Location: | Ojo de Agua, Emiliano Zapata |
Open: |
No restrictions. [2015] |
Fee: |
free. [2015] |
Classification: | Karst Spring |
Light: | n/a |
Dimension: | A=1,240 m asl. |
Guided tours: | self guided |
Photography: | Allowed |
Accessibility: | Yes |
Bibliography: | |
Address: | Ojo de Agua. |
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info. |
The town Ojo de Agua was developed because of the many natural springs in the valley. The main spring Ojo de Agua is a karst spring, which is a popular swimming and picnic area.
Ojo de agua is a Spanish geologic term. It is the name of an artesian spring in limestone regions, especially one forming a small pond. Internationally such a spring is called a vauclusian spring.
There are some legends around this spring. One tells about a rich man, who hid his gold in the deepest point of the pool. As a warden he put a mermaid into the spring. This obviously worked as the gold has never been found. But if it was ever found, the enchanted mountain named escamila behind the spring would become a castle again. The mermaid is not visible most of the year, but in the night of June 24th starting at midnight until morning, we can see it swim in the pond.
Another legend is much darker. Once a man found a mermaid in the spring. She asked him if he would help her to get rid of th curse, which transformed her into a mermaid. He would get all her gold. He asked what he should do, and she told him to carry her on his back to the church San Juan Bautista. But there was one single rule: whatever happened, he should not turn his head to look at her. But while he was walking towards the church, the sounds coming from his back became stranger and stranger and the mermaid was becoming heavier and heavier. And as he had almost reached the church he could not stand it any more and turned his head. He saw an enormous snake and was so frightened, that he let her fall on the ground. So the mermaid was not saved from the curse and the man was so disturbed by the event that he soon after died. And until today the mermaid is searching for someone to disenchant her, every year on the same day.
Based on those legends there is every year a festival where a mermaid is presented to all the locals and tourists. A local beauty is equipped with artificial fish tail and carried across the spring on a wooden boat. Definitely a lot of fun.
During the rest of the year the spring is a popular bathing place. The rims are made of concrete to protect the shoreline from erosion. There are parking lots, cafes, and rowing boats for rent.