Wild China #3 - Erhai Lake

What a dull and dreary week it has been here in the north east, while it appears that the rest of the UK has been basking in sunshine. Fog on the Tyne indeed.

Anyway to end this week I will continue with my recollections of our travels in China, continuing with the area close to the city of Dali in Yunnan Province. We spent the early part of one morning achieving one of my ambitions for the trip.

The Erhai Lake (the name literally means ear-shaped sea) is the second largest highland lake in China. It is almost 6,500 feet (2000 metres) above sea level and is situated between Dali and the Cangshan Mountains. 

Our arrival coincided with a Festival of Fire that is celebrated each year by the local Bai ethnic minority group who dominate this area. Consequently as we travelled around the city and its surroundings, we encountered many large wooden torches being erected. As we approached the lake, one such torch had been completed and local people in colourful traditional costumes were performing a ritual dance around the decorated structure.






These same people who dwell by the lakeside, largely make their living from fishing during the winter months and when restrictions are placed on the amount of fishing during the summer, they rely heavily on tourism. The fishing here though is not done by rod or net, but through the use of trained cormorants. And it was to see these in action, that I had come to this place.

We were soon aboard a boat that was being rowed by a friendly local wearing the traditional costume and a very fetching flower bedecked straw hat. He smiled constantly and sang occasionally as he rowed us further out onto the lake. Eventually we reached the area where another boat waited. This was being rowed by an elderly woman whose husband we were told, was one of five men who had fished this lake throughout his life. Along both sides of the boat, rows of cormorants sat patiently waiting for the order to commence their work. 




One by one they were thrown onto the surface of the water but even then they did not dive. As a signal, the fisherman beat the surface of the water with a bamboo pole and only then did the birds disappear beneath our boat.

Only a minute had elapsed before one of the birds surfaced clutching in it's beak a large, bloodied fish. The bird was quickly scooped up by the fisherman and held aloft for us all to applaud as he sang a traditional song of thanks to the gods for his catch. 

























The procedure was repeated and once again another fish was caught within a minute. These fantastic birds were certainly in their element beneath the waves.


























Such was the activity, it was only too easy to overlook the magnificent scenery that surrounded us, but as were were rowed towards the shore, I took the opportunity to photograph some of the wonderful scenes in this hazy early morning sunshine.

At the edge of the lake, while admiring the scenery, the fisherman's boat approached and pulled alongside ours. He soon joined us clutching two of his prized birds and before I knew it I was being photographed holding one of the wet and bedraggled birds in each hand. I had hoped to get up close and personal with these birds but hadn't reckoned on being quite this close. It was an unforgettable experience.

My ambition was well and truly fulfilled so with that box ticked we moved on towards the city of Dali itself.

Next time, I will report on our visit to that wonderful city and of our experiences at the Bai Fire Festival.