these fields and carried it across to neighboring countries on their camel caravans. We even encountered an Afar caravan carrying the salt away from the lake.

This shore could be 80 meter deep full of salt

The view of the lake however is spectacular (it’s probably an understatement) and what’s even more amazing is swimming in it. The density of water is so heavy that it’s almost impossible to drown in the water. The water literally pushes your foot and body towards the surface and the feel is akin to sitting on a couch watching TV or reading a book....yes it’s that comfortable.

Relaxing in the saline waters of Lake Assal

The only problems with swimming in that lake were if the water went in to the eyes it would burn as hell and the same goes for open cuts and wounds.

Secondly, the floor of the lake has salt and gypsum crystals which are razor sharp and that’s why I had to wear my sandals while swimming. However, that did not prevent me cutting my fingers and feeling the burning sensation.

We got back in to Djibouti city that evening and decided to have dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant in the European Quarters with a terrace so we could watch people from the terrace while having the best Ethiopian food and delectable Ethiopian coffee which was on the house.