Winters in Dalmatia always bring low tides. That is connected with the moon’s gravitational pull. We get seriously high tides only during southern winds and, this winter, we had very few southern jugo days. Unusually few. Winter low tides tides are taking place in February and March and that is the best time to explore.

Vrsi beach

It is always fun to take a walk by the sea during low tides. There are always unique things to see and find. That’s why we took a drive to Vrsi in time of one of the lowest tides of this winter of 2022.
Vrsi is a small village near Nin in North Dalmatia first mentioned in 1311. There are 2056 inhabitants according to the 2021 census and the village was always known for sailors and agriculture. And, of course, tourism. Or however you call piling up ugly buildings that accommodate guests for about 60 days every summer…I wrote about Vrsi few years back: https://atomic-temporary-6581387.wpcomstaging.com/2018/08/27/our-lady-of-zecevo/

Vrsi has several unique beaches and few of them are facing mighty Velebit and harsh bura winds, making the coast rugged and quite picturesque.

But Vrsi has a very flat Jasenovo peninsula facing Nin. And that was the goal of our trip.

Winter low tide in Vrsi

This peninsula is heavily wooded and it does look lovely in pics. It is all one big pine tree forest while the name implies different original forests. Jasen, in Croatian, is ash in English. But, ash forest probably got all cut down centuries ago.This coastline or a beach (however you want to call it), is easy to access due to the dirt road passing by.

The coast is surprisingly low and I think, in case of the global ocean level rise, this area will first get flooded in all of Croatia. And this pine tree forest will look like mangrove forest.

Jasenovo peninsula

What was surprising was the fact that we hardly saw any sign of life. There are were nearly no seashells, no dead crabs…no life of any sort. Only some sort of sea sponges piled up in some areas.

The winter low tides usually reveal all sort of life but not here. I don’t know what is the reason but the over -construction definitely does not help. The pollution is not visible during winter but I am not sure about how clean the sea water is during peak summer months.

Winter tides are great fun for the whole family. No matter if you find something or not, it is still great to see the changes seascape and walk where usually water is. Jasenovo peninsula is quite large and this walk was over 6 km without even going to the northern, more popular side.

And I do plan to return during summer months to see what this place looks like in peak season.