Three Days in Paradise (Croatia)

We left Split around noon. It was very hot, although summer had hardly begun. Matilda was next to me, two kayaks above, on the roof of the car, and three days in paradise ahead. After 180 hot kilometers on crowded and narrow roads, we reached the town of Ston. It is a small picturesque town, with a great medieval wall near it, the second longest wall in the world, after the Chinese Great wall. The town is situated near a large, Europe’s oldest, salt pan, in the back of the bay. After a short break, we put the kayaks into the sea. At last!

The bay was narrow and shallow at the back and the surrounding hills were so Mediterraneanly green. We had to paddle some 17-18 km to reach our aim – Limuni cove on the southernmost part of the southernmost Croatian island – Mljet. Our aim for that day was Kobaš cove, some five kilometers from Ston. Although it was possible to reach it by car, we decided to leave the car in Ston and leave civilization with it. We passed near the small Broce village and made the first break shortly after it, in a small cove. Swimming at last, of course. And then paddling to Kobaš. Now, it was much more pleasant, wet and refreshed, and it was late afternoon and hesun was not so hot. Kobaš was cute, as I remembered it from my last visit. Two or three small houses, two or three boats and a great dinner with local fishermen. I would have sworn those fish were swimming together with us an hour ago.

Next morning, after an early breakfast, we continued our journey. We had some 12-13 kilometers to paddle and it was wise to do it before the great noon heat. We were paddling along the coast of Pelješac peninsula and then between it and the small Olipa islet. There were several pretty coves on both sides, and it was very hard not to take a swimming break in each of them. After some 6 kilometers we reached Vratnik cape, the southernmost point of Pelješac. From that point we had to paddle several kilometers of the Mljet channel to the Gruj Cape, the southernmost point of Mljet. And closely behind it – the last forgotten tiny piece of paradise. A round cove, with a very narrow and shallow connection with the sea, like a small lake. Virgin sandy beaches around it and dense, green forest, framed it. The rest of the day we spent swimming, basking and mostly loafing in the shade. And, yes, a little paddling in the twilight, when we surveyed some nearby coves and islets. It was so warm at night and we were so tired (and little lazy), so we didn’t pitch our tent. Sleeping bags were enough. And a warm sand.

And night was interesting, too. I had two or three short walks along the beach during the night. My old obsession to find nesting sea turtle, first in Croatia. Limuni cove is the best place for them. But, despite it, nesting hasn’t been proved yet. While laying on the sand, in the dark, we were listening to the night sounds of nature. A hedgehog was puffing around us and it even crossed over me once. Mountaineer, obviously. And wild boars had a whole night beach party around us. It was a little ghastly to listen to them running and breaking branches off shrubs on the forest edge, or to see running shadows occasionally. But, we survived.

Tomorrow - swimming, basking, walking, again and again. And, finally, the time for leaving came. It was late afternoon when we left paradise lagoon, paddling the same way back towards Kobaš and it was dark when we reached it. Next day was the last and the saddest day of our small adventure. Short paddling to Ston, short walk through its narrow old streets and long driving back to Split. See you again soon, paradise lagoon!

Gvido Piaseveli