Balaton Guide [antikvár]

GEOGRAPHICAL OUTLJNE Balaton, with an area of 595 sq.km., is the laigest laké in Europe. It extends 77 km from north-east to south-west, roughly across the centre of the western part of Hungary (Transdanubia). Its greatest width, between Balatonfüzfő and Balaton világos, is 14 km, while at the Tihany Peninsula it narrows to 1.5 km. The average depth is only 3-4 metres. The size of the laké and its relatíve shallowness make it eminently suitable for bathing, and so does a thirdfactor:the water temperature is as high as 25-26°C in the summer months. The sandy south shore slopes gently down to the water, and it is especially suited to children, since the water becomes deeper very gradually and warms up very quickly. Most of the north shore shelves more steeply and the bed is rocky in many parts. For these reasons it is preferred by good swimmers and sports enthusiasts. But no one should be misled by the shallowness of the lake. Breaches of the safety regulations can easily cause serious danger. In the summer months storms blow up very suddenly and a strong wind, usually from the north or north-west, causes waves of 2-3 metres on the south shore. Balaton storms are alsó dangerous for saüing boats, and so a sophisticated meteorological warning system is in operation. A first-degree storm warning, a yellow rockét, means that wind speeds may reach 42- 62 kph or even higher. A second-degree storm warning, a red rockét, is issued when wind speeds are likely to surpass 62 kph. However, the warning system only operates from 5 am to 9 pm. In 1984 a new storm