Abrau is the largest freshwater lake Krasnodar Territory, located in the south-west of the region on the low-mountain Abrau Peninsula, 14 km from Novorossiysk. The village of Abrau is located on the shore. As part of Russia, active agricultural and recreational development of its shores began in 1872. Natural monument since 1979.
The greatest depth is about 11 meters, with an average depth of 5.8 meters. The area is 0.6 km2, the catchment area is 20.3 km2.
History of the study of Lake Abrau
In 1870, on the instructions of the emperor to study the lake, a special commission of agronomists and engineers was created to inspect the surroundings of the lake, Abrau, which concluded the "tsar's decree on the establishment of a new special appanage estate with the assignment of the name" Abrau-Dyurso ". In 1872, following the advice of French winemakers, vineyards were cultivated in the vicinity of the lake, which, however, had a negative impact on the hydrography of the lake itself, due to increased erosion of the coastal slopes of the mountains. The researcher of the Azov-Black Sea coasts V.P. Zenkovich noted:
“Even more interesting large lake Abrau, framed by a ring of vineyards. It is located in a deep valley where an unknown obstacle stopped the flow of water ... "
Aerial photography of Lake Abra
Hydrography of Lake Abrau
This is the second largest mirror Mountain Lake The Greater Caucasus (after the lake, Kazenoyam in Dagestan). The length of Abrau is more than 3,100 m, the maximum width is 630 m, the depth is 10.5 meters, the area of the mirror is 1.6-1.8 km². The catchment area is 20.3 km². Maximum depth observed at the dam, but over the past century and a half it has decreased from 30 to 10.5 meters as a result of erosion of the surrounding banks after the construction of roads and the establishment of vineyards. Height above sea level - 84 m. The isthmus separating Lake Abrau from the Black Sea is small and less than 2 km wide.
Only a small river Abrau with a length of about 5.3 km constantly flows into it, as well as a number of temporary watercourses, including local rainstorms, which feed mainly atmospheric precipitation and wastewater from local businesses. In addition, keys are beating at the bottom. Most of the lake's catchment area (61%) is occupied by the river basin. Abrau; other watercourses flowing into the lake occupy 6.3 km² (31%), the remaining 1.6 km² (8%) is occupied by the water table itself, on which precipitation also falls directly. Not a single river flows out of it, therefore, formally, it is considered final (estuary). The water entering the lake is spent for evaporation, as well as for underground runoff, which is carried out in the form of water filtration through the body of the dam. Therefore, it remains fresh and marsh vegetation is not developed in it. Due to the limestone dissolved in the water, its waters have a white-blue or emerald color and their transparency is low (about 1 m).
In the region of the lake, a dry Mediterranean climate prevails, which leaves an imprint on its hydrography: the maximum water levels in it are observed from November to March and are associated with precipitation here in the form of rain and sleet. Low water is observed in summer.
Temperature regime of Lake Abrau
Abrau does not freeze even in winter. The minimum average monthly temperature of the surface layer of water in the lake near the coast reaches its annual minimum in January, but even then it is positive and on average is + 0.2º. The rapid rise in water temperature in the surface layer begins in April and continues until the end of July.
The maximum average monthly water temperature reaches on average (24.8º), and from August the water begins to gradually cool. The absolute maximum temperature of the surface water layer was recorded in 1954 and reached 29.8º.
The origin of Lake Abrau
Hypotheses about the origin of the lake are still quite controversial. It is fraught with mysteries related to the origin. Some scientists suggest that the basin was formed as a result of a karst sinkhole, others - that is the remnant of the ancient Cimmerian freshwater basin, others attribute this to huge landslides.
Though karst relief Mediterranean in nature and common on the Abrau Peninsula, the theory of a karst sinkhole is unlikely for a number of reasons.
First, the Abrau Mountains are relatively young.
Secondly, karst lakes are sinking and therefore usually have a rounded shape, while at Abrau it repeats the outlines of the river valley. Abrau and rather resembles a typical dam reservoir with an expansion at the dam.
The landslide theory is also unlikely, since in the area of the Abrau dam, which separates it from the sea, there are no high mountain peaks from which impressive lumps could break off. As a result, it is most realistic to associate the origin of the lake with the earthquake that led to the displacement crust in the area of the dam.
Fauna of Lake Abrau
Its fauna is distinguished by its originality. According to V.A.Vodyanitsky's research, the Caspian Heterocope caspia predominates in plankton, and there is an endemic ectinosome crustacean (Ectinosoma abrau). The benthic fauna also includes a number of organisms characteristic of estuaries or the Caspian Sea. Such are the strong amphipods (Roptogammarus robustus), korofiy, Bott's orchestia, isopod - Hyera Nordmann, mesomisis of Kovalevsky. Most of the bottom is inhabited by red bloodworms (up to 250 specimens / m 2) and oligochaete tubifera (up to 400 / m 2).
Thus, the estuary-marine character of this relict lake is clearly expressed in the bottom fauna. It also contains a small herring (Clupeonalla abrau) 8.5 cm long. There is a lot of it in the lake, it is fed with mysids.
I continue my photo story about a trip to the cities and villages of the Krasnodar Territory. In the first part . Now our path lies in the mountains. Low, but mountains. In which the beautiful turquoise lake Abrau is comfortably located.
In fact, Abrau and Dyurso are two different settlements: Abrau is located on the shore of the lake, and Dyurso is located near the sea, seven kilometers from Abrau along a narrow road along a mountain serpentine. Dyurso is a small village with no market, but several shops.
The name of the lake "Abrau" in translation from Circassian means "cliff", a few kilometers from the lake, beyond the pass the river Dyurso flows, it feeds on four springs, and in translation from Circassian "Dyurso" means four waters.
What is so remarkable about this small village, besides the fact that there is a beautiful lake there? The main business card Abrau is a champagne factory built here in 1894-1900.
And in 1898 the first batch of champagne with the Abrau brand was produced.
Today, the Abrau-Dyurso sparkling wine factory is the largest producer of sparkling wine in Russia using the classic champagne technology. Production of sparkling and table wines in 2005 amounted to 5.8 million bottles (410,000 decaliters).
The main storage facilities for the sparkling drink are located in the rock massif:
It maintains a constant microclimate necessary for the production and storage of champagne.
View of the plant from the lake:
I propose to go inside and look at the technological process of champagne production. The plant conducts paid excursions to its bowels, followed by tasting of various varieties of its products.
In the foyer, there is a board of honor, on which the best of the best workers of the plant are marked:
It's always interesting to see people who produce some popular products :)
The same people, only many years earlier, were the first winemakers of "Abrau-Durso":
In 1891, Prince L. S. Golitsyn was appointed chief winemaker of the Appanage Department, if anyone does not know.
No, you won't be able to wander around it too much. Wine wanders there, from which they will later make champagne.
Not exactly an appetizing sight, I can tell you. I remember when I was a child I asked adults to tell how sausage and lemonade are made. The adults said that if I learn how to make them, I will stop liking them. Apparently, they meant it :)
And here is the basin, from which the champagne is then poured into bottles, which is sold in the store for 89 rubles :)
Do you still want to buy it?
Well, it's a joke, of course. But in every joke, as you know ... I think the technical process for the production of cheap sparkling sparkling wine is not much different from this photo.
I do not set myself the goal of telling you in detail the entire technological process of making champagne wines - I have already forgotten a lot of things. Therefore, I will tell you what I remember. May Wikipedia help me :)
The grapes used to make champagne are usually harvested ahead of time - when the sugar level in it is lower and the acidity level is higher. The juice from the harvested grapes is squeezed out quickly enough to keep the wine white (this does not apply to the production of rosé champagne).
The initial fermentation begins in the same way as for any other wine - in barrels or tanks made of stainless steel (photo above), where the natural sugar in the grapes is converted into alcohol, while the by-product carbon dioxide evaporates. Thus, a "base wine" is obtained. This wine is too sour and not very pleasant on its own. At this stage, blending is carried out using wines from various vineyards and different years(this does not apply to the production of certain types of champagne, specially made from grapes of the same year).
Mixed wine is bottled, and a mixture from the same blend, with yeast and a small amount of sugar is added there. The bottles are placed horizontally in the wine cellar for secondary fermentation.
During secondary fermentation, carbon dioxide remains in the bottle, dissolving in the wine. The amount of added sugar affects the pressure in the bottle. To reach the standard level of 6 bar, the bottle must contain 18 grams of sugar and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast in the amount set by the European Commission: 0.3 grams per bottle. Such a mixture of sugar, yeast and non-sparkling champagne is called in French "liqueur de tirage" ("circulation liqueur" in the domestic classification).
After aging (the minimum aging period on the lees is 12 months), the wine bottles undergo a "remuage" process, during which they are daily rotated by a small angle and gradually brought to the "neck down" position so that the sediment collects at the neck and can be to remove.
The process of removing sludge is called "disgorgement" and in the recent past it was a highly skilled manual job to remove the cork and remove the sludge without losing a significant volume of wine.
Here is a fixture for this operation:
With a dexterous movement of the hand, the cork is knocked out and a fountain of liquid hits the upper bucket, taking out unnecessary sediment from the bottle. You need to be a great professional to seal the bottle back in time.
At the same time, "dosage" is carried out (a certain amount of a solution of sugar in wine, called "expeditionary liqueur" is added). Then the bottle is closed again and kept for a short time, about 2 weeks. Prior to the invention of this process (by all accounts, this was first done by the producers of Madame Clicquot in 1800), champagne was cloudy. Currently, most manufacturers perform disgorging using automatic machines: a small volume of liquid at the neck of the bottle is frozen, and a piece of ice, together with the frozen sediment, is removed.
Champagne wines must be aged in the producer's cellar for at least 15 months, of which time, at least 12 months, the wine must be aged on the lees. The established rules for making champagne require Vintage cuvee aging in the cellar for three years or more before disgorging, but many famous manufacturers significantly exceed this minimum requirement, leaving bottles in the cellar before disgorging for a period of 6 to 8 years.
Even among experts, there is no single opinion on the effect of aging after disgorgement. Some people like the freshness and energy of young, barely disgusted champagne; others prefer the baked apple and caramel flavor that comes after a year or more of champagne aging after disgorgement.
The vast majority of champagne is made from a mixture of wines from different years. Usually the main volume is the wine of the current year, but a certain volume is also the “stock wine” of the previous years. This mixing of wines helps to smooth out some of the fluctuations in taste caused by the marginal climate for the growth of grapes in Champagne. Most champagne producers strive for a consistent "corporate identity" from year to year, and ensuring this consistency is one of the most difficult tasks of the winemaker.
Grapes for the production of champagne vintages must be 100% from the harvest of one year. To maintain the quality of the base sparkling wines, only up to 85% of the grapes in each year are allowed to be used for the production of vintage cuvées, and at least 15% (usually more) is left for the production of the base wine. Millesime champagne is usually made from the best grape harvest in certain, especially successful, years, so a bottle of a cuvée vintages from a prestigious brand can be rare and very expensive.
After a fascinating tour of the production facilities, visitors are escorted to a spacious wine cellar hall (remember, it's all built in the rock):
It's so nice to plunge into the coolness of the wine cellar after the exhausting heat of the street. And even drink the divine nectar straight from the hands of the manufacturer :)
We were offered to taste 6 different varieties of champagne, which is produced at this plant - from the most budgetary to the expensive, which is served on the Kremlin New Year's table.
By the way, even the most "budgetary" wine is quite expensive already at the factory - about 200 rubles. at 2007 prices. The most expensive sort of champagne is considered "Brut" (number 1). This year I wanted to buy a bottle for the New Year for 600+ rubles, but "the toad strangled" - I took a semi-sweet for 300 :)
A few words about tasting. Champagne should never be eaten sweet - it quickly interrupts the taste of wine and the next sip may seem "sour".
To reduce the risk of spilling champagne and / or shooting a cork, open a champagne bottle as follows:
* Pre-chill the drink bottle to about 10-15 degrees
* Remove foil
* Wrap your hand around the cork
* Loosen, but do not remove the muzlet holding the plug
* Firmly take the cork in the wire in your hand, and then turn the bottle (not the cork), holding it at the base; this should help the cork out of the bottle
The desired effect is to open the bottle with a little cotton, rather than shoot the cork across the room and make a fountain of frothy wine. Many wine connoisseurs insist that the ideal way to open a bottle of champagne is to do it carefully and calmly, so that the bottle makes a subtle sound like an exhalation or a whisper.
The deliberate sprinkling of champagne has become an integral part of the sporting trophy presentation.
Champagne is usually served in special flute-shaped champagne flutes with a long stem and a tall narrow bowl. A wider, flat glass (a bowl, French coupe champagne), usually associated with champagne, helps to appreciate the sweeter varieties better, now it is not recommended for use by connoisseurs, since it does not retain the bubbles and aroma of the wine.
It is better to taste champagne from large red wine glasses (for example, from a Bordeaux glass), since the aroma spreads better in a large glass, but unlike a bowl, it does not evaporate and remains inside the glass.
Do not fill the glass entirely: champagne flute glasses are two-thirds full, and large red wine glasses are no more than one-third full.
Champagne is always served chilled, preferably at 7 ° C. Often the bottle is cooled in a bucket of water and ice before and after opening. For this, special champagne buckets are made.
Champagne, like all other sparkling wines, produces a faster but shorter intoxication. This is due to the fact that the carbon dioxide contained in sparkling wine, when passing into the gaseous state itself, increases the effective absorption surface of ethanol, which leads to an acceleration of its entry into the blood, and part of the ethanol is absorbed already at the level of the oral cavity and enters the brain, bypassing the liver. Sugar, which is contained in all types of sparkling wines, except for brut and dry wines, also contributes to the acceleration of absorption.
So I tasted it so that when I went outside I felt quite drunk :) But happy.
And now about the lake itself.
Abrau is the largest freshwater lake in the Krasnodar Territory. Its length is more than 2600 m, maximum width is 600 m, area is 0.6 sq. km.
The lake is fraught with mysteries related to its origin. Some scientists suggest that the basin was formed as a result of a karst sinkhole, others that the lake is a remnant of the ancient Cimmerian freshwater basin, and others associate this with huge landslides.
What is most striking is its color:
The water has such a color to the depth and is practically opaque, which gives the lake such an aura of mystery.
In addition, there are quite a few snakes in the lake, many of which are poisonous:
This is still a little snake.
Broken by the lake small park and flower beds:
On the opposite bank there is a church:
You can rent a pedal boat and ride around the lake:
Abrau-Dyurso is a place where you should definitely stop by when passing by. So many attractions in a small area will leave an indelible mark on your memory.
As far as I know, there are campsites - you can live for a while. But this is for lovers of a very relaxing holiday - there is not much entertainment here (not counting fishing with a rod and riding a catamaran).
Next time we will move to the city of Anapa, where we broke our own in one of the boarding houses " base camp"for 2 weeks, and from where they made further trips around the edge - Utrish, dolphinarium, dolmens, mountain rivers and waterfalls. And also Anapa storms, indescribable in their beauty.
Stay tuned! :)
The largest freshwater lake in the Krasnodar Territory is Lake Abrau (from the Abkhazian "Abgarr" - a dip), located on the Abrau Peninsula, 14 km away. northwest of the city Novorossiysk. Its length is about 2600 m, width - 600 m, area on average - 1.6 sq. km., and the depth - about 10 m. Comfortably located among majestic mountains overgrown with relict trees, Abrau looks unusually picturesque and will conquer anyone who sees it at least once with its fabulous landscape.
The mysterious lake keeps many secrets related to its origin, and to this day the debate of scientists regarding its origin has not ceased. According to one of the hypotheses, the reservoir appeared due to the collapse of limestone voids formed as a result of their washing out by groundwater. Another hypothesis claims that Abrau is the remnant of a freshwater sea that once existed. The third is that the lake was formed during the Flood. However, each of the hypotheses has its own contradictions, so scientists to this day cannot come to a consensus about the origin of Abrau.
According to one the oldest legends, transmitted here from mouth to mouth, once on the site of the reservoir lived a rich tribe of Adyghe. The rich man's daughter fell madly in love with a local shepherdess, but her parents were against the young people seeing each other. The girl's father, in anger, repeatedly repeated that it would be better to let his aul sink into the ground than his only daughter would at least once meet a beggar shepherd boy. Once, during the holiday games, the rich instead of clay plates began to throw bread cakes into the river, which angered Allah, who sent them all underground along with the aul. The girl, on the eve, managed to escape to her lover, so she survived. Returning back, in the place of her native aul, she saw a huge pit filled with water. Heartbroken because of the death of her parents and her native village, the girl sobbed for a long time and uncontrollably, and a stream formed from her tears, which has survived to this day. Unable to bear the loss, she threw herself into the water, but she could not drown. Instead, she walked on the water from one bank to the other, where she was met by her beloved, with whom she quickly forgot her grief. And in the place where the girl walked along the lake, on a clear moonlit night, her traces are clearly visible - an inexplicable flicker, the origin of which scientists cannot explain.
Now, on the site of the once existing settlements, there is a beautiful lake, where people come from everywhere to relax, fish or just enjoy the magnificent landscape. Its aquatic vegetation is represented by thickets of sea and lake reeds and reeds, crustacean lives in its plankton, and crayfish, amphipods, and freshwater crab live in the bottom fauna. A huge number of fish species are found in the waters of Abrau, which, despite the rather muddy bottom of the reservoir, feel great. Today Abrau is inhabited by trout, silver and gold crucian carp, rudd, minnow, gold ofra, carp, white carp, large-mouthed bass, bream, tench, ram, sabrefish, silver carp and Abrau sprat, better known as “sausage”. Since 79 of the last century, the reservoir has been recognized as a regional natural monument, and therefore today it is impossible to move on it by motor boats. Movement is allowed only on oars, and fishing only with a fishing rod or spinning rod. Fishing on the lake is allowed throughout the year, except for the spring spawning period from March 1st to May 31st.
Mountain lake Abrau is truly amazing and is wonderful place for recreation, and fishing here is so delightful that thousands of fishermen come here every year, dreaming of a big catch.
Lake Abrau is ranked among the most striking sights of the Kuban: it is the largest freshwater reservoir in the entire region. 3 km long and 600 m wide, it is located only 14 km from the resort Novorossiysk. Picturesque at any time of the day or night, lovers of nature and beautiful photographs, the lake in Abrau-Dyurso is considered a must-see: having seen it once, you will want to come back here again and again.
Where is Lake Abrau in the Krasnodar Territory?
It is adjacent to the southwest side. To the south, there are Durso and Fakel farms.
On the map, Lake Abrau is located as follows:
Origin, myths and legends
The origin of this emerald blue miracle is still controversial today. The word "Abrau" came from the Turkic language and literally translates as "landslide". This fact confirms the beautiful, but sad story from the past, which in a fairy-tale manner tells about the origin of the lake. The great love of the poor shepherd and the daughter of the richest man in the village has passed through the centuries, touching the hearts of people even today.
In ancient times, there was no lake in Abrau-Dyurso: instead of it, a spacious plain with fertile lands was green. It was inhabited by a tribe of Circassians: thanks to the generosity of nature and hard work, the people flourished. Day after day, they drove the herds to pastures and engaged in agriculture: they planted vegetables and fruits, tended them and reaped a bountiful harvest. Many beautiful girls lived in this god-treated village, but the most beautiful was the daughter of a noble lord, the richest inhabitant of the village.
She was not only sweet and friendly, any work was argued in her hands, and even nightingales were heard in her singing. Once, while working in the field, singing an unpretentious song, the girl heard the pleasant sounds of a flute coming from somewhere from the mountains. Enchanted, she followed the music, coming up with a beautiful song as she went. And so two melodies merged into one whole, at the same moment two hearts joined: the maiden saw a shepherd with sky-colored eyes playing a musical instrument. Young people fell in love at first sight with each other.
But the parents of the beautiful woman did not approve of their daughter's choice: the poor shepherd is not a suitable party for the most enviable bride in the village. Her father locked her in prison for many days, so that she could no longer see her beloved. Day and night the formidable head of the clan repeated: "Let the rivers flood the aul better than my daughter marry a shepherd!" Repeated this formidable spell and all the villagers, not approving of the unequal alliance.
On one of the gloomy days for lovers, a holiday happened in the aul: under the noise of the girlish crowd, they managed to escape unnoticed. And the celebration was gaining momentum: rich people beat clay plates and poured wine on the ground to demonstrate their well-being. Inflamed, they threw bread into the sea in front of the poor and starving children.
Such an unreasonable act offended the gods: they decided to punish the village for the vanity and extravagance of the inhabitants. When the girl wanted to return to her native village, he was no longer there: huge lake... Realizing what had happened here, the beauty began to mourn her parents and friends: her tears turned into a stream, known as the "Tears of a Circassian woman." In desperation, she wanted to throw herself into a pond and die along with her mother and father. But instead of diving to the bottom, the girl glided along the water surface and moved to the opposite bank, where she fell into the arms of her shepherdess.
Love healed the wounds in the beauty's heart. And in the place of her steps on the water, even today on a clear night, you can see a mystical flicker, which science cannot explain.
Lake in Abrau-Dyurso: rest for tourists
It got its beautiful name thanks to the plant located on the first of its banks: a large enterprise produces champagne "Abrau-Dyurso", whose name has long become a synonym for the quality mark. The depth of the reservoir is 11 km, quite recently the figure was much higher, unfortunately, it is shallower due to the processes of siltation, which have not yet been suspended, despite all the attempts of the administration.
On the bank of the Abrau there is a city of the same name, where you can easily choose, and the student camp "Liman". It is surrounded by a full-fledged road along the perimeter, which will facilitate the journey to it. And the walk will be pleasant: mountain air mixed with the smell of resin, dogwood, landscapes, which would be an honor to paint for any major artist. It is worth starting to replenish the traveler's album right from the car: you do not need to have special skills to catch the beauty in the photo, the lake in Abrau-Dyurso is perfection itself.
It is allowed to set up tents on the shore, for clean water it is better to go down to the Liman camp. The beach is pebbly, with large stones, the water, as often happens in such areas, is pure. It is easy to see all the inhabitants, of whom there are plenty here. The important thing is that you can and even need to swim here.
Fishing is another reason to visit the lake. Its temperature rarely drops below +28 degrees, it does not freeze completely even in winter. Here you can catch carp and ram, grass carp and bream. The local crayfish are also famous for their size and quality. Fishing is allowed both from the shore and from the boat.
Opportunities for recreation on Lake Abrau:
- Excursion to. It is interesting and informative to see how a traditional New Year's drink is made. Here you can also buy a couple of bottles of products for souvenirs.
- Rent of tents and fishing rods. It is not necessary to bring everything with you for a long time, the most necessary things can be obtained here for a reasonable cost.
- Comfortable hiking routes length 3 and 9 km. A true delight for hikers.
- Boat and SUV rentals will help you explore the most inaccessible corners.
- turns white on one of the shores of the lake. The golden-domed church has rich history and beautiful decoration.
- over the water surface. Introduced in 2015, they have become a real decoration of a small settlement... Everyone who comes here does not pass by this memo.
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to visit the natural monument, everyone will be satisfied having visited here at least once.
How to get there (get there)?
On public transport It is not difficult to get to Abrau: there are two buses from Novorossiysk - №102 and №102m. To stop at the northern end of the lake, get up at “st. Oktyabrskaya ”, opposite its center - on the bus stop. "Church".
You can get to the village by car like this:
Tourist notes
- Address: item Abrau-Dyurso, Novorossiysk, Krasnodar region, Russia.
- GPS coordinates: 44.698564, 37.591872.
The only thing that inspires concern is snakes: there are a lot of them both on land and in water. But otherwise, your stay here will be an unforgettable immersion in the world of nature and silence, and the photos taken during the trip of Lake Abrau-Dyurso will remain in your memory for many years! In conclusion, we offer a video about him, enjoy your viewing!
Coordinates: N44 42.222 E37 35.556.
Lake Abrau (sometimes called Lake Abrau-Dyurso by the nearby village of the same name) is the largest freshwater reservoir in the Krasnodar Territory, its area is 0.6 sq. km, the length exceeds 3100 meters, and the width (at its widest point) is 630 meters. The depth of the lake in some places is more than 10 meters.
The name of the lake "Abrau" comes from the Abkhazian word "abgarra", which means a failure, as a result of which, according to one of the versions of scientists, it was formed. Another version says that this lake is the remnant of a freshwater sea that once existed. According to the third version, Lake Abrau appeared in the Krasnodar Territory during the Flood. Each theory has its own shortcomings, so scientists still do not have a consensus regarding the issue of the origin of the lake.
They tried to explain the origin of the lake and locals, having invested their knowledge and conjectures in the legend, composed about the origin of Lake Abrau. According to this legend, once on the bank of the river of the same name, on the site of the lake there was a rich settlement of the Adyghe people. Once the daughter of a local rich man named Abrau fell in love with a shepherd. Naturally, the girl's parents were against unequal marriage and forbade the lovers to meet. The girl's father repeatedly repeated that it would be better for his aul to sink into the ground than his beloved daughter to meet the shepherd at least once again.
After some time, there was a big holiday in the aul, and instead of clay plates, the rich began to throw bread cakes into the waters of the river, which angered God, who sent the entire aul underground. The girl and her lover managed to escape the day before. Returning to the aul, they found in its place only a huge pit filled with water. The girl began to mourn her parents, she cried for a long time and uncontrollably, until a stream formed from her tears. Unable to survive her grief, she wanted to throw herself into the water and drown, but she did not succeed: she walked along the water to the other shore, where her beloved shepherd was waiting for her, with whom she was able to forget her grief ... the girl can still see a strange flickering strip, causing confusion and controversy among scientists.
Lake Abrau (Krasnodar Territory) is fraught with many mysteries. For example, it is known that the Abrau River flows into the lake, at the bottom of it there are several springs, but the lake has no runoff, although the water disappears somewhere!
Another mystery of Lake Abrau is a whitening strip appearing on its surface, it is most clearly visible at night, and in winter it freezes last. This feature the reservoir is explained in different ways: some believe that the effect of the "strip" arises as a result of the special action of water and wind, while others believe that the appearance of the "strip" is caused by springs gushing at the bottom of the reservoir.
The water in Lake Abrau-Dyurso is of a pleasant emerald color, a little muddy, which is explained by the presence of limestone at its bottom. In summer, the water in the reservoir warms up to 28 degrees, so many people like to cool down here on hot days.
Lake Abrau in the Krasnodar Territory is inhabited by crayfish, freshwater crabs, a myriad of freshwater fish, among which you can find gold and goldfish, trout, rudd, goldfish, carp, grass carp, bream, ram, silver carp and Abrau tulik.
Since 1979, this reservoir in the Krasnodar Territory has been recognized as a natural monument, so you cannot move on motor boats on its waters. You can move around Lake Dyurso only by oars, and fish only with a fishing rod. You can fish here throughout the year, with the exception of the period from March 1 to May 31 - spring spawning.
In the vicinity of Lake Abrau there is a village of the same name, together with another small village of Dyurso, they form a well-known recreation area called Abrau-Dyurso.
The shore of Lake Abrau in the Krasnodar Territory is equipped with comfortable beaches and several recreation centers. There are several attractions on the embankment of the lake, for example, a monument to Utesov.
Tourists are also attracted by the coastal forests, where you can retire and take a break from the noise of the city. You can pick berries and mushrooms in the forests.
This area is also known for its vineyards, as well as the famous Abrau-Dyurso winery located nearby.
Cozyly located among the majestic mountains of the Caucasus, Lake Abrau-Dyurso (Krasnodar Territory) will be able to win the heart of everyone who at least once sees its fabulous, picturesque landscape.
Photo: yarabrau, Vera Tarasova, Tamara Vasilieva, Vladislav Markov.
