Spot chaser #3: Susak

Sandy beaches are not typical for Croatia. A sandy bottom, along with a seabed covered with pebbles, will give a bay its splendid turquoise color. Although the country has plenty of them, the majority of the Croatian coastline (islands included) is made from rocks. There is, however, an island that completely opposes all the others: Susak. This island is specific because it is the only Croatian island made completely out of sand. It is interesting to note that its formation is a mere coindence: as the Italian river Po flowed on the Adriatic sea, it gradually dragged behind big quantities sand, which started to build up more and more, until the level of the accumulated sand surpassed the sea level and formed a new island.

Susak is located in the northwest of Croatia. Renting a boat from Pula, this island is usually an option at the beginning or the end of a sailing week. Susak is not only specific because it is the only Croatian sandy island, but also for the people that inhabit it. There are 151 persons living on the island today. Many of them are related to each other. You can find a proof of this at Susak's cemetery where you will only encounter around 4-5 last names!

During the sixties, a very high tax on the wine was imposed to the inhabitants; as wine production was their primary activity, most of the people decided to leave Susak and emigrate to the U.S. This is not something new - people from other islands also emigrated together, e.g. on the island of Vis, when the island was at one point turned into a strategic military point. What distinguishes the emigrates from Susak in their unity. They have sticked together ever since their departure: all the inhabitants moved to the same city in the U.S. (the city of Hoboken in New Jersey) and they all come back together during their summer holidays, more or less at the same time. Interestingly, even the people that remained on Susak refer to this as "the period when the "Americans" are (or aren't) on the island"!

They are easily recognizable for Croatians, since most of the people that emigrated speak a mixture between English and Croatian. Many have a tattoo of the Croatian coat of arms on their shoulder as well. They also have a very cool bar as part of their local futsal club. The bar is situated just by the beach. The "Americans" usually gather here in the afternoon and you can hear them singing old songs. To make it better, drinks here are very cheap!

Besides a bunch of sand and many interesting people, Susak has a lot more to offer. The island has two minor "villages" - the upper one, situated on a hill and the lower by the sea. They are separated by a long climb with numerous stairs, but the view from Vela straza (Upper watch) is truly worth the climb. Although there are a couple of long sandy beaches right in front of the Lower Village, they are usually filled with people that reach the island by ferry. The other cool places on the island are somewhat hard to reach as the island is quite steep and densely filled with reed, a plant that you can find all over the place. The author of this text once tried to reach the village from a bay called Pored; it did not end very well. But that's where a boat comes in very handy, as you can cruise around the island and pick the bay that suits you best. You can also find some high (around 12-13 meters) cliffs on the opposite side of the village. The sea is deep enough there, so you can jump if you're brave enough!

Although the island is not very big, there's quite a few restaurants around. Be careful - you can easily end up in the wrong one and be very dissatisfied with your dinner. Guests are usually very happy with two of them, called "Barbara" and "Sansegus". There's also a third option, a small tavern where you can taste a delicious pasta with shrimp scampi, followed by some fresh grilled fish and a side dish - all for a very friendly price. The location is secret, but if you treat your NorthEast skipper well... :)

Photo: Susak life (Facebook)