Slow & Curious
SEA KAYAKING FROM MIDDLE TO SOUTH DALMATIAN ISLANDS
It took us an excuse to bring two kayaks to Korcula, combined with desire to do some kayaking and a couple of logistics phone calls and there we were, the four of us driving across Hvar with our doubles loaded on the car roof on the way to Zavala, little village on the island's south side. We were feeling anxious to dip our paddles in the sea, all having different expectations and kayaking background.
One hour after the start we made a stop at an empty pebble beach on Scedro island and after a snack went on to reach an isolated rock hosting a colony of seagulls and the remarkable lighthouse, one of many built during Austro-Hungarian monarchy presence, nowadays fully automated and serving as apartments to those seeking retreat from the world.
When you get there you imagine such a solitary place might be a powerful one for artists and recluse to spend some quality time with themselves and the surrounding nature. To us, it provided an exquisite walk and a unique setting for lunch break upon which we paddled on in direction of mighty Peljesac. Already being the afternoon the wind picked up from behind and luckily for us, just enough to gracefully contribute to our efforts.
Finally we reached the peninsula to find an abandoned stone house with a jetty to protect the cove we chose for our night camp. Grill and good old plavac mali – indigenous Dalmatian red wine sort – served as a perfect finale to this great day on water.
Best way to start a day like this is an early, refreshing swim, and the rest was easy; we kayaked next to the coast, enjoyed amazing spots along the way despite some head wind and later, when already in civilization, made a coffee break before the last bit of crossing the channel to Korcula. Being on our route, we wouldn't want to miss a cherry on the top so we treated ourselves with a short stretch of kayaking around the mind-blowing old town of Korcula.
In the end, yes, we could have transported the two kayaks from one island to the other much faster and with less human power, but we all found our mini-expedition so much more thrilling and fulfilling.
