Pulicat Lake
Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish – water lake or lagoon in India. It straddles the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states on the Coromandal Coast in South India. The lake encompasses the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary. The barrier island of Sriharikota separates the lake from the Bay of Bengal. The island is home to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
The water quality of the lake varies widely during various seasons – summer, pre–monsoon, monsoon and post–monsoon – as the depth and width of the lake mouth varies causing a dynamic situation of mixing and circulation of waters. The resultant salinity variation and DO (dissolved oxygen) affects the primary production, plankton, biodiversity and fisheries in this lake.
In view of the rich avifauna of the lagoon, two bird sanctuaries are established in the lagoon, one in each of the two states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Every year approximately 15,000 Greater Flamingos are reported to visit the lake along with pelicans, kingfishers, herons, painted storks, spoonbills and ducks. Birds of prey which appear in winter are the: White-bellied Sea Eagle, Osprey, Harriers and Peregrine Falcons. The largest concentrations of Flamingos occur in the Andhra Pradesh part of the sanctuary, around the islands of Vendadu and Irukkam.
On the Andhra Pradesh side, a vantage location for bird watching is from Sullurpet turn east by the SHAR Road to the lake, to see feeding flocks of water birds, particularly flocks of flamingoes.
The palm trees lining the barrier islands of Pulicat Lake.
We randomly came across and had to wait for this procession on our way to Pulicat Lake.
Our only significant bird sighting, a pelican (briefly seen).
The sweep of sand of the barrier islands separating Pulicat Lake from the Bay of Bengal.
The broad, blue sail of a traditional wood sailboat. Very cool. It looked like a lot of fun. I would have loved to try it for a spin around the lake. Maybe another day! The sail did worrying look like stiched together blue tarps, which, being India, is entirely possible.
The CouchSurfing group checking out the old Dutch Cemetary. Most of the gravestones were intricately carved and laid with latin inscriptions with a few larger tombs and even an obelisk.
The Road to Outer Space (Sriharikota)
