The river Bojana (Albanian Buna, Latin Barbana) arises from Lake Skadar. It is 44 km long, and by its water amount brought into the sea it is the third river on the Mediterranean (after the river Nile and Po in Italy). It is a natural habitat for various plants and animals.
Both foreign and domestic experts have already identified 143 different species of fish in the delta of the river.The river Bojana is a real natural wander due to its duality. Namely, at some places the bottom of the riverbed is between two and five metres under the sea level before it plunges into the sea. However, the most distinctive feature of the river Bojana is that the bottom of its riverbed is 36 km under the sea level, but in its upper part! This makes the river to be an extraordinary natural phenomenon, especially if its great flow is being considered.
Although it has got that big flow, sea water rushes deeply upwards through its riverbed. Thus the first peculiar duality is created. In its riverbed there is both salty sea water and sweet river water. Sea water as being heavier, flows along the bottom of the riverbed towards St. George.The second duality of the river emerges in its underground flow. Namely, the former riverbed of the Bojana used to be about 40 metres above the present level of the basic rock at Fraskanjel.
The river covered its former bed with gravel. Above the gravel layers of clayish waterproof sediments have piled, into which the present riverbed of the Bojana was carved. Thus today there are two riverflows with the same direction, aiming towards the sea, one above the other, the surface waterflow and some 10 to 15 metres below the underground water flow.
The underground flow also moves from north to south and it can be shown as water moving through an underground pipe filled up by gravel. The underground flow is known for its watersource Lisna –Bori.The third duality can be identified in the delta of the Bojana – this river splits into two sleeves which then separately flow into the sea, whereas the fourth duality of the river is recognized in its dual fluctuations of its water level.
Forming of Ada
According to the legend in 1858 the ship “Merito” sank at the place of the present river mouth, which was owned by Mr. Antun Alegreti from Trogir, and steered by captain Naporeli. It is this fact that was significant for the creation of Ada. In the XIX century there were two tiny islands at this location. The ship wrecks kept the river sediments together with these two islands and thus the beautiful island Ada was formed. It became vivid in 1882.
The archives from Skadar prove that it was in the second half of the XIX century (1858/59) that the river Drim changed its flow and that from then on one sleeve of this river ends in the river Bojana.
The island of Ada has got a triangular shape. Two sides are washed by river and one by sea water. It covers 600 hectares and the beach is about 3,800 metres long.
Ada is the most famous tourist jewel in Montenegro. The Nudist settlement on Ada with its specific atmosphere is smartly hidden from the curious looks and it is encircled by the beautiful river Bojana from two sides and the third side borders with the cleanest sea water. Many people say that the best recommendation for the tourists who would like to visit Ada is the advice: Should you ever want to spend your dream summer vacation in the costumes of Adam and Eve, then Ada Bojana is the best choice.