Nature

For a while I have been trying to take some pictures of Croatian nature. Flora is doable, but fauna is a challenge. During my first week of sailing I spotted many small dolphins. That was not the difficult part. I could see them from far away. In a completely empty sea, their splashing about, and there ercorts, seagulls, gave them away. But getting them in the picture proved very difficult. Everytime one jumped I was a little late. This is the best I have done so far.

A dolphin, really!

I did manage to find some seacreatures that were willing to pose. These two birds were performing a dance for me. They were mimicing each other perfectly.

Dancing on the water.

During my stroll through Kamenjak, a nature park situated on the southern most point of Istrie I was very busy taking loads of pictures. All of a sudden I heard something move through the shrubs right next to my foot. It was a black snake, approximatly 1 meter. Fortunately I scared it more than it scared me. It rushed away into the bushes. I immediately relised I was being a stupid tourist; I never even considerd the option that there would be snakes! Back in the village they told me it was probably a ghat (?).

Now I'm switching to flora. My quest for a decent picture of dolphins will continue, and as soon as I succeed I will post them. The flora in Croatia is dependent if you are on the lee or windward side of the evil bora. On the windward side, vegitation has a lot of difficulty growing, so only some shrubs and bushes succeed. Bald rock dominate. 



On the leeside, there is vegetation everywhere. Pine trees, and broadleaved trees, make for a very green apperance.

Woods on the leeside of the island.
In the background snow covered peaks of the mainland.

 

Kamenjak nature park.



Most southern cape of Istria.