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In one of my searches on the Internet about interesting travel websites I found a site on sea kayaking in the Adriatic. I contacted the webmaster to do a mutual link exchange and upon further investigation, I asked Ivana, one of the founders of the website, to actually do an interview with me. As you will see, she is an expert on Croatia and a pretty interesting individual herself.

Ivana Grzetic was born and raised in Dubrovnik in a “crazy about the sea” family of scuba divers and sea kayakers. She is a graduate of ACMT (American College of Management and Technology) in Dubrovnik.

As Miss Universe Croatia 1998 and a fashion model, Ivana traveled all over the world, including Hawaii, California, Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Europe. She now looks forward to sharing her knowledge and love of the Dubrovnik region and the sea with international visitors.

In 2003, Ivana Grzetic and Edi Brkic founded Adriatic Sea Kayaking. Their mission is to offer Dubrovnik visitors an opportunity to experience and explore the Dalmatian coast, Elafiti islands, the Mediterranean waters, and the region’s history and culture in a safe, healthy, active way. Adriatic Sea Kayaking offers top quality active excursions that celebrate the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage with minimal negative environmental impact.

1. Please tell us a bit about Croatia, its location, its landscapes, cities and history.

Croatia is situated in the middle of Europe, between Italy, Hungary, Slovenia and Bosnia. Although this country has only 4,7 million inhabitants, it has three completely different regions: costal, continental and mountain. Perhaps the most attractive one is costal, Mediterranean Croatia – the land of islands. Namely, in this part of Croatia there are 1185 islands!

The most attractive town in Croatia is Dubrovnik (50,000 inhabitants), situated at the southern part of Croatian coast. Surrounded with majestic almost 2km long City Walls, this town is a part of World Heritage. Among many attractions there are: Rector’s Palace-once a seat of Dubrovnik’s Government, Franciscan Monastery with 3rd oldest pharmacy in Europe and lovely Romanesque -Gothic cloister, baroque Cathedral, St. Blaze’s Church, 2nd oldest Synagogue in Europe, Jesuit church with small version of ‘Spanish Steps’.

Dubrovnik has the most amazing history: for almost 5 centuries it was an independent republic (1358-1808), which had its own government and the Rector- who was the head of the Republic. During that period Dubrovnik was one of the richest towns and one of the most powerful commercial centers in Europe.

2. Please tell us about the transport connections to Croatia. How does one get to Croatia?

Croatia has 3 international airports: Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik. Zagreb is well connected with most European countries year round. During the season (April – October) there are direct charter flights from UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Germany, France, Spain and many other European countries to Dubrovnik and Split.

Dubrovnik has direct ferry lines with Bari and Ortona in Italy, while Split and Zadar are well connected with Ancona and Pescara (Italy). Highway construction between Zagreb-Dubrovnik is in process, and at the moment we have a highway from Zagreb to Sibenik (80 km north of Split). There is a local road from Sibenik to Split and Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik is 220km southern from Split)

3. Please comment on the accommodation options in Croatia (eg. hotels, motels, apartment rentals, bed and breakfasts, camping, etc.)

Croatia offers a variety of accommodation options: camps, private rooms, private apartments, hostels and hotels. There are many good campsites on the coast. However, wild camping is not allowed, especially on the islands. Private accommodation is gaining in popularity and can be booked over the Internet. Booking private accommodation, you usually book only overnight since most of private accommodation owners do not offer breakfast and other meals. Hotels have very good standards. Those mainly offer breakfast included, although you can find some that offer all-inclusive programs.

4. What are the major tourist areas in Croatia? What type of activities are there for travellers?

The main tourist area in Croatia is its costal part, which could be divided into 2 main regions: Istria-at the northern part, with towns: Rovinj, Umag, Porec and Dalmatia at the southern part of Croatian coast, with towns: Dubrovnik, Split, Sibenik, Zadar, Makarska and islands: Brac, Hvar, Korcula, Mljet, Pag. Two largest towns along the Croatian coast are Split and Rijeka. Both have a population under 300,000. The island of Pag is a great party place, ideal for young people. Istrian and Dalmatian towns offer a range of opportunities for tourists: from cultural sightseeing to fine dining, nightlife, and day activities: sea kayaking, diving, sailing. In Dubrovnik region, apart from sea kayaking, diving and sailing, there are very interesting horseback riding, jeep safari and wine tasting tours.

3. What is the weather like in Croatia? What times of year are best to go to Croatia?

Croatia is a country of three different climates: continental-on the north, mountain – in middle of Croatia and Mediterranean in its costal part. At the costal part of Croatia summers are long, dry and hot while winters are mild and humid, with lots of rain. The best period to come to Croatia is a period from early April to mid-October. If you are coming for the sea, June, July, August and September are best. However, during July and August Croatia gets very crowded.

4. You are located in the city of Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik was also affected by the Balkan wars in the early 1990s. Please comment on this difficult time and also give us a description of this city today.

During its history, Dubrovnik never had real war on its territory, until 1991. The major weapon of the Dubrovnik Republic was its skillful diplomacy. Namely, Dubrovnik was negotiating and very often buying its freedom. The cost was sometimes really high, but it was always worth of it.

When the war in Croatia started, nobody really believed that Dubrovnik – a city enlisted in World Heritage, would be really attacked. The period between 1991 and 1992 was the hardest time of Dubrovnik’s history. The city was bombarded from the air, from land and from sea. The main street in Dubrovnik – Stradun was burning. There was no water and electricity; the shelves in the supermarkets were completely empty. One could buy only bread at that time. It seemed like there was no way out…

Reconstruction took place immediately after the war. Today one could never imagine what was going on in Dubrovnik in early nineties. The city is full of tourists and this year Lonely Planet proclaimed it as one of the most popular destinations in the world.

5. Your company provides sea kayaking tours, from day-long outings to week-long tours. Please tell us more about what your company does and what makes your tours unique.

Adria Avanture is the only sea kayaking company from Dubrovnik. We offer a wide range of sea kayaking tours:

Half day tours: with daily departures from Dubrovnik to the islands of Lokrum and Kolocep. These tours do not require any previous paddling experience.
Multy Day Tours: Short Break Tour and One week Kayaking cater to ones who are looking for adventure and escape from every day stress.

We also offer some very interesting teambuilding programs.

At Adria Avanture we emphasize on very personal service. Our guides are here at home and they know every rock, every hidden bay on your route, local people and interesting stories of the places you visit.
We support the Croatian slogan: “Help us keep the Adriatic clean”. We leave the environment as it is. All we take with us are the photos and the memories. This is why local people are friendly to kayakers.

6. How did you come up with this business idea, how long have you been in business and where do your clients come from? What time of year do you offer these tours?

I was born in a ‘crazy about the sea’ family of scuba divers and kayakers. My parents transmited to me a love for nature and the sea. As a fashion model, I spent some time in Greece, where I saw organized sea kayaking tours. This inspired me and in 2003, together with my boyfriend I founded Adria Avanture. We organize sea kayaking excursions from May to October. Majority of our clients come from UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway and USA.

Thank you, Ivana, for sharing your expert insight into the beautiful, up and coming region of Croatia with us.

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Kayaking to Cumberland Island, Georgia, is indeed a great adventure! Cumberland Island has a rich and storied history that draws thousands of visitors each year. But most people come for the abundant marine and wildlife as well as for the stunning views. As if seeing Cumberland Island wasn’t spectacular enough, it is even better when viewed from the cockpit of a kayak. Kayaking gives you an up-close and personal connection with the nature you’ve come here to enjoy — a priceless connection that only paddlers would understand.

Dolphin are abundant in the waters between St. Marys and Cumberland Island, as are River Otter. During the warmer months, Manatee and Loggerhead Sea Turtles can often be seen feet from your kayak. If it seems like they’re “playing” with you, they probably are. These animals are curious and social, and are likely to come up and check you out or just “hang around” awhile as if escorting you along your way. Not as social, but certainly remarkable, are the giant Manta Rays we often see FLYING out of the water in the Cumberland Sound. These rays are huge — spanning several feet across and making tremendous splashes when they land.

Once on the island, you’ll be greeted by wild horses simply walking around practically everywhere you look. Alligators are another island resident that you may see as you approach the island by kayak, but are more likely to be viewed in a freshwater pond on the island. Raccoons and armadillos are perhaps the islands most abundant animal residents; but, by far, ticks, no-see-ums and mosquitos are the most abundant creatures on Cumberland. I wouldn’t worry about the larger animals; but definitely take insect repellant no matter how you get to the island!

Kayaking to Cumberland Island also gives the adventurous paddler access that others simply don’t have. Places like Plum Orchard and Brickhill Bluff are miles North of the northernmost Ferry dock — much too far for the average visitor to hike to and from before their ferry leaves for the mainland. But kayakers can paddle right to Plum Orchard in less than 2-hours. Plum Orchard is not in ruins like the Dungeness mansion nearer to the ferry docks. In fact, there is often a volunteer actually living in the mansion and giving tours certain days between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

For campers, the paddle to the most remote campsite on Cumberland Island — Brickhill Bluff — is only about 12-miles (approximately 4- 4 1/2 hours for most people). This is definitely not a trip for beginners; but with a little training, anyone can do this trip. The campsite is right on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), so paddlers can camp right out of their boats without having to pack and hike inland to their campsite. Tired from a long day of paddling, you’ll be delighted to listen to the Dolphins blowing in the Brickhill River as you drift off to sleep.

All in all, Cumberland is truly a gem of nature; and the best setting for that gem is the one you create by putting yourself in a kayak and heading East to Cumberland. If you’re a kayaker — or simply a nature lover — you need to add a kayak trip to Cumberland Island to your list of things to do. This is one paddling adventure you’ll want to repeat again and again.

Even if you’re heading into safe waters it’s always important to pack a good first aid kit to bring with you while kayaking. A first aid kit should be stored in a strong waterproof container and include important items that will help you in an emergency, if you get an injury or if you just need to treat a few scrapes. The kit should also be very lightweight and suitable to fit in all kayaks, including inflatable kayaks.

First, select a durable container for your kit. The waterproof container can be a hard plastic case or just a very good bag that can be sealed easily. Many companies produce these containers that are designed for water sports like canoeing and kayaking.

Next, add basic first aid supplies. This includes band-aids in various sizes, ibuprofen, antibiotic ointment, alcohol and antiseptic wipes, self-stick bandages, antihistamine, tweezers and a first aid manual. You should also include some bug bite spray that reduces itching. Add a small bottle of strong sunscreen and any prescription medication you may need to take, including an inhaler. Finally, super glue can help to treat blisters, allowing you to paddle without pain.

Kayaking Supplies: What to Pack in Inflatable Kayaks

There are also some items you should bring specific to kayaking or heading into a more secluded area. A whistle can help you signal for help if you become injured or stuck. A drink for hydration like Gatorade is a good choice to keep your fluids up if you’re stranded. You should also pack some emergency food like energy bars and trail mix. Dramamine in pill or chewable form can fight motion sickness. This is good to pack even if you’ve never experienced morning sickness in inflatable kayaks before. A bottle of iodine can treat water to make it potable in an emergency while a wrist support can give you the ability to paddle if you start to develop tendonitis or wrist pain.

Inflatable kayaks are a great way to enjoy the water but it’s always important to pack a good first aid kit to be prepared. You never know when the weather will turn or you will suffer even a minor injury. Being prepared means you’ll be able to take care of yourself in an emergency and get yourself to help when you need it. This list contains everything necessary for a very well-made kit, although there may be some additional items you can include for your unique situation.

Nags Head is one of the most popular spots on the Outer Banks for getting out and into all the natural wonders North Carolina has to offer. An Outer Banks Kayak adventure may be the best way to see it all. This barrier island has been developed for vacationers, that is true, but it has not lost its age-old charm and it will never lose its biggest attractions. The seemingly endless ocean washed Atlantic beaches still stretch over the horizon, North to South. The sound and its natural wonders have basically remained untouched. Both the ocean and the sound are always there to be explored. Why not explore them on foot or in a kayak.

The Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve is Free

Nestled between and protected by the sand dunes on the sound side, Nags Head woods is a natural jewel. The price of admission is a short drive and absolute respect for this delicate place (Leave foot prints only here). Bring a water bottle and insect repellent. A hike or jog through the trails can take as long as you want. You can also visit this place from the water. Sail, canoe or better yet come by water in a kayak.

This is a Kayak Wonderland

Playing in the waves is fun but playing in the waves or gliding on the sound is a whole lot more fun in a kayak. Ocean side, you can kayak just about anywhere if you are up to the challenge. Run up into the waves and parallel the beach looking for the occasional dolphin school or coast back on a breaker, edging left or right to keep your nose out of the water. Then do it again (can’t get tired of this).

On the sound there are salt marches, islands and primitive wooded places full of every wonder to see. Just about anywhere on the sound is a good place for kayaking. It is great exercise and the best way to get away from it all. Kayaking here is an absolutely unforgettable experience.

If bringing your own kayak is not convenient you can rent one just about anywhere around here. Outer Banks kayak rentals are inexpensive and you can even have them delivered to your beach house rental or wherever you plan to hit the water.

Take a Kayak Tour

Kayak tours are fun and the tour outfit will supply everything you need. They will show you how to kayak if you are new to it. They will even provide a guide that will know where all the best places are and drive you to and through it. Never tried Kayaking? It’s the Outer Banks, try some thing new, explore. It could easily become your next great vacation passion.

When you get to the Outer Banks you will need a place to stay. Nags Head beach rentals are abundant. Nags Head is in the center of it all and close to the fun things to do here. From June to September this place is busting at the seams. The beaches are clean, natural and expansive. This is not just the best place to vacation; this is the most affordable vacation spot on this part of the planet. This is also the best place to set out on an Outer Banks kayak adventure.

Not every man and woman who owns a kayak wants to travel over the rapids. A number of them prefer to take their craft out on slightly calmer waters and do some kayak fishing. In that case, the kayak’s owner must set about the task of obtaining all the necessary gear.

He or she will need to equip his or her craft with rod holders. However, that task should not be attempted until after some kayaking has taken place, in the absence of those same components. The kayaker should reach out to the location where a holder might be placed, before drilling a single hole. He or she must make sure that no holder will ever block his or her important paddle stroke.

Only after taking such actions, can the owner of a kayak proceed with drilling. Even then, he or she should set aside time for reading the warranty that came with the single-rider craft. Some manufacturers will declare a warranty of no value, if holes have been drilled into their sleek and buoyant product.

As with is the case with many online shopping efforts, the one that involves a quest for a suitable holder must begin with a study of the products from two different companies. Those in one line carry the Scotty label, those in another the Ram label. The kayaker and lover of fishing must look closely at the advantages attached to each group of holders.

All the Scotty products are interchangeable. Each of them can be rotated and adjusted with ease. Each of them features a locking tooth system. Some have a height extender. The newest extenders can be adjusted, so they provide the user with a greater amount of flexibility.

Each of the Ram products can be adjusted to any extent, and in all directions. The presence of a ball mount system ensures the existence of that capability. However, the same system also complicates the task of exchanging any of the various parts. The base of two items with the Ram label help to solve a big challenge, and one that faces the owners of Hobie kayaks. That concerns the limited number of spots where mounting can take place.

Fishfinder mounts should be placed on a craft that is going to be used for kayak fishing. Each of them serves as an anchoring point. Scotty’s mounting bar features a built in lure, along with an accessory rack. The competitor, the Lilly Pad mounting platform is made with a material known as starboard. It becomes especially useful when placed on a decked kayak.

Whether a fan of fishing buys one of the conventional or inflatable kayaks, he or she is sure to want certain accessories. For example, the person who knows that he or she will be sitting for many hours generally welcomes the opportunity to obtain a seat cushion. The Skwoosh seat cushion contains TekPad contouring gel. When not under a kayaker, as he or she swooshes through the water, it can be folded and stored with ease.

After a man or woman who enjoys kayak fishing marries and starts a family, then he or she often chooses to get an inflatable life raft. It has been designed to handle a group of fish-pole-toting adults and children.

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