The Legend of Croatia’s Red Lake

the story of red lake: The legend is you cannot throw a rock from the top of the lake and have it hit the water’s surface.

Before leaving to explore the Vranjača cave outside of Split, Croatia, I and my fellow Remote Year cohorts were asked to pick up a rock to bring along. It was going to be used to test the legend of Red Lake, which we would also be visiting. Now, at this point finding my rock I would bring, I had NO clue what the legend was. So when we were told on the ride over my thoughts were…

hold up. no way you can’t hit the water with a rock!

I mean it is easy right? Toss the rock out over the water and it lands in the water. Well, you may just want to give it a try for yourself!

Despite its name the Red Lake is actually blue water. I was told it was given the name Red Lake most likely because of the rocks that surround the lake having a reddish hue. And I mean surround. There is no way to easily get down to the water as it sits low in a hole surrounded with the rock walls. And getting back out? Well…just don’t even try.

To see the lake you can stop on the roadway and look out from a bridge. It’s quite a lovely blue. Sitting at the top you might think, okay I just have to throw it out far enough and it will definitely  land in the water – easy! I doesn’t look hard at all.

So I gave this a try along with the others. The first rock was thrown. It looked promising, a good arch flying out over the water and then…it hits the side of the rock wall. The next person tries. Then the next. Each time the rocks fall towards the wall edge.

But we weren’t giving up that easy! Some began scavanging for larger and heavier rocks. They throw it out and? Well…this legend may very well be true.

We were not able to hit the water with our rocks, but it was fun to see everyone try!

Likely it is the wind tunnel created by the lake sitting so low encircled by rock that causes the ones we tossed to always land among the rock wall. But when in Croatia, I say to definitely give this a try. Maybe you can be the one to prove the legend false?