Because you can if you walk further along the beach away from the cafes - there are figs growing wild on the rocks by the sea. Imagine – two of my favourite things, the beach and figs. I love them dried, fresh, cooked. It must be genetic – my grandfather loved figs too. When my family moved to Auckland, Grandad took control of house hunting for my parents until he found the one that they ultimately bought. For him, it had two important things – a fig tree and a grape vine. It’s a funny thing, but I can’t work out, if he left Croatia at fifteen or so, how he knew, remembered, how to make the exact type of garden as the old people still have here. He made his own wine, although we children were not ever allowed to try it… I think you had to leave it to let the sediment settle on the bottom of the glass before you drank it. Anyway, I digress.
So, the beach. Fig Trees. And the gentle swish…drag.. of the stones if there are any waves. Which generally there aren’t unless the wind is blowing. Nor is there any discernable high/low tide, 40 cms at the most. It’s just there, mostly looking like a lake. And if there are any waves they are short and sharp –two or three seconds (I counted) between each wave. Cekaj – wait, and I will find out why.
Bless Wikipedia. Well it all seems pretty complicated with sophisticated mathematical formulae – suffice it to say it is because the Adriatic Sea is bounded by Italy, Croatia and with Trieste in the north, it is a narrow blocked off body of water and it is this (mainly) which contributes to the small tide variance and the small sharp waves. No surfing, just shrieking children if there are waves because waves are such a novelty. [Question to the group, why then are there surf lifesaving towers dotted along the beach – goodness, imagine these people at Piha!].
Peak season at the beach is packed – rubber mat to rubber mat, all body shapes and sizes (Russian¸Polish, Czech, all in speedos (OK, I know)) with families playing cards on the beach, and beach vendors selling krafne (doughnuts) and kukuruz (hot sweet corn) – you didn’t see that coming did you!
Beach entertainment is pretty sophisticated in Makarska. Banana boats, pedal boats, those noisy jet skis, trampoline centres, and two new things that I spotted today;
1. A bungy tower – now that’s enterprising (and ugly)
2. A slide into the water – I want to read the sign to see if there is an upper age limit! If my granddaughter was here I could use her as a decoy! It corkscrews around several times and then WHOOSH straight into the sea. I could do it! I’m a branded woman already in my shorts and running gear, so what do I have to lose! WATCH THIS SPACE.
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