Kategorie: News
Dive under police supervision
Normally, I don’t ask too many questions when I plan to explore a body of water as a diver. In this particular case, however, I took the precaution of obtaining official permission. That’s because the lake is located in a Natura 2000 protected area in the Carpathian Mountains in Romania.
Report by Nick Niederlande
I definitely didn’t want to get into trouble with the Romanian authorities! As it turns out, this was a very good decision, because I was actually stopped for a check on site!
But let’s start from the beginning: During my numerous visits to Romania, I came across a beautiful mountain lake. Lake Balea, “Lacul Balea” in Romanian, is a pure glacial lake, situated at 2,034 meters between the two highest peaks in the Carpathians, Negoiu and Moldoveanu. During my visits in the years leading up to my dive, it always appeared to me in a beautiful blue hue with crystal-clear water. But more on that later…
Heading toward our destination on the Transfagarasan
On our drive from Kronstadt (Brasov) to Lacul Balea, we pass through idyllic villages and spot a stork’s nest on what feels like every other power pole. Our route takes us along country roads where we encounter not only motorized vehicles but also horse-drawn carts, all of which pull over to the right to let us pass. Yes, Romanians are friendly and helpful people. We reach the town of Fagaras and drive past the beautiful Orthodox Cathedral of Sfantul Ioan Botezatorul, whose golden domes shine as brightly as the sun itself. What a sight! And from here on out, things get really interesting: We’re approaching a truly extraordinary mountain pass, the Transfagarasan.
Many aspects make this mountain pass unique; one of them is the fact that it was built in just four years, from 1970 to 1974. A very large number of engineers, miners, and soldiers planned and built it. It is 151 km long and connects the Olt Valley with the Argeș Valley. Often shrouded in clouds, locals also call it the “Road in the Clouds.” The Transfăgărășan is indeed a popular destination for locals, and since it’s a challenge for many cars, a faint smell of scorching brake discs and burnt clutch linings hangs in the air at certain points along the mountain pass. But it’s a dream, and some claim it’s the most beautiful mountain pass in the world!
Another unique feature is that it’s only passable along its entire length for four months a year; the higher elevations remain covered in snow until June. In winter, it’s practically nonexistent, buried beneath a ski slope. But hikers also get their money’s worth here, as from the pass summit you can embark on beautiful hikes, far removed from the mass alpine tourism we’re used to back home.
Back to my diving trip: We pass the countless switchbacks of the Transfagarasan, and the numerous roadside snack stands signal that we’re only a few hundred meters from the pass summit. There are also countless snack stands at the parking lot, but—and this is another unique feature—there aren’t any trash cans to be found anywhere!
Trash Problem in the Nature Reserve
I’m now foaming up my Opencell Neo wetsuit in the parking lot, changing clothes, slinging my weight belt over my shoulder, tucking my fins under my arm, and setting off on foot toward Lacul Balea. The tourists here are so engrossed in enjoying the culinary delights that no one even notices me walking past them in my wetsuit. But I catch the eye of an observant mountain rescue worker, who immediately alerts the mountain police. Two officers from the Politia Montana arrive right away and tell me in a friendly but unambiguous manner that I’m not allowed to dive here, since the lake is part of the nature reserve. But I’m prepared for this and pull out my trump card—my diving permit (and my ID). A quick call to the relevant authority, and the mountain police officer allows me to enter the lake. BUT! Only under one condition! I’m not allowed to take anything out of the lake.
Well, the only thing I could have taken out of this lake would have been a whole lot of trash! In fact, there isn’t a single square meter of the lake bottom that isn’t covered in trash.
And so the following amusing scene unfolds: One of the mountain police officers had been watching me from the shore during my first dives. After a while, he waves me over and asks me what I see in the water or on the bottom. I tell him, “Trash”—nothing but tons of trash. During our conversation, I offer to organize a cleanup, since I’m on vacation here and could come back several times over the next few days. My suggestion is rejected, however, on the grounds that they wouldn’t know where to put all the trash. There’s a certain humor to this, but when you think about it, it’s actually very sad. Here you are in a nature reserve where diving in the lake is prohibited, yet the snack stands produce tons of trash that, due to a lack of trash cans, ends up in the natural environment.
In the southwestern part of the lake, where the shore isn’t easily accessible, the lake bottom isn’t as heavily littered, so I have a nice dive there. In my film, I only show this area. The deepest part of Lacul Balea is located in a heavily polluted section. During my dive there, I had zero visibility until I reached the lake bottom. It’s a shame about this beautiful lake, which had been crystal clear to me in previous years. It’s becoming increasingly polluted, and the water level is dropping slowly but steadily. I suspect this is due in no small part to the removal of its winter ice cover to make way for the construction of an ice hotel.
A special and beautiful diving trip comes to an end: Romania is a country you absolutely must visit!
More to see:
Video Scufundare libera in Lacul Balea | Freediving (youTube)
youTube Channel Nick Niederlande