The Istrian peninsular, the other face of the Adriatic

The northeastern section of the Adriatic is vastly different as regards
the coastal landscape. Having passed Isonzo, the flatlands give way
to the Carso plateau, which rises several hundred metres above sea
level, embracing the gulf of Trieste and the peninsular of Istria. It has a lime-based structure and is therefore particularly prone to erosion, which characterises on one hand the physiognomy of the inland area, which is barren and jagged, swathed in woodlands that come alight with colour in the autumn and on the other the winding profile of the coast, with its deep inlets, known locally as ‘valloni’, which are in places so pronounced as to resemble the fjords of Norway.

Upon closer inspection however, the Carso also demonstrates
considerable variations, according to latitude. Around the gulf of
Trieste, in Slovenian territory, one discovers ‘white’ Istria, due to the nature of the rocks that inland form the spine of mount Uka and on the coast form vertical cliffs, as can be seen at Strunjan and Piran.
It was here that the Serenissima republic’s transport rafts stopped,
having travelled from lagoon to lagoon, to load the candid Istrian
stone of which half of Venice was built. The inland area is surprisingly rich in rivers, streams and springs are is therefore green with woods. These are the stretches of Slovenian coast with the most interesting beds for divers as they present certain features that are unique within the Adriatic context.

Within a distance of a few dozen miles, one encounters the marine reserve of Punta Grossa, just north of Koper, and those of Strunjan and Punta Madonna, not far from Piran. Birdwatchers will delight at the Secovlje saltworks that have been in use for 800 years and that are now also appreciated as a marine bird sanctuary. Further south, in Croatian territory, one comes to ‘red’ Istria, so called for the colour of the land, a fertile, iron-rich clay that is ideal for farming the vines and olive trees that alternative with the fragrant Mediterranean undergrowth and slivers of evergreen forest. The landscape is more barren and is visibly marked by those features – dolines, caves and underground rivers – that have been given the name ‘karstic’.

As regards navigation, Istria’s seabed is rocky and shallow (with an
average depth of 25 metres in the coastal region), which enhances
the action of the tides, with daily variations of over 50 centimetres
(more than one metre for neap tides) and consequently in currents
that can be intense in the inlets along the coast.
However, from a safety standpoint the most important element is the wind and in particular the Bora that descends from the north over the Carso and Istria: so keep an eye on the weather report and anemometer, but reassured in the knowledge that the most critical situations arise during the winter season. Istria is a paradise for leisure navigation and sailing in particular: there are a great many well-equipped marinas and certainly no shortage of well-sheltered anchorage points. One last hint: as in Slovenian and Croatian waters navigation regulations differ slightly to Italian standards, it is advisable to seek clarifications at the Harbour Master’s Office when collecting the annual navigation permit.