Labuan Cermin, Lake With Two Taste

Deep in the interior of East Kalimantan Indonesia,there is Labuan Cermin Lake. Clear Lake is special because it has the sea at the bottom.  Sea at the bottom of the lake? True, this lake has a flow of salty water that exist only in the bottom of the lake.

The mirror is located in District Labuan-Dipper Big Dipper, East Kalimantan. When viewed on a map, located right in the back of the nose of Borneo. This place can be reached within three hours drive north of Derawan.

The top of Labuan Cermin Lake contains freshwater such as lakes in general. But there are a few feet below the flow of salty water. Surprisingly, both types of water is not mixed. In the visible can be seen that the sea water and fresh water are separated by a similar layer of clouds.
No one has done research in this area so that the formation of this phenomenon remains a mystery.

White turbid layer is believed to harbor the basis of the results of decay organisms that are trapped and can not go. Two types of water in the lake is also present organisms from both worlds. Freshwater fish live on the surface, while the sea-water fish can be found at the bottom of the lake.

When I was there, incidentally is a thin layer of fresh water. The crew had time to dive and taste the salty water at a depth of about two meters. Apparently, the thickness of the layer of fresh water and salt water can be changed in accordance with tidal sea water.

This small lake surrounded by woods and there are towering cliffs on one side. We were treated to music while swimming woods – the sound of birds and insects. Not surprisingly, the lake is named Labuan Cermin: the water was crystal clear until people can reflect on it. Currents in some places is quite powerful and easy to drag people who can not swim.

To reach this place we had to ride past the fishermen and canoe trip for 15 minutes, through the mangroves and scrub forest. The forest was still inhabited by various wild animals like monkeys, proboscis monkeys, otters and bears.

Because the distance is quite far from the city, rarely or hardly any tourists who visit here. This place is only known by local people from around the area. Facilities and infrastructure were still sober. Where we stay is a Fisherman Information Center (IC) assisted The Nature Conservancy, an environmental activist organization invited me to visit this place.

PIN-shaped house on stilts on the banks of the estuary of a river, only a few hundred meters from the sea. The house has such a small dock where boats moor. River in front of the PIN brackish water. Salty levels depending on the tidal sea water. When the sea receded, the river turned into a very clear so that the principle can be seen clearly.

From the porch we could see the fish milling about. Ardi, young fisherman who loves to play in PIN explained to us the kinds of fish. There are a lot of fish bones, fish were stinging and long flat-bodied fish. Not only visited by the fishermen, the PIN is also a gathering place for the children of fishermen who want to watch movies or read about the marine life collections.

It was getting dark when some fishermen went to sea. As we spent the evening with a cup of coffee on the veranda and looked at the river water and the moon almost full. The atmosphere of peace that can not be found in the city.

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