thatched silhouette in Okavango-Delta on a white background. The area was once part of Lake Makgadik, an old lake that dried up 10,000 years ago. Today, the Okavango no longer flows into the sea. Instead, it discharges into the sand of the Kalahari, providing water to 15,000 km² of the desert. Every year, 11 cubic kilometres of water reach the delta. Some of this water flows further south to Lake Ngami.
The water entering the delta is unusually pure due to the lack of agriculture and industries along the Okavango. The water passes through the sandy soil layers of the various delta islands, and eventually evaporates, leaving behind enormous amounts of salt. This process is so strong, that the vegetation disappears in the center of the islands, and thick salt crusts arise.
The waters of the Okavango Delta are subject to seasonal flooding, which begins in mid-summer in the north, and six months later in the south. The water in the delta evaporates relatively quickly due to the high temperatures. Islands can disappear completely under water during the flood, and reappear at the end of the season.
Voor mijn werk en vrije tijd reis ik naar allerlei plekken. Het reizen en fotograferen in mijn vrije tijd doe ik bij voorkeur op de fiets om op andere plekken te komen en meer tijd te hebben voor mijn omgeving. De nadruk van dit werk ligt op landschapsfotografie... Read more…