The road to Lake Ritsa leading through a picturesque but at times scary mountain gorge runs by Lake Blue located 100 m above the sea level. In comparison with Lake Ritsa Lake Blue looks pretty small. The area of its water mirror of only 200 sq. m and the maximum depth is only 25 meters. The lake lies in a karstic crater and is fed by underground springs. Therefore, the water there is very pure and transparent just like the air saturated with Alpine meadows fragrance.
The lake got its name due to its mild-blue color. There is an explanation to it: the lake's bottom is covered with lazurite which can be seen through the transparent water. This is the reason why the lake's color stays of the same blue color even in nasty weather.
Lake Blue has its own legend…
“The place of Lake Blue used to be occupied by a cave. The cave was a home of a 100-year-old man called Zhrei. His snow-white beard hung down to the ground and his bright blue eyes radiated with wisdom and kindness. Zhrei was a skilful hunter in the past, but as got older he decided to live in solitude. Local hunters often came often to his for a wise piece of advice. He passed them his knowledge of mountain tracks, animals' habits. To thank him the hunters on the way back home left him skins of killed animals and some meat.
One day some strangers asked the old man to give them shelter on a rainy night. He accepted them with all his hospitability: he gave them some food put them to sleep on the animal skins. When the guests saw so many skins of bisons, bears, deer, gazelles, martens they got greedy. They decided to steal them. Having killed the host, they started to put the skins in their bags. When nearly all skins were packed, suddenly unexpected powerful stream of water blocked the exit from the cave. The intruders were trapped. And this is how Lake Blue was born or Lake of Abkhazian Elder , whose waters remind the old man's eye. |
