Lake Ritsa (Gagra)

Gagra, Abkhazia.

The mountains of Abkhazia penetrated by rapid rivers are exceptionally beautiful. The rivers begin at the glaciers of the Caucasus Mountains, hence bring extraordinary fresh in the very hottest days. These rivers are still inhabited by trout and salmon spawns in their water. More than 180 high-mountain lakes are known far beyond Abkhazia for their absolute beauty. And Lake Ritsa is surely the greatest fable of the Caucasus.

Lake Ritsa is situated 120 kilometres away from Sukhumi at 950 metres above sea level among forests and sublime mountains.

Mount Pshegishkha (2222 metres high) protects Lake Ritsa from the west and south-west, the mounts of Atsetuk (2542 metres high) and Agepsta (3263 metres high) tower from the north, and the spurs of Rikhva Ridge are seen from the east. Scientists believe that the Lake appeared after rock falling and blocking the bed of the Lashipse River. This was how Nature created this wonderful miracle.

The Lake surface is 0.67 sq. km or 132 hectares. The maximum river length is 1704 metres, the maximum width is 447 metres, and the deepest point is 115 metres. The shore line is 4.29 km in length.

The Lake feeds from the Lashipse River and small creeks beginning at the spurs of Atsetuk Mountain. The shores of the Ritsa are rugged and steep here and there. Lake Ritsa has many hints of dark green colour due different degree of water transparency. The Ritsa is rich with trout.

A legend has it that long ago a valley was here and a river flew through it. A beautiful girl Ritsa, the only sister of three brothers Agepsta, Atsetuk and Pshegishkha, tended a flock on the fantastic pastures along the river shores. During the day the brothers hunted and gathered together by fireside in the evening. Ritsa cooked the dinner and the brothers sang admiring their sister. One day the brothers went to hunt to the mountains. A day had passed and then the second had but they did not come back home. Missing them Ritsa looked at the road and sang with her charming voice. Two bandits Gega and Iupshara heard her singing and decided to kidnap the beautiful girl. Iupshara grasped Ritsa and broke into a gallop through the valley. Gega protected him. The brother heard the sister's call for help and rushed in pursuit of the bandits. Pshegishkha threw his heavy sward into the bandits but missed. The sword fell and blocked the river. Water flooded the valley soon and turned it into a whitewater lake. However hard the brothers tried, they could not save their sister. Ritsa was left underwater. Then Pshegishkha grasped Iupshara and threw him into the lake. But water of the Ritsa did not admit the wretch and threw him over the Pshegishkha's sword and brought to the sea. Gega ran after him but could not save his friend and joined him. Being petrified with terrible grief the brothers turned into the high mountains still standing over the lake and protecting the never-to-be-forgotten Ritsa.

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