Sibenik & Krka National Park
The Panorama continued to enjoy gentle seas throughout the night as she made her way north along the Croatian Coast, heading for the port town of Sibenik. At 7:00am we took on a local pilot to begin our entrance into Sibenik Bay. It was just after sunrise and the morning light was exquisite! The local pilot would guide our ship’s officers through the narrow cut of Kanal Sveti Ante. This narrow and easily defensible canal made Sibenik a very powerful and wealthy natural harbor, with the Krka River running from the mountains into the bay.
Passing into the main harbor of Sibenik, the Panorama motored into the center of town, docking a short distance from old town. Sibenik would be the main point from which we would travel a short distance (15 kilometers) inland to visit one of the most beautiful national parks in Croatia, Krka National Park. This park encompasses an area of 109 square kilometers including the basin and course of the Krka River, all of which was declared a national park in 1985. Travertine is the basic natural element that forms the Krka National Park. It represents a frequent and natural phenomenon in karst geologic regions. This type of limestone deposited from water that then accumulates on living elements (moss or algae) and then forms into a variety of geomorphologic shapes. The cascades that form due to this relationship between plants, minerals and water are made of very delicate material and are extremely sensitive to natural changes and human activity. They can even be considered living, as they are born, grow, develop, age…and can even die if there is no water.
Our morning was spent exploring the many trails around Stradinski Buk, a spectacular series of terraced waterfalls and pools. Large and small rivers entered from many directions around us and surrounded everyone in the beauty of the sounds of moving water. Making our way down 60 meters to the lower waterfalls and a large pool took us through the deep forests that gave shelter from the sun to us and many birds, insects and lovely flowers. In one particular small meadow we found the ground carpeted with fall blooming Cyclamen. Tiny pink flowers with a very characteristic shape common to all Cyclamen nodded softly in the breeze, adding just a touch of color to the dense green world of the forest.
At the base of the trail easy access provided a lifetime opportunity to swim in front of one of the larger terraced waterfalls. Mist wafted gently over the water as a large group of intrepid swimmers made their way toward the front of the waterfall. The water was a lovely temperature, extremely soft and the cleanest water many of us had ever had a chance to swim in! Once out of the water, we dressed and made our way back up 60 meters to the upper terraces, serenaded by moving water the entire distance. The entire morning had been a wonderful opportunity to spend time in the natural beauty of the less-traveled parts of the Dalmatian Coast. Our visit, in the late summer, had given us a chance to walk under an expansive canopy of trees, away from the traffic and city noise of our last two days, giving us all a morning to reflect and enjoy the gift that the natural world always extends.
All too soon it was time to make our way back to our waiting bus and return to Sibenik. This port town is home to the UNESCO world heritage site of St. Jacob’s Cathedral (Sveti Jakovi). The cathedral is known for its architecture and precision dry masonry. The cathedral took over 100 years to finish, and was designed by one of Croatia’s finest architects, Juraj Dalmatinac, who decorated the outside of the church with a frieze of 71 stone heads. Inside the cathedral one of the most intricate baptisaries was built, decorated with a series of elaborate and quite large angels. Just off of one side of this tiny circular room was an exit leading out into the central square of Sibenik and the backside of the cathedral.
After a wander through old town, we made our way back to the Panorama where yet another lovely lunch of local Mediterranean dishes awaited our arrival. As we were enjoying our meal, the Captain began preparations for leaving Sibenik and returning to the Adriatic Sea via Kanal Sveti Ante, heading for tomorrow’s destination. The customary afternoon winds of late summer had increased and once outside Sibenik Bay, the sails were set on the Panorama and the remainder of the day was spent under sail. Quiet mixed with a soft warm breeze, just the occasional sound of rigging as it was adjusted…ending another day experiencing the beauty along with the hospitality and warmth so characteristic of the Balkan Peninsula.
