The geographic shape you see here is a Doline. The Dolines vary in size, from a few inches to many hundred meters. Most times they are round or oval in shape; if many Dolines merge together they are called Uvalas. There are different types of Dolines depending on how they've been formed. Generally Dolines are formed because water containing carbon dioxide reacts with the limestone creating a dissolving process.
Collapse Doline
These Dolines are formed by underlying caves or fissures. When the underlying material in the cave is limestone, it can be washed out by water which runs through fissures. After a while the cave becomes larger and unstable, this makes the cave collapse, leaving a depression where once the cave was.
Solution Doline
Due to natural depressions in the ground water is collected. This water washes out the depression due to chemical processes and makes the depression even deeper. The process is stopped when the washed out material creates a natural barrier on the ground which cannot be washed out further.
To log this earth cache, please answer the following questions and send them to us.
- Observe the Doline site. Which type of Doline you think the Pregnant Maiden Lake is?
- What is the average depth of this lake ?
Optional: Take a picture with your camera or attach a drawing of the lake to your log.
Please provide the answers before you write your log. If we don't have your answers, you probably didn't learn anything which is the whole point of an Earth Cache. In this case we might delete your log.
The depth of the lake can only be found at the lake and not in the internet. Everybody who posts the depth of 10m is using information from the internet which is not wanted in this case.
We came to know this lake due to a taxi driver, he told us the story on the way to the ferry when we came to Langkawi:
The legend of the pregnant maiden
According to a local legend, it began when a male elf named Mat Teja fell in love, at the first sight, with Dayang, a female elf.
Mat Teja won her heart, by rubbing a mermaid's tear drop on his face. Their romantic and intimate relationship became complete with Dayang's pregnancy.
Dayang then decided to retire at Tasik Dayang Beranak (Maiden Giving Birth Lake). Nine months later, Dayang gave birth to a child but unfortunately, the child died after seven days.
Saddened by the event, Dayang decided to bury her baby in the lake. Heart broken, she went to the lake once more and blessed it with magical fertility powers, saying that any woman who wanted a child could get her wish fulfilled after drinking water from the lake. She returned to the heavens, never to appear again.
You need a boat or jetski to get to this island. Watch your steps while walking towards the lake.
Join us at Geocaching Malaysia