Tucked in a bay facing west, you’ll find Komiža, seeking to fuse all the pieces of its past under picturesque dusk sky painted in out-of-this-world colors. The town waterfront has tamed the sea and provides spectacular views of anchored boats, their arrivals and departures, walkways and local customs, and the clear open sea. Like boats moored to the pier, the waterfront ties life here together. It’s the center of everything, a spot where everything is in sight and everyone can see you. One cannot imagine living in Komiža and not strolling along its waterfront at least once a day, to buy something, to meet someone, or just because, to check the time on the clock on the impressive fortress, or stroll by the columned cornice.
It’s a well known Komiža tradition to ritually burn the gajeta falkuša, a fisherman’s boat which sailed into legend because of the island’s fisherman’s heroic past. This ritual is a cue from the past and a beacon of tradition. It’s also a reminder of the boats’ lifecycle, which starts in the caulkers’ hands and finishes in the sacrificial flame on St. Nicholas’ Day, an offering to Komiža’s patron saint for the safety of all boats currently sailing the seas.
Komiža Bay opens on the wide sea, which has once staged famous fishermen regattas to the island of Palagruža in hopes of securing better luck. Palagruža, the southernmost island of the Croatian Adriatic, was historically an island of life importance for Komiža fishermen. From Komiža Bay you can see the islet of Biševo, famous for its sandy beaches, but above all for the Blue Cave. Entering the cave by sea is an extraordinary daylight experience, a celebration of blue and symphony of colors.
Until recently the Mediterranean monk seal, forever fighting for its share of pilchards with the fishermen, had its home in the caves on the Biševo and St. Andrew’s islands. You might also be intrigued by the volcanic origin of the island of Jabuka, which shines like a black fin in the distance. Or perhaps the volcanic island of Brusnik will tickle your imagination, a quarrelsome nesting ground for seagulls. All these islets are part of the Komiža Archipelago, blazoned on this part of the Adriatic.
* Impressions of Vis and Komiža taken from texts by Jakša Fiamengo, poet from Komiža.