Lake Vanda

The Not-So-Winding Ways of Antarctica’s Longest River

"Unlike most rivers on earth, the Onyx flows away from the ocean. Because glaciers block the entrance to the Wright Valley, the Onyx flows inland, heading downhill until it ends at ice-covered Lake Vanda, which is one of the saltiest lakes in the world, 10 times saltier than seawater. Until 1991, New Zealand maintained a research station there, and organized a "Royal Lake Vanda Swim Club." To qualify, you had to take a naked dip in the freezing water…and allow unlimited photography. But the Kiwis had to close up the base when the waters in the Onyx began to rise, flooding the station every summer."