Deliatyn. There's No Sea, but There Is a Sea Eye

If the tourist trail has brought you to Deliatyn, you absolutely must visit Morske Oko (the Sea Eye), a natural wonder of this Subcarpathian village.

 

Deliatyn. Lake Morske Oko (Sea Eye)

Deliatyn has been known for salt extraction since the 14th century. Salt-boiling and the production of this important foodstuff are reflected in the village's coat of arms, and the brine — the so-called syrovytsia — still has an outlet to the surface in several places today.

 

The coat of arms of Deliatyn depicting 10 little pyramid-shaped piles of salt

As a result of geological processes and the pressure of rock formations, sinkholes formed at the cores of these deposits of white gold. Water filled the rocky crater, and trees and bushes later reinforced the deep bowl. The hydronym points to the eye-like shape of the body of water, within which a pupil moves – a floating island. This piece of land, measuring 1.5 x 2 metres, has become covered with vegetation and wanders across the entire surface of the lake. The green archipelago can find no resting place, making journeys from the centre to the shore. If you push it away with a stick, it will spin around and come back to you again.

Deliatyn. The island that wanders around the lake

This astonishing peculiarity is explained by the high content of sodium chloride in this natural basin. In summer the lake is green in colour, while in winter the frost covers the hollow with ice.

Deliatyn. Lake Morske Oko (Sea Eye) in winter

This hydrological landmark needs its depth measured, research carried out, and protected status granted. Similar deep hollows, but without water, can be seen nearby, just a few metres from Morske Oko.

 

Deliatyn. A crater near Lake Morske Oko (Sea Eye)

Beside the steep banks stand fine homesteads where people live and preserve folk tales with a touch of the fairy-tale about them. The locals say that once there was a mountain, with a church rising on its summit. The cliff collapsed, the precipice turned into a lake, and the little island is the altar of that house of God. There is also a legend that during the Hitlerite occupation the Germans descended in diving suits on a long cable to a depth of 25 metres, but never saw the bottom. 

Along the steep slope kind people have built steps and handrails so that everyone who wishes can admire this marvellous chasm. Morske Oko is located to the west of the main street and the H-09 highway. Another 300 metres to the west and you will see the old Jewish cemetery, a historical and cultural heritage site of Deliatyn.

Coordinates of the lake: 48°31'59"N   24°37'51"E