Croatia Yacht Charter
Split's palace lights up the harbor.
Croatia offers yacht charter all along its lengthy coastline and is a popular destination. The best time of year for yacht chartering in Croatia is from May to October.
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The Croatian coast runs southeast from the Italian border near Trieste all the way to the walled town of Dubrovnik. Historically known as the Dalmatian Coast, the area is very popular for cruising thanks to its large numbers of coves and islands. The region is usually split north and south by the appropriately named and ancient city of Split.
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Island destinations include the national parks of Brijuni and Kornati, as well as Krk, Cres, and Susak. The Kornati archipelago in the north offers many rocky islands and spectacular reef diving in turquoise waters. Charter option abound out of Pula, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik.
In addition to the usual bareboat and crewed charter options, Gulets offer a unique local flavor. For generations these two-masted wooden vessels have been used for transport and fishing. Now designed with comfort in mind, they come fully crewed.
The charter industry started to blossom there more than a decade ago, and even before all the political turmoil of the late twentieth century the region was a popular cruising destination. The beauty is incredible, and the cruising is made interesting and easy by the many islands that lie close to each other. The islands are largely hospitable, with many coves, harbours, beaches and lagoons that can easily be visited. Navigation is generally easy, with hardly any currents or tides to worry about. Most of the harbours are easily accessible, well sheltered, and have few hidden dangers. One always has a choice of harbours and the distances travelled in one day never needs to exceed 20 nautical miles.
The islands’ diversity is what sets Croatia apart. This is the result of natural phenomena as well as cultural and political influences. To say that the history of the whole region and its sea has been governed by turmoil is an understatement, and this is as true for the last few decades as it is for the last centuries, or even millennia.
The Kamerlengo fort in Trogir
Middle Adriatic
The big culturally rich islands of the middle Adriatic such as Hvar, Vis and Korčula all have a vibrant history, from the palaces and forts of Bonaparte to the bizarre underground fortresses of World War II. These islands have relatively big towns and harbours, where one can enjoy the buzz of island summer life or the quiet survival of winter. Even here neighbouring islands can provide a complete contrast, like Mljet and Lastovo. Too isolated to be culturally developed, nature has thrived on them; there are no towns, just small fishing villages erected next to the ruins of some distant civilisation’s forts. If we look even further there are some completely isolated small islands that are fully exposed to the elements and offer only partially sheltered anchorages adequate for short stops during fine weather, such as Palagruža or Svetac. Nobody lives here anymore, but they used to. Nevertheless the beauty of their isolated wilderness impresses the few that visit these islands.
In the northern part of the middle Adriatic the islands are numerous, most of them uninhabited and wild. Much smaller than the southern islands, even the bigger ones can only support village communities. Deserted islands in the Kornati archipelago covered with minimal vegetation are only a few nautical miles from the rich forests of neighbouring islands. The popular story (and source of endless historical debate) is that Venetians stripped those bare islands of their forests to use the quality timber for boatbuilding and houses in Venice.
Maracol Bay on the island of Unije, where schoolchildren go to school by airplane.
Northern Adriatic
In the part known as Kvarner, the islands grow in size again. Some of the largest islands are among them and their towns are more significant. A good example is Mali Lošinj, which despite its name of “Small Lošinj” is a very well-developed town providing all the tourist services. But even in this area there are islands that are small and isolated, such as Unije or Susak. The former is unique as its young inhabitants go to primary school on Mali Lošinj by a small airplane. The latter is famous for its unusual costumes.
Further north is Istra, the largest peninsula of the Adriatic. This region is famous for its villages and small towns resembling Tuscany. This is the most developed part of the Adriatic and it is mostly bilingual, as both Croatian and Italian are widely spoken. Agriculturally developed with very fertile soil, excellent wines, olive oil, cheeses and even truffles, the focus of this region has never been exclusively the coast and sea. The coast has fewer islands, and while the sea might not be as stunning as in the south, Istra makes up for that with its beautifully kept coastal towns and gastronomic delights.
The Croatian coast is only one half of the Adriatic sea, the eastern side; the west side has very few islands and the coastline is largely bleak and industrial. There are a few very nice places to visit such as Trieste, Venice, and Porto Garibaldi. These are all short hops from the northern Adriatic.
Weather
Coming to Croatia in July and August usually guarantees sunshine and heat, as well as mild sailing conditions. These are not the best months for sailing in Croatia since the regular thermal breeze from the northwest becomes less reliable as heat increases in the mountains. At the times when it does blow, it usually blows hard and in gusts, so there is either no wind or too much wind. The winds can build up very quickly and change direction very suddenly, almost like someone flicking a light switch.
June and September are often very nice and warm. During all summer months serious protection from the sun is necessary.
Bura
The most dangerous wind is the “Bura” which blows from the shore, begins suddenly and blows in gusts. It is a cold wind, blowing from the mountains. It is not all bad though, as “Bura brings good weather.” If a light Bura, known as Burin, blows during the night it is a sign that the regular weather pattern is expected the next day.
St Peters in Supetar, on the Island of Brac
Jugo
The “Jugo” blows from the southeast, and it precedes the onset of a low pressure. Jugo builds up slowly over a few days, thus generating large seas, but allowing plenty of time to seek shelter. Before it gets too strong it gives us the best opportunity for champagne sailing. It is rare to have a “real” Jugo during the summer months; it does not blow as strongly and rarely for more than two days in a row. It is often followed by squalls and rain and then the Bura when the weather is about to improve. Squalls cause strong winds from predominantly westerly directions, even though during the squalls the wind often changes direction and is accompanied by driving rain and thunder and lightning. Squalls can make some of the tightly packed anchorages quite lively, and the variable gusts can cause many anchors to drag. Many sailors prefer to lift the anchor and motor outside the cove until the squall passes. The saving grace is that these squalls are relatively short, only occasionally lasting more than 20-30 minutes.
Maestral
During the day, and especially in the afternoon, an offshore breeze builds up known as “Maestral” which blows along the coast predominantly from the NW. It usually dies down with the setting sun and is replaced by a Burin. Normally it blows moderately (up to 20 knots), except in certain localised areas where it is stronger. After prolonged periods of Bura it can blow strongly the following day, and is then know as “Maeštralun”. During very hot summer months it is often very weak or even absent.
Local weather forecasts are updated three times a day and are very reliable. The Meteorological office broadcasts them via VHF and national radio stations in both Croatian and English three times a day, and also publishes forecasts on the Meteo website.
The anchorage Stupica on the island of Zirje
Land along the Croatian Coast
The Croatian coast is predominantly rocky and sandy beaches are an exception. It is also very steep in places, so only a few tens of metres from the shore the depths can already approach 100 metres. However the clarity of the water allows for excellent visibility and the bottom can be seen even at depths greater than 10 metres. The sea bed is often gravel and sand, but very rarely mud.
The coves and bays in the Adriatic are numerous and even though they can be on the small side and crowded during the busy months, they are well sheltered from most wind directions. Many of them provide good holding ground, but due to the unpredictable nature of winds casting shorelines is a preferred method of anchoring. It is recommended to tie up to the northern shore ready for any sudden gusts of Bura. In recent years many of the most popular anchorages have had mooring buoys laid. These are usually very sturdy and safe, but close inspection of the mooring lines is always advisable. Often a local will come to collect your rubbish and charge a small fee for mooring, sometimes also offering groceries or fresh fish.
The coast has a number of modern and safe marinas with good facilities. These can get very crowded in the summer, especially on weekends and when the weather forecast is bad. In all marinas (with the exception of very few like Kremik, near Primošten) mooring is stern to. A marina employee is usually at hand to help with the mooring lines.
All along the coast there are many beautiful towns to visit. These often have laid moorings. Berthing is always stern to and if no moorings are available dropping anchor will be required. Berthing alongside or rafting are not recommended. Often the berths have electricity and water, but very rarely toilets or showers. They are usually less expensive than marinas. Even though historic towns provide a wonderful setting they can sometimes be very lively places in the evening and might prove too loud for light sleepers.
Mosor Mountain, as viewed from Postira on the island of Brac
Sea
The sea temperature in the summer months is usually in the high twenties and with minimal currents, swimming and snorkelling are highly recommended. The local people believe that swimming in the sea is very therapeutic and having the boat as a platform allows you to enjoy it without having to endure the crowded beaches. There are no lethal sea creatures and only a few very rare ones can actually sting or cause any displeasure. The most common injuries are from sea urchins and sharp rocks. When swimming in shallow waters or going ashore from a boat we recommend wearing protective shoes or sandals.
Tides and currents are minimal, but there are a few areas in the north Adriatic, like the tip of Istria, where the currents can be locally strong. Navigation is easy but good charts are essential. Croatian charts are of very good quality and are so nicely produced so that we have seen them hanging on walls for decoration.
Fishing is allowed but a licence needs to be bought.
The boatyard in the harbour of Milna, Island Brac
People and Customs
The people of Croatia are very hospitable and will make sailors feel welcome with their advice and help as well as with food and drink. During the busiest summer months, you will meet and see many more tourists than locals so sometimes the level of service is not always as good. English is increasingly spoken, especially amongst the younger generation, though Italian and even German are more widespread. There are many restaurants along the coast and on the islands, and mostly family-run affairs that rely on fresh fish and seafood and locally grown vegetables to satisfy their customers’ appetites. Many are very good and provide a wonderful setting to finish a day’s sailing, not unlike the many pubs along the English coast. Instead of the cosy fireplace and traditional ale, enjoy the shade of the vines on an open terrace with a glass of local red wine.
The increasing popularity of the Croatian coast means finding a good quality local restaurant that is not overpriced is increasingly difficult. One of the best books for recommending restaurants on the Adriatic coast is The Gourmet Cruise.
The food is mixed European with mostly Italian influence. Fish is considered to be the best but sometimes with prices to match. Wine is ubiquitous and usually of good quality. Olive oil is produced everywhere and is of differing quality to suit all tastes. Local produce, fruit, vegetables, fish and meat is often the best buy but not always the cheapest.
A colorful market stand in Trogir
Shopping
Shopping for fresh produce is best done at open markets, where the prices are very reasonable. For other groceries most towns have well-equipped supermarkets. In the smaller villages that do not have a market place during the morning hours one is likely to find a few locals offering produce at a small number of stands. There are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops everywhere, even on the remote islands. Nightlife is better in the bigger towns. The relationship with the locals is almost always easy and pleasant, the only exception being some incidents reported in night clubs after considerable drinking.
Medical help is available by GPs in smaller towns or in well-organised hospitals in bigger towns. Both are accustomed to foreigners. Private dental service is also readily available.
Logistics
Cash machines are widely available, and credit cards are accepted at most places.
Mobile phones work everywhere, even in the middle of the sea.
Most towns have internet cafés that welcome people with their own laptops.
Local renting of bicycles, scooters and cars is usually easy.
All islands are served by a network of ferries or boats, though small islands may have only one or two services daily.
Buses are inexpensive, the service is good when it exists, but the network is relatively poor. Taxis are available everywhere but can be expensive and it is a good idea to ask for the price in advance (and try to negotiate).
Air traffic connections have improved during recent years, with low cost airlines flying to a number of destinations. View a one week charter itinerary for Croatia
Editor’s Note: The information above was provided by Marko Knezevic, a dealer for Hallberg-Rassy in Zagreb, Croatia. Photos courtesy Alan Simmons. For more about Croatia, read Marko’s feature story Sailing the Coast of Croatia, Then and Now.
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