Nyasa (lake)

Nyasa, also spelled Nyassa or Niassa, is a common word for "lake" in the languages spoken around what is now known as Lake Malawi. In the colonial period that lake was called Lake Nyasa and Malawi was named Nyasaland. Lake Nyasa is the third largest among the lakes of the East African Rift Valley.

History

Caspar Boccaro, a Portuguese explorer, discovered Lake Nyasa in 1616. Caspar Boccaro had, however, arrived at the lake from a different direction. In 1859, the British explorer-missionary, David Livingstone, reached it from the south.

Lake Figures

The lake serves as a natural demarcation of political boundaries between Malawi and Tanzania and Mozambique. The lakes stretches for 363 miles north to south. At its widest, the lake is 50 miles across. And it occupies an area of 11,430 square miles. The lake is located at an altitude of 1,550 feet above sea level.

Weather

From May to August, a wind, known as the mwera, stirs up from the southeast. During this period the lake experiences short gales and the waters become rough.

About the middle of the lake is the Likoma Island. It comprises a mission headquarters. A huge Anglican cathedral dating back to 1911 also stands on it. On the Malawi side of the island there are several government stations.

Sources

Lake Nyasa gets its water from a combination of 14 perennial rivers. The largest of these feeders is the Ruhuhu river. The water from Lake Nyasa flows out into the Shire River, which is a tributary of the Zambezi.

Fishing Business

The lake is rich in fish. Several hundred species of fish are found here, many of which are endemic. The Murchison Falls creates a barrier between the lake and Zambezi, creating an isolated habitat. Hence the numerous endemic species. The lake's southern end has many commercial fisheries that mostly harvest the Tilapia. Fly hatches appear on the lake in such huge numbers that they are known to darken the horizon. Although bountiful, the lake has been suffering incessant pressure on its resources. Besides fishing natural causes such as excessive silting have reduced fish numbers.

Transportation On The Nyasa

The Malawi Railways Company operates passenger and cargo vessels on the lake. The lake has several ports, including Monkey Bay, Nkhotakota, Nkhata Bay, Likoma Island, Chilumba, and Karonga. The vessels carry produce like cotton, rubber, rice, tung oil, and peanuts to the railhead at Chipoka, which is a port in the lake's south. A railway line connects Chipoka to the cities of Limbe and Beira, Mozambique.

Lake Nyasa as seen from an altitude of approx. 304 nautical miles.

The outline of Lake Nyasa.

Map showing the great lakes of Africa.

Photos showing the first ever jetties used in Lake Nyasa.

A 1905 photograph of the SS Chauncy Maples on Lake Nyasa.