Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds |
![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3173.jpg) A long rainy season has caused unusually strong hydrothermal activity at Dallol. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3180.jpg) An older blue pond remains at a level well below the growing and very large green lake. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3542.jpg) A small blue hornito with its hot spring on the top, and two more at its left foot in the green pond. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3576.jpg) Pond evaporation has left these sculptures of salt look like hands reaching out of the green pond. |
![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3231.jpg) Panoramic view of the huge green ponds, with many yellow hot springs rising from its floor. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3226.jpg) Zoom on the strongest hot spring (upper right). In the foreground, ponds of various shades of green. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3230.jpg) Ponds of colors ranging from blue to pale green fill small terraces floating in the main lake. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3555.jpg) Like in a coral reef, yellow ridges of salt rise to the surface of the blue lake. |
![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3571.jpg) Other terraces of white salt reach the surface of deep green ponds. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3550.jpg) Most ponds are divided into regular sectors by tiny ridges of salt. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3553.jpg) A salt hornito (lower right) fills terraces of salty water green of halophile algae. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3559.jpg) Surprisingly regular subdivision into poligonal cells of a green pond. |
![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3554.jpg) The green pond in the foreground (the only one not yet drained) is being covered by a crust of salt. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3567.jpg) Ponds may assume all shades of color from green to purple. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3568.jpg) White and yellow salt ridges are boundaries between different colors. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3574.jpg) Evaporating green ponds among thicker ridges of brown salt. |
![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3197.jpg) Our Afar guide crosses a yellow ridge of salt as if it were a bridge. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3272.jpg) To reach Dallol, our jeeps cross Aasale Lake as if they were ships. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3165.jpg) Crests of salt rise from the lake surface, regularly divided into poligonal cells. | ![Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds Dallol in January-February 2011: Large and colorful ponds](dallol-2011/icons/dallol2011-mf3267.jpg) The first jeep appears as a tiny dot at the horizon of a lake many km wide, but only about ten cm deep. |
Photos by Marco Fulle, taken with 16mm fisheye lens, 24-85mm zoom and digital single lens reflex camera. |