Aral Sea

02/06/09

We’ve come to see the Aral Sea, or what’s left of it. The Soviets dug massive irrigation channels in the 70’s and the sea level and area has been decreasing ever since. Ironically they dig the channels so they could grow cotton in the surrounding area but as the water levels dropped and the sea began to shrink dust and chemicals and salt from the sea bed were carried in the air damaging the crops the irrigation channels had allowed to grow.

We’re in a village called Moneau. Used to be a fishing village but there is no sea for miles now. Just a sandy desert that used to be the seabed. It’s littered with old abandoned fishing ships slowly rusting away. Is a bizarre site, huge ships beached on sand with no water in sight.

We bush camped here and a herd of cows were herded right through the camp right outside the tents. They shit everywhere. Nice.