A personal story of Mrs. Leijen and her family
On May 5th, 2026, I visited Baldarin Camp again after almost fifty years. At the camp reception, your staff informed me about the camp’s 60th anniversary and asked whether I would like to contribute my own memories and photographs. So here they are.
I am currently travelling along the Adriatic coast, revisiting the places and islands my mother once described in her diary — including our stay at Baldarin in the summer of 1979.
This is how that unforgettable summer looked through the eyes of your guests.
Saturday, July 14th
The weather was beautiful today. We spent the entire day enjoying the sea, the wind, and the sunshine. In the evening, Siem and I went looking for a nearby shop. There was a small store in the camp itself, but it was incredibly expensive. We soon discovered there was no other shop anywhere nearby. The closest one was in Osor, 15 kilometres away.
Sunday, July 15th
The day was filled with surfing, swimming, sailing, and simply relaxing. In the evening, we walked to the only tavern in the area, located just outside the camp. It was completely packed. The waiter could barely handle the crowd, became nervous, and kept dropping things.
Monday, July 16th
It was slightly cloudy today — perfect weather for cycling. Early in the morning, around 8 a.m., Siem and Agnes left by bicycle for Osor to exchange money and buy supplies.
At first, they searched all over Osor for a bank, only to discover they had to continue to Nerezine. There they were told that exchanging Eurocheques was impossible and were sent further on to Sveti Jakov. After another exhausting ride through the heat and steep hills, they were finally directed to Mali Lošinj.
The journey became an adventure of its own. Soldiers stationed near Mali Lošinj stared at the cyclists as though they had arrived from another planet.
At the bank, however, Siem was told he could not receive any money because he did not have the required identification card. After endless discussions, waiting, misunderstandings, and several failed attempts to contact the camp, a complicated chain of telephone calls finally connected the bank with Punta Križa through operators, villages, and walkie-talkies.
More than half an hour later, Siem finally received the money.
Meanwhile, Agnes and I rewarded ourselves with delicious ice cream. We had certainly earned it.
That evening, as there was no electricity in the camp, silence settled early over Baldarin. Just after we had gone to bed, loud voices suddenly broke the peace. A small fire had broken out. In such dry surroundings, among pine trees and tents standing close together, fear spread instantly. Fortunately, the fire was quickly extinguished with fire extinguishers. A gas lantern had caught fire.
Saturday, July 21st
Our Yugoslav neighbours often rowed to a small sandy beach hidden behind the bay — something quite unique for Yugoslavia. Today we decided to visit it ourselves.
Rob went windsurfing, Siem and I sailed the Laser, Bas used his inflatable boat, and the girls swam. Along the way, Carla was stung by a jellyfish and quickly climbed aboard the Laser.
When we reached the bay, it felt like paradise. We surfed, sailed, rowed, swam, played baseball, practiced handstands, and enjoyed every possible outdoor activity. After several wonderful hours, we returned to the camp hungry and happy.
Sunday, July 22nd
For several days now, we have had a lovely habit: swimming first thing in the morning, straight out of bed. At first the sea feels cold, but that feeling quickly disappears. Afterwards, a shower feels absolutely wonderful.
Thursday, July 26th
Another beautiful day. Tomorrow marks two full weeks since we arrived at the camp. In all that time, we had only one thunderstorm night and two cloudy mornings — otherwise endless sunshine.
Today music played softly in the shade beside the car while I sat there reading and updating the diary.
In the afternoon, Siem and Agnes sailed towards Veli Lošinj. At first, the wind was good, but soon it disappeared completely. About one kilometre offshore, they found themselves stranded in total calm. After drifting for quite some time, a passing boat finally noticed their desperate gestures. Agnes boarded the boat while Siem stayed on the Laser to keep it steady. Agnes received lemonade; Siem got a beer. The boat towed them back towards Punta Križa. The bottle opener and beer bottle were tied to a rope and dragged behind the boat so Siem could reach them while being towed.
The rescue cost 100 dinars — gladly paid later that evening at the pension in Punta Križa.
Saturday, July 28th
Early in the morning, on our last full day, we all swam together across the bay — 800 metres. We pulled the small inflatable boat behind us. Soon Bas climbed into it because he no longer felt like swimming. The crossing took us about an hour.
In the evening, we enjoyed a warm meal and delicious treats from the shop to celebrate our final night in Punta Križa.
Sunday, July 29th
We are leaving.
With a touch of melancholy, we said goodbye to the most beautiful place.
Here, people were healthy. They sang, cycled, rested, played, surfed, sailed, laughed, talked — in short, they truly enjoyed life.
