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Senegal’s Dead Sea - Lake Retba (Pink Lake)

Senegal’s Lac Rose (meaning Pink Lake) is an incredible sight. It lies north of the Cap Vert peninsula of Senegal, 36 kms from north-east of the capital, Dakar in West Africa (an hour drive). 


The lake is nestled between pearly white sand dunes and the Atlantic ocean. The lake was then the finishing point of the Dakar Rally before the rally moved to South America in 2009. 


The Dunaliella salina bacteria gives the lake its distinct color and is known for high salt content. The bacteria produce a red pigment to absorb sunlight and voila, that's how you get a pink lake.

Locals work on extracting salt from the lake. I was informed that an estimated 1,000 people work around this lake -- 600 men and 400 women collecting 24,000 tons of salt each year. Over 70% is exported around West Africa and to Europe.


People working here as harvesters are Malians, some are Guineans, few Ivorians, Burkinabe and even some from Guinea-Bissau. It is safe to dive-in and swim (float easily in this lake). 

Lake Retba is most vividly pink during the dry season (November through June) and less during the rainy season (July through October). The three square kilometer Lake Retba with depth of three meters is under consideration as a World Heritage Site. 

As part of my #CSCSenegal5 pro-bono assignment to Dakar, I visited the lake on
Oct 20, 2018 and it is worth a visit. 

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