ROPOTAMO is a national park known for its
colorful water lilies and consists of four separate reserve areas. The river
originates from springs some 50 kilometers to the west in the Strandzha
Mountains, then passes through a deep forest before emptying into the sea.
The mouth of the river, some 30 meters wide, is a favored haunt of local
fishermen. Ropotamo is named for the Greek goddess Ro (meaning "run;"
potamo means "river") who, with her songs and charm, won the mercy
of pirates terrorizing ancient Apollonia. The river courses through a forest
thick with large deciduous trees, many of them with their roots and lower
trunks submerged in water. Tall grasses, reeds, and liana-like climbing
ivy give the area a wild, jungle-like appearance. The last seven kilometers
of the river contain over 100 varieties listed in the Bulgarian Red Book
of endangered species.
Dragon flies, butterflies, turtles, and harmless water snakes make their
homes along the river banks; Penduline tits weave their odd, bottle-shaped
nests which dangle from branches. Colorful red-breasted flycatchers and
golden orioles abound in the thick foliage. Predatory birds soar and swoop
from on high; on occasion, enormous white-tailed eagles with wingspans of
over 200 centimeters may be spotted. Shy eagle owls make their nests on
nearby lion's head rock (luvskata glava).
Tour boats regularly ply the lower section of the river and are boarded
at a well-marked area just past the bridge. The one-hour trip ($4) is enjoyable
but not all that remarkable, so if the boats are full or not running don't
feel as if you've missed much. Some of the sights, such as lion's head rock
and the sunbathing water snakes, are just as easily viewed (they're even
sign-posted) on the main road which parallels much of this stretch of river.
The upper reaches of the Ropotamo are more interesting but, unfortunately
for tourists, off-limits to boats. Back on the main road, several kilometers
south on the right-hand side is another preserve. This one features the
famed floating water lilies with the marshy area accessed via wooden walkways.
Comments for Ropotamo
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remark ..., Jespy (24-09-2001, 15:02:43)
Although the protected areas in the region were under the formal jurisdiction of the Committee of Forests, no real safeguarding and maintenance of the sites was performed (with the exception of management for prestigious "trophy" mammals). The construction of dams in the Ropotamo River watershed seriously disturbed the natural water regime. During the 1980s these factors were intensively affecting the area. A tourist village and educational recreational complex were built. The dykes constructed in front of these buildings disturbed the normal sea current along the shore, leading to blockage of the river mouth with mud.
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