Bora
On a sunny day, Bakar Bay appears as a safe haven. It’s hard to imagine that the almost mirror-smooth surface of the sea can go wild. But find yourself in Bakar on a windy day, and you will experience the true power of nature. Bora (Cro. bura) is the name given to the unpredictable wind typical of the eastern Adriatic coast. It is a widely known wind. It is abrupt, fast, and comes in strong gusts. The saying goes that it is born in Senj, marries in Bakar, and dies in Trieste. And you know where the mood is the most raucous – at the wedding party! Thus, staying outside on the Bakar waterfront during the bora is almost unbearable. It is also an unusual experience when the bora wind finds you in the shelter of the streets of the old town. You can hear it coming, and you should stand against the wall so it doesn’t knock you down on the way. The bora is indeed like a creature from folk tales.
Magical Dawns
Many seaside resorts boast romantic sunsets, but few have sunrises as magical as Bakar’s. Hidden from prying eyes in its sheltered bay, this stone town sometimes enjoys the sumptuous dawn drenched in a rhapsody of colors – from bright red to purple. In those special moments that last only a few minutes, the rising sun ignites the sky with its vibrant colors, mirrored in Bakar Bay, illuminating the still sleepy town. This game of nature does not happen often, so if you are lucky enough to witness it, you will surely remember it.
A Lake that Appears and Disappears
The hinterland of Bakar hides the natural phenomenon of Ponikve: a karst lake that appears and disappears. In the dry season, all you can see is beautiful nature – meadows and groves in a large valley. But the karst terrain hides springs of water. When it rains, the water seeps in and several springs appear in the forest. Ice streams flourish until a lake fills the valley and covers the treetops. If you don’t believe us, take the road to Ponikve after a long rainy season and be surprised by the sight of canopies poking out of the water!
“Where does all this water come from? Where does it disappear, and where does it return?” Dragutin Hirc, a famous naturalist, a pioneer of Croatian mountaineering, and a teacher at the Bakar School, asked himself these questions more than a hundred years ago. Much of his research dates back to the time when he lived in Bakar and used every free moment for excursions in Primorje and Gorski Kotar. His botanical research has resulted in numerous discoveries, and therefore several species of molluscs and plants are named after him. Among them is the Hirc’s rose, which was found in the vicinity of Bakar.
Andrija Mohorovičić
With such weather conditions, it is no wonder that some of the first meteorological research in Croatia is related to Bakar, thanks to Andrija Mohorovičić, a great man of Croatian science, who spent several years of his youth as a professor at the Maritime School in Bakar. He became interested in the movement of clouds and devoted himself to studying it. He even installed a meteorological station in the school courtyard, previously located at Hotel Jadran. Andrija Mohorovičić will be remembered as the father of modern seismology, but his scientific beginnings are rooted in meteorology and Bakar, whose clouds he described in an inspiring way: “A very fine fibrous structure, similar to individual threads or heaps of white silk. These threads are now parallel, now curved or intertwined, or the sky is covered with a kind of milky veil. “
The Blind Water Carrier
At the turn of the 19th century, a staple of Bakar everyday life was one fascinating man – Ivan Čop, the blind water carrier. Blind since childhood, Ivan nonetheless came to know every inch of the stone town and surrounding areas. He lived his life as a water carrier for rich Bakar citizens. We transformed the emotional story of the blind water carrier of Bakar into a picture book that will sweep you away on an exploration of the old town. You can browse and listen to the picture book here https://www.tz-bakar.hr/bakarski-vodonosa/, available in Croatian and English. Come to Bakar, to the places presented in the picture book, and read or listen to the story everywhere. The texts and illustrations are the work of students at Bakar Primary School and Hreljin Primary School.
