The Gem-Like Turquoise Ice Found on Lake Baikal

Russian photographer Alexey Trofimov calls Lake Baikal “the gem that does not need to be cut.” It’s the oldest, largest, deepest, and clearest freshwater lake in the world. Every winter, as temperatures plummet to well below zero, the crystal clear lake water forms brilliant gem-like ice that glimmers in the sunlight.

The beautiful structures are formed as the lake freezes unevenly across its surface, causing some blocks to be pushed up onto the surface of the frozen lake. Trofimov has made a number of trips out to the lake to capture these “gems” in all their beauty.

Trofimov has a number of photo projects that document Lake Baikal in different months of the year. You can find the images over on his website.

(via Scribol via Laughing Squid)

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Image credits: Photographs by Alexey Trofimov and used with permission