Qinghai / Kansi Lake ?

[Wantonmien]

jh_Macleod

I'd be intrigued and interested to hear of any dive reports from people who have dived in the mainland China lakes, and if reports are good could even consider joining an expedition to try myself.

Cheers

Now back to diving if you don't mind. Mainland China unfortunately has few good sites along their industrialized coastline and the diving industry there is still in its infancy (geared mainly toward basic training before sending small groups on package tours to Hainan, Thailand and Malaysia from what I have seen). But still, there is potential further inland if people are willing to mount the expeditions. Qinghai Lake is huge, and I've been thinking about doing Kanasi (Hanas Lake) next summer, if I can make the right connections this winter to get the undoubtedly necessary permissions from the appropriate agencies. I don't have any experience with altitude diving (1400 meters) though, so that will need to be figured in. But take a look at that lake on the internet and tell me it's not worth diving. I've been there twice and the visibility up the lake should be fantastic. Might even find that monster that legend says lives there, or else get eaten by a monster fish.

 

[jh_MacLeod]

jh_Macleod

I'd be intrigued and interested to hear of any dive reports from people who have dived in the mainland China lakes, and if reports are good could even consider joining an expedition to try myself.

Cheers

It was about 8 yeargs ago when I went to Kanasi for the first time. I was doing the typical loop around Xinjiang by bus; Hotan, Khasgar, Urumqi, and Kanasi. The whole region above the nothern desert is one of the most beautiful areas in China; totally alpine. The second trip I did there was by motorcycle, camping along the river on the way up; nice way to spend a few weeks or the summer.

Diving Kanasi, however, is an idea that popped up recently during Thanksgiving dinner discussions with an Italian friend. At this point, it's just our pipe dream, but we have formulated an initial plan. I'm going to explore university contacts, and he's going to look for contacts in the hotel/tour industry. We figure we will need some "guanxi" to establish the proper contacts with the people who could actually give permission. If anybody out there in the Greater China area has some connections which might be useful, please let me know.

The lake is part of a protected park, and last time I was there they were only allowing two activities: a river raft trip which began at the dock near the sourthern end of the lake, and a tourist boat tour of the upper lake. I think I remember reading a report that some professor looked for the "monster" using sonar equipment some years ago, but as far as I know, no one has ever gone scuba diving there.

And of course, there is the obstacle of logistics which will have to be overcome. My friend and I are checking into the availability of tanks and air supplies. My guess is that such things will have to be trucked in, but the question is, "From where?". All I've found so far is a small scuba operation in Shaanxi.