As the small ferry boat wound its way through the Adriatic Sea, a burst of laughter swept across the deck.“He jumped on her back, and they swam off together…it’s true…it really happened,” cried the burly, bearded man, looking towards the seaside caves where this “seanapping” was supposed to have taken place. I laughed, thinking this was just another Croatian folktale, like gypsies suddenly turning into owls, or four-headed spirits appearing in the dark of night. But I was still intrigued by this banter on the boat. Could there actually be an enchantress in thee turquoise waters, a marvelously-blue mermaid luring a man out to sea?
Once we docked on Lastovo on the Dalmatian archipelago of tiny islets three hours from Split, I decided it would be amusing to find this seductive temptress. It was said she lived in the chalklike sea caves close to the Struga lighthouse. This white tower rose majestically into the sky. It was enlightening illumination, casting a flickering light that could be seen as far as Italy. Inspired, I ignored talk of an impending storm, and headed up a steep cliff. On the way there, I was captivated by the Struga’s flashes, how these bolts had their own rhythm, dancing across the sky. But my reverie was suddenly disrupted. A man appeared, Mladen (Bartulovic, 62), the lighthouse keeper, who quickly said, “Don’t worry, the storm will pass.” He would know. Living on this deserted cliff for years, only with his wife and the passing birds, Mladen and his lights guided ships to safety through thunderous cataclysms. He knew the island, the sea caves and white beaches better than any man on this sage and heather-scented hideaway.
I was about to ask him about this man who had disappeared. I quickly stopped myself once Mladen continued, “Lightning once hit my lighthouse with such force it destroyed all the installations…” A sad look crossed his weather-beaten face, and I knew then that talk about some fanciful mermaid was inappropriate. Mladen only cared about saving ships, and not about enchantment. I was still determined to unravel Lastovo’s greatest mystery–and of course, to discover inviting places to eat and swim. Over the next three days I completely indulged myself, smelling the heather, eating fresh fish, and diving in seabeds covered with silky sand and green-brown seagrass. On Lastovo, as nowhere else in Croatia, everything is devoted to marine life, crackling waves, grouper, conger eel, murine, pikeperch, kanji, and lampuga.
I also visited the uniquely beautiful Saplun, a white beach with shimmering sand. It was the perfect place to feast on the sun, think of a freshly-grilled fish I would enjoy that night, and to also daydream. I did just that. I sat by the water listening to the gulls, and wondered, “Where could this mermaid be? Was she real?” I laughed out loud, knowing only one thing for sure. She had also worked her charms on me. I knew her spirit would tempt me to return to Lastovo, very soon.
