Sentinel 1CD Blog

This blog is dedicated to the Sentinel 1CD launch campaign at CSG Kourou. Here, we’ll be sharing the highlights of this incredible journey with our colleagues, families, and friends, bringing you along for every key moment of the campaign!

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Boat Trip to Lake Saut

Saturday, 27th of September

On the 27th of September some of the team went on a Boat trip to explore the beautiful Lake Saut. The Petit-Saut lake is the reservoir formed by the eponymous bar. With an area of more than 300 km2, it is the largest lake in France. It is bounded downstream by the Petit-Saut dam and upstream by the Takari Tanté Jump. It is characterized by its dead trees resulting from the flooding following the creation of the dam.

The Petit-Saut Dam is a hydroelectric dam located in the French Guiana department between the communes of Sinnamary and Saint-Élie. Finalized in 1994, it is at the origin of the appearance of the Lac de Petit-Saut.

Below you can see the extent of the Lake and the Dam which supplies 60% of the County’s electricity supply.

Aerial view of Petit-Saut Lake in French Guiana, showcasing its vast waters and flooded trees.
View of the Petit-Saut Dam in French Guiana, showcasing the structure and surrounding landscape under a partly cloudy sky.
A boat trip on Lake Saut showcasing the landscape with dead trees emerging from the water, featuring clear blue skies and passengers wearing life jackets in the foreground.
A cheerful group of six people posing together for a selfie on a boat trip, with a scenic lake and cloudy sky in the background.
View of Lake Saut featuring dead trees emerging from the water, surrounded by lush green forest and a pink flowering tree in the background.
A man standing in shallow water near boats at Lake Saut, surrounded by lush greenery and a cloudy sky.
Group of people wearing life jackets on a boat trip at Lake Saut, smiling and posing for a selfie.
A group of people on a boat trip, with one man taking a photo, while others enjoy the scenic view of Lake Saut. All are wearing sunglasses and life jackets.

We stopped at a Carbet deep in the maze of inlets that are on the lake for some respite from the Sun and time to have a swim and some lunch.

Group of people posing for a photo on the shore of Lake Saut, surrounded by greenery and trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Group photo of team members enjoying a sunny day outdoors, surrounded by lush greenery.
View of a wooden structure with hammocks hanging underneath a roof, surrounded by greenery.

A wonderful trip enjoyed by all! However some of the team were not used to all that sun in one go!

A group of people smiling on a boat trip at Lake Saut in French Guiana, with a view of the lake and trees submerged in the water.

Here you can see the trees that were submerged after the flooding but still continue to live with many sprouting offshoots. They are now being removed and the wood used for many applications as it is very strong and can survive even fully submerged for many years.

Two people in life jackets enjoying a boat ride on Lake Saut, surrounded by submerged tree stumps and a cloudy blue sky.

Annamite penal colony

The camp was used to incarcerate Indochinese inmates convicted of revolting against the colonial authority in French Indochina and was open from 1933 to 1939. Its remains can be seen on the shores of the lake

View of a tree-covered structure near the shore of Lake Petit-Saut, showcasing the red soil and calm water under a blue sky.

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