An Afternoon Swim with Some Babas
You may wonder what keeps the women of the Croatian coast going. The short answer is God. The long answer is strong relationships, to family, nature, and to friends. Over and over we see that women and men of the coast live longer and better when these ties are strong. Grounded in spirit and daily routines, the women of the island of Ilovik have shown this to younger generations, not only through discipline and piety but through having fun.
Laura relaxing along the wall.
One afternoon a few years ago I happened to be around when one of a series of self-organized baba swims was taking place in my mother’s village. One of the women, already in her 80s was not feeling strong enough to go in the water alone. Beloved universally, Eni (sounds like Annie) wanted to swim but feared it, too.
The women gathered, along with a few men, to have a group afternoon swim. Snacks had been made and were brought to the beach. Trays were circulated and laughter rose up in the air. The jokes, a hallmark of island life here, could be heard. Slowly, Eni gathered courage from behind her sunglasses.
Eni having a taste of the fried treats. Mainlanders call them “krustule” but here the name sounds more like “hrustilini.”
Next thing I knew we were making our way towards the water. Eni had gathered her will to try from the community, from the fun of it all. By her side came Klara, her neighbor and arguably her best friend. Eni had left for the United States years ago, and came back now in the summers. Klara and her kids lived in the nearby city of Rijeka. Here their lives came together to play cards, share meals, and more. They laughed and agreed, disagreed, and laughed some more as the summers came and went over the course of decades.
My GoPro and I get into the water
We all went in, neighbors and friends, various relatives who were also neighbors, and friends, a kind of circle of us got in there. It was Klara that Eni held onto as her aching legs got into the sea. It was Klara’s unflagging laughter that got Eni to relax. Snapping a couple of pictures I couldn’t help but notice the way they held onto each other. Inside the sea they were timeless. Their bodies were in their 80s but they acted as playfully as two girls. Klara was secretly, subtly very careful with Eni, as were the others.
Klara, Eni and team holding hands in the water.
Lots of times when people think about Croatia, they think of celebrities and beautiful young women and men swimming in secluded spots. Although everyone loves to see the young ones be as beautiful as only the young can be, there is something to the elderly that our culture still celebrates. The best thing is, that the elders of Croatia are actually willing to celebrate themselves. Infirmities are transformed into plot twists. Stories of chronic aches and pains are framed into stoic lessons of persistence, tinged with sly jokes about our inevitable mortality.
Eni requested a tube to make her feel safer. Klara said she looked great in turquoise.
The swim went on for a bit, and then it wound down. The snacks were eaten. Children and tourists smiled at the old people having a moment. In places like Ilovik the world seems simple and for these moments it is. Eni, Klara and the others made it back onto shore, Eni returning the plastic tube to whomever had commandeered it from their grandchild for a few moments. Bodies that had endured decades of stress, of work and life, of love and loss all came out of the water as the sun went lower. The Adriatic Sea can be cold, the heat of the day was fading. The best of the late afternoon had been had.
The lovely Divna
Another watchful Baba named Nada enjoying the group swim with Eni.
Me looking goofy in my selfie with Klara
Klara and Eni have both passed away since this day. An afternoon with them will never happen again, yet something about it does last. Something about that day reflects the general character that has kept this little island village alive. That day is like a note in a song that has been growing for hundreds of years. It’s this song of our shared moments that draws us back from the cities, from even faraway homes.
Hopefully we will never lose that appreciation for a good laugh no matter the circumstances or the distances we must travel to come back to this coast. Sure the beaches will change, so will the faces and names, but if we keep coming to these shores, the better our chances of holding onto these unofficial traditions of laughter and helping hands, of keeping each other feeling not just being alive. It’s that quality of feeling that is a precious and very lucky part of our lives when in Ilovik. I believe these two ladies would agree. To come together at the edge of this village, to this edge of the sea, is to come closer to family, friends, nature and you guessed it, to God.
Text and photos ©Mariette Papić
