Sea Eye Lake

Lake in Russia

Not to be confused with Morské oko (disambiguation).

Lake Mushyl, Morskoy Glaz

Sea Eye from the top of nearby hill in 2004

Lake Mushyl, Morskoy Glaz

Location| Mari El
Coordinates| 56°09′44″N 48°45′37″E﻿ / ﻿56.16219°N 48.76024°E﻿ / 56.16219; 48.76024
Type| Karst
Basin countries| Russia
Average depth| 37 m (121 ft)
Max. depth| 38.5 m (126 ft)[1]/42.4 m (139 ft)[2]
Water volume| shrinking
Islands| no
Settlements| Shariboksad

The Mushyl lake (Mari: Мӱшыл йер, Müšyl Jer), nicknamed the Sea Eye (Russian: Морской Глаз, Morskoy Glaz) is a minor karst lake in Shariboksad, Volzhsky District, Mari El, Russia. Located at the foot of the hill its bright green water is extremely deep (38.5 m) compared to the surface area (45x50 m).

The dried lake in April 2022.

In 2022 the water level has dropped, leaving the lake nearly dried.[3]

## Etymology

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Müšyl ([myʃəl], Mari: Мӱшыл) means crater in the Mari language.[4] In early documents it was known only by its Mari name, written in the Russian text with Mari diacritics.[5] Later, Russian-speaking tourists were inspired by the sea-like colour of the water to give it the more poetic Russian name.

## Popular culture

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According to Mari legend, a wedding procession fell into the Sea Eye and died when it suddenly appeared in an eruption.[6]

The lake has become popular with tourists.

## References

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1. ^ "Информационный ресурс Республики Марий Эл "12rus.ru" :: Характеристика озера Морской глаз".
2. ^ "Морской глаз". Archived from the original on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
3. ^ "МОРСКОЙ ГЛАЗ: НАДЕЖДЫ ЖИТЕЛЕЙ И РАЗОЧАРОВАНИЕ ТУРИСТОВ" (in Russian). Mariyskaya Pravda. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
4. ^ Команда Кочующие, Озеро Морской Глаз - Мушыл
5. ^ Агроклиматический справочник по Марийской АССР, 1961
6. ^ "Легенды". Archived from the original on 2012-04-15. Retrieved 2011-12-10.