Lake Baikal · Russia · Ice · Freshwater
Khoboy
A nerpa pup swimming alongside divers at a seal hole in the ice
Photo: Brattarb · CC BY-SA 3.0
Khoboy is the cape at the sharp northern tip of Olkhon Island, dived in winter through holes in the Baikal ice. The dive stays shallow, within 15 m, beneath broken floes several metres high that jut out like teeth, in water close to freezing and often remarkably clear. Divers come for the ice scenery and the chance of a nerpa pup at a seal hole.
Also known as Cape Khoboy, Diva.
Where it is and how deep
53.4123° N, 107.7896° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Above the water the spot is a field of broken ice floes, metres high, sticking out like teeth in all directions; Khoboy means incisor, and locals also call it Diva. Among the broken floes the ice is 5 to 6 m thick, and below that ceiling the dive goes no deeper than 10 to 15 m, with visibility around 40 to 45 m from January to mid March. Divers here have gone under through a large hole the adult seals keep for hunting, and a nerpa pup has swum circles around them.
Marine life and season
- Seals & sea lions
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Lake Baikal: Diving runs all year; February and March bring the Olkhon ice and nerpa pups, while July to early September has the poorest visibility.
Know before you go
- Water between 0.5 and 1.5 °C beneath the ice, entered through a hole in it.
- Overhead ice 5 to 6 m thick where the floes have broken and piled up.
Sources
- Russia: The Pearl of Siberia — Underwater360
- Day 5 – Cracked ice and some troubles at Khoboy — SSI
- Подледный дайвинг на Ольхоне — BaikalTek
Photo credits
- A steep tan rock headland with larch trees on its ridge juts out into deep blue water under a summer sky. by Brattarb, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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