Water wonder 2. edition
hello, when I was in Heviz, Hungary, there is a legend, that a dragon lives in the lake, and eats humans... as every week people drain there
Google AI:
The Real Legends of Lake Hévíz
- The Whispering Cherubs: Two large stone cherub statues guard the main entrance of the bathhouse. Local folklore says that if someone walks between them without love in their heart, the cherubs will begin to speak or sing.
- The Healing Waters: Another famous local legend states that the Holy Virgin created the thermal spring to cure a paralyzed Roman boy named Flavius Theodosius, who grew up to become a Christian Roman Emperor.
- Nearby Dragons: If you heard a dragon story nearby, it may have been from Szent György-hegy (St. George Mountain) near Lake Balaton, where legend says a sick dragon was once nursed back to health by villagers. [2, 3, 5, 6, 7]
Why People Say the Lake "Drains" Each Week
- Massive Water Flow: The underground volcanic spring pumps out an incredible 410 to 420 liters of fresh water every single second.
- Automatic Replenishment: Because the flow is so strong, the entire volume of the massive lake is naturally completely replaced every 72 hours (3 days).
- Constant Movement: The old water continuously flows out into a drainage canal (the Hévíz-folyás), meaning the lake stays pristine, clean, and biologically active without human intervention. [6, 8, 9]
The Real Danger: The Spring Cave Mouth
- The Suction Myth vs. Reality: The spring pumps water outward at a massive 410+ liters per second. It does not suck water back in like a drain. However, right at the narrow mouth of the cave (called the forrásbarlang), the sheer volume and churning pressure of the mixed hot and cold streams create unpredictable, swirling currents.
- Industrial Divers: Only highly trained, specialized industrial divers are ever allowed down to the cave mouth for research or maintenance. Tragically, over the decades, there have been a few high-profile incidents where even professional divers became trapped or disoriented in the cave tunnels and sadly drowned.
- The "Disappearing" Effect: Because the center of the lake is very deep and the water is thick with dark, organic peat mud and heavy steam, if a swimmer loses consciousness or goes under, they instantly vanish from sight. It can take rescue divers quite some time to locate a body in the dark, deep water. [1, 3, 4]
Why Do People Drown There?
- The Heavy Water: The water contains high levels of minerals, sulfur, and a mild, natural radon gas. While great for joints, it lowers blood pressure rapidly and can cause sudden fainting or heart fatigue if you swim actively for more than 20–30 minutes.
- Pool Noodles/Buoys are Mandatory: Because you cannot easily tread water safely for long periods in thermal water, the spa requires almost everyone to use floating rings or pool noodles to stay upright without effort. [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
The "Lyngby Lake Monster" is Real (Sort of!)
- The story goes that a giant creature woke up from a million-year hibernation when a construction worker was digging near their local pond.
- They now take kids on tractor-wagon tours to go "monster hunting." Your son would love it!
The Real "Monsters" Under Your Boat in Lyngby
- Giant Northern Pike (Gedde): These are the true "dragons" of Danish lakes. They are massive, aggressive predatory fish with mouths packed full of needle-sharp teeth. They hide in the lake weeds and can grow up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) long, striking at their prey like underwater crocodiles.
- The "Sea Serpent" Eels (Ål): Lyngby Lake connects to the Mølleåen river system, which is famous for European eels. They look exactly like miniature, slimy water dragons or sea serpents as they slither through the dark mud at the bottom of the lake.
The Northern Pike (Gedde)
The European Eel (Ål)
- The best spots to actually catch a pike in Denmark
- Other fun mythical creature sights near Copenhagen for kids
- Where to rent bigger boats for your next family adventure
The Secret Turtles of Danish Lakes
- The Red-Eared Slider (Rødøret Terapin): This is the exact species most likely observing you. They can grow up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) long and love to hide under dark wooden boardwalks, stages, and boat docks.
- The "Spy" Behavior: Your description of it "observing you" is classic turtle behavior! They are highly cautious. They will sit perfectly still under a dark deck with just their eyes and nose poking out of the water, watching humans to see if they are a threat or if they will drop food.
- Sunbathers: On warm, sunny days in Lyngby, if you look closely at fallen tree logs sticking out of the water, you will often see these turtles climbing out to sunbathe. [1]
What Else Could It Have Been?
1. The Hættemåge (Black-Headed Gull)
- The "Hood" Look: Since you are looking at them around May, it definitely had its iconic dark chocolate-brown "hood". Funnily enough, even though the English name calls it "black-headed", the hood is actually dark brown up close!
- The Winter Disguise: If you visit the lake again in winter, the "hood" completely disappears. The bird's head turns entirely white except for a tiny dark smudge behind its eye, looking like it's wearing headphones. [2, 3]
2. The Ducklings and Swans
- The Ducklings: Spring is peak baby season on the lake. Mother ducks (usually Mallards, or Gråand) keep their clutches very close to the banks and wooden stages to protect them from predators like the giant Northern Pike we talked about earlier! Two ducklings is a small family, meaning that mother duck is doing an amazing job keeping those specific two safe.
- The Mute Swan (Knopsvane): The swans you saw are the national bird of Denmark. They can be incredibly territorial and protective around the docks, acting like the true kings of the lake.
Inside the Underwater Cave System
The Structure of the "Dragon's Mouth"
From the end of the 19th century, researchers became increasingly interested in the underwater world of Lake Hévíz and the path of its healing thermal waters. Between February 7–11 and from February 28 to March 31, 1972, István Plózer and György Kovács conducted exploratory dives in the lake. At a depth of 38 meters at the bottom of the spring crater, they encountered 38.8°C water powerfully gushing out around wooden debris.
Over several days, they cleared away remnants and mud that had slid down from the crater walls, eventually reaching a 3–4 meter wide and 0.6–0.8 meter high opening blocked by rubble. They squeezed into the dangerously narrowing corridor but did not proceed further at that time. For safety reasons, the removal of the debris blocking the spring was halted.
On February 10, 1975, István Plózer, along with his friend and diving partner Lajos Csávosi, undertook a new, carefully planned dive and swam into the corridor.
“With some maneuvering, I squeezed through the narrow opening and moved to the left side of the corridor, where the entrance was completely blocked by wood and stone debris. We slowly began to swim forward, with every part of our bodies alert. Five meters in, the passage suddenly widened and vanished into the void. For a moment, I couldn’t grasp where I was from the shock. Lying flat in the passage that opened at a depth of 40 meters, we observed the chamber. (…) I estimated its size to be 15 by 15 meters.”
In the summer of 1975, under the direction of hydrogeologists from the Scientific Research Institute of Water Management, divers from the Amphora Scuba Diving Sports Club began the detailed exploration of the spring cave.
On October 30, 1977, István Plózer and his diving partner Ferenc Páli lost their lives during research in the spring cave of Lake Hévíz. In his memory, the Amphora Spring Cave is also referred to as the István Plózer Chamber.
Scientific research and monitoring continue in the spring cave to this day. Instruments placed deep below record the temperature of the springs every five minutes, and water sampling allows for the monitoring of the chemical composition of the incoming healing waters.
By analyzing these results, we can ensure that the water of Lake Hévíz continues to be of outstanding quality for our guests seeking healing.
(Source: Solt Péter - Az Amphora Búvár Klub kutatásai a Hévízi-tóban (Plózer István kutatóbúvár emlékére))
Maps and Diagrams of the Spring Cave
- The Funnel Structure: The lake floor forms a deep, sloping funnel that plunges 38 meters deep. At the very bottom is a narrow horizontal rock shelf.
- The Amphora Chamber: Squeezing beneath that 38-meter-deep rock shelf opens up into a giant, hidden spherical room called the Amphora Room (Amphora-terem). It is huge—about 17 meters wide and 14 meters high.
- The Double Springs: Detailed maps show the floor of this hidden room divided by a massive saddle of deep mud. On the eastern side, a crater pumps out cold water (17.2°C), while the western crater pumps out scalding thermal water (41.3°C). They swirl together inside the room to form the perfect bath temperature before rushing up into the lake. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The Museum Exhibitions You Saw
- The Hévíz Museum Collection (Hévízi Muzeális Gyűjtemény): Located right above the Fontana Cinema on the main walking street (Rákóczi utca). It houses the permanent "History of Hévíz Spa" exhibition which features old diving logs, geological models of the lake's thermal source, and historical Roman artifacts found at the bottom of the water.
- The Balaton Museum in Keszthely: Located just a few minutes down the road, this museum holds the most comprehensive historical collection of the region. It features interactive lake displays, archaeological finds, and full deep-water charts explaining the underground volcanic active fault lines. [2, 3, 5, 6, 7]
The Real Danger Under the Stage
- The "Ambush" Attack: Turtles hunt from below the surface [1]. They will float quietly under a dock or a patch of lily pads, wait for a tiny duckling to paddle overhead, and then quickly strike upward [1, 2].
- They Pull Them Under: A large turtle has incredibly strong jaws [1, 3]. They will grab a baby duckling by its leg or webbed foot and pull it underwater to drown it [1, 2].
The Father Duck's Job
1. The Yellow-Bellied Slider (Guløret Terapin) [3]
- Like the Red-Eared Slider, it is a popular North American pet that people unfortunately release into Danish lakes when it gets too big.
- They grow to the exact same size (up to 30 cm) and have the same aggressive, fish-and-duckling hunting habits. [5, 6, 7]
2. An "Melanistic" (Elderly) Red-Eared Slider
- Their skin and shell gradually turn completely dark charcoal-black or dark green.
- During this process, the bright red line completely fades away and disappears, leaving the turtle looking like a solid, dark, prehistoric stone. You might have actually been looking at a very old, grandfather Red-Eared Slider! [2, 8]
3. The European Pond Turtle (Europæisk Sumpskildpadde)
- These turtles are dark brown or black and completely covered in beautiful, tiny yellow speckles and dots across their skin and shell instead of solid stripes.
- They actually lived wildly in Denmark thousands of years ago, went extinct when the climate cooled, but have been spotted recently in Danish waterways due to minor reintroductions or escapees from local collectors. [9]
- The Velvet Black Transformation: Due to an overproduction of melanin (dark pigment) driven by aging hormones, old male sliders experience melanism.
- Fading Colors: Their skin, shell, and head gradually lose all their bright yellow or red patterns. The colors fade away into a solid, dull, charcoal-black or dark muddy green.
- The "Ghost" Head: An old, wild grandfather slider living in Lyngby Lake will have a completely solid, dark head with no extra color lines or patches whatsoever. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Why the Turtle Kept Frozen and Hidden
- The Staring Contest: In a wild lake, a turtle won't easily swim away into the open water if a giant boat is hovering nearby. That exposes him to predators or collisions. Instead, his tiny brain goes into an intense, exhausting calculation: "If I stay 100% frozen in the dark shadow under this stage, they won't see me."
- Energy Drain: Holding perfectly still and tracking a moving boat with just your eyes takes massive mental and physical energy for a cold-blooded animal.
- The "Tired Pet" Look: Just like your old turtles who probably pulled their heads in and gave you a heavy-eyed glare when you and your sister played with them too much, this wild grandfather turtle was likely just waiting for you to finally row away so he could relax!


Comments
Post a Comment