Regatta to the beach -

Text by Jakša Fiamengo, photo by Ivo Pervan, originaly published in LivingStone Magazine, 2009

Otkada zna za sebe čovjek se nadmeće s prirodom i samim sobom ne bi li bio brži i jači u svladavanju prostora i vremena te pritom stalno pomicao granice svojih mogućnosti, postavljao sebi sve teže i teže zadatke te postizao bolje rezultate, nove rekorde. Mnoge takve utakmice, utrke, regate čovjek izmišlja prije svega zato kako bi sebi i drugima nešto dokazao, kako bi dobio prevlast nad naizgled nemogućim. Ima jedna regata u kojoj svi ti razlozi i povodi padaju u vodu. Točnije, u more.
Rotu Palagruzonu je izmislio život, postoji barem pet stoljeća, diktirala ju je borba za golu egzistenciju i nije marila za tradicije već za preživljavanje. Zbivala se u viškom akvatoriju, u njoj su sa svojim tipičnim falkušama, „ofalkonim gajetama“, posebno drvenim nastavcima (falcima) opremljenima za visoko more, sudjelovali komiški ribari, prekaljeni prvaci pučinskog ribarstva u našim krajevima s golemim višestoljetnim iskustvom. U regati je trebalo istegnuti mišiće, proliti dosta znoja i upotrebiti sve pomorsko i ribarsko znanje te umijeće svićora i šijovcih (šijavac je veslač u gajeti koji šijaje, drži brod na mjestu, a svićar svijetli na ribe), poznavanje mora i vjetrova ne bi li ih se svladalo i pritom, iscrpljujući posljednje atome snage, odoljelo svim napastima, prkosilo žezi i (zlo)ćudima vremena i mora.

Ribarski maraton

Cilj je bio što jedrima a što, za neželjenih utiha, na vesla doploviti na jedan žal, pučinski žal, na daleku Palagružu, najudaljenije hrvatsko pučinsko otočje, tradicionalnu ribonosnu „poštu“ komiških ribara, a plov je znao trajati i do 15 sati neprekidna veslanja da bi se dobila bolja pozicija za soljenje ribe i istezanje mreža te, nekada, i samih gajeta na negostoljubivom tlu. Takvoj ribarskoj epopeji zaista nema premca, ali je zgodna usporedba s trčanjem Filipidesa koji je u staroj Grčkoj prešao 42 km od Termopila do Atene kako bi objavio pobjedu u bitki s Perzijancima kod Maratona i tako ušao u povijest sporta i olimpizma. U ovoj utrci, u komiškom morskom maratonu, uz pomoć vjetra i ruku trebalo je upotrijebiti jedra i vesla, jer drugoga tada nije bilo, a sve do prije 73 godine, kad je posljednja održana, trajala je ne onih antičkih 42 kilometra već točno 42 milje, kolika je razdaljina od Komiže, najribarskije luke na Jadranu, do Palagruže.

Prsti jedne ruke

Regata do Palagruže, koja se misli obnoviti u čast svih onih koji su desetljećima odlazili na znak topa s komiške tvrđave zvane Komuna na put u neizvjesnost, nije se vozila zarad sportskih odličja i slave, ona se vozi zarad života, a on je često znao biti na kocki. Nju ne prate sportski reporteri koji uzbudljivo prenose trenutačna zbivanja na „terenu“, već ju ispraćaju jedino preostali Komižani, osobito Komižanke (jer je ova regata isključivo muška „disciplina“, utrka na snagu) s rive i mola moleći svetoga Mikulu, komiškog patrona i zaštitnika ribara i pomoraca, kojemu se inače u žrtvenom ognju daruju isluženi brodovi, a čija se slika zajedno s baškotom i drugim nužnim „trajnim“ namirnicama nosi pod provom, da ih na kraju ribolovnog „mraka“ sa što boljim ulovom plave (ali i oborite) ribe sretno dovede natrag u rodnu uvalu.
Falkuša i Palagruža su kao prsti jedne ruke – nerazdvojni, znali su govoriti stari Komižani, od pamtivijeka okrenuti moru kao izvoru života. Ovo zajedništvo zapečaćeno je stoljećima ribolovstva na ovoj značajnoj pelagičnoj ribolovnoj pošti. Ima i drugih udaljenih staništa komiških ribara, onih oko Jabuke, Sveca, Brusnika i Biševa, zatim onih po komiškoj uvali i usamljenim sikama, plićinama izvan nje. Ali put na Palagružu za Komižane – čija je obitelj Borčić Bucco davno kupila od Italije ovo pučinsko otočje i od tada je Palagruža pripadala državi kojoj je pripadala i Komiža – uvijek je bio poseban doživljaj, elementarni zov ribanja, izazov za najvještije.

Rota Palagruzona

Palagruža je i danas sa svojim ribarima i gajetama duboko usidrena u kolektivnoj svijesti Komižana, ali i cijele naše ribolovne tradicije. Zapravo, to je sidrenje u vremenu, nešto što treba sačuvati makar kao uspomenu, s ponosom i ponešto sjete.
Oto muži s Palagruže / oparćojte žene ruže (Eto muževi s Palagruže / pripremite žene ruže), pjevali su svojim hrabrim ribarima Komižani, a ribarske družine su i na levutima i lojama, ali i na bancićima, spremajući se u Komiži za ribolov, pričali facende, nefikcionalne priče. To je „ribarsko prigovaranje“ pomno zabilježio dr. Joško Božanić, začetnik obnove ribarske regate na žala Palagruže. Ove godine, koja je u tom smislu bila promotivna, sudjelovalo je desetak oldtajmera, ali se zbog pojačanog juga Rota Palagruzona skratila i jedrila samo do Brusnika, također znamenite komiške ribarske pošte.
Tim atraktivnim plovećim prisjećanjem bit će zadovoljeni dusi drevnih ribara čija je prva regata zabilježena 12. svinja 1593. (dogovorena je sedam dana ranije u hvarskoj Lođi), godinu dana nakon izgradnje živopisnoga mletačkog kaštela na rivi, koji je završen zahvaljujući ribarskim prinosima (s ribonosne biševske pošte Trešjavac). Molba komiških ribara, a predvodio ih je svićor Nicolo Bosanich, providuru contu Pietru Longu u hvarskoj Lođi, ponovljena je ove godine, točno 416 godina kasnije, u istom prostoru na inauguraciji obnove regate u kulturološko-plovidbenu manifestaciju Rota Palagruzona. Iz Hvara, nekad središta hvarsko-bračko-viške komune, krenuli su prema Komiži a potom je (nije bilo topova, ali je bilo starigradskih, odnosno viških glazbara) označen start, kažu, najstarije poznate ribarske regate u Europi u obnovljenom izdanju. Prema otvorenome moru krenule su komiške falkuše Comeza-Lisboa i Mikula, leuti Šjor Brane, Slobodna Dalmacija, Labud, Muretarica i Leute moj, gajeta Mociguzica, karavela Santa Maria, pasara Lesna, jedan danski ribarski brod… Nije se došlo do Palagruže… Dogodine hoće!

From his very beginnings, man has been competing with Nature, trying to become faster and stronger in conquering space and time, constantly stretching boundaries of his capabilities, putting before himself tougher and more difficult tasks, achieving better results and new records. Man invents many such competitions, races and regattas to prove something to himself and to others, to overcome what seems impossible to overcome. There is one regatta in which all of these reasons and motives fall short. To be more exact, they fall into the sea.
The route “Rota Palagruzona” was invented by life, used for at least five centuries, dictated by the mere existence, and didn’t care for traditions, but for survival. It took place in the waters of Vis. Fishermen from Komiža, our country’s tough champions of deep-sea fishing with centuries long experience participated in it with their typical fishing boats Falkuša, a single masted boat with special wooden endings (falci) equipped for high seas. Regatta demanded stretching of muscles, a lot of sweat and use of all available naval and fishing knowledge and skills of svićor and šijovcih (šijavac is a rower in a boat who šijaje, keeps the boat still, and the svićar illuminates the fish), knowledge of the sea and winds in order to conquer them and, using the last bits of strength, resist all menaces, defy scorching heat and changing nature of the weather and the sea.

The Fishing marathon

The goal was to sail, either with sails or, during unwanted calm, to row to a beach, open sea beach, distant Palagruža, the furthest Croatian high seas island, the traditional fishing „post“ of fishermen from Komiža. The voyage could last up to 15 hours of uninterrupted rowing in order to obtain a better position for salting of fish, stretching of the nets and occasional beaching of the boat on hostile land. This was a truly matchless epic, but a comparison with the running of Phillipides is convenient, since Phillipides in ancient Greece ran a distance of 42 km from Thermopil to Athens to announce the victory in the battle against the Persians at Marathon, and thus became legends of sports and Olympic spirit. In this race, in the sea marathon of Komiža, sails and oars had to be used with the help of the wind and hands, because there was nothing else. All until 73 years ago, when the last race was held, it lasted not the ancient 42 kilometres, but exactly 42 miles, which is the distance from Komiža to the most fishing port on the Adriatic, Palagruža.

Fingers of one hand

The regatta to Palagruža, which will be revived in the honour of all those who have for decades been leaving the fort of Komiža called Komuna at the sound of the canon and set off to the unknown, was not sailed for sport medals and glory. It was sailed for life which was often at stake. It was not followed by sport reporters who would excitingly report on the events on the „field“, but seen off only by inhabitants of Komiža who remained behind, especially by the women (because this regatta is solely a male „discipline“, a race in strength) from the quay and waterfront. They would pray to St. Nicholas, the patron of Komiža and the protector of fishermen and sailors who was otherwise offered old ships in sacrificial fire. His image was placed under the prow, together with cracknel and other necessary durables, so he could safely bring them back to their coves at the end of a fishing „darkness,“ with the best possible catch of quality fish.
Falkuša and Palagruža are like fingers of one hand – inseparable, say the old inhabitants of Komiža to whom the sea has been the source of life for as long as anyone can remember. This unity was sealed by centuries of fishing in this significant pelagic fishing post. There are other fishing spots of Komiža fishermen, the ones around Jabuka, Svetac, Brusnik and Biševo, or the ones in Komiža bay and lonely cliffs and shallows beyond it. But the trip to Palagruža – bought from Italy by Borčič Bucco family from Komiža a long time ago and since then Palagruža became part of the same state as Komiža- was always a special experience to people from Komiža, an elementary fishing call, a challenge for the most skilled.

Rota Palagruzona

Even today Palagruža with its fishermen and fishing boats is deeply anchored in the collective mind of the inhabitants of Komiža, but also of our entire fishing tradition. In fact, it is anchored in time, as something that must be preserved in memory at least, with pride and a bit of melancholy. The inhabitants sang to their brave fishermen Oto muži s Palagruže / oparćojte žene ruže (Here come the men from Palagruža / women prepare the roses) and the fishing groups who were also on boats like levut and loja, but also on bancići, preparing themselves in Komiža for fishing, were telling each other facendas, non-fictional stories, and this „fisherman story-telling“ was recorded in detail by Joško Božanić, PhD, the founder of the revival of the fishing regatta to Palagruža. This year, which was in that sense promotional, ten old-timers participated, but due to strong sirocco, Rota Palagruzona was shortened and it was sailed only to Brusnik, another significant fishing post of Komiža.
This attractive sailing recollection will surely satisfy the spirits of the ancient fishermen who, according to the records, sailed their first regatta on May 12, 1593 (arranged seven days earlier in Hvar Loggia), one year after the construction of the picturesque Venetian castle on the waterfront that was completed thanks to fishermen’s yields (from the Biševo fishing post Trešjavac). The appeal of the Komiža fishermen, led by svićor (illuminator) Nicolo Bosanich, to proveditor, count Pietro Longo in Hvar Loggia that year, was re-enacted this year, exactly 416 years later, in the same place, at the inauguration of the revival of the regatta into a cultural-sailing manifestation Rota Palagruzona. From Hvar, once a centre of the Hvar-Brač-Vis commune, they sailed to Komiža and from there they embarked (there were no cannons, but there were local musicians from Vis) on the oldest known fishing regatta in Europe in a revived version. The falkušas from Komiža Comeza-Lisboa and Mikula took off to open sea, leuts Šjor Brane, Slobodna Dalmacija, Labud, Muretarica and Leute moj, gajeta Mociguzica, karavela Santa Maria, pasara Lesna, one Danish fishing boat… They did not reach Palagruža, but next year they will!

Formated for CROWN by Vibor Visković
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