Port news no.8

SEPTEMBER 2013

NO. 8

Forbidden nature

A NEW OLD TOWN

Photogenic Maslinica

LIGHT OUR WAY!

PHOTOGENIC MASLINICA

Renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Josip Paladino always loves to relax in his grandfather’s small fishin

SUMMERTIM

By Mario Garber

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aslinica is like Heaven on Earth. But, this is during winter! Zlatan Zoričič will confirm this. Last year, in our first issue of Port News, Zlatan talked to us about the sea, sailing, fishing, all the beautiful, hidden coves of our islands, and he even informed us about which taverns have the best food. In other words, Zlatan Zoričič is

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to the sea what Dr. Paladino is to his ‘sea of patients’.

The Paladino family originated from the small town of Maslinica on Šolta. Our famous surgeon, Dr. Paladino, spends about three to four weeks each year on Šolta, which is the most he can get to rest based on the obligations of his job. It’s not just a job, it’s a calling, one that is noble and humane. As he puts it,

the best thing about spending time in Maslinica is getting a good night’s sleep.

I didn’t want to spoil his fun, but I was surprised someone would come to Maslinica only to sleep through the summer!

– What, you think that’s not a big deal?

My wife goes to buy bread in the town every morning, which is like an island ritual, I get up a bit later and wake up all the kids around the house. Then I read my newspapers and look at what has the Mayor of Split done for Hajduk Football Club lately. See, it’s a very relaxed atmosphere.

– Sure, but I bet the locals notice as soon as you arrive.

– Well yes, many people take the advantage of having me here so they don’t have to go up to Zagreb for medical tests, I take a look at their results and x-rays. I can’t hide in this village. My grandad built his house here in 1926, and he had a lot of space to choose from, because there were only a few houses down by the beach in those days. My brother Igor was among the first people to build a house here as well, he’s an avid fisherman, just like Zlatan. The go fishing around the islands and they have an amazing time, so I almost feel as if they’re having extra fun for me, because I can’t go with them.

ng village on the west side of Šolta

ME DREAM

Dr. Paladino praises Maslinica’s new look, as its marina and docking bay has been turning the place into a hit tourist destination: – Maslinica is such a nice little fishing village that it will surely never turn into Hvar or Zrće, so I’m not worried, the place is moving forward, but only for nautical tourism.

Let Maslinica become one of Šolta’s beautiful brands, just like many of its tiny islands on its west coast, and coves on its south side! One thing tough, I can’t wait for Zlatan to ‘operate’ on our boat’s engine, it’s not working and I have to take my kids fishing.

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PORTAL NEWS

Photos Segor Garber

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Written by: Domagoj Maroević, Chief of Port Authority of the County of Split and Dalmatia

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have to admit that as a magazine, Lučki vjesnik in Croatian and Port News in English, we have definitely found our readers.

Not just domestic nautical enthusiast, but foreigners as well, especially those whose work ties them to tourism and everything else that thrives in life on the sea.

More and more, sailors are satisfied with our work and are promoting what we do, they are happy to see initiatives in action, and to see the completion of work done in many Central Dalmatian ports, such as Stari Grad on

Hvar, Vis, Makarska, Trogir, Supetar on Brač and others. But, the plans don’t stop there, quite the opposite – we have ambitions to build ports for cruisers.

Okay, let’s be realistic, let’s take a look at our fifty or so ports and ask ourselves – are we content? Acclaims keep coming from all over the world, and objectively, more boats are coming to our ports. Even the smallest ones are attracting the attention of sailors.

Our magazine has that same goal. Lučki vjesnik or Port News is becoming a regular read for our sailors and tourists. This is a breviary for those who live for nautical tourism, and our goal is to provide our readers with all the information he or she would need. We also want our guest to get informed via our articles and photo reports, to find out what places in our county, among those fifty ports,are most thrilling and entertaining, as well as the small

towns those ports belong to.

In this issue, we have several interesting stories for you. There’s even a photo report from Karlobag, which teaches you how you can start a journey on a sailboat, and finish it by climbing the top of Velebit. Sailors will also enjoy the story of our skipper who takes groups of tourists on nautical tours. There’s also a report from the grand opening of the new Riva in Stari Grad, which was a historical event that will lead Paiz into a bright future.

I am happy to say hello to our new guest columnist, the Zagreb-based novelist Hrvoje Hitrec. As someone in love with the Croatian sea, he has chosen Sutivan on Brač as his vacation spot. Also, be sure to read the story of our lighthouse guard, and a short report by Doctor Paladino, which he wrote in his village of Maslinica on Šolta. May the sea serve you well!

MAY THE SEA SERVE YOU WELL!

In the beginning it was a port FOTOREPORT: Segor Garber

BOL IS WO Truly, Bol is Love

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W

hen you approach this town, whether it’s by sea, land, by air, internet or mobile phone, by your own desire to go there, or even anticipation. There’s even an airport just above Bol. Bol is a wonder of the World and it’s no surprise that photos of its Zlatni rat beach is used to promote even Primošten, all over the world.

An office with the atmosphere of Bol and Zlatni rat (The Golden Cape) would be a perfect workplace. This beach has been described on numerous occasions, but there are always new ways to talk about it. For example, one might see it as a dance of sand and pebbles, forming their own language in the wind.

NEVER THE SAME CAPE This doesn’t mean that we have to take photos of Bol all the time, and keep writing about it. Why? Because its photos are always different. Who can guarantee that the beach will look the same as it did yesterday, if a sea breeze or wind went for a visit, changing the landscape of its sand and pebbles? Zlatni rat is unique. It is a beach that cannot be duplicated. And what can be said about visiting this magical, mysterious place?

Bol is truly amazing. It is a town squeezed at the bottom of the southern cliffs of Brač, looking onto the Island of Hvar, to the port of Vrbovska, which is close enough for a swim, and you can also see Jelsa and Stari Grad. Bol is right in front of you when you go down the serpentine from Supetar, after visiting Vidova gora or the Bol Airport.

VINE OF SUN AND SALT Watching photos of Bol and Zlatni rat always results in a fountain of fond words. And when you visit it in real life, you’re left breathless. Bol is a town that becomes your friend, just like it has befriended its endless visitors, many of whom experience its uniqueness through its beaches, vines and taverns. After

all, this is a place where vineyards meet the sea, sun and salt.

That’s why you’re sure to stay at least a couple of days in Bol, and will definitely be coming back as much as possible. Bol is always waiting with a surprise. Many artists hail from this area, or find peace and inspiration here.

ORTH GOLD! and Love is Bol

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TAKING CARE OF OUR MARITIME DOMAIN

Projects of the County Port Authorit

A NEW

Text and photos: The editorial staff of Port News

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ews about a new Riva in Stari Grad on the Island of Hvar has got the attention of mainstream media, which means many quickly found out how Paiz had an unusually big celebration – not just for the locals – with a concert performance

by Nina Badrić! In that spirit, here is a report from the event, one which signifies a guaranteed historical turnaround for the citizens of Stari Grad, but also for every globetrotter and free spirit alike.

It’s easy to see how important this day was in Croatia’s oldest city: literally, nobody would be able to recognize Stari Grad, Paiz with a new face. It’s no coincedence that the

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ty in Central Dalma a

W OLD TOWN people of Stari Grad chose that particular Monday, August 8th to have a celebration, as that date marks Victory Day and Croatian Veterans Day as well.

The new Mayor of Stari Grad, Vinko Maroević, was thrilled about the whole celebration, as well as his second in comand, Vedran Deletis, as these two friends share not only politcal views but childhood memories as well.

- My term has just begun, but I was bestowed with the honor of saying a few words at the opening ceremony, as I had to take over a project that was started before I took

over, and those who came before me did a great job. No doubt, Stari Grad will utilize this opportunity!

The way StariGrad has been reconstructed, the redisign, reconstruction and development of new features at the city’s port serves as the finest example of how much the Port Authority can help bring new life to the fiftyplus ports that belong to the County of Split and Dalmatia. Just taking a quick look at the photos shows you how a Central Dalmatian town can be reborn and almost overnight, thanks to smart investments, and turn into a place of guaranteed potential.

The five million Kuna investment has changed the past, present and future of Stari Grad. A small place like this, even if it’s regarded as a mere fishermen’s village, has always been culturally and historically significant, but as of August 5th, 2013, with the opening of the new Riva, Stari Grad enters a new era, a new chapter in the lives of its citizens, as well as their guests.

We’re too close to his huge piece of news and this event to be able to present it in short form. As early as just a few days ago, Paiz was a small town, totally on the outskirts. The place was almost proud of its hermit status

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The official web site of Stari Grad explains it quite well:

RIVA, OUR CHILD

as if it was a brand for poets, because it has been a place of seclusion for many professional or amateur poets for a very long time, as many creatives have fallen in love with this so-called ‘Spleen of Paiz’.

These photos clearly show that, suddenly, this is a modern-day Paiz, a town open to every sailor who has nothing to fear, open to cruisers, yachts, sailboats large and small, fishing boats that take tourists on adventures. Still, Paiz has managed to save its original melanchonic spirit, it is still quiet and well preserved, its spirit living in many small and narrow town streets, waiting for guests to arive from all corners of the world.

To see the development of Stari Grad become such a sucessfull projects confirms how good of an idea it was to establish the Port Authority of the County of Split and Dalmatia back in 1999, at the turn of the century. It is a great thing to see this organization

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justify its egzistence and show that it is not a mere office, but an actual Port Authority, one which builds new objects, does maintenance, management, protects and improves all of our wonderfull ports, both big and small, as they mean everything to their natives, they are each town’s window into the open world.

„Behind this ‘dry’ news item about one of our greatest national holidays – and there have been numerous reports from all across Croatia – there is something more for us locals, something unique and unrepeatable.

In professional terms, this is a project of ‘reconstruction and communal development of Lučica’, but to us, this construction carved in stone is much more that just a project. Why? Because to us, this place we dearly call ‘The New New New Riva’ is much more. All three verions of the Riva, starting with the one constructed by the Austro-Hungarians, have been like our own children.

I’m sure that almost every citizen of Stari Grad took the time, if not every single day of the week, then at least two or three times a week, to diligently follow how the construction work was moving along, how the new Riva began to grow, gain form and a brand new face... Just like a mother and father would carefully watch over their child as it grows up, we were happy for every new pebble and stone placed in the new sidewalk, every new fence, symbol, detail, everything. Simply put, we have always lived and shared our lives with our Riva, as if it were not a building, but a living being, our own child. And that’s not far from the truth. We owe our deepest gratitude to the magnificent work done by the project manager, investor, all the workers, supervisor and everyone else who took part in the construction of the new Riva.

For a moment, let us be free with our emotions. What do they tell us? This exactly: Our Riva is like our own child. A child you love and you’re proud of!

Vinko Maroević, major of Stari Grad

FROM SLOBODNA DALMACIJA DAILY NEWSPAPER:

ALL IN WHITE

The work done by architecture and construction experts Edo Šegvič and Ivica Galasso, as well as Split Obala and other partners, have given Stari Grad a new face and features, and new character, something that cannot be appreciated in modern terms alone. Stari Grad is now a town opened to new projects, and it is at a historical crossroads unlike any it has encountered before.

Take a look at the photos, and tomorrow – set sail! Once you’re tied to the dock of the bay, you’ll be greeted by a copy of Port News, our seasonal magazine for passtime sailors.

Dive into its pages, follow the links on the official web page of the Port Authority of the County of Split and Dalmatia, and check out our back catalogue, dating back to the summer of 2012. We still have two more issues for this season.

Hvar’s Stari Grad has gained a new Riva and mooring, thanks to a 5-million Kuna project investment by the Port Authority of the County of Split and Dalmatia.

Domagoj Maroević, the Chief of the Port Authority, confirmed the good news.

- As we were expecting, most of the construction work was finalized by mid July and with the first days of August, Stari Grad became richer for a new Riva and mooring on the site of the old port. We’re quite satisfied with the dynamics of work done, and I have to thank everyone involved – said a visibly happy Maroević.

On its east side, the new Riva continues into the coastline which has recently been redesigned to meet the demands of nautical tourism, and on its west side, it goes up to Juraj Plančić Walkway. This project included the reconstruction of the sixtyyear-old dock which had been waiting for a renewal for quite some time. The Riva has now been made accessible to larger boats, spreading across one hundred square meters of Don Šime Ljubić Walkway.

Apart from the main project, a Small Riva was also constructed, featuring a mooring designed for smaller boats, spread acroos an area of 166 square meters, 60 meters long. This head of this project is Ivica Galasso, the CEO of ‘Obala’ of Split. Thanks to this, smaller tourist vesseles and fishermen’s boats can also access Stari Grad, which means the Riva doesn’t just have funtionality, but aesthetic value as well.

Split-based architect Edo Šegvić came up with the design that combines wood and stone, historical elements of Stari Grad, and he is the iniciatior of the whole idea.

The four urban elements that now grace the new Riva were also his ideas: a stone fountain, windy rose, flagpole and a silouette of a boat seven meters long which pays respect to the area’s shipyard of yesteryear. Now that all the work is done, the flagpole features a text and symbols which represent the past and present of Stari Grad.

The first side features an embedded Croatian national crest – three carved squares which, when placed together, form a 25-square symbol. The second side features the words STARI GRAD and the year of construction, MMXIII, while the third side features poetry by Petar Hektorović, a quote from his poem ‘Fishing and Fishermen’s Complaints’. Since day one, the construction work was under the supervision of Zdravko Geder from ‘Marconi Engineering’ of Split.

- We’re happy, out people have put their maximum effort into this project, they worked all day despite the overwhelming heat. We still have a couple of tiny details to finalize, but from what we’ve heared, everyone is happy with the new Riva, both the locals and their guests – Zdravko Geder commented.

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THE NAVEL OF BRAČ Navel of Brač, BY HRVOJE HITREC

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here is no place on the coast of Croatia as beautiful as Sutivan. The only place more beautiful is Stivan, but that’s actually the same place because the locals here call it Stivan, while tourists and state officials call it Sutivan. Saint Ivan (John) wouldn’t mind, as long as his name is still present is some way. If this town were called Saint Ivan, then it would have to change its name during the communist regime, but this way, Sutivan managed to get through that fortyfive-year period with no greater damage.

In the final years of communism, or socialism, its other name (right wing and left wing politicians tend to call the same ideology by two different names), I bought some land in the quarry above the Likva Cove, just for laughs. And it’s Heaven on Earth. As

with any type of heaven, this one also featured snakes, and I was like Adam, wandering around the land, without a soul in sight.

There were people down in Sutivan, and in those final communist years, to the left and right of the town’s center, Serbian tourist had their holiday resorts. As soon as the regime went under, there were no eastern guests any more, as they were getting ready to take over Dalmatia and return to Sutivan victoriously, but they didn’t succeed. Above the rocks near Likva, you can still see a bunker from back in the days of battles in the Brač Channel. Allegedly, the people of Brač set up bug plastic tubes around this place, and others like it, to pose as cannons, to fend off the Yugoslav Navy.

KEREMPUH Renowned Croatian writer Hrvoje Hitrec, member of the Hrast Party Presidency and Croatian Cultural Council Hrast Presidency Representative, one of the founding members of the Croatian Democratic Union. As an outstanding artist and professional, at the beginning of Croatia’s independence in 1990, Hitrec became the Director of Croatian National Television, and was also the Minister of Informing.

In his youth, he was the Chief Editor of the satirical magazine Kerempuh. In 1985, he became the Director of the Trešnja Theater. In his novels, short stories, dramas and television projects, his favorite location is Zagreb. As a writer, he focused on making stories for children, creating Smogovci, a very popular kids’ television series.

During the war, those holiday resorts became home to refugees, but as soon as they returned home, traditional tourism started to come back as well. Tycoons big and small began building houses and mansions, which I jealously observed from my trailer and small basement, where I would find solace during heatwaves or thunderstorms. After this domestic wave, the Hungarians came and took over most of the east side of Sutivan. They were doing good business back home, and continued to do business here, as they began to rent their apartments to their less wealthy countrymen.

Over time, even I got cocky, decided to build to build two more rooms above my

Renowned Croa an writer and humorist Hrvoje Hitrec writes for Port News. Hitrec is also becoming known for his love of Su van on the Island of Brač, wher e he goes to relax and find his place under the sun, on the coast of Croa a

IN HEAVEN TI 12

ing room for the English wave, as the English need a place to launder Russian money. This money was used to renew the center of Sutivan, and many old buildings have been reconstructed with style and good taste.

Except for Kavanjinovi Palace, because the legendary author who lived there and wrote what is a famous (although not powerful) poem, one which had such a long title that it was shortened into ‘Wealth and Poverty’, was always at odds with the locals, and their heirs are still holding a grudge.

Pučišća

What else does Sutivan have, apart from good people, a baroque church tower with its inexplicably still and watchful cat? It has a detour. No Hollywood stuntman could pass through this steep, curvy, narrow ‘detour’ without causing great damage and peril.

Due to the fact that I am merely an average driver, every summer after taking said detour I am left at the mercy of local mechanics.

basement, and finished them with a nice roof. I didn’t have electricity back then and I still don’t, but I do have one solar cell, a battery and a converter. One year the battery would brake down, the converter another year, so I’ve been living in the dark, most of the time. The last couple of years, this piece of heaven has turned into hell because I got new neighbors from hell. Some guy decided to open up a small disco club on a terrace down at the cove, and he bought what must bee the biggest speakers on the market. All the birds fled, as well as the tourists, even the locals who live in the cove – which is still officially listed as ‘unpopulated’. The guy had connections in the township office, so nobody intervened. The party starts at 9 pm, and finishes at dawn, if I’m lucky. The sanitation inspector is far, far away, all the way in Supetar, so getting to Sutivan would mean he would have to take a month-long journey, which is also expensive and dangerous.

If you can forget these flaws, which you can, then Sutivan is truly beautiful. The Hungarian wave has slightly backed down, leav-

ILL DAWN

And I also have to mention that the part of the road near the church is good for one car only, so when to cars come from opposite directions, one driver must go into reverse for about a hundred meters, which is incredibly frustrating.

Sutivan is truly a great place. The people are wonderful. I miss some of them. I used to drink coffee here with the late actor Boris Dvornik, and would watch his son Dino go to the beach in Likva with his friends. One time, movie director Tadej and actor Dvornik went for a walk to my quarry, and they lost their track. They went back to downtown Sutivan full of bruises, tired and angry. My place isn’t easy to find. The only thing that can access me is the noise coming from the disco. But, that too shall pass. What remains are memoirs of Sutivan, a read I heartily recommend, because not even larger towns around the world have something like that.

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Sailing in is a Must Tex and photo by Elizabeta & Mario Garber

Porat

A photo report showcasing what is truly almost completely unspoiled nature, from Senj to Saint Mary Magdalene

monuments, when is UNESCO going to start putting people under its protection? After all, all those monuments are mad-made.

That’s why we’re bringing up this issue now, because in a couple of million years, our time will be over. Just imagine if UNESCO was to put you under its protection, like a living and breathing monument. Maybe that’s why so many street performers such as mimes are posing as statues these days, waiting for pedestrians to throw a few coins into their hats.

Well, while we were waiting for that special call from UNESCO, we decided to pay a visit to the neighborhood of Central Dalmatia, because you have got to know ‘how

FORBIDDEN N Elizabeta and Mario Garber

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here is no question as important as ‘how do others do it?’, and that is why in the latest issues of Port News, we’re doing reports on the vast neighborhood of Central Dalmatia and Split, our corner of the world. And it’s not a small world after all: there are fifty-one ports in the County of Split and Dalmatia!

There’s a whole sea of small towns, and our guests use Split as their starting point. They come in all shapes and sizes: they’re globe-

trotters, wanderers, experts and explorers, fancy travelers, rich people, large families, drifters, adventurers, humbugs, party animals and billionaires posing as a popper instead of a prince. No matter who they are, they are all addicted to knowledge. They want to know about the places they visit.

Everyone would want to become familiar with Bol, Hvar, Stari Grad, Vis, Komiža, Trogir, Omiš and many, many more.

PEOPLE AND MONUMENTS The was things are going, UNESCO could very well put all those towns under its protection. You could even ask yourself, after all the cultural heritage sites and historical

Rudelić Draga

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others do it’. This, what we’re doing, is always observed by spectators from other corners of the world. We had already written about unspoiled and pure nature on so many occasions, that’s sometimes we almost feel like we’re cheating our guests, as we call upon them to get in touch with that very same nature, and despite its beauty, it is not full unspoiled. Why, just a few days ago at our office, we heard a report on the radio pointing out that there is no such thing as untouched nature!

THE DONKEY AND THE MOON Touch my Dalmatia! Even the intellectual powerhouse of Earl Ivo Kasandrić, a noble fighter for the preservation of natural won-

Tribanj Kruščica Tribanj Lisarica

CAMP

NATURE

What would you do in these ‘forbidden waters’? In Tribunja Krušica, you can settle down at the local camp or rent an apartment at Ante Trošelj’s place, food isn’t expensive, rooms aren’t expensive either, and every morning, you’ll enjoy a nice breakfast on the open terrace with the only decision you have to make being whether you should go for a swim now or later. Fishing boats are waiting nearby, and you can buy freshly caught fish for your lunch right there. Mullets, salpas and hakes.

ders of the hidden Cove of Dubovica on Hvar’s southern cliffs near Sveta Nedilja has lost the fight. A modern road leading to his home has been constructed, and in the future, he’ll see the construction of a tunnel, the addition of a phone line and internet, water, electricity, a heliport – everything necessary to become connected to the outside world.

Touch my Dalmatia!

Tribanj Lisarica

THE BURA Pag is right on the other side, and features clear and calm seas. But, what are you doing? Some visitors make the mistake of trying to swim across the channel.

It’s better to take the road to Karlobag, thirty kilometers, Bura is blowing in full force ad it’s quite a sight. The sea is spilling over the roads and onto the fist story of your hotel, tourists pop out of nowhere with cameras to take pictures of this natural wonder, and as soon as you finish your bottle of beer, the Bura grabs it and takes it straight into the sea.

So, even the indestructible Kasandrić had to fall. He’s been discovered, so everyone – us included – can take a photo of him from this position, or even from an aerial view. The late singer Toma Bebić would surely use his own lyrics to comment, ‘Just the other day, his beauties were revealed’, but originally, he was talking about the Donkey and the Moon.

Nobody can stop the incredible influx of tourists from all across the globe into this corner of the world, as global travelers continue to discover natural wonders that have remain secret throughout history. Kasandrić is one man, alone, and he doesn’t have the power to stop the construction of new roads, much

Karlobag

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like the one that was recently finished, which connects the towns of Hvar and Star Grad – basically connecting the entire island – so a five minute drive through the tunnel will get you from one end of the island to the other.

THE INCEPTION OF A RIVIERA If it wasn’t for all the construction work, this very report wouldn’t exist. We want to tell you a story about the freshest riviera on the Adriatic Cost, one wish is in its earliest stages, and still seems untouched by modern technology. It’s a riviera that begins in Senj and ends in Starigrad, and we have to point out this is Starigrad under the Velebit Mountain and not Star Grad on the Island of Hvar. This one is located neat Maslenica Bridge, on the edge of Dalmatia.

This riviera is also known for the dangerous curves of the Karlobag road and the strong Bura wind which blows in the Senj area, so strong that roads have to be closed all the way up to Sveta Marija Magdalena (Saint Mary Magdalene), the small town where said dangerous turn-heavy roads begin, on the way from Maslenica Bridge to Rijeka. The scenery is cast in gray stone, the sea is always wild under the powerful Bura wind, and in the distance, almost as if it were in a snowy mist, you’ll see the Island of Pag, shining in its whiteness forged from seas sot and seemingly nothing else.

ZRĆE Take the Prizna – Žigljen ferry boat line and in no time, you’re on the Island of Pag, right next to the renowned Zrće Beach.

And if that’s not your thing, you can drive back across the Maslenica Bridge and go to Starigrad, the last town of Dalmatia, on its northern border. The locals are always partying and celebrating, there’s music, souvenirs, street performers, donkey, ponies and who knows what else.

VELINAC

Bay Običaj

The Bura is so strong in this area that it has laid everything flat, scraped the landscape to its bare bones, creating a scenery that seems endless. Nobody has ever imagined this area as a place where you would stop and rest, it was always known as an exhausting journey with many dangerous points. The only signs of life were the locals who rent rooms during the summer, standing by the road, holding up signs ‘ZIMMER FREI’ (ROOM FOR RENT) during the tourist season.

The Velinac Hotel is known for delicious wild game dishes, and is a nice place to visit even in colder months. During the summer, you can chill on the terrace or in the cafe and get whatever you need. On your way out of Karlobag, you’ll find a great tavern right by the sea, called OK. After that, you’ll see wonderful fishing villages of Ribaria and Cesarica. If you hop on to Velebit Mountain, within half an hour, you’ll find yourself in Rizvan City, a great place for adrenalin-filled fun. And from there, you’re just an hour always from Plitvice or Paklenica, two amazing national parks of nature.

A DINOSAUR IN THE SHALLOW END Most road signs here seemed insignificant – Tribanj this, Tribanj that, Lukovo Šugarje, Šugavo Lugarje or whatever. This was the common, unfair perception of this area. And most people never thought about the fact that if there are so many turns on the roads of this area, each of those turns would imply there was a cove and beach down by the sea that accompanies said turns. Many fishing villages, from cove to cove, turn to turn, only a couple of minutes apart from one another.

It truly is a beautiful sight, when after taking a turn on the road, you’re introduced to the

Cesarica

wonderful small town of Uvala Običaj. Everyone who’s in the business of natural wonders and maritime life has surely already been introduced to this riviera whose unspoiled beauty goes all the way up to Senj. This is truly an area of unspoiled nature, a place that was – up until recently – been known for dangerous roads and strong winds, labeling it as ‘untamed’. If you look at the cape showcased on our photo, it almost seems as if a dinosaur was resting in the shallow end.

Križac

Tribanj Lisarica

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The sea and the dog

Vando Raunig is a known Split-based veterinarian, open to everyone, sailors included, weekends, included, any me

A SHIP’S PET W

hen a man has a pet, then said pet is more important than the man. Now, imagine what’s it like owning a pet on a boat. It’s practically common knowledge that you must have a cat on board your boat if you want to get rid of rats, but a dog is just as good, and let’s not forget eccentric sea captains who would pay more attention to their parrot then their crew.

Vando is famous around these parts, and he doesn’t remember a vacation, not even a Saturday or Sunday when he could rest. Sometimes, he gets called up in the middle of the night, but no matter the time, Vando is quick to act and in no time, he’ll be ready for you, waiting at his office at Bačvice in Split.

In 1922, Hajduk established a female team, and the first goal was scored by Šime Raunig’s wife, Vanda. Grandson Vando was named after her. Grandpa Šime scored a goal with his nee, and like a ball being passed, the Hajduk connection was passed on from generation to generation, and Vando ended up marrying the daughter of Hajduk coach Mićo Duvančić Snježana Raunig is know for creating ceramic shoes, fish and other figures, as she’s an established artists with numerous exhibitions in her career, but she is introverted and likes to keep to herself, so she enjoys being creative far away from the public, in her own peace and quiet atmosphere.

crews with whom I used to go to regattas in Komiža and Vis. Vando has a big heart. Not only is he a caring, professional veterinarian, he also loves helping. He recalls occasions when people are almost helpless, because their boat pet is ill.

By Mario Garber

After this introduction, it’s no surprise that in Central Dalmatia, knowing top veterinarian Vando Raunig is very important indeed. He is loved among the people of Split and their pets, and his popularity among boat pets keeps growing. Vando gets called up for medical emergencies on boats quite often! There’s always a tourist with a sick dog or another ailing pet, and pets are more important than humans, so to say.

GRANDMA AND WIFE

sea-dog, he loved everything to do with boats, and you could say he had hands of gold.

We have to point out that grandad had feet of gold as well. Vando’s grandad was Šime Raunig, member of the first Hajduk Football Club team generation, and also the man who scored their first goal ever, representing Split.

That was in 1911. However, despite being an athlete, his love for the sea was stronger, he loved sea-based sports and boats.

- As a kid, I was known for my small boat, I didn’t have a sail, but I had paddles, so my friends and I would paddle from Trstenik to Firule. Later on, I tried sailing, as an amateur and nothing more, and I was a member of two

- I remember one time, some tourists found a dog in the middle of Brač Channel. What can I say, this dog was basically swimming in the middle of nowhere. Who knows what was going on with this poor dog, but they brought him to me and we saved him. I used to go all over the place, every marina in Split, clubs, anywhere where there’s an emergency. At Labud, everyone knew I’d help out their dog Klempo, if he needed any shots, but I’d help pout any other animal in need, regardless of the fact if they were someone’s pet or not.

Vando points out that, when you’re on a boat, you need to educate yourself about nautical life, just to avoid panic-inducing situations.

- Everyone knows what kind of medical interventions are common on boats: insect bites, allergic reactions, heat strokes... I love the sea and I have this idea of veterinary medicine at sea, but who know if I’ll live long enough to implement those plans.

Once you get to know him, he’ll seem unreal, as he is a quiet man who loves animals, but despite his calm demeanor, he’s direct, professional and efficient. If you’re sailing in the Split area or a just a tourist in Central Dalmatia, you should have Vando Raunig’s phone number nearby.

Raunig was just a child when he decided to become a veterinarian.

- Back then, veterinary medicine wasn’t as developed as it is today, especially for smaller animals. I lived in a family house with my grandad, so we had a large backyard. It was here in Bačvice, at Viška Street, that I befriended dogs, cats and other animals. From early on, it was clear what I’ll do for a living. Although, I was also in love with the sea. My grandad was a real

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Sensations of Central Dalmatia For this We Have no Word Marina

Bol

MARINA A T

here isn’t a Central Dalmatian town that hasn’t been featured in our column’s shopwindow. One could collect these sights into a wonderful memoir, a photo album that

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Split

AND BOL would make you crave for more. The sea here is so clear, it looks good enough to drink, while the sky, beaches and pines bask under the unique lighting of our sunshine. This time, we’re

taking you to Marina, a small town on the west side of Trogir. After that, we’re going to Zlatni rat and world-famous Bol. Out starting point is, as always, Split, and we’re traveling by ferryboat.

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Skipper Ruben Vujnović for Port News

YOU CAN TA BUT NOT AG

Being a skipper isn’t easy. Folks, yo your passengers, but also be firm w to your guests which natural won accessible and which

A

nn Choe declared herself captain.

She made it known to everyone that she was in charge, as she exited the boat and set foot on land, ably like a captain should. The crew didn’t mind her coronation.

Cheryl, Sheryl, Joseph, Danielle and Eric all agreed that she should enjoy herself. After all, they came from the States and Canada to have a fun week in Croatia, guided by Ilija from Fiore Tours Agency. He brought the gang from Plitvice to my sailboat, as they wanted to take a Croactive Holiday, also known as a Hvar Adventure.

Sonja Koljanin was the land operative and I was the skipper, and our mutual obligation was to greet our guests at the West Coast in Split. This group has seen plenty of water in their lives, and they claim they’re used to living on the ocean. But, how does an ocean hold up against our Adriatic Sea and Dalmatia? Here’s what they enjoyed the most: Sheryl: Going for a swim.

Cheryl: Going for a swim.

Eric: Going for a swim.

Come on, guys, is that really something new, don’t you ever go swimming back home? - I just had to ask them this.

– Sure, we have a tub for bathing and can go to a pool for a swim.

The ocean is something totally dif-

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ferent. Over here, you don’t have to fear sharks or whales sneaking up on you, jellyfish and who knows what other sea creatures! God bless the Adriatic Sea! And where did they do for a swim?

– We went just outside of Prizidnica on Čiovo, then to Stomorska Cove on Šolta, where we also had lunch. Your food is great, we like it very much.

Naturally, they ate at the Volat Tavern, owned by our friend Veljko. Communication is easy.

You don’t need Esperanto, everyone knows English, and after all, our guests were Americans and Canadians. So, talking is easy.

While we’re on the subject of the Adriatic Sea, I always think of a sailing trip I had with a man from Libya. The wind was in our favor, smooth sailing, our boat was smooth as butter across the waves, the sun was blazing. So, we enter a cove, and I’m thinking, we should go for a refreshing swim, when suddenly, my Libyan guest says that the seas is too dirty.

Where? I have a look, and everything is crystal clear.

Okay, let’s try another cove, maybe he’ll like the next one. I’m checking out the quality of the water, and it looks clean enough to drink. Again, he says it’s dirty. Where, dude, I’ve dropped the anchor at twenty meters

STOMORSKA Stomorska Cove is located on the north side of Šolta, and has a population of about 190 people. During the summer, it’s known for its fishermen parties and celebrations. It was named after the Virgin Mary, because the settlement is located just below the shrine of Our Lady of Stomorija, also called Our Lady of Pine. Back in olden times, everyone was into nautical transport, and had sailboats which took them across the Adriatic as they transported calx and wine.

ALK AGAINST ME GAINST MY SEA!

ou gotta know how to please when necessary and explain nders of our homeland are h are protected

deep and you could see it reach the bottom, it’s so clear! He says it’s dirty. So, I grab a glass, fill it with sea water and drink it all! See, it’s so clean you can drink it.

My guests stares at me in wonder.

Speechless. You know, I tell him, when Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon in 1969 and saw the Earth as a blue dot, he was looking at our Adriatic Sea! That was my point. As I turned around, the wind blew my hat off.

Then, my Libyan guest took a dive into our clear blue sea, ready to reclaim my hat!

This story just proves that the sea can connect nations and people. So we hanged out on dry land as well, like true friends. Being a skipper isn’t easy. Folks, you gotta know how to please your passengers, but also be firm when necessary and explain to your guests which natural wonders of our homeland are accessible and which are protected.

Anyway, I think that our American and Canadian guest would have a couple of more glasses (of Coke), but they had to return to land and continue their tour of Croatia.

OUR LADY OF PRIZIDNICA The sea just outside of the picturesque shrine of Our Lady of Prizidnica, with its red roofs and cliffs on the south side of Čiovo, is a popular spot to set anchor amongst sailors who find their way in the area. The shrine and church date back to the 16th century, and was founded by Glagolitic monks.

The Romanesque church features historical items and carvings written in old Italian.

One of those writings reads: In 1546, priest Juraj Stoidražić came to this desert and built this temple to honor the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Another written passage tells the story of how the church was reconstructed in the first half of the 19th century.

Every late August, people of Slatine and many who come from afar, tourists included, go on a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Prizidnica, and the place becomes quite crowded, full of people on land and boats at sea.

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A LIGHTHOUSE STORY Vladimir Čapalija, lighthouse operator on Murvica, a lighthouse near Vinišće, Veli Drvenik and Mali Drvenik

LIGHT O

Lighthouse operators actually don’ profession, they just want to l

Elizabeta and Mario Garber

V

lado Čapalija is a fifty-eight-year-old professional chef from Vinišće. Back in his youth, he had cooked up a nice lighthouse career for himself, as he was always in love with the sea, and his woman, Anđelina from the Varaždin area. That’s the short version, but their lives are worthy of a novel. Let’s just mention that Vlado worked as a lighthouse operator on Palagruža, Sušac, Sv. Andrija (Saint Andrew) in front of Dubrovnik, Mula in front of Rogoznica and Murvica in front of his home town of Vinišće.

Lanterns and lighthouse operators are people who are living monuments and should be protected by UNESCO, simply because nobody else would be worthy of protecting them. Such is their fate. Most of them are people who chose a life in a lighthouse, and it’s impossible for them to imagine that someone could be forced into doing this for a living.

SAILING OFF But, destiny is always there, ready. It diligently watches over every step made by these people. You could say that they were born into such a life and trade. When all things align, everything just happens naturally.

To them, life in a lighthouse is something normal and natural. As if they were flowers, this is where they blossom. They have a natural gift for this job, and before they get into it, they’re

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just waiting for their talent to be discovered.

But this gift isn’t celebrated with loud fireworks, because it’s actually nothing amazing – certain men are just born to work in a lighthouse, while others can’t imagine such a life. Once we came back from the lighthouse, where we worked and lived for two years, everyone wanted to know how we endured it, and praised us for staying there so long.

who can’t understand. Simply – we’re from different worlds.

This isn’t something you can easily comment. Come one, try to imagine it, what would you say? How did you manage? Manage?

Those who ask these questions are people

They had quickly decided to ‘sail off ’. At first, Vlado wanted to work in the merchant marines, and had enrolled to work on a vessel as a chef. As a merchant marine, you’re enti-

Vlado picked his Anđelina in Koprivnica, almost by tradition, because his father Mijo met his mother in that same region. Far away from the sea of Dalmatia. Anđelina quickly fell in love with this sky and sea, and as years passed, she got better at fishing than her man, Vlado.

OUR WAY!

’t see anything poetic in their light the way for others tled to take your wife with you on one tour. So, Ađelina and Vlado sailed half the world together on a tour that lasted six months. After that, Vlado decided to act on his gut feeling, telling him to try out as a lighthouse operator, and so he applied for a lighthouse operator position.

And that’s how destiny connected him to us, the authors of this magazine, because we applied for a position at Sveti Andrija just as Vlado was embarking upon his lighthouse career. We spent two years with Vlado and another lighthouse operator, Ivan Gašpar. This was an incredibly emotional experience, one which forged strong bonds between us, as we continued to meet up and help each other out later in life, almost as if we had taken vows.

LONG-LINE AND CARDS In later years, Ivan Gašpar left the group as he was seriously ill. He was our boss on Sveti Andrija, and with him being gone, we decided to meet more often. Vlado’s birthday, just before the Assumption of Mary, was an ideal opportunity. A bit of fish, a bit of lamb, some red wine, olives, capers, home-grown tomatoes, potatoes, onions and that’s all you need. Just like it was for Andrija. In the evenings, we’d throw a long-line and then play cards.

Good for Vlado, he’s still enjoying this lifestyle, but you can’t imagine what it’s like, you have to life it to know how it feels. Who knows how many Christmases, Easters and New Years he had spent completely alone. Especially on Murvica. Being alone isn’t the worst thing in the world, and working in a lighthouse is something you simply have to try.

There are fifty one ports in Central Dalmatia, and none of them could function without lighthouses and the people who operate them, who maintain them and preserve their guiding lights.

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