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Revival of the historic regatta of gajeta falkuša boats from Komiža to Palagruža

On 4th September 2009 a renewed historic regatta of traditional fishing boats on the route Komiža – Palagruža was launched. That occasion evoked the historical event of June 1593 when the fishermen of Komiža in their falkuša boats set out towards Hvar so that their captains, svićori, could meet in the Loggia in Hvar, and with the authorities of the Commune of Hvar, that extended to the islands of Hvar, Brač and Vis, set the date for the regatta from Komiža to Palagruža.

On that occasion, the masters of 74 falkuša boats from Komiža met in the Hvar Loggia, where they agreed for the regatta to start from the port of Komiža on 12th June, that Bogdan, a fisherman from Komiža, would be the master of the Palagruža, that all should be armed with sabres and guns to defend themselves form pirates and that they shall be followed by Hvar's war galley. 

That event was evoked in the town of Hvar, in the Loggia on 2nd September of the past year with a performance by Joško Božanić, and the day after with the Partenca (departure) towards Komiža from Hvar's Mandrač (a small enclosed marina). On the very day of the Rota Palagruzona a strong sirocco made it impossible to navigate to Palagruža so an alternative destination was chosen – the volcanic island of Brusnik 12 miles from Komiža. 11 traditional boats sailed on that route and by doing so launched the Rota Palagruzona.  

Historic regatta

For centuries the fishermen from Komiža used to fish sardines near Palagruža, where they salted them in barrels on its pebble beaches to then ship them by their falkuša boats back to Komiža barracks, by the end of the fishing moonless nights. It was a well organized and fruitful industry of the time and a ground of existence for the islands of Vis and Hvar.

A hundred of falkuša boats used to depart towards Palagruža, as the documents preserved in the manuscript „Liber Comisie“ testify. In a time when piracy was the most lucrative maritime „affair“, the fishermen of Komiža were the only open-sea fishermen of the Mediterranean and therefore had to organize mass regattas as to confront the strength of the pirates in case of attack, on the other hand they used to contest each other in conquering the inaccessible and cruel shores of Palagruža where the beaches had insufficient space for all their boats. The fastest regatta contestants were entitled to the best places at Palagruža to pull their boats ashore, for salting fish, drying cotton nets and for cooking. Those who failed to win a place on the beaches had to climb on cliffs in search of a minor area to live and work upon, as far as their boats, they could not run them ashore but were to leave them under the threat of storms off the inaccessible open-sea isle in a constant dread from the capricious temper of the sea.

The winners of regattas were considered heroes in Komiža and their fame was passed on to the next generations. As Palagruža heroes they could form the best crews with the most enduring and skilful fishermen that in the case of calm were capable of rowing from Komiža to Palagruža from dawn to dusk, restless in heavy gajetas packed with salt barrels and equipment needed for a twenty-day-fishery at Palagruža. As a rowing regatta, „Rota Palaguzona“ was the longest marathon in the world, a unique feat requiring the trespassing of human physical limits. 

The Pope and the fishermen

On 9th March 1177 the fishermen from Komiža welcomed Pope Alexander III on the beach at Palagruža. The Pope had undertaken a voyage to Venice with his fleet, but a strong storm forced them to stop at the coast of Palagruža. The next day falkuša boats from Komiža guided the Pope's galleons on the way to Komiža where the Pope consecrated the church of St. Nicholas, and as a sign of gratitude to the fishermen who helped him, he granted indulgence to all fishermen who fish on religious holidays. 

According to the notes in the Pope's biography by Boson, we could deduce that the fishermen on Palagruža offered the Pope a dinner. Evoking that event from the 12th century, this year, just as last year, a „Pope's dinner“ will be arranged on the beach at Palagruža which will be prepared by all crews involved in the regatta. 

Prof.dr.sci. Joško Božanić

Sponsors

President of Croatia dr.sci. Ivo Josipović

Ministry of the Sea,Transport and Infrastructure

 Split-Dalmata County

Sponsors 2009.

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