Dive beneath the Waters of Vrsar

Croatian Town of Vrsar is a notable locality on Istrian coast. Surrounded with pristine nature and lovely landscapes, it is a great destination to visit during summer season. Yet, beneath the waters of Vrsar, another kind of beauty waits to be founded. It is a rich world of sub-surface dwellers, which sometimes seem to humans as if coming from some distant galaxy.

To dive into this realm, one needs to have high-tech scuba diving equipment. But in addition to oxygen tanks and special suits, there’s always room for a camera. And indeed, you won’t be left without things to photograph in the depths of Adriatic Sea. As a matter of fact, there are numerous photo-competitions arranged annually, along entire Croatian shores, where avid scuba divers are tasked to take impressive photos of the underwater world. The professional jury than decides on their quality, and proclaims a winner.

Last June, one such competition took place precisely in Vrsar. It was organized by local scuba diving associations, and gathered divers from all parts of Croatia. Competitors from neighboring countries also took part in the event. Divers were instructed to make images that follow three different categories: fish life, macro and ambient photography.

With more than 20 people that took their cameras beneath waters of Vrsar, it was really a spectacle of artistic wit and natural beauty. The first prize went to Slovenian diver Grega Verc, while Croat Srdan Vrancic was the best among those of home terrain. The group celebrated with a large outdoor cooking of mussels.

Check out the images that were made during this event, and let them serve as inspiration for your own arrival to Croatian shores with underwater camera. If you wish to sharpen your skills before taking part in such activity, post some of your work to our Facebook Wall, and receive feedback from our online community.

Photo: Slobodna Dalmacija / Croatian Diving Alliance