Ever
since my first visit to Niagara Falls, in the summer of 1988, I have become
increasingly fascinated by hydrodynamics. (This is a branch of physics which
deals with fluid motion and its resultant forces.) For the past ten years, a
considerable proportion of my research work has involved a sub-branch of hydrodynamics,
namely microfluidics, which
appertains to the behaviour of fluid moving within extremely confined spaces,
such as biological tissues. It is not quite Niagara Falls, but the same scientific
principles still govern its behaviour.
Natural
water phenomena have become a healthy obsession. The laws of hydrodynamics
might be simple enough to define and describe, but their consequences can be
extraordinary. My latest preoccupation is a magical place called Syri i Kaltër – Albanian for ‘blue eye’ –
which is a natural water spring within a lake in Southern Albania, near to the
Greek border. From above, the centre of the spring appears dark (like the pupil
of an eye), whereas its larger outer area is a lighter blue (reminiscent of its
iris) (Figure 114.1). Around its edges, green vegetation almost resembles
eyelashes. It really does look like a huge blue eye.
Figure
114.1: The eye shape is not captured perfectly from this angle, but the
contrasting blue colours are evident.
Copyright © 2017 Paul Spradbery
It
is known as a Vauclusian spring,
which means it originates from an underground cave. Crystal-clear water,
perfectly drinkable, is pumped continuously to the surface at a rate of 18
litres per second (Figure 114.2). The cave is an example of a karst landscape.
This is a piece of land consisting largely of limestone (calcium carbonate),
which is highly soluble in water. As rainwater seeps in, it erodes, leaving
cavities within the remaining structure. Subterranean caves are an inevitable
consequence of limestone dissolution, as are underground streams and surface
sinkholes.
Figure
114.2: This photograph provides a better ‘eye’, and bubbling can be seen at the
centre.
Copyright © 2017 Paul Spradbery
The
surrounding area complements this captivating natural water feature. Mature oak
and sycamore trees line the lake (Figure 114.3), and there is a covered wooden veranda
for food, drinks and photography.
Figure
114.3: From the shallows to the abyss
Copyright
© 2017 Paul Spradbery
Ten
metres in diameter, the cave’s depth is unknown. Divers have descended to fifty
metres, but a definitive measurement has yet to be made. The first dive,
undertaken by an intrepid ecologist called Xhemal Mato (Figure 114.4), took
place in 1984. Mato recalls the difficulties he faced:
‘I remember the current of
the water coming out of a dark tunnel. Inside, the current was so strong that
my diving mask was swept away from my face, so I was forced to keep it with my
hands. The deeper I went the stronger the current became until I reached a
depth of 20 metres, where I felt I could not go further as the pressure of a
strong river flowing out of the tunnel was unbearable.’
Nonetheless,
he has inspired a generation of similarly brave and inquisitive divers.
‘I left a piece of rope which
would help the other divers to plunge into the waters of this spring as well as
a plastic notebook where the divers could sign. After two years, we noticed
that a full page of this notebook was filled with signatures by various divers,
thus encouraging underwater tourism.’
Figure
114.4: Since 2004, Mato has led an environmental organization called
Ekolëvizja, which is, simply, Albanian for ‘eco-movement’.
Copyright
© 2017 Shendëti
The
‘blue eye’ lies approximately 20 miles east of the Albanian coastal town of
Saranda (Figure 114.5).
Figure
114.5: Syri i Kaltër is easily accessible, either by road from Greece or boat
from Corfu.
Copyright
© 2017 Ionian Seaways
I
suppose I just love the endlessness of flowing water.
‘Men may come and men may go,
but I go on forever.’
–
Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-92)
Copyright
© 2017 Paul Spradbery