The Crystal Lagoon is a source of fresh water at the gates of Los Haitises National Park, located in the community of Cristal, in Sánchez, province of Samaná, also north of the province of Monte Plata.
The lagoon is fed by groundwater that comes from the neighboring park. From the lagoon comes a small navigable river for a few hundred meters that feeds the Barracote River, which then flows into the San Lorenzo Bay. It would be about 200 meters deep and 70 meters in diameter. Laguna Cristal is located on the border of the provinces of Monte Plata, Duarte and Samaná.
Crystal Lagoon is lost in the middle of the vegetation, it is a little known and little visited tourist attraction. It is a protected area by the Ministry of the Environment. The surrounding inhabitants (700 inhabitants) live from agricultural production, breeding and fishing, it is a rural area for lovers of nature and ecotourism. Local residents claim to have seen the lagoon monster. Myth or Reality.
It is a protected area, located at the foot of one of the mountains that begins the Los Haitises National Park along the dividing line between the provinces of Monte Plata, Samaná, María Trinidad Sánchez and Duarte.
The crystalline color of its waters is acquired, according to the locals, by the penetration of the sun’s rays that filter through the treetops. Many believe that the crystallity of the water is due to the depth of the lake.
It is a suspension surrounded by water in the middle of the tropical forest, where the natural scenic beauty forces you to enjoy it with a bath. In its adjacent areas, significant samples of humid and pluvial forests are cradled, which contribute significantly to the condensation of water vapor from the trade winds, which cause heavy rains in the Eastern Coastal Plains.
It is also next to the human settlement known as Cristal, with a population of approximately 700 inhabitants, who live from agricultural production, livestock and fishing in the waters of the cenote, the pipe that comes out of it and the Barracote River.
Its depth has been estimated by the Ministry of the Environment at about 200 meters, although the locals say that it is “unthinkable”, and they tell you about a fact and that they already have a legend, which has been dragging on since the 20th century, which shows that a truck fell into its waters and the device was never heard of.
It is fed by the underground waters of the mogotes or mountainous elevations of Los Haitises. From its spacious pond, a channel or stream with 1.2 kilometers of navigable length is born, which feeds the mighty Barracote River, which flows into San Lorenzo Bay.
Reaching the confluence where the waters flowing from the cenote merge or mix with those of the Barracote River, is to find an “anthill” of artisanal fishermen who use nylon, a mass of shrimp fry and worms as lures, to catch fish. of fresh water
This treasure has the peculiarity that it can be reached by sea, traveling more than 30 nautical miles, setting sail from the Caño Hondo piers, in Sabana de la Mar, Sánchez and Samaná, crossing the calm waters of the bays of San Lorenzo and Samana.
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