A beautiful day for some bura at the beach.
Call me crazy, but this afternoon was the first time I visited the beach across the street from my house this summer. The beach I lived at the first summer I moved here, the beach I made sure I went to for at least one hour every day last summer in between writing articles, has not seen my footprints yet this year. Yes, that is crazy.
I’m sure you’re wondering “what was she thinking?” and trust me; I too am wondering how this summer has nearly escaped me. The again, I can blame this all on the heatwave, right? Who else really left the safe haven of their air conditioning unit in the last few weeks, or months even? I rest my case.
I live in the Zenta neighborhood of Split, directly below Firule hospital, close to the new Marvie Hotel, and just around the corner from the only Biberon bar in Croatia that serves sushi and Japanese fare. While there are a few beaches I can choose from just a few minutes away from where I live, including Firule Beach and Trstenik, I prefer Zenta beach, located just a few steps past the PŠD Zenta Marina.
I woke up this morning with no other plans in mind but a swim. The weather forecast was promising, and with temperatures under 30 degrees Celsius this afternoon and a heavy bura breeze to boot, there would be no melting - and in my opinion, no better day for the beach.
I arrived at Zenta beach around 13:00 to find ten sunbathers propped on the pebbles, quietly minding their own business. There were only a few swimmers in the sea, and you couldn’t even hear music from the popular Cox bar that serves coffees, beers, and tropical drinks.
I posted up with my beach mat as close to the water as I could, furiously fighting the wind as I set up shop. Yes, I had to chase my hat flying across peacefully sunbathing tourists more than once, and yes, it was more embarrassing the second time. Thank goodness for those handy beach pebbles you can use as weights for your beach accessories!
The temperature was ideal, but the wind was anything but faint. High gusts picked up from time to time, and I wondered if I would swim after all. While only a brave few remained in the sea, pushing through the current with all of the strength in their arms they had, my body had built up enough heat to take a dip. And I did.
We know that Dalmatia has been breaking temperature records left and right, but just last week, the sea temperature in Split also achieved its record, reaching 28.9 degrees Celsius! I can confirm this, our dear readers, it is true.
The sea, like bathwater, has not been affected by the bura wind - and to be perfectly honest, it was warmer inside the sea than outside on the beach. For one of the warmest swims of my life and one of the most pleasant, this was up there as one of the best decisions I made all year.
If you do decide to visit my favorite local beach, here are a few tips.
If you get thirsty, you can visit Cox bar located directly on the beach.
If you get hungry, you can visit nearby restaurants Kadena, Velo Misto, or Kalafatić Pizzeria.
And if you need a shower after your swim, there’s even one waiting for you.
With the summer season nearing its end, take a lesson from me and get to your favorite local beach while the sun is still here to greet us. The water, albeit warm, is heavenly and winter will be here before we know it - what are you waiting for?
