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Chiswick House, Burlington Lane, Chiswick, London, England,

On my Way to Sweden (No. 8)

The Baltic Sea is the world's largest inland brackish sea. Only two other brackish waters are larger according to some measurements: The Black Sea is larger in both surface area and water volume, but most of it is located outside the continental shelf (only a small percentage is inland). The Caspian Sea is larger in water volume, but—despite its name—it is a lake rather than a sea.

The Baltic Sea's salinity is much lower than that of ocean water (which averages 3.5%), as a result of abundant freshwater runoff from the surrounding land (rivers, streams and alike), combined with the shallowness of the sea itself; runoff contributes roughly one-fortieth its total volume per year, as the volume of the basin is about 21,000 km3 (5,000 cu mi) and yearly runoff is about 500 km3 (120 cu mi).

The open surface waters of the Baltic Sea "proper" generally have a salinity of 0.3 to 0.9%, which is border-line freshwater. The flow of freshwater into the sea from approximately two hundred rivers and the introduction of salt from the southwest builds up a gradient of salinity in the Baltic Sea. The highest surface salinities, generally 0.7–0.9%, are in the southwesternmost part of the Baltic, in the Arkona and Bornholm basins (the former located roughly between southeast Zealand and Bornholm, and the latter directly east of Bornholm). It gradually falls further east and north, reaching the lowest in the Bothnian Bay at around 0.3%. Drinking the surface water of the Baltic as a means of survival would actually hydrate the body instead of dehydrating, as is the case with ocean water.

As saltwater is denser than freshwater, the bottom of the Baltic Sea is saltier than the surface. This creates a vertical stratification of the water column, a halocline, that represents a barrier to the exchange of oxygen and nutrients, and fosters completely separate maritime environments. The difference between the bottom and surface salinities vary depending on location. Overall it follows the same southwest to east and north pattern as the surface. At the bottom of the Arkona Basin (equalling depths greater than 40 m or 130 ft) and Bornholm Basin (depths greater than 80 m or 260 ft) it is typically 1.4–1.8%. Further east and north the salinity at the bottom is consistently lower, being the lowest in Bothnian Bay (depths greater than 120 m or 390 ft) where it is slightly below 0.4%, or only marginally higher than the surface in the same region.

In contrast, the salinity of the Danish straits, which connect the Baltic Sea and Kattegat, tends to be significantly higher, but with major variations from year to year. For example, the surface and bottom salinity in the Great Belt is typically around 2.0% and 2.8% respectively, which is only somewhat below that of the Kattegat. The water surplus caused by the continuous inflow of rivers and streams to the Baltic Sea means that there generally is a flow of brackish water out through the Danish Straits to the Kattegat (and eventually the Atlantic).  Significant flows in the opposite direction, salt water from the Kattegat through the Danish Straits to the Baltic Sea, are less regular. From 1880 to 1980 inflows occurred on average six to seven times per decade. Since 1980 it has been much less frequent, although a very large inflow occurred in 2014.

The Third State Room

Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, England

National Towel Day

National Towel Day is celebrated on May 25 of every year. It is the tribute to the late author Douglas Adams who born in 1952 and died in 2001. On that day, fans encompassing the world to carries a towel in honor. National Towel Day comes to say that the most useful thought of an interstellar hitchhiker. One can wrap it around for kindness as you bound across the distant moons of Jaglan Beta and also can lie on it on the penetrating marble-sanded seashores of Santraginus V, breathing the heady sea vapors. Also, it can use for sleep by underneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon. Wet Also, can wave the towel in difficulties as a suffering signal, and dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean fairly.

“The Towel used in hand-to-hand combat which wraps it round your head to ward off offensive fumes and also avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal like a stupid animal, it believes that if you can’t see it, it can’t see you the daft as a brush, but more voracious.”

History of National Towel Day

Douglas Adams had missed by his fans global. So that all his fans wherever can pay tribute to this genius and used to propose that two weeks after his fleeting which on May 25, 2001, marked as “National Towel Day.” All the fans of Douglas Adams are inspired to carry a towel with them for the day. The Towel is conspicuous that uses it as a talking point to move forward those who have never read the Hitchhiker’s Guide to go pick up a copy. Wrap it almost your head and use it as a weapon which soaks it in nutrients. Most minds in the world constrained by the laws of Physics and remembering those that broke the law and got away with it.

How to Celebrate National Towel Day

Celebrating National Towel Day is simple and easy. Choose your favorite towel, and Make certain it’s clean! Carry it wherever you go. By showing everyone about how you celebrated National Towel Day, there will be aware of this Day. Have a competition with your friends for the “best towel.” Take photos of everyone embracing the winners. For people who don’t get the importance of your Towel, help them know why you have it and also explain that a towel is an essential psychological tool, as outlined in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe.