On our beautiful planet there are thousands of reservoirs, each of which is interesting and significant in its own way. We will tell you about Lake Onega - steeped in legends, glorified by our famous ancestors, mesmerizing with its primeval beauty. They say that in winter you can hear the sun rise here, such a silence around. But in summer the shores Lake Onega drown in the trills and chirps of hundreds of birds. Having got here, it is as if you find yourself in another dimension, where tangible and visible reality is intertwined with history, which you can touch with your hand.

Where is Lake Onega located

This reservoir is located in Russia, in the north-west of its European part. About 80% of its area is located on the lands of Karelia, and the remaining 20% \u200b\u200bis divided between the Leningrad and Vologda regions.

The shortest distance from the lake (through forests and swamps) to Onega Bay, which belongs to the White Sea, is 147 km. In 1933, the construction of the Belomorkanal with a length of 227 km was completed. It originates from the village of Povenets, which stretches on the shore of the Povenets Bay of the lake, and ends near Belomorsk - a town with a population of about 10 thousand people, located in the Soroka Bay of the White Sea. Thus, an outlet from Lake Onega to the seas of the Arctic Ocean was created. The closest neighbor of the described reservoir is Lake Ladoga. It is 127 km in a straight line. The Svir River connects Onega and Ladoga. If you move along its winding channel, you will have to overcome 224 km.

The cities of Petrozavodsk, Medvezhyegorsk and Kondopoga, which have grown on its shores, can serve as landmarks for the location of Lake Onega. They are located in the northern part of the reservoir. Its southern shores are sparsely populated. But here is the Onega Canal, on the way of which lies a small but fish lake Megorskoe.

Historical facts

It is extremely interesting to study native nature. Now in the arsenal of scientists there are many advanced technologies, for example, isotope and radionuclide methods, spectral analysis. With their help, it was possible to establish that Lake Onega appeared on the site of the shelf sea 300-400 million years BC. e. (Paleozoic, approximately Carbon-Devon period). It washed the shores of the Baltic - this was the name of the then existing continent. In those days in sea \u200b\u200bwaters many protozoa with shells lived. Dying, they sank to the bottom, forming a layer of limestone. In addition, many rivers flowed into the sea, carrying with them grains of sedimentary rocks. Now a layer of limestone, sandstone and clay forms a layer about 200 meters thick in the lake. It rests on a solid foundation made of granite, gneiss and diabase, which have emerged from volcanic activity.

The origin of Lake Onega is associated with the height of the glacier then reached more than 3 km. Moving, huge white blocks easily plowed the earth's firmament, fundamentally changing the relief. This is also typical for the Baltic Shield, on which Lake Onega is located. About 12 thousand years ago, the glacier retreated. The marks left by him were filled with water, forming large and small lakes. One of them was named Onego. The exact etymology of the word is unknown, there are only unconfirmed theories. People began to settle on the shores of this reservoir, as evidenced by numerous petrographers who have survived to our times.

Geographic characteristics

This is the second body of water in Europe after Lake Ladoga. Its total area (with all the islands) is 9720 km 2, and the coastline stretches for 1542 km. The depth of Lake Onega is different. There are places where it reaches 127 meters, but closer to the banks and in small backwaters, it does not exceed 1.5-2 meters. Thus, the average depths of the reservoir are about 30 meters.

The famous lake does not have the correct geometric shape. We can only say that it is somewhat elongated from northwest to southeast. In the northern part there is Bolshoy Onego Bay, deeply cutting into the land. Taking it into account, the maximum length of the reservoir is 245 km, and the maximum width is 91.6 km.

Shores

Walking around Lake Onega, you can see that its shores are cut by large and small bays, lips and capes. In addition to Big Onego, there is Small Onego, as well as Povenetsky and Zaonezhsky bays. The lips in the northern water area of \u200b\u200bthe lake are Povenetskaya, Velikaya, Shchepikha, Konda, Petrozavodskaya, Bolshaya Lizhemskaya, Unitskaya, Kondopozhskaya. There is only one lip - Svirskaya.

The appearance of the shores is also different. In the "wilder" south, forests give way to shallows, which are sandy or rocky. Also in this part there are many impregnable rocks and picturesque, but dangerous swamps.

The northern shores are characterized by unusual geological protrusions called "sheep's foreheads". They are rocks (gneisses, granites) polished by a moving glacier, flat on one side and steep on the other.

Islands

In the European part of Russia, Lake Onega is not only one of the largest, but also a body of water with a huge number of islands. There are more than 1,500 of them here! These areas of land, protruding above the water surface, are large and very tiny, famous all over the world and unknown to anyone, rocky and covered with dense forests.

The largest island is called Bolshoy Klimetsky. Its area is 147 km 2. A natural attraction here is Mount Medvezhitsa, which is 82 meters high. There are several villages on Bolshoy Klimetsky, and there is a secondary school. There are no natural and historical monuments here. Communication with the mainland is carried out by ferry.

The second largest island is called Bolshoi Lelikovsky. It is about 6 times smaller than B. Klimetsky. People also live on this island, but there are no public buildings, except for a small shop.

If they ask what is the most famous island on Lake Onega, anyone will immediately name Kizhi. Its area is only 5 km 2, length 5.5 km, and width 1.4 km. You can get around this piece of land in a couple of hours, but the glory knows no boundaries. The eponymous museum-reserve is located here, created on the basis of the architectural ensemble, included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is an ensemble of two churches (twelve-domed and seven-domed), and a bell tower. According to legend, the church "about 12 chapters" of the Transfiguration of the Lord was built by a local craftsman without a single nail. So that no one could repeat his creation, he threw the ax into the lake.

Another island that I want to mention is called Suisaari (or Suisari). It rises above the water in the Kondopoga Bay. The island is currently uninhabited, but there is an old village with the status of a historical monument. Quartz and chalcedony were found on Suisaari; agates are also found here. Most of the land is occupied by forests, in which even bears are found. The shores of the island are very swampy. There are many bird nests in the reeds.

Rivers of Lake Onega

More than 1,000 rivers and streams carry their waters into the reservoir we are describing, and only one river flows out of it - the Svir. It is quite deep, has a length of 224 km, and connects Lake Ladoga and Onega. The width of the Svir can vary from 100 meters to 12 km. The river is navigable. A cascade of hydroelectric power plants was built on it, the largest of which is Verkhnesvirskaya. Svir is interesting in that it houses the Storozhensky lighthouse (it is the second in Russia and the seventh in the world in height) and the Nizhnesvirsky reserve.

About 50 rivers flowing into Onega are over 10 km long. The most famous are Suna, Gimerka, Vodla, Losinka, Chebinka, Neglinka, Anga, Pyalma and others.

Climate

The weather in the area of \u200b\u200bLake Onega is windy and changeable. Storms on the reservoir are so frequent that in its southern part they even dug the Onega Canal to ensure safer passage of ships into the Svir River.

Winters here in some years can be mild with temperatures not lower than -4 ° C, but more often there are quite noticeable frosts down to -15 ° C, and sometimes down to -30 ° C. Winter lasts 120 days. In November - December, ice forms in the bays and along the coast, and by mid-January it spreads to the entire lake, except for the most deep places... In some years, the water here remains open throughout the winter.

Strong winds can break ice, creating cracks. Then the white blocks creep one on top of the other. The result is a kind of mountains several meters high.

Ice breaks up by May, but sometimes you can find floating ice floes in June.

The warmest and most suitable months for relaxation are July and August. The water temperature in shallow water can warm up to +22 ° C, but most often it reaches +17 ° C. The ambient temperature during the day rises to +30 ° C, and the average values \u200b\u200bare around +20 ° C.

The weather in this area is not only windy, but also rainy. The water balance of the lake is replenished by 25% every year due to atmospheric precipitation. It rains consistently throughout the summer.

Flora

Lake Onega is extraordinarily beautiful. Its shores are frozen in stern charm. They silently frame the water surface, sparkling in the sun with golden reflections. The water in the lake is so clean and transparent that the bottom can be seen at a depth of 4 meters or more. Some islands and some parts of the coast are covered with dense virgin forests of coniferous trees, but deciduous copses are also found here. Spruce, pine, fir, larch are the main higher plants that make up the Onega biome. Only from time to time the gaze catches birch, alder and aspen. Walking around the vicinity of Lake Onega, you can find euonymus, honeysuckle, currants in the undergrowth. Underfoot are carpets of blueberries and lingonberries, cranberries can be found in the swamps, and the mushroom season begins in the second half of summer.

On swampy shores and shallow waters, the shores are overgrown with reeds and cattails, which is very valuable for many birds. Some bays are decorated with lilies and water lilies, and on the banks oxalis, wintergreens, horsetails and other herbaceous plants grow green.

Fauna

The surroundings of Lake Onega are full of life. Geese, ducks, swans nest in the reeds. Cranes, terns, eagle owls, toadstools, herbalists also come here. Woodpeckers, jays, tits, and many other small birds live in the forests.

The fauna is also widely represented. Local residents more than once saw hares, squirrels, ermines, roe deer in the surrounding forests. They say that bears are also found here, because they often find their droppings.

Seals can be observed in the waters and on the banks. They come here for food. There are a lot of fish in Lake Onega. About 54 species of fish live here, including whitefish, smelt, grayling, pike perch, perch, eel, sabrefish, silver bream, pike, bream and others.

Fishing on Lake Onega is effective at any time of the year. You can fish from the shore and from the water, which is more preferable. The depth of the bays 40-100 meters allows the use of motor boats.

Settlements

The most famous and big City, which grew up on the coastline of Lake Onega, is the capital of Karelia (Petrozavodsk). It is called the city of labor and military glory, the historical and cultural center of the Prionezhsky region. People lived in this area for 6,000 years BC. e., as evidenced by the numerous sites found. But the city itself was founded by Peter I, who founded an arms factory here. Petrozavodsk is interesting for its historical monuments, architectural ensembles and the fact that interesting festivals are held here - "Hyperborea", "Air", "White nights of Karelia", as well as a sailing regatta.

Kondopoga is another city on the banks of Onega, located 54 km from Petrozavodsk. It has been mentioned in historical chronicles since 1495. From the 18th century, marble began to be mined near it, which was used to build palaces in St. In recent years, the city authorities have been actively developing tourism here. Of interest are the Assumption Church, built at the end of the 18th century, but restored twice, two carillons of bells, and leisure... The city stands on the banks of the Kondopoga Bay. The depth of Lake Onega is up to 80 meters here, which allows for both amateur and industrial fishing. Its species composition in this part of the lake is incredibly rich, and the biting is excellent.

Medvezhyegorsk. It is the northernmost and youngest city on Onega. Its history began in 1915 with the construction of a railway. station Bear Mountain. There are no unique attractions here, but this town is an excellent starting point for traveling around Onega.

There are many small villages and villages on the shores of the lake, where tourists can find comfortable conditions for recreation. Among them are Pyalma, Povenets, Pindushi, Shalsky and others.

Ecology

In the northern water area of \u200b\u200bthe lake, environmental indicators are much worse than the southern one. This is due to the fact that about 90% of the industry and more than 80% of the population are concentrated here. Every year, thousands of tons of waste are dumped into Lake Onega, including phenols, lead, sulfur oxides, waste reclamation waters, sewage.

sights

Interesting places there are several dozen in the vicinity of Lake Onega. All of them can be divided into natural and historical monuments. It is more convenient to get to both those and others by water. Overland routes in many areas are so broken that only an SUV can overcome them.

You can visit not only the Kizhi island on the lake. Of great interest are the petroglyphs concentrated on the eastern shore of the reservoir. There are over 800 drawings here.

Tourists are always taken to Cape Besov Nos. It is famous for its hooked shape, as well as for the many rock paintings that adorn it.

Damn chair. This is an unusual formation in a rock near the village of Solomennoye. The seat height is 80 meters above sea level, and the backrest height is 113 meters. Glaciers formed the damn chair. They say that if you sit on its edge and make a wish, it will certainly come true.

The Kivach waterfall on the Suna river was more powerful before the dam was built, but even now it fascinates with its power and beauty. The reserve of the same name is also located here.

Of the man-made monuments in the vicinity of Onega, there are dozens of old operating and already closed wooden churches. Each is interesting in its own way. We can highlight the Murom Monastery in the village of Pudozh, the Museum of Marcial Waters, the Church of the Great Martyr Barbara.

Recreation

Tourists come to the lake to have a rest as a "savage" and civilized. In the first case, there are tons of possibilities and suitable places for staking campground... It is advisable to take into account that the best weather is in August, but during the same period there is a massive outbreak of mosquitoes and midges.

You can also stay in guest houses, which are now available in almost every coastal village. The mini-hotels will not only offer a bed, but also provide food, rent a boat and fishing tackle.

Fishing on Lake Onega is the main entertainment for men. Guest houses are ideal for comfortable rest for fishermen, because guests have the opportunity to steam in a Russian bathhouse, cook a catch on the grill, and sleep in a clean bed.

55 km from the city of Petrozavodsk there is a sanatorium "Marcial Waters", which began its work in 1719. It treats allergies, skin diseases, cardiovascular system, lungs, joints, bone apparatus, nervous diseases, and digestive organs. Vacationers are offered comfortable rooms with amenities, delicious food. Medical and diagnostic procedures are carried out using modern technologies.

Legends and myths

Lake Onega attracts many with the mysterious phenomena occurring in its vicinity.

The locals and tourists often see wandering lights, dark figures. Some even hear bells ringing and voices. These phenomena are most often observed in places of mass graves or where there used to be pagan sanctuaries.

There are also many documented cases that occurred in the vicinity of Lake Onega with people and give rise to the assumption that there are temporary and energetic faults.

The most sensational one took place in 1073 on the island of Bolshoy Klimetsky with A.F. Pulkin, fleet captain, deviator. He grew up in these places, knows every path here. While fishing on the island, Pulkin went deep into the forest for firewood. The captain came ashore 34 days later. Pulkin could not explain where he was all this time, and why the rescue teams could not find him.

Another incomprehensible story happened to the students. They arrived on the island to rest. But as soon as their boat moored to the shore, the guys felt an incredible energy effect in the form of vibration and an unpleasant buzzing that caused a headache. All this stopped as soon as the students left the coast.

In 2009, an incredible incident happened to a girl named Anya (age 6). Her family came to Lake Onega to rest as "savages". Dad set up a tent, made a fire. Mom got busy with lunch. Anya was playing nearby, but suddenly disappeared. The parents searched everything around. The father rushed into the forest, constantly calling his daughter loudly. Mom stayed near the tent. The girl was nowhere to be found. Imagine the amazement of the parents when, for the tenth time looking into the tent, they saw their daughter peacefully sleeping there. This story ended well, except for the fact that Anya's eye color changed, curly hair straightened, old moles disappeared and new ones appeared. Also, parents are embarrassed that the girl often speaks in a dream in a language unknown to anyone.

There are a lot of similar stories among local residents. Onega lake, beautiful and majestic, keeps many secrets and awaits their discoverers.


Among the forests, rocks and swamps of Karelia, a large lake of completely unusual shape spreads its vast expanses of water. Like an unknown monster, it stretched its tentacle-bays far to the north; one of them resembles a trunk in its shape, the other - a powerful claw of a huge crayfish. This is Lake Onega, or Onego, as it was called from ancient times by the Russian people, the second largest freshwater lake in Europe.

They say that in the ancient Finnish language the word "onego" means "smoking lake", and this name appeared due to the frequent fogs in this area. However, some geographers do not agree with this and believe that the name passed to the lake from the river flowing to the east of it (or, conversely, the river took its name from the lake). Onego is also called the younger sister of the great Ladoga. And although it is two times less, it is almost fifty kilometers longer. It is curious to find out: why do lake scientists consider these giant reservoirs of Europe to be sisters?

It turns out that there are good reasons for this. The giant lakes are related not only by the fact that they are the largest on the continent and are located close to each other. The main thing is that they were born almost simultaneously after the retreat of the last glaciers. Large depressions, the bottoms of which are occupied by the Ladoga and Onega lakes, existed even in preglacial times. They arose in ancient geological eras during shifts and faults in the earth's crust. Glaciers, repeatedly advancing from the north to the territory of Europe, smoothed out, or, as they say, "plowed", the bottom of the lake basins, made them smoother.

The southern and northern parts of Lake Onega differ sharply from each other, especially in the structure and outline of the shores. The southern part of the lake is a vast reach, Central Onega Lake. Most of the lake waters are concentrated in it, and the depth here is significant - in some places 100-110 meters. The shores are diverse - rocky, sandy, swampy. Completely different shores in the northern part of the lake. Here it is divided into two bays - Big and Small Onega Lake. Crashing into the southern tip of the Baltic Crystalline Shield, they stretch far to the north.

The eastern bay from the Small Onega Lake reach extends to the north to the town of Medvezhyegorsk and is called Povenetsky in that area. From him the town of Povenets got its name, where one of the most important artificial waterways of our country begins - the White Sea-Baltic Canal, which connected the Volga with the White Sea. The Big Onega Lake is divided into bays, which are called lips here. There are three of them - Kondopozhskaya, Ilem-Gorskaya and Lizhemskaya. The shores of the inlets are very indented. They are covered with forest, rocky and often drop straight to the water with sheer cliffs.

Numerous small bays are separated by pillow capes. The ends of the capes seemed to have been crushed by a giant hammer, and therefore stone deposits, or, in local terms, ludas, were formed here in abundance. When strong winds are raging, ludas protrude from the water. Between the large bays lies the vast Zaonezhie peninsula - the land of forests, rocks, swamps and ancient legends.

Lake Onega is rich in islands. There are more than one and a half thousand of them. Covered with dense forests, with shores, indented bays and bays, the islands give the lake a peculiar charm and picturesqueness. This was noticed by the writer M. M. Prishvin: “The islands seemed to rise above the water and hung in the air, as it seems here in very calm weather ...” Indeed, the islands seem to be “hanging”, because in clear weather they are like in a mirror are reflected in the flat surface of the lake.

The largest islands among the islands are Klimetsky, Bolshoy Lelikovsky, Suisari. There are islands that are wild, uninhabited, where a human's foot rarely steps, and there are also those that are famous and known to the whole world, such as Kizhi - a reserve famous for wooden monuments of folk architecture, or South Oleniy - the burial vault of the ancient inhabitants of this region. Numerous large and small rivers replenish Lake Onega with their waters.

Among them are Shuya, Suna, Vodla, Andoma, Vytegra. Some of them are stormy, with rapids and waterfalls, others are quiet and calm. The position of its level depends on how much water the rivers bring to the basin of the lake. In the spring, during the melting of the snow, the tributaries become abundant and intensively feed the lake. Its level rises until the end of June. The reserves of snow in the basins will run out - the river runoff will sharply decrease, the level of the lake will begin to gradually decrease.

Summers in Prionezhie are cool, breezes often blow. During the day they blow from the lake to the land, and at night - in the opposite direction. The lake is rarely calm - only on quiet summer white nights. Lake Onega is amazingly beautiful with its northern harsh beauty, especially when its motionless surface is painted with pinkish reflections of the morning dawn. Autumn is a rainy season with winds, storms, frosts. Storms are frequent. They swoop in suddenly, raise large waves, break the rafts of the forest, drive logs to the banks. Uncomfortable at this time on the lake.

From November to mid-April, a cold winter with blizzards and snowstorms reigns in Prionezhie, frosts reach -30-40 degrees. At the beginning of winter, shallow bays and bays in the northern part of the lake, sheltered from wind gusts, are primarily covered with ice. Freezing up gradually spreads to the south, covering all new parts of the lake. Central Onega Lake does not freeze for a long time. A large mass of its waters still contains a lot of heat, and the winds walking over the lake help fight freeze-up, breaking freezing areas.

Only in mid-January, frost conquers the water element, calms it down, puts ice armor on. Under the ice cover, Lake Onega sleeps until the beginning of spring. In May, the ice melts.

The northern nature of Prionezhie is beautiful. It is a truly forested land with rich timber reserves. Long-fiber Karelian spruce grows here, from which excellent quality paper is produced; from the famous Karelian birch, beautiful furniture, famous all over the world, is made. There are protected groves here, which Peter the Great bequeathed to his descendants. Elk, bears, wolves, wild boars, lynx, marten, otter, squirrel are found in the dense forests of the Onega. The local reservoirs have become the second home of the North American muskrat. There are a great many birds here, including waterfowl; only about 200 species. The master of the forest is a regal wood grouse.

The forests of Prionezhie are a huge natural berry plantation, where all types of berries of the northern region are presented in abundance - lingonberries, strawberries, cranberries, cloudberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries. Lake Onega is also famous for its fish wealth. It is home to all types of fish characteristic of the lakes of Karelia. Perch, whitefish, grayling, smelt, vendace, roach are the most common fish, they can be found in any corner of the lake. The lamprey is found; for spawning, it climbs up the tributaries of the lake. Valuable commercial fish - salmon and trout - also live here.

By the way, trout has never been found in the lake before. She is a gift from Sevan, a guest from sunny Armenia. From there, millions of eggs of this fish were delivered by plane. The famous Sevan trout (ishkhan) took root, and Lake Onega became its second homeland. The Baikal omul has also mastered here. The lake has always played a big role in human life. It is sung in ancient epics and ancient legends. For millennia, man has created an original culture here, material traces of which have survived to our time.

In one of the most famous museums in the world - the State Hermitage in St. Petersburg - you can see exhibits telling about the culture and art of the ancient inhabitants of our Motherland. In the center of one of the halls is a huge dark red stone slab; its polished surface is dotted with images of deer, swans, fish, people; here you can see some mysterious signs in the form of circles and lines. This granite block is a part of Lake Onega. It was broken out on the rocky promontory of Peri Nos and brought to the Hermitage for public viewing. The exhibit weighs tens of tons.

The drawings, carved on the rock, which were brought from the shore of Lake Onega, are about four thousand years old. A man of the Neolithic era lived in many areas of the European North. Apparently, he was not very afraid of the winter cold, as evidenced by the remains of ancient settlements found even on the shores of the White and Barents Seas. The collected information made it possible for scientists to draw up a map of the settlement of Neolithic man. It clearly shows that in some places the settlements are closely grouped, forming, as it were, a kind of "cities" or densely populated areas.

These include the sections of the middle reaches of the Sukhona River, the shores of Beloye, Bozh, Lachi, Onega lakes, the coast of the Onega Peninsula and the Kandalaksha Bay. And yet, of all such places, the shores of Lake Onega were the most inhabited.

The ancient Onega Lake obviously played a special role in the life of the Neolithic man. It was here that two of the greatest monuments of antiquity were discovered: the Onega sanctuary and the City of the Dead - the Oleneostrovsky burial ground. Several rocky headlands jut into the lake from the eastern shore. Some of them are poorly marked and do not have names, but five other capes are the most famous. These are Karetsky Nose, Peri Nose, Besov Nose, Kladovets and Gazhiy Nose. The capes are composed of dark red granite. Over the centuries, the wind and waves have polished the surface of the coastal cliffs, it became even and smooth. On the rocks, right next to the water itself, you can see some images, carved on the surface of the granite. They are invisible and are somewhat reminiscent of children's drawings. There are many primitive images of men, deer, birds, frogs, lizards, boats, tools.

Drawings are arranged in groups and individually. Hunting and fishing episodes are common. There are images of fantastic animals and birds, and next to them are drawings of real animals. These are petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings), the creations of Stone Age artists, for whom polished coastal rocks served as a canvas and a flint chisel as a brush. On the shores of Lake Onega, about six hundred such petroglyphs have been discovered. Especially many of them, and the most diverse, are located at the Besov Nos Cape. Locals called these drawings "demonic tracks". The area of \u200b\u200brock carvings was a natural temple of the ancients, where religious rites and ceremonies were performed. Ancient people were adherents of a space cult, especially the cult of the Sun, as evidenced by numerous images of this luminary. The ancient inhabitants of the Onega shores had not only a sanctuary for worshiping, but also a family tomb where the dead were buried. It is known in the scientific world as the Oleneostrovsky burial ground and is located on the South Deer Island. It is curious how the burial was carried out.

A hole was dug to a depth of about one and a half meters. Its bottom was abundantly sprinkled with red ocher. She was identified with fire and had to scare away the demons of evil. Together with the deceased, objects belonging to him during his lifetime were placed in the pit, including stone axes and knives, spears and arrows. Found various amulets made of stone and bone - figures of people and animals; they were the owner's friends: they had to protect from danger, disease, the evil eye, help in hunting and fishing.

Lake Onega has long served people with faith and truth. On the shores, he built a dwelling for himself, hunted in the coastal forests, and fished in its waters. But the importance of the lake has increased even more in our era, when the paths leading to near and distant seas - the White, Baltic, Caspian, Azov and Black seas - cross. Three great waterways lead from Lake Onega to the north, west and south; The White Sea-Baltic Canal connects it with the White Sea, and the Volgo-Balt (as the Volga-Baltic waterway is called) - with the Baltic Sea and the Volga. Glide along its watery expanses passenger liners, motor ships, boats and, like giant snow-white birds, "meteors" and "rockets" rush.

There are several dozen ports and piers on the shores of the lake, and among them the largest are Petrozavodsk, Kondopoga, Medvezhyegorsk, Povenets. Millions of tons of cargo and tens of thousands of passengers are transported annually on the lake. Vessels going from the Volga or the Baltic to the North cross Lake Onega and approach the town of Povenets. Here the lake path ends. Then they go along an artificial water road - the White Sea-Baltic Canal. Lake Onega is located in the center of another waterway - the Volgo-Balta. This path starts from the shores of the Baltic Sea, from St. Petersburg, goes along the Neva, Ladoga canals, Svir, Lake Onega and the Volga-Baltic canal.

This is how great is the role of Lake Onega, which lies at the crossroads of large waterways of the most important national economic importance! This does not exhaust the value of the lake; there are many sectors of the economy that widely use it natural resources, and primarily fish wealth.

Did you know that pearls are found on the shores of Lake Onega? In the estuarine areas of some tributaries, a bivalve mollusk is found, which forms small nacreous balls ranging in size from a millet grain to a large pea. Pearl divers need to work hard to find a pearl in which the cherished pearl has grown among the shells on the silted bottom of the river. The waters of Lake Onega are used to supply settlements and industrial enterprises - timber processing plants, shipyards, machine-building plants, pulp and paper mills. The shore of the lake is a natural storehouse of wonderful stone.

Here multicolored building materials are mined: red, pink, white and other color shades of marble, black and greenish diabase, the famous Shoksha quartzite of crimson color, red, dark red and gray granite. On the island of Kizhi, a museum-reserve of wooden architecture has been created, where many monuments of folk art are collected. There is something to see, something to be sincerely surprised at on the famous Onega Lake. Everything here is unusual - ancient rock paintings, immortal creations of Russian architects of past centuries, and monumental monuments of the modern era - settlements that arose from the ashes of fires after the Great Patriotic War - and completely new cities created in recent years.

No wonder Lake Onega attracts thousands of visitors from different countries of the world to its shores.



Lake Onega is the second largest freshwater reservoir in Europe. Its area is impressive, in terms of its size, this reservoir is second only to the lake is located in the Republic of Karelia, as well as in the Leningrad and Vologda regions. But most of the lake is still located in the Republic of Karelia (80%), the other two regions account for only 20% of the area of \u200b\u200bthis reservoir.

Lake Onega: depth and area

To talk about this reservoir in more detail, you must first say about its size. The area of \u200b\u200bLake Onega is 9600 square kilometers, more precisely - 9690 square kilometers. km. This is an impressive figure. And I must say that this area is taken without taking into account the islands. If we take into account the islands, then the area of \u200b\u200bLake Onega in sq. km will reach the figure 9720. To better understand the scale of the lake, let's say that its area is equal to the area of \u200b\u200bCyprus, and this is not a small republic.

The average depth of Onega is about 30 meters, and the maximum depth is 127 meters. Note that these are very impressive figures for lakes. About 50 different rivers (and about 1000 different watercourses) flow into Lake Onega, and only one river flows out of the lake - the Svir.

Dimensions of Lake Onega: length and width

The length of the reservoir from north to south reaches 245 kilometers. The largest width of the lake is 92 kilometers. On the banks there are three Karelian cities (Petrozavodsk, which is also Medvezhyegorsk and Kondopoga).

In general, it must be said that the Republic of most of the lake is characterized by a large number of rocks. The shores of the lake are really rocky, sometimes it is very difficult to approach the reservoir precisely because of the rocks.

The meaning of the lake

Almost every local resident will always answer your question about the area of \u200b\u200bLake Onega, will gladly tell you some stories about the reservoir or its attractions. The reservoir is a pride for the local population. Dimensions of Lake Onega really impressive. For local residents there is something to be proud of. As we said, the area Lake Onega, km 2 equivalent to entire countries! Let's take a closer look at it.

Islands

The total number of islands in Onega is 1650, but not all of them are large. The total area of \u200b\u200ball the islands of the lake is 224 square kilometers. The most famous island is Kizhi. It houses a unique eponymous museum-reserve, where wooden churches of the 18th century have been preserved and restored. Some are built without the use of nails or other metal fasteners.

But Kizhi is not the largest island in the lake, the largest in Lake Onega is Bolshoi Klimenetsky, its area is 147 square kilometers (more than half of the area of \u200b\u200ball lakes of Lake Onega). Bolshoi Klimenetsky Island has its own settlement, there is even a school here.

If we name other large islands, then we must mention Bolshoi Lelikovsky, as well as the island of Suisar and South Oleniy. The nature on all the islands is very colorful, bright and special in its own way, like the whole Republic of Karelia, where most of the lake is located (we have already said this).

Flora and fauna of the island

Some shores of Lake Onega are very rocky, but still most of the shores of the lake are low and often swampy. They are also frequently flooded when the water level in the lake rises. This can explain the fact that there are only three cities on the lake.

Ducks, geese, swans and other aquatic birds often nest on the shores of Onega, as well as on almost all of its islands, in reeds and reed thickets. Almost the entire coastal area of \u200b\u200bthe lake is occupied by dense coniferous forests, some of which are still untouched by human hands and are in a pristine state.

There is evidence that seals are sometimes observed in Lake Onega. In general, it must be said that fish, as well as various invertebrates, are represented in the lake in a wide variety. Let us emphasize that among the invertebrates there are a significant number of relics of the ancient ice age.

Returning to the fish of the lake, we note that they are found here:

  • sterlet;
  • lake salmon;
  • trout (lake and brook);
  • palia (ludnaya and yamnaya);
  • zander;
  • pike;
  • perch;
  • vendace (including vendace-kilts);
  • grayling;
  • smelt;
  • roach;
  • lamprey (river and stream).

And that's not all, because in the lake there are no less than 47 species and varieties of freshwater fish, which belong to 13 families. Fishing in Onega is a special chic and a way to find inner harmony with nature. Moreover, fishing is possible on the lake at any time of the year.

Ecology

In today's world with outdated wastewater treatment systems, nothing good can be expected in terms of ecology. In the last decade, the impact on the ecosystem of the lake has only increased. Special damage is done to the northwestern and northern parts of the lake. In this area there are Petrozavodsk, Kondopozhskiy and Medvezhyegorskiy industrial centers. It must also be said that about 80% of the population lives in this area, the industrial potential of the basin here generally reaches 90%.

But recently, there has been a tendency to modernize treatment facilities and invest serious investments in this business (both from the local budget and from federal funds). I would like to believe that this unique lake will not be left to the mercy of fate and will not become the center of man's negligence towards nature.

Economic value

The lake is navigable, and it is a large part of the waterway, which is included in the Volga-Baltic waterway, as well as the White Sea-Baltic canal. Also, the lake is a connecting link for the basins of the Baltic, Caspian and northern seas.

The system of canals and rivers allows you to send any cargo from the capital of the republic (the city of Petrozavodsk) to any country located in the coastal sea zone. These are countries from Germany to Iran. We also mention that there is an artificially dug canal that is located along the southern bank of Onega (from the Svir River to a river called Vytegra).

There are two ports on the shores of Lake Onega (the Petrozavodsk capital port and the city of Medvezhyegorsk), in addition, there are five docks and several small stopping points for ships.

There is no regular year-round passenger traffic on the lake at the moment. But there is a regular service several times a day during navigation between Petrozavodsk and Kizhi Island, as well as between Petrozavodsk and Velikaya Guba. Tourist ships and the so-called "meteors" are involved here. Also, according to the latest information, there is a message from Petrozavodsk - Shala.

Of some interesting events of the lake, we note that since distant 1972, Lake Onega annually (in summer, in July) hosts the country's largest "Onega sailing regatta". This is the open national sailing championship among yachts (cruising). There are no other organized competitions, although the area of \u200b\u200bLake Onega allows it. This is explained by the weak development of tourism in the region.

Kizhi Island

The main attraction of Lake Onega is the Kizhi island, or rather, the eponymous museum-reserve, which is located here. On the territory of the island-museum there are now almost 90 monuments of wooden architecture dating back to the 15th-20th centuries.

The center of the Kizhi island is architecture (built in the 18th century), it is the 20-head Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, as well as the 9-head of the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin and the bell tower. In 1990, the island of Kizhi was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is the pride for our entire country!

Onega petroglyphs

Rock carvings, which are called Onega petroglyphs, are located on the eastern shores of Lake Onega. Scientists believe that their age is within 4-2 thousand years BC. Petroglyphs are arranged in groups. In total, they occupy a stretch of coastline that is approximately 21 km or more. Their total number is about 1200 different figures and signs. Petroglyphs have not been fully studied and from time to time new rock paintings are found. It seems that the shores of Lake Onega hide many more secrets. Its area allows you to do this.

To understand the scale of Lake Onega, you need to see it with your own eyes. Come fishing in Karelia or just relax here from the hustle and bustle of megacities, breathe in the northern clean air. You will love these places forever, and you will come back here again and again. Lake Onega captivates and enchants. Karelia will also be liked by photographers. There are incredibly beautiful landscapes here that will impress a creative person. The lake will also be appreciated by tourists, especially those who love beautiful open spaces. Rest in Karelia is also a wonderful pastime, clean air, beautiful nature.

The rocks that make up the environs of Lake Onega are very hard, and they have not preserved the remains of ancient animals and plants, except for the imprints of the simplest crustaceans and algae discovered in recent decades. These prints of organic matter and organic remains, found mainly in the Middle and Upper Proterozoic formations of the Onega trough, testify to a very early (in the geological sense) development of organic life within the coast of Lake Onega, about 1900-1500 million years ago.

Further, in the history of the development of the organic world on the territory of Karelia, there is a significant gap, since geological changes, accompanied by high temperatures and pressures, did not contribute to the preservation of traces of ancient life. In addition, at the beginning of it, organisms associated with the sea were born, and the territory of Karelia, together with the adjoining Finland, Sweden and the Kola Peninsula, was an island for a long time.

The first of the Quaternary glaciations, which began about a million years ago and covered not only Karelia, but also areas far beyond its borders, destroyed all living things that managed to develop here in the pre-glacial time: plants and animals that were not capable of rapid movement died out, the rest - migrated to more southern regions, and during the glaciation, the territory of Karelia was an icy desert, similar to modern Antarctica.

There were several glaciations, and there is evidence that in the intervals between them, that is, in the interglacial time, the vegetation of Karelia was very similar to the modern one: the territory was mainly covered with forests, which included such thermophilic tree species as linden, oak and elm, and among shrubs - hazel. This means that the climate of the interglacials was warmer than the modern one. But in the subsequent glacial epochs, this vegetation was also destroyed by ice, slowly but stubbornly moving from the northwest to the southeast. Therefore, the history of the development of modern flora and fauna in Karelia in general and the coast of Lake Onega in particular should begin with the time when the ice of the last glaciation began to melt.

About 11,000-12,000 years ago, the northern half of Lake Onega was still covered with ice, while along the shores of its southern part, which had already been freed from the ice sheet and was largely flooded with the waters of a periglacial lake, vegetation of the tundra type, with polar willow and low-growing birch, grew. When the northern part of Onego was also freed from ice, the tundra vegetation moved to the north, closer to the edge of the glacier, and its place was taken by forest-tundra vegetation and swamps began to form.

The composition of plants and animals of this time is almost unknown, since their fossil remains have not yet been found in the vicinity of Lake Onega, but the analogy with more southern regions suggests that the animal world was somewhat different from the modern one: mammoths, woolly, could have moved here from the southern regions. rhinos, deer fossils and other smaller animals.

Later, when the glaciers had completely melted, in the middle of the post-glacial time, that is, about 6-7 thousand years ago, there was a period of warm and humid climate, and the shores of Lake Onega were covered with dense forest vegetation of pine, birch and thermophilic broad-leaved species. The composition of the animals has also changed. The fossil remains (skulls, teeth and others) found in the sediments of that time point to the taiga fauna complex close to the modern one. Such large animals as the mammoth and woolly rhinoceros could not exist in typical forest conditions and became extinct, others (musk ox, wild horse) were pushed south.

In dense, mostly deciduous forests, the brown bear, wolf, reindeer, roe deer, wild boar were found, from the smaller ones - beaver, otter, ferret, marten, white hare, and in the waters of the lake - a seal. A little later, a man appeared on the banks of Onego - the oldest sites were discovered by archaeologists in the vicinity of Medvezhyegorsk, on the Chelmuzhskaya spit, near the village of Solomennoye near Petrozavodsk and in other places.

In the subsequent time, the nature of flora and fauna gradually changed, mainly due to a change climatic conditions in the direction of cooling and moisture, and, if in the area of \u200b\u200bthe southern coast of Onego the forests were still predominantly deciduous, in the northern parts there was already a significant development of conifers: pines and spruce. Some idea of \u200b\u200bthe fauna of that time can be obtained from the analysis of rock paintings in the area of \u200b\u200bthe southeastern coast of the lake. Here, on the capes of Besov Nos, Gazhiy Nos and others, our distant ancestors depicted such animals as elk, reindeer, bear, dog, etc.

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"Onego-father" - this is how the Russian people who lived on the shores of Lake Onega since antiquity called their breadwinner, which they considered this quiet, transparent surface framed by picturesque shores under the sky, shining with pearl light through the veil of almost constant clouds here.
Russian scientist historian and archaeologist of the late 19th century, founder of the Russian school of ethnography H.N. Kharuzin (1865-1900) in his work "Materials collected among the peasants of the Pudozh district of the Olonets province" gives the following, written down by him, an appeal to the lake: "Berezhok-father, little water-mother, the king of water and the queen of water with small children, with the guests who come, bless the water to take not for the sake of cunning, not for the sake of wisdom, but for the sake of goodness and health ... "In addition to the sacred and ritual intonation, here you can read the sincere gratitude of people to the lake - for the purity of its water, for the abundance of fish and timber shores. And also, of course, for the beauty that pleases the eye and soul. And now the townspeople who come to Lake Onega in order to see the wooden architecture of the Kizhi reserve, “demons” - the petroglyphs of the Besov Nos cape, go fishing, just relax and have a rest, all as one say that they experience an unusually strong surge of spiritual strength here.
The name of Onego is Sami in origin, like many original names of settlements on its shores, which is a clear answer to the question of who mastered these shores. The Scandinavians and Russians call the Finno-Ugrians the Sami also Lop, Loplians and Lapps (hence the toponym Laplandia comes from). Vepsians (Chud) also lived here. The Slavs came here in the 5th century. In the Sami language, the word Ale, or Elo, transformed into Onego or Onega in Russian, simply means "Big Lake". It is the large, the second largest water mirror in Europe after Lake Ladoga, with which it is connected by the only river flowing from Onego - the Svir, while about 50 rivers flow into it. As for the more ancient inhabitants of the shores of Lake Onega, archaeological excavations on the islands of the southern Zaonezhie Bolshoy Lelikovsky and Maly Lelikovsky testify that people have settled there since the Neolithic era (the turn of the V-IV - the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC).
Geologists attribute the rocks that make up the lake basin to the Proterozoic period. Hydrologists believe that this basin was filled mainly with water from melting glaciers, as well as underground sources. At the same time, the channels of the rivers flowing into the lake were formed. The location of the fjords in the north and northwest of the lake, rocky ridges and placers of small islands covered with granite boulders between them in the bays (bays) on the map of the lake are a kind of schematic reproduction of the movement of the ice cover on the ground here. This movement took place gradually and in different periods of the ancient glaciation of the European continent, by powerful jerks and shocks, generated, as is quite obvious, by tectonic processes during the movement of the edges of the lithospheric plates. Under the influence of these processes, the larger islands of the lake were formed, the total number of which, together with the very tiny ones, is about 150. The largest of the islands is Bolshoi Klimetsky (Klimenetsky), whose area is 147 km 2; there are several settlements and a school. Other large islands are (Kizh), Kerk, Olenyi, Sennogubsky, Suisari. Large islands fall on the northern segment of the lake.
The depths in the southern segment of the lake on the coastal waters range from 9 to 14.5 m. There is no place in the north. From the line Petrozavodsk - the mouth of the Vodla River, bottom depressions begin, some reach depths of 111, 115.5 and even 132.5 m, although 127 m are still considered the maximum depth.It is not a matter of disagreements between hydrographs, but of the fact that the level water in Onega can vary depending on the prevailing strong winds in a given year, moving layers of water, or the amount of precipitation.
Lake Onega in the territory of Karelia (mainly), Leningrad and Vologda regions stretches from the north-north-west to the south-south-east. The maximum length of the lake - between the Black Sands shore in the south and the mouth of the Kums River in the north - reaches 220 km, and the width - from Lake Logmo, in fact an extension of Onega, to the village of Pudozhsky Pogost - 86 km. The coastline in the south is relatively smooth, in the north it is indented by narrow fjords bordered by skerries.
Some were created by nature, others - by man. It makes no sense to talk about what is more important, they are all valuable - because, in fact, they are inseparable.
The natural resources of Lake Onega do not fundamentally differ from those of Lake Ladoga or, say, Lake Venern in Sweden, because all these lakes in Northern Europe stand on the same geological Baltic granite shield, have a common history of origin, similar climate and hydrology. True, Onega belongs to the Baltic shield only in its northern part, and in its southern part - to the Russian platform. A non-specialist will not notice this, but any person who understands the dim northern nature will be glad that he again sees desert sandy spits, rocky capes, vanguard detachments of virgin coniferous forests approaching the water. And also the fact that he can stay in silence and from the heart fishing here in clean water... The bottom of the lake with its muddy areas, elevation changes from deep pits to shallow water, underwater ridges contribute to the fact that different species of fish are found here, and they feed considerable body weight. The ichthyofauna of Lake Onega includes 47 species and varieties of fish. Among them are sterlet, salmon, trout, lake and brook, pike, whitefish, grayling, eel, etc. The lake begins to freeze in about mid-December, but this is not the main obstacle for fishing enthusiasts, but a short daylight hours.
Onega is connected with Ladoga by the Svir River, with the White Sea - by the White Sea-Baltic Canal. And so on: with the Volga, the Caspian and Black Seas - through the network of canals of the Volga-Baltic waterway.
In total, 552 man-made monuments are registered on the coast of the lake. Among the petroglyphs of Onega, the most famous ones, which are 5-6 thousand years old, are those located on the Besov Nos cape, especially three large "figures" - an anthropomorphic "Bes" 2.3 m long, along the entire "body" of which there is a crack , looking really ominous, "Otter" (or "Lizard") and "Burbot" (or "Catfish"). There are other places on Onega with Neolithic monuments, no less interesting, on the rocky outcrops of the coast from the mouth of the Vodla River to the mouth of the Chernaya River: it is better to learn about them and the road to them on the spot, the tourist infrastructure here, alas, is not yet very developed. The technique for creating these images is common in the Neolithic: point-cut stone. On the Kochkovnavolok peninsula, at the mouth of the Vodpa, there are found in the 1980s-1990s. the northernmost rock carvings of Lake Onega. Anthropomorphic figures are also found here, while images of animals prevail, and among them - swans (swans are also found in other clusters of petroglyphs). The largest local "swan" from head to tail has 4.12 m. These petroglyphs have been preserved much worse than on the Devil's Nose: erosion has affected, some images are overgrown with lichens, and yet the most valuable impression from what he saw is that the ancient hunters and fishermen thought not only about food, they also admired the world around them and, judging by the size of some figures, they deified it, because the swan is not a game bird at all, but the personification of beauty and purity.
The beauty of the wooden structures collected on the island of Kizhi in the State Museum-Reserve of Russian Orthodox wooden architecture "Kizhi", or "Kizhi Pogost", is included in the list World heritage UNESCO. In addition to the churches originally built on the island itself, chapels, houses and outbuildings from Zaonezhie and other regions of Karelia were also moved here with all possible care. There are many legends about the "pieceiness" of the exhibits of this open-air museum. The most famous of them is the carpenter Nestor, who built the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord with one ax (originally without a single nail), threw the ax into the lake so that no one could copy his work.

general information

A lake of glacial-tectonic origin on the territory of the Republic, Leningrad and Vologda regions in the northwest of the European part of the Russian Federation.
Education time: about 12 thousand years ago, with the end of the last Valdai glaciation.
According to its hydrographic parameters, Lake Onega is included in the water basin of Lake Ladoga and the Neva River.
Type: fresh.
The most significant rivers flowing in: Vytegra, Suna, Andoma, Vodla, Shuya.
The largest islands: Bolshoi Klimetsky, Bolshoi Lelikovsky (in the southern Zaonezhie), Kerk, Olenyi, Sennogubsky, Suisari.
Cities: Petrozavodsk, Kondopoga, Medvezhyegorsk, Povenets urban-type settlement.
Outflowing river: Svir.
Nearest airports: Pulkovo in St. Petersburg (international), Besovets in Petrozavodsk.

Numbers

Lenght: 220 km.
Maximum width: 86 km.
Note: different sources give different indicators of the length and width of the lake.
Water surface area: 9720 km 2 (excluding islands, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich is 224 km 2).
Total number of islands: more than 1500.
Volume of water mass: 295 km 3.
Coastline length: 1280 km
Maximum depth: 127 m.
Catchment area: 62 800 km 2.
Water clarity: from 1.5 to 8 m.

Climate and weather

Transitional: from moderate to maritime continents.
Average January temperature: -9 ° C.
Average temperature in July: + 16 ° C.
Maximum water temperature in July-August: + 24 ° C.
Average annual rainfall: 610 mm.

Economy

Shipping.
Fishing.
Tourism.

sights

■ Petrozavodsk: Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky (1826), Holy Cross Church (1852), Onega embankment - an open-air museum, which houses a monument to the founder of the city Peter I, gifts from sister cities, the Tree of Desires, other sculptures and buildings, Park of Culture and Leisure - the former Petrovsky Garden, founded in 1703, the oldest park in Russia.
■ Kondopoga: wooden church of the Assumption of the Mother of God (1774), Museum of Local Lore, Ice Palace (2001).
■ Petroglyphs of the Besov Nos Cape, peninsula Kochkovnavolok and other rocky ledges on the banks.
■ Kizhi Island - State Historical, Architectural and Ethnographic Museum-Reserve "Kizhi" (UNESCO World Heritage Site): the ensemble "Kizhi Pogost": the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1714), crowned with a complex system of 22 chapters arranged in 4 tiers; Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God (1764), Tent Bell Tower (1863), the oldest wooden church in Russia - the Resurrection of Lazarus from the Murom Monastery (XIV century), as well as other churches, chapels, peasant houses, barns, mill, barns - 76 buildings in total.
■ Monuments to Pegrema (opened in 1985) - an archaeological complex 1.5 km from the village of Pegrema on the Zaonezh peninsula 100 monuments different eras, including a unique cult complex (III-II millennium BC): boulders that resemble the figures of people and animals.
■ Bolshoi Klimetsky Island.

Curious facts

■ The island of Bolshoy Klimetsky is famous for an anomalous place. Those who like to interpret mysticism explain the origin of such stories by the fact that there is “an entrance to parallel worlds”. The ancient legends about ghosts and "witch's lights" roaming the island can be immediately attributed to phantasmagorias of inflamed consciousness, because it is known that there was an ancient temple on the island. But there are still unexplained facts of our time. So, in 1973, the captain of the fishing vessel Pulkin disappeared here. It is impossible to imagine that he got lost, he is a local, experienced person. Pulkin appeared 34 days later, dirty, ragged and exhausted. But he didn’t really tell anything, he only kept saying that he didn’t remember where he was and what was happening to him. In 2008, a local fisherman, Efimov, said that “someone” had driven him in the same circle five times in a row. In the summer of 2009, a group of students moored to the shore. But as soon as they pitched their tents, they heard a rumble coming from somewhere from under the ground. They all had severe headaches and nausea. The frightened youth quickly gathered and set off on their way back. As soon as the guys sailed from the shore, all unpleasant symptoms receded.
■ From time to time there are rumors about an increased level of radiation on the island of Kizhi. Scientists of the Institute of Geology of the Karelian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, on the basis of their research, refuted these idle speculations.
■ The word "trolling" in the language of a modern person is associated primarily with some kind of prank, deliberate challenge, provocation, manipulation. Most often, it appears on social networks - both as a course of action and as a term. However, the primary origin of this word is from the vocabulary of fishermen. This is the fishing method. On Lake Onega, trolling at medium depths, from 30 to 60 m, is widely used. Its essence is to conduct the bait in the water from a boat or from a motor boat. When trolling, up to 10 rods are used. They are installed on the sides using special devices.
■ Since 1972, at the end of July, the largest in Russia international multi-day sailing regatta has been held on Lake Onega. Basically, cruising yachts of the Eagle 800 class participate in the races, since 2003 yachts of the Micro class are also allowed to compete. The regatta will start and finish in Petrozavodsk.