The Aral Sea: a Lovely Lake turned into a Depressing Desert

The NASA photos above show a striking comparison between 1989 to 2014.

Once the 4th largest lake on the Earth, the Aral Sea underwent accelerated shrinkage due to mismanaged Soviet-era irrigation. 

Rusty remnants of a thriving fishing industry now lay abandoned on the barren wasteland. 

The scene was absolutely surreal. Even though there was no water in sight numerous seashells speckled the sandy landscape.

Many of the boats were lined up together presumably at where a pier used to be.. 

 Other ships were distantly scattered across the desert.. 

They came in various sizes, some ships were quite big.  

               Do you see me?  ↓

There are two others underneath

Not the safest climb

Inside the ship I found what I believe is a bone!

hmm, I probably shouldn't have been touching it.

Interestingly, the bone had what appeared to be a few small holes drilled into it.. it looked like maybe it was utilized as part of machinery? 

Uzbekistan's former coastal town of Muynak was just as eerie as the environmental disaster. 

  I walked through what was a bustling fishing town in its peak feeling the sad emptiness of the atmosphere.