Why people take selfies with the lagoon that burns your skin
This mysteriously blue lagoon nestled in the hills of Derbyshire, United Kingston has attracted dozens of people with their cameras, even though the water is highly alkaline (pH 11.3).
Signs that have been placed along the path to the lagoon state that known contaminants include cars, dead animals, and excrement.
Warning signs state that individuals should not enter the former quarry and compare the lagoon's alkalinity to bleach (pH 12.6) or ammonia (pH 11.5).
Paradise or poison? Some locals stay far away from the waters, while others have gone for a swim. Credit: Matt Pearson (Instagram/@mattpearson.photo)
The risks of swimming in the turquoise waters include skin and eye irritations, stomach problems, fungal infections such as thrush, and rashes.
Some locals says that they have seen animals such as frogs and ducks in the lagoon's waters, and have even seen divers and children go for a swim.
In 2013 officials dyed the water black to deter swimmers who kept returning despite the high pH and pollution, but the waters clarified by 2015 and returned to the natural color.
