Nautical overview

Croatia – Nautical overview

Adriatic sea

The Adriatic Sea is the part of the Mediterranean Sea which reaches deepest into the European mainland, and the area belonging to Croatia is characterised by an attractive and diverse coastal landscape, and as many as 1185 islands, islets, reefs and rocks. The Croatian coastline extends to the length of 5951 kilometres.

The spread of the Adriatic islands is ideal for yachtsmen. They stretch, with breaks here and there, along most of the coastline, in a string from Rijeka to Dubrovnik. Usually not more than ten nautical miles apart, the islands form numerous channels, both between the mainland and themselves, and between themselves alone. The mainland and the islands abound with bays, coves and ports - large and small - in which mooring or anchorage can be found. These are ideal places to navigate by sail, but also to cruise on a motor yacht or a sports fishing boat. No place is far away from another place, and if you want to you can spend the whole day sailing. If the weather turns bad or a strong wind picks up, there is always some place nearby to find shelter in.

The richly indented coastline, the currents and the local winds make navigation interesting. There is always something happening on a sailing boat. One moment you might be sailing with the wind, then you have to turn into the wind, then pass some narrow channel or a strait. The same applies when navigating a motor boat.

The landscape changes constantly as you sail. In places the coastline is practically uninhabited and deserted, battered by the winter bura, like those on the north side of the islands of Krk, Rab or Pag. The south sides are usually verdant with vegetation. One moment you are sailing alongside thick pine woods descending to the very edge of the sea - as they do on the islands of Lastovo or Jakljan, the next moment all you can see are macchia and karst. You will sail by and drop anchor in towns of unmistakeably Mediterranean character, as well as in small fishing villages. The island settlements are diverse, interesting and well worth getting to know. Many, like Korčula, Stari Grad or Vis, have their roots in the Antiquity. Other settlements are of a more recent origin, having emerged as fishing ports or as the ports of large island settlements located deeper inland.

Sailing along the Croatian coast all the way to its southernmost promontory - Cape Ostro - meandering between over a thousand islands, isles, rocks and reefs, one can find plenty of places to take shelter in. There are moorings at the waterfronts of the small, centuries-old towns, there are numerous coves to drop anchor in - where on occasions our vessel is going to be a solitary sail in search of romance, while in other places it is going to be one of several dozen similar boats that have found safety and tranquillity. Sometimes we can sail into a modern marina, and then again seek berthing in a small port of a sports club. Our voyage can take us from island to island, sometimes across the open seas, and sometimes through channels not very wide at all. In short, awaiting us is what all yachtsmen dream of through all those days when the chill of winter and affairs and worries of business keep them away from what they like most - the sea.

The shoreline and the islands that surround Split are deemed by many to be the most beautiful in the Adriatic Sea. And whether you agree with them or not - because the other parts of our seaboard are truly magnificent - the islands of Solta, Brac, Hvar, Vis and the many smaller ones, and the coastline from Cape Ploca to the estuary of the Neretva River, offer yachtsmen countless sailing challenges, as well as many fascinating towns established back in the Antiquity to visit.

Sailing along this part of the coast, especially during the summer months, is very pleasant. There are a number of large and excellent marinas in this part of the Adriatic, mostly in Split and its environs, and a number of good harbours. The distance to the islands is not great - it is less than five nautical miles to the closest of them, Drvenik, Solta and Brac. Sailing out of Split there are some twenty miles to Hvar and thirty to Vis. The channels between the islands and the coast stretch parallel with them and are pleasant places to sail, especially during stable summer winds.

There are four marinas on these Dalmatian islands, but yachtsmen are also attracted to the waterfronts and the deep and safe bays and coves. The waterfront in Vis, a town whose roots go back 2400 years, the fishing town of Komiza, sunny and Dionysian Hvar and Stari Grad (Old Town) whose name itself suggests its roots in the Antiquity, Vrboska and Milna on the island of Brac, nestled far back into deep bays, and Pucisce, the home of the greatest masters of stonemasonry, are only some of those to which yachtsmen flock to from early spring to late in the autumn. And just a few miles out from any one of those towns there are coves which still retain the image and scents of times when few yachts sailed these waters, and in which dropping anchor is a pure pleasure. Stoncica and the Budihovac lagoon on Vis, the coves of the Paklinski otoci (Hell's isles) or the harbour at Stari Grad on Hvar, Bobovisce, Povalje or Lucice on Brac, and Necujam on Solta are numbered among the most appealing in the Mediterranean. And we have mentioned only a part of what this coast offers.

Also worthy of our attention are the interiors of the islands with settlements that developed far from the shore in the age of piracy, and in which the hard life of the local folk is still reflected. Skrip, Dol, Lozisca and Nerezisca on Brac. Brusje, Velo Grablje, Malo Grablje or Gdinj on Hvar. Grohote on Solta… These are only a few of the places worth stretching your legs for to feel their atmosphere.

On the other side are the almost uninhabited islets, among them Bisevo, SCedro, Svetac or mythical Palagruza - standing alone in the midst of the Adriatic with its lighthouse rising a hundred metres above the sea. On Bisevo and Scedro there are numerous coves in which you can drop anchor either in complete solitude or near a fishing hut , but at Svetac and Palagruza you can only stop in their lee, and then only when the sea is calm. What fascinating challenges for a true yachtsman!

Split and its environs

When looking for a break in sailing the islands, there are Split, Trogir, Makarska and many smaller towns settlements such as Omis and Brela on the mainland coast waiting to be visited, and rising above them the mountain massifs of Kozjak, Mosor and Biokovo, and the pine woods and olive groves that touch the sea. Split, the city of Emperor Diocletian, whose palace to this day forms the heart of the city, is a place with an exceptional maritime, nautical and sailing tradition. To sail into its tiny ports and marinas, or drop anchor in the main city port with a view of Diocletian's palace and then stroll along its narrow streets or sun-washed waterfront should be a part of every navigation route through these waters.

Located to the northwest of Split are three important nautical centres - Kastel Gomilica, Trogir and Marina. Kastel Gomilica, one of the seven settlements strung along the Bay of Kastel, had a large and superbly appointed marina built a few years ago, which is also equipped to provide berthing for megayachts. For mariners Trogir has been a fixture for a very long time indeed. This small city, in its entirety a monument of culture under UNSECO protection, offers berthing along the waterfront beneath the Renaissance palaces and the cathedral of St. Lawrence - the most outstanding monument of the Romanesque in the whole of Dalmatia.

Wherever you choose to moor your vessel, you can feel the atmosphere of the town, the vibrant life of its narrow streets and sun-washed waterfront, and when the crew desires a little peace, all one needs to do is sail round Ciovo and drop anchor off the islet of Sveta Fumija, in one of the most attractive anchorages in the region. And there has been a marina for a long time in the village of Marina which has nestled at the far end of a deep inlet. Those more inclined to anchorage can use the deep bay of Vinisca just a few miles to the west or one of the coves on the route to Cape Ploca.

Drvenik Veli, Drvenik Mali and Solta

From the Split harbour to Drvenik is exactly twelve miles. The route runs along the southern coast of Ciovo, and the destination is usually the lagoon on the south-eastern coast of Drvenik Veli, which is protected by the islets of Veliki Krknjas and Mali Krknjas. This is an exceedingly beautiful place which takes kindly to photography. And it is most beautiful from the air, when the clarity of the sea and all of the beauty of the shallow lagoon shine in their full glory. That is why there are numerous boats and swimmers here every day, most of them from Trogir enjoying a bathe and a good meal. In the evening the lagoon is more peaceful.

On the other side of the island, on its western shore, at the far end of a mile deep port is Drvenik, the only settlement on the island, with its breakwater, waterfront and short pier where mooring is available. There are several other coves on the island, some have been taken up by fish farms, and the others are free for anchorage.

Solta offers plenty of shelter, so let us sail to its western coast in front of which lie six islets, and drop anchor somewhere among them. Stipanska, Balkun, Saskinja, Polebrnjak, Grmej and Radula are perfect for an all-day swim, because they provide shelter regardless of which direction the wind is blowing from. In the evening we can choose between dropping anchor in Sesula or mooring at Maslinica. If we choose the long and narrow inlet of Sesula we will for the most part enjoy solitude. Maslinica is a fishing port, known for its skilful panulasi or rather handtrollers, with mooring on the waterfront and a few restaurants. The island is full of enticing flavours and aromas, and as we sail away it beckons us to return. The route now takes us along the northern coast of Solta - where the main settlements are, towards the port of Rogac where the ferry that links the island to Split docks. Rogac, which used to be the port of Grohota, a village in the interior of the island, is a spacious, three-pronged bay, so we still have at our disposal two of them enabling us to avoid the hustle and bustle of the ferry landing.

It is much the same in the neighbouring harbour of Necujam, the largest on Solta. Its coves Piskera, Maslinica and Podkamenica have been among the favoured anchorages for the people of Split for a full seventeen centuries. It was here that emperor Diocletian had his fishpond where the best fish was kept for the imperial tables, and it is likely that his fishermen also spent an occasional night here. The custom has been continued by the present day inhabitants of the eight mile distant Dalmatian metropolis. In recent years Necujam has been developed and weekend cottages have occupied Podkamenica, encroached in Maslenica, and only Piskera has retained its natural contours with two cottages.

On the northern side of the island is another settlement, Stomorska, and if we were to spend only one day in each of these places we could enjoy almost an entire week on the islands of Drvenik and Solta. Stomorska is probably the prettiest settlement on Solta. The old stone waterfront, the stone houses along it and thirty berths for sailors are usually sufficient for the sailboats and yachts that sail to the place. The only settlement between Stomorska and the easternmost promontory on Solta is Gornja Krusica. Those looking for more solitude and a wilder natural setting will sail the southern coast of the island which also has several lovely and deep, mostly uninhabited coves open to the south. The first we come across is Livka where there is plenty of room to anchor, often in the company of fishing boats. Anchorage is also possible in Stracinska, the third cove in the row that resembles a deep fiord, and in which there are several houses. The next few coves are uninhabited, with cliffs dropping sheer into the sea, and the civilization is back again in Tatinja, the largest and most frequented cove on the southern side of Solta. The most mellow of all is Poganica, the last cove we pass before completing the circumnavigation of the island, rounding Maslinica and its small archipelago and returning again to Split.

Brac

Brac appears to have three quite different coastlines. The western side with its well protected coves attracts hundreds of sailboats, motor boats and yachts passing through the Gates of Split, the spot with the heaviest nautical traffic on the Adriatic Sea. The northern coast, on which practically all of the settlements on Brac are situated, is rarely visited by yachtsmen, if we do not count those who moor their boats in Omis and the Makarska seaboard. It takes just under an hour to sail or take a motorboat from Split to Brac, faster by speedboat. Its southern side is sparsely inhabited but also features some of the most attractive sites for sailors, including the only large settlement, Bol.

Hvar

Hvar is an island of sun-washed shores, adorned to the southwest by the archipelago of the Paklinski islands (Hell's Islands), while almost at the foot of the tall Mount of Hum lies the solitary Scedro. We set the course for Cape Pelegrin and slowly sail into the Pakleni Channel. When sailing around Hvar the images and landscapes change down the length of its eighty nautical miles. The Dionysian and spirited town of Hvar with its Paklinski islands is the summertime centre of the world. Everything is teeming with life and hundreds of boats dot the two mile wide channel. The waterfront in Hvar has been taken by the big yachts. Those slightly smaller jostle for space, anchoring in the middle of the harbour. They are all in search of Hvar's summer magic, its buzzing squares and streets, the mystical atmosphere of its churches and monasteries, Lucullan feasts and intoxicating wines pressed from the grapes of the island's southern slopes. In daytime the boats and yachts in Hvar move to the coves of the islets across the way. Zdrilca, Stipanska, Vloka, Tarsce and Vinogradisce are just a few, all linked by the clear sea and the inns in which fish and wine are excellent.

We leave the archipelago sailing eastward past the islet of Pokonji dol, and on along the uninhabited coastline, intersected with strands and protruding promontories before reaching the sunny coves of Milna and Dubovice with their virgin white strands tempting us to stop for a swim.

Sailing onwards to Sucuraj, a settlement on the island's eastern headland, we pass an inhospitable coast. It offers no shelter to a yachtsman, but the sheer slopes of Sveta Nedija, Ivan Dolac and Zavala - where vineyards seem to be positioned vertically, reaching for the skies - are truly bewitching. Shelter can be found only in the nearby Scedro. With the port of Lovisce and the cove of Mostir on its northern shores, and the coves Borovo and Carnjeni on the south, Scedro was a vital point on the ancient sailing routes, the only shelter from a strong southerly. It was also the scene of a battle between Pompey and Julius Caesar in the year 49 B.C. In the 16th century the Dominicans built a monastery on Scedro. There are no longer permanent inhabitants on the island. They only come in the summer when all of its coves are occupied by sailboats, yachts and fishing boats.

We sail on along the charming coves in which a handful of houses have nestled, Srhov Dolac, Torac, Smarska… The highlands of Hvar melt away and descend towards Sucuraj, which almost seems to be heading for the mainland and the mouth of the Neretva River. This is a busy and important island harbour in which ferries bring all and everything that arrives to the island from the south and the east. There is, nevertheless, also room for yachtsmen along the pontoons built a few years ago.

From Sucuraj we sail along the island's northern shores, and all the way to Jelsa the scenes around us are entirely different. There are not too many boats. Instead of open seas our view is blocked by the bulk of the Biokovo mountain, and should a north-easterly winds swoop from it we will be hard pressed to find shelter before Jelsa which is two mile away. In the solitary coves of Bristova, Pokrivenik and Stiniva along the route the local population is more oriented towards their fields than the sea, and consequently, there are not too many places to moor or drop anchor. You can only do so in Pokrivenik.

Quite a different picture again around Jelsa and Vrboska - Jelsa with its harbour and Vrboska with its wonderful, almost a mile and a half deep inlet, tempt us to sail into them. Safe berths can be found at the waterfronts of both places, and in the ACI marina in Vrboska - which is known as the Venice of the island. The local church of St. Mary played a double role - in addition to its spiritual role, its also served as a defence fortress and as such was equipped with cannons. One should take time and walk the three bridges that link Mala banda with Vela banda, and visit the Fishing Museum, a place that recalls the labour and hardship endured by the island's fishermen, who lived without sounders, electric winches and fishfinders - relaying only on their nets, lanterns and tridents.

The sail to Stari Grad is a full fifteen miles, and along the way we will pass some forty coves and inlets. Among these is Zukova, which surfers from Zlatni rat on the island of Brac speed to when there is a strong maestral blowing. The high level of indentation of the coastline, which has created some of the Adriatic Sea's most stunning panoramas, is completed by the islet of Zecevo, half a mile to the north of the exit from the harbour at Vrbovac.

The Stari Grad Bay, recessed almost five miles inland, is reminiscent of sailing into a northern fiord. Its many coves, the vegetation and - at the very far end of this deep inlet, the town at whose waterfront you moor you boat, will bring you back to the Mediterranean reality of today, but also evoke the distant past when this town was founded almost two and a half thousand years ago. It is hard to say what is more attractive here: the Stari Grad Range in which the land division from the period of Antiquity can still be discerned, the stone-paved streets, Tvrdalj - the summer residence of the 16th century poet Petar Hektorovic, or the music that flows through the town when night falls on a summer concert.

Onward to Cape Pelegrin and we again pass white strands and seaside settlements. Ahead of us are Gracisce, Lucisce and Stiniva. A glance at the peaks of the hills will reveal that these are just the ports of what were once the large settlements of Grablja and Brusje. A little to the west is the old ferry port, Vira, now a welcome mooring post for fishermen. Having reached Cape Pelegrin we turn back to the town of Hvar. The circle is closed. The tour of the island is complete.

Vis

Vis has always been a magical and distant island. An important port in the time of Antiquity, a place for the country villas of the Hvar nobility during the Renaissance, an important commercial centre, the venue of the most crucial naval battles of the 19th century which determined who was to rule the Adriatic. Throughout it all Vis was also home to the fishermen of Komiža, always ready to defend their right to the sea and their fishing privileges, and of farmers who tended their vineyards in frequently unfavourable conditions. It was separated from the mainland and at the same time strengthened by the Vis Channel, in which it was not easy to navigate in the old trabakul (two-masted coaster) and steamships when the summer tramontana blew, much less during a northeasterly bura or easterly levant during the winter.

And then everything changed. Nautical tourists arrived with their new, ever larger, faster and better vessels. The Vis Channel, even though its waters can really be rough, ceased to be a bugbear. In the summer it is navigated daily by hundreds of boats. When you get to Vis, give it the time it deserves - at least a dozen days. Only then will you experience the island in its full beauty and sail into at least a few of its fifty-four coves.

Having left your vessel in the safety of Sveti Juraj (St. George) harbour, abandon yourself to enjoying Vis, a town of a rare atmosphere, wandering through the its narrow streets and strolling along the harbour waterfront, tour the cemetery on the headland of Prirova where life and death meet in the midst of a large bay, the peace of cypress trees and the commotion of beaches and swimming areas. Tour the remains of ancient Issa and the thermal baths, the English and Austro-Hungarian fortifications, tour the museums, visit the pubs to sample the local bugava and plovac wines and enjoy what is possibly the greatest concentration of first rate culinary delights.

The southern side of the island is unique in its unspoilt beauty. One cove follows another, Stoncica with the lighthouse on the headland facing it, Smokova, Milna, Zaglav, the fishing village of Rukavac, then Srebrena, and in the waters around them the islets of Greben, Paržanj Veliki and Paržanj Mali, and the rocks Pupak, Zuberka and Plocica, Budihovac (Budikovac) Veli and Budihovac Mali and Ravnik which encircle them and protect them, feeding their fishermen with still bountiful catches. Budihovac, the islet with one of the most beautiful lagoons in the Adriatic, and Ravnik with its Zelena špilja (Green Grotto) in which the light seeps through an opening at the top and refracts in the sea - they are all tales unto themselves.

The coves come one after another, each with its own history and its people of today- Ruda, Velika Travna and Mala Travna, alternate with rows of stone slabs set one against the other - as if laid down by the hand of some gigantic builder. And there is Stiniva too. Tall headlands on both sides draw ever nearer into a funnel shape, and at the end the tall cliffs, like two megaliths, almost merge together leaving a passage but a few meters wide, and then widening again into a little world of its own. As if we had come to the bottom of a roofless cave. Inside is a strand, four cottages and a feeling of complete protection. The coves continue, all the way to Komiza, white strands between rocks with the odd house on a barren rocky shore. The peaks of rocks worn away by waves are the realm of the largest gulls in the Adriatic.

Komiza, a renowned fishing village of Dalmatia, is huddled in the north-eastern corner of a bay under the Muster church and the tall hill known as Hum. The rocky coast descends steeply into the sea, hiding virgin strands that beckon - once you have moored in Komiza take a dinghy and come, and have the beach all to yourself for a day. The fishermen of Komiza are to this day known for their fishing knowledge, boldness and catches. Their fleet is anchored in the harbour, and a fishing museum in the tower recalls the days of glory and the replica of the falkusa type gajeta (a single-masted fishing boat) gently rocking in the waters of the port. If your route brings you here in late autumn you will witness the ancient tradition of burning an old boat on St. Nicholas's feast day to ensure safety and calm to those who sail and fish, and the favour and protection of the honourable Bishop of Myra.

From the Komiza waterfront you can see Bisevo, and when you sail out of the bay, and look across the volcanic isle of Brusnik, you can see the islet of Sveti Andrija, or as the people of Komiza call it, Svetac. Both islands are practically tied to Komiza by an umbilical cord. The sparsely inhabited Bisevo, and Svetac - whose last inhabitant, who happened to be a woman, departed a few years ago - come to life in the summer. Many yachts drop anchor in the Bisevo coves of Porat, Salbunara ad Mezoprat, while dozens of tourist boats and yachtsmen dock in front of the famous Modra spilja (Blue Grotto) in which the play of light seeping through a submerged opening creates a wondrous light show - eager not to miss a chance to swim in its silver blue waters.

The northern side of the island of Vis is for the most part harsh, lashed by the bura and dangerous when the wind is up. Nevertheless, it too has its secrets and its beauty, its coves, strands and settlements. Here you will find Okljucno, where only the odd adventurous tourist comes in search of tranquillity in complete silence, but also a place deprived of the benefits of civilisation. From the charming coves of Tiha, Slatine and Gradac we slowly sail to the islet of Host, just off Sveti Juraj harbour, named after the victorious English captain Host who defeated the Franco-Italian fleet in the 1811 battle off the coast of Vis.

Waters of Sibenik

The coastline and the islands of the waters of Sibenik differ from those of the Zadar area we have just sailed. It is still a low-lying shoreline, but much more indented, with numerous harbours and bays carved into the mainland. Here too there are many modern marinas. The closest islands are joined to the mainland or almost touching it, and have large settlements, while those further away from the mainland have but few houses used only on a temporary basis, or small fishing ports and hamlets in the fields. The crown jewel of the waters of Sibenik is the Kornati archipelago - a group of islands unto their own which many would sail here for, if for nothing else.

Murter

Murter, the first island we come across, is also called the capital of the Kornati islands. Hardly surprising since the inhabitants of Murter own the majority of land and houses on the archipelago. In summer they move to the Kornati islands for a few months to fish or, in late autumn, pick olives. For them the most important thing in the world is the gajeta (a half-decked, one masted fishing boat) which takes them there. Few are the places where one can see so many of them, and in such good condition. They are moored at dozens of small docks built just for them.

In olden days the trip to the Kornati islands was made by sail and by oar - a tradition still going strong. And there is plenty of opportunity to sail not only among the Kornati islands but also in the small archipelago just off Murter itself. We need to sail cautiously between the islets of Radelj, Zminjak, Veli Vinik and Mali Vinik, because there are many shallows. Having passed them we can find a safe berth in Hramina, the spacious marina of Murter where, if we feel the need, we could invigorate our strength with a good meal in one of the numerous restaurants. On the other hand, we could opt for another safe berth, the one in the neighbouring Betina - an old ship-building town where the skill and craft of building wooden boats is still alive and well, just as it is in the town of Murter. From Betina we sail down a long and entirely protected bay to Tisno, a place at which the island is connected to the mainland by a bridge. From there one can head out to Pirovac, at the end of the Bay of Pirovac, somewhat further to the north, but we want to sail around the island, and in order to do that we have to pass under the bridge at Tisno, which is raised twice each day. About a mile from Tisno, where we can moor at the waterfront, is Jezera, a safe harbour that is home to the third marina on the island. Having left Jezera and passed Cape Rat about a mile and a half later, we could continue along the southern coast of Murter to the coves of Sveti Nikola, Kosirina, Vucigrađe and Slanica, or just carry on. Our choice is the natural route - we are going to the Kornati National Park.

Kornati

To sail around the Kornati is a dream of every yachtsman. To imbibe the breathtakingly beautiful, and yet forbidding panoramas spread before one's eyes while sailing the channels of Kornati or Zut, claw our way against the wind between Rasip and Piskera, Gustac and Lavsa, to slip into a cove so tiny that it offers just enough room for our yacht and a Kornati boat or two, to meet the folk living in the cottages above the small docks where their leuts, or rather fishing boats are docked, to climb Toret on a dewy morning and let your eyes sail the Kornati Channel or to wander across Tarac, perhaps join one of the fishermen when he pulls out his fishing nets… In the Kornati one indeed does blend with nature, but do not be hasty in thinking that they are a complete wilderness - for they are not.

The Kornati islands are entirely different from all the other Adriatic islands. Here we shall not find small seaside towns which, however small or even abandoned, radiate urban spirit and in summers live to the rhythm of dithyrambic mood, rather we come to a place where man hides himself in tiny sheltered coves, in a hut in the middle of a field, and leaves everything else to the will of the sun, to sheep bounding over rocks by the sea, to donkeys in the shade, and to us who come sailing here.

One could sail the Kornati islands endlessly. To pass the straits of Mala Proversa or Velika Proversa and moor at Katina or, leaving the massive lighthouse at Vela Sestrica to our right and sailing into the Kornati Channel with its countless places where one can stop and drop anchor, or moor in front of the houses - as for instance in the cove of Spinate, or the isle of Levrnaka with its few houses and its beach in the cove of Lojena - one of the most beautiful beaches in the Adriatic, or in the tiny fishing port of Lucica… It is worth one's while to take time and stop beneath the Church of Our Lady of Tarac where the folk of Kornati gather at the beginning of July to celebrate her feast day, and to climb to Tureta, a fortress from which the local navigation was monitored as far back as the 6th century AD. And then there is the cove of Striznja where fishermen are again going to welcome us in front of their homes, or perhaps we may decide to drop anchor off the islet of Striznjak. The next stop is Vrulje, shall we say, the capital of this archipelago, which boasts all of three streets, and its houses and people are so many that come summer everything is teeming with life. From here on we go to the cove of Gujka above which are the huts and livestock grazing on the sparse, dry grass and roaming free - to a degree. The individual plots of land are fenced by drystone walls stretching "from sea to sea".

Just as tempting is the outlying string of islands. To pass through the Kornati and not see their southern side, where the cliffs of Mane and Rasip drop sheer into the sea, would deprive us of the sight of the clash between the might of the sea and the endurance of rock. Sailing on during a calm we can moor at Piskera marina, the only one in this national park, or sail into the cove that worked its way into the body of the Lavsa isle, with a dozen or so houses - a typical Kornati idyll with miniature boat havens and tiny jetties, and sailboats at anchor.

A little further on, minding the shallows and kalahatina, reefs on which many ships have come to grief, we come to Ravni Zakan, once a purchasing station where fishermen brought their catch, today a pier and restaurant where yachtsmen moor. If we head back to the Kornati route we still have the Opat inlet in front of us. Nestling at the foot of a barren mount of rock, with a peak that resembles a friar's hat, the inlet is know for its betulas - or rather somewhat modest inns - just like the one at Smokvica Vela.

And if you now think we have seen it all you are mistaken. There is yet the northern side of the Kornati islands with the coves of Statival, Lupescina and Stiniva, and it is no effort at all to sail to neighbouring Zut and to the marina in Zut harbour or to one of the anchorages of that island. Although no longer in the national park, we are still in the true Kornati atmosphere. The marina too appears to have been here forever. There are other lovely places on the island: Bizikovica - west of Zut, Sabuni - a genuine little lagoon, and Pristaniste in Hiljaca - the other port on the island. It is quite different if you sail along the southern shores of Zut, almost barren, with only the odd cottage and a few coves. Leaving Zut and the Kornati archipelago in our wake few indeed are those among us who do not think to themselves: "When will I return?"

Zirje, Kakan, Kaprije and Tijat

Strewn to the east of the Kornati islands and all the way to the coast off Sibenik there are eight large and almost forty smaller islands. There are no sizeable settlements on them with the exception of those closest to the mainland, Prvic, Zlarin and Krapanj. The situation is the same on Zirje, the island furthest from the mainland in this part of the Sibenik archipelago. Ariving from the Kornati islands, the most frequent route runs along its southern side, past the deep Tratinska cove, which is a very good anchorage site, and on towards the southernmost coves of Vela Stupica and Mala Stupica. Along the way one should at least cast a glance towards the open seas and the three miles distant lighthouse of Blitvenica. Most drop anchor in Vela Stupica, where it is much safer and the time can be passed in swimming and relaxation. There are three settlements on the northern side: in Koromasna cove, where you can anchor, in the small cove of Mikavica on the north-western coast and at Muna, the main harbour, where the boat that connects the island to Sibenik docks. If you moor here you can stroll off to Zirje, a village that has nestled itself into a small valley in the centre of the island, and which today, somewhat forlorn, still lives its ancient rhythm.

From here it is not far to Kakan and Kaprije, two islands not more than half a mile apart. The Kakan Channel looks more like a small gulf as it is protected by Veliki Borovnjak and Mali Borovnjak, and there are always many yachts at anchor there. If you want to stay in a settlement you have only to sail two more miles to the port of Kaprije, drawn deep into the island. Kaprije is a small village serviced by a boat coming from Sibenik, and with the arrival of summer and tourists it becomes quite lively. The neighbouring Zmajan, somewhat closer to the mainland, is uninhabited, but there are no good anchorages there, only the coves Bok and Zakloscica on its northern side and Smetnja Vela on its southern side. The small island of Obonjan is quite a different story due to a camp which operates on it during the summer months. Uninhabited and closer yet to the mainland is Tijat, whose Tijascica cove is a large anchorage and a favoured excursion spot for boats from all the nearby settlements.

Prvic, Zlarin and Krapanj

The three islands closest to shore are inhabited and rather interesting. Prvic, a mile from the mainland, has two picturesque settlements, Sepurine and Prvic Luka. Although Sepurine, a village of lovely stone houses that appear to rise out of the sea, is spread across the narrow island isthmus and boasts two harbours, any slightly larger vessel will be hard put to find mooring. There is space at the pier to the south of the settlement, but a ship coming in from Sibenik docks there several times a day. It will be easier to find space in Prvic Luka, where motor yachts and sailboats moor behind the breakwater that protects the bay from the south.

Zlarin, an island just a mile from the mainland has preserved the atmosphere of past times. During the Austro- Hungarian monarchy it was an important harbour where even the largest naval vessels docked. It was for those that the one hundred and forty metre long stone pier was constructed and which today offers plenty of room for the line coming in from Sibenik, for excursion boats and for numerous yachtsmen who come sailing in. There are some smaller coves on the north-eastern side of the island, off the coast of which are six islets of which only Krapanj, lying closes to the mainland, is inhabited. Despite its diminutive dimensions, with a surface area of under half a square mile, its fame is great - and it owes it to the divers of Krapanj, renowned for their art of harvesting, processing and shaping sea sponges and coral. Once it was the only occupation on the island, today those days are preserved in the small museum in the monastery of the Holy Cross (Sveti Kriz).

Tribunj and Vodice

By docking at Krapanj we have completed the rounds of all of the islands of the Sibenik waters, and we now sail the Sibenik Channel back to the mainland, to the eight miles distant Tribunj, yet another picturesque settlement the old part of which - located on a tiny isle - is linked to the mainland by a bridge. Ever since a marina was constructed here it has become a major nautical centre. The marina at Tribunj is superbly appointed and stages numerous events, from regattas to a small nautical fair every autumn.

Even more lively is the neighbouring Vodice, home to a large ACI marina, and there is also plenty of space to moor in the town port. And though Vodice is a tourist destination with many hotels, it is the marinas and the numerous charter boats which give it its nautical atmosphere.

Sibenik

Sibenik, an ancient Croatian city on the coast of a protected bay, is increasingly following the same path. Whenever one sails the narrow, a mile or so long channel of Sveti Ante, the fortress of the same name and many other military fortifications along the channel and above the city serve as a reminder of the huge strategic significance Sibenik has always held, and indeed still does. Today nautical tourists sail into Sibenik harbour in place of warships. One of the nicer places to moor is at the Sibenik waterfront, under St. Jacob's cathedral, the Renaissance masterpiece built by master builders Juraj Dalmatinac and Nikola Firentinac (Georgius Dalmaticus and Nikola Firentinac). Few years ago the Mandalina marina was built in Sibenik in the vicinity of the ship repair yard. Sibenik is a city of song, merriment, good food that comes both from the sea and from the Sibenik Range, it hosts the International Child's Festival - so make the best of it while you are here.

Sibenik is the only town on the Croatian coast from which you can sail deep into the mainland, all the way to Skradin in the lower reaches of the River Krka. On the shores of the three-mile long Bay of Sibenik, which is in fact the submerged estuary of that river, there are numerous shellfish farms, and near the end, sits the small town of Zaton. High above us an elegant bridge spans the two sides as we turn into the mile and a half long Prokljanski tjesnac (Strait of Proklja), with steep cliffs on both sides, and sail into the Proklja Lake. There are two more miles to sail up the River Krka to the marina in Skradin. On the way we pass under another bridge, this one part of the highway the leads from Zagreb to the south of Dalmatia, and we find ourselves in a true river setting, surrounded by reeds, bulrush and clear water. Skradin too is an ancient town, its history reaching back to the time of the Liburni tribe, and it was an important port as far back as the 13th century. We can moor in the marina or anchor off the shore, dine on Skradin risotto and the next day take an excursion boat (as there is no sailing further upstream) to the Krka Falls and the Franciscan monastery on the isle of Visovac in the National Park.

Primosten and Rogoznica

Having gone deep into the mainland, we return to the sea and sail out of Sveti Ante Channel following the coastline to Primosten, again passing Zlarin and the islets south of it. Left to the north are the deep bays of Grebastica and Tmara, while ahead of us lies Primosten, a small town spread over two small peninsulas. On the northern peninsula, closer to us, secluded in dense pine woods, are hotels, while the old part of the settlement and the church are on the southern peninsula. Primosten has two landings: the one right by the peninsula where the town waterfront and the long breakwater are, is teeming with berthed yachts in summer months, while the other one in Porat Bay provides berths for excursion vessels and fishing boats. Among yachtsmen, however, Primosten is known far and wide for the Kremik marina in the Peles harbour, a mile to the south. This large and well-equipped marina covers the entire northern branch of this harbour. All around the place, around the marina and above Primosten, growing practically out of rock - all be it like a lace of rock - are the grapes from which the famous, and truly delectable Babic wine is produced. Do not miss the chance to sample it when you sail in.

There are just under three miles from here to Rogoznica, a harbour whose two branches reach deep into the mainland. Rogoznica has for ages been an excellent and important anchorage and a harbour known to yachtsmen who sailed the waters of the Croatian coast even before the new numerous marinas appeared. Dense pine woods covering Kopar, and the old stone houses on its shores, under which fishing boats are often moored, give the old part of Rogoznica the atmosphere of a fishing town. Some ten years ago the Frapa marina was built on the western shore of Rogoznica's Soline Bay just below the Zmajevo oko lake (Dragon's Eye). It is one of the best equipped marinas offering numerous facilities which ensure that yachtsmen and their crew have as pleasant a stay as possible, as well as making the maintenance of their boats easier. When sailing out of Rogoznica, passing the islet of Smokvica and the coves of Movar and Stivancica, we come to Cape Ploca, better known as Punta Planka, an Adriatic divide where the Split region of the Dalmatian waters begins.

Waters of Zadar

When our southbound sailing brings us to Premuda, Silba and Olib, we have entered the waters of Zadar, which encompasses many other islands. The southern half of Pag also falls under the waters of Zadar, but we have already sailed it with the northern isles. Here again we meet with a low-lying and fertile coastline with some of the oldest urban agglomerations on the Adriatic. These include Nin, Zadar and Biograd that are filled with history. There is another string of islands just off the coast: Dugi otok, Iz, Ugljan, Pasman, Vrgada and others. If we are looking for small island settlements or for some solitude, or if we are looking to anchor in bays such as Pantera or Telascica, which enjoy the status of nature reserves, then we can find this all on these islands. Here again there are also many modern marinas.

Silba and Olib

The waters of Zadar are usually entered by sailing from Ilovik. Strike a course for Silba, and then continue on to Premuda, Skarda, Ist and Molat. The settlement of Silba is an ancient captains' port on the island of the same name. Typically, people find berths in the harbour of Mul, Silba's eastern port, which is well protected from northerlies by a high breakwater. You can also find mooring on the other side of the island in the harbour of Zalic, the main landing point on the island, but its passenger ship traffic and exposure to north-westerly winds makes the first a better choice. Silba is situated on a low-lying isthmus in the middle of the island. In olden times, captains used to build their homes here, whose gardens were full of the plants they kept bringing from all corners of the world. They also built six votive churches. In addition to being able to moor beneath the town, one can also drop anchor further to the north in the Pernastica Bay and to the south in the harbour of Sveti Ante. It consists of two bays, the western one is Sveti Ante and the southern is known as Porat. There is a chapel in the western bay dedicated to the same saint the bay is named after (Sveti Ante / Saint Anthony), while Porat offers a pleasant sandy beach.

To the east of Silba is Olib, a low-lying island that most yachtsmen undeservedly don't visit. Perhaps it is because, unlike the captains' island of Silba, it was an island with a peasant population, and therefore less famous. The economy of Olib was once based on the felling and transport of firewood timber to Venice and Zadar. Since this and agriculture made for hard living conditions, many people left the island to seek a better life in America. Their descendants now return and pass the odd summer month here on the island. They enjoy, as we can, its sandy beaches, which differ from the white-pebbled beaches of the surrounding islands.

Pag

You can easily sail from Olib to the marina at Simuni, which is the only marina on the island of Pag. On the way you will pass the barren and uninhabited islets of Skrad and Maun and if you turn in a north-easterly direction, you will enter a safe bay two miles further. The marina at Simuni has not significantly altered the appearance of this deep inlet. Here, the architects were mindful of the bay's configuration and designed its waterfront in harmony with the sheltered coast.

From Simuni you can go to the other side of the island, to the town of Pag. If you have sailed to the island, you must experience this town of exceptional urban planning, of lace, sheep-milk cheese and salt. We will come to it later after we have gone around the south-eastern part of the island. Sailing further to the southeast, the island will gradually reduce in height, especially after we pass the Bay of Kosljun and reach Povljane. We are again here in an area of strong bura, and jugo - the southerly wind is also strong in the channel that stretches between the islands of Pag and Vir, so you should sail with caution. Shelter is available in the inlets of Stara Povljana and Dinjiska, opposite the Bay of Nin and Ljubacki Bay on the northern coast of the Ravni kotari region. Pag is connected to the mainland by a bridge under which we will sail into the Velebit Channel. The channel is very dangerous to navigate when bura is blowing, particularly during the winter and early spring. This is another reason why the town of Pag developed at the far end of a well protected bay. Having moored at the berths on the waterfront, we can relax and head out for a stroll on the streets of a town that preserves a wealth of history, and to this day preserves the image of a place shaped to fit the needs of man. Pag is a vivacious town, full of life, the home of Pag's own lace, where there is the aroma of cheese and young lamb in the taverns…

Premuda and Skarda

The usual route taken for Premuda, which is an island in the open seas and boasts one of the most stunning anchorage sites [Krijal], is from Silba or Ilovik. The harbour of Krijal is a passage between Premuda and a string of reefs that stretch parallel to the shoreline that forms a protected lagoon, five metres at its deepest, where the sea glistens in all possible shades of blue. Additionally, the anchorage is quite safe, as the reefs offer protection from the waves. The village of Premuda is situated a little way above the shoreline on the crest of the island. Just some two miles from here is one of the best known shipwrecks, the Szent Istvan, which lies at a depth of sixty metres. From Premuda we follow the coast past the inlets of Premuda, Zaporat and Siroka, and make our way to Skarda. When we come to the southernmost promontory on Premuda, Cape Lopata, to our north we will leave Grebeni, there are three tall stark rocks around which there is always some sort of fishing vessel.

On deserted Skarda the twenty or so houses on the north-eastern side of the cove of Trate were abandoned by their last permanent inhabitants a few years ago, who now come here only in the summer. This is just like in Griparica cove, where there is an old deserted house that has a tower that has now been renovated. The cove is suitable for anchorage when a maestral is blowing, and there are usually five or six boats at anchor.

Ist and Molat

To the southeast of Skarda are Ist and Molat, two islands important to sailors. We land first in Siroka Bay on Ist, which we might call the port of the settlement of the same name that is situated on the isthmus between the two bays of quite different faces. Kosiraca, which faces the northwest, has preserved the atmosphere of a fishermen's port with its small berths, jetties and little houses on the shoreline, while Siroka, facing southeast, is crammed full of all sorts of boats in the summer, with large houses offering accommodation to tourists on the land. There is plenty of room for mooring, both on the inside and outside of the jetty and at the many buoys. The bay is safe, except when a southerly wind is blowing. By day you can swim in peace and in the evening take a boat to the shore, but do not sit down in one of the restaurants straight away. Just behind the settlement there is a trail that will take you on a twenty minute walk to the 175 metre high peak of Mount Straza and a small church dedicated to Our Lady of Snow (Gospa od sniga) from where you can enjoy a stunning view of the straits of Zapuntel. Numerous vessels pass through them in the summer, and the surrounding islands of Skarda, Premuda, Silba, Olib and Molat also stretch out below you - as if in the palm of your hand.

If you are unsure whether to stay on Ist or whether to sail to neighbouring Molat, one possible solution would be to anchor at Zapuntel, a strait lying between the two islands. Many sailors pass through here in the summer and there are two usual anchorage sites. The first is in the cove of Mljake on Ist to the north of the strait, and the other is across the way in the cove of Porat on Molat. Mljake, an uninhabited, lovely cove, is an excellent shelter in all weather conditions, except when the bura is blowing. If you hanker for a different setting, sail to Porat, a cove that falls under Zapuntel, which is a settlement that is about a kilometre and a half inland. There are a few houses here, a port with a jetty, several moorings and what is most important, two restaurants, so you can leave you boat and enjoy an "excursion" to civilisation.

From Zapuntel it takes almost four miles of sailing along the southern shores of the island to go around Cape Bonaster and sail into the two mile deep Bay of Brgulje. On the north side there is the main island settlement of Molat. It is a five minute walk to the settlement from the mooring and its berths. There are two anchorages on the north side of the bay. The first, smaller and not as well known is in the cove of Pod garbe, and the second, and much better known, is protected by the islet of Brguljce. You can drop anchor anywhere in the bay, and it is nice to head to its inner end, known as Luka, since there are much fewer boats there. At first glance there does not seem to be much going on in Brgulje, but those making anchor here are perhaps looking for just this. There are several coves on the northern side of Molat, the largest of which is the port of Jazi.

Molat forms the northern side of Sedmovrace strait, which leads us to the smaller and sparsely inhabited islands of Zverinac, Tun, Sestrunj and Rivanj, close to the island of Ugljan, and the closest to Zadar, but that comes later. These islands are not well known even to experienced sailors, but are in fact quite interesting. There are no large nautical facilities on them, marinas or waterfronts, except on Zverinac and Sestrunj, but that is precisely the source of their charm. The small settlements on Zverinac, Sestrunj and Rivanj (Tun is uninhabited) radiate an atmosphere of the past - you will still find fishermen there, drawing their nets onto the small docks, and in the summer figs are dried on the terraces. Our journey, however, goes on: from Molat we head towards Dugi otok (the Long Island).

Dugi otok

The shores of Dugi otok are again quite different from the other islands. The south-western one, facing the open seas, does not have a single cove of any significance with the exception of the splendid cove of Sakarun, were the sea is of turquoise colour and the beaches are sandy. Only fishermen and the occasional yacht navigate this poorly indented coastline, with its odd solitary inlet facing the open sea. If this is the route you have chosen you will come to the famous cliffs of Dugi otok having sailed to the tip of Mrzlovica. The rock face, which is over a hundred fifty metres high, plummets almost vertically into the sea.

All of the island's settlements are located on the northern side of the 45 mile long island of Dugi otok. There are large bays at both ends of the island. To the northwest there is Soliscica, and to the southeast Telascica, a nature reserve at the entrance to the Kornati islands. We will sail first into Soliscica, to the part that is called Pantera Bay, one of the largest anchorage sites in the Adriatic. There can be up to a hundred vessels at anchor or moored to buoys here, but have no fear, the bay is spacious and it will not be crowded. You will enjoy the view of the tallest lighthouse on the Adriatic Sea at the promontory known as Veli rat, situated just outside the bay. There are beaches near the lighthouse where sailors come to swim. At the end of the bay, there are the settlements of Veli Rat and Verunic, behind which lies the entirely closed cove of Cuna. There are good restaurants in both settlements, and few leave here without having had their fill of excellent fish. A small marina has been built in Veli Rat. The small village of Soline is at the end of the other part of Soliscice bay, situated farther to the north.

Navigation along the northern coast of the island starts in Zverinac Channel, where Dugi otok and Zverinac are only half a mile apart. The first settlement on this coast is Bozava. It is sheltered behind the wooded Cape Muljkovac, and is hidden in a small cove. If you moor behind the breakwater, you can enjoy the charm of this little island settlement from your cockpit. Going southwards from Bozava, along the many coves, you will come across the cove of Dumboka, and the small port of the village of Dragova, drawn into the shore. The tiny port of Bokasin also belongs to Dragova. Next we come to Lucine, a medium sized bay which is additionally sheltered by the islet of Utra. There is a ferry that docks at Lucine, and the bay is large and safe enough for a large number of vessels to drop anchor here. If we land at Lucine we can make our way over a low-lying isthmus to the settlement of Brbinj, which is where sailors usually sail. It is one of the most beautiful anchorage sites on Dugi otok, much smaller than Pantera or Telascica, but romantic, especially if you drop anchor under Cape Koromasnjak. Here you should moor your prow to a buoy and the stern to the shore, and then swim or read in the cockpit, take your dinghy to the settlement, go for a stroll, have a coffee at the restaurant on the waterfront or buy something in the shop, which also doubles up as the local post office. Savar, somewhat more to the south, is also a picturesque small village. If we make anchor in its port we will be protected by the wooded Cape Pelegrin on which there is a small church and a cemetery. The coast from Savar to Luka Bay is for the most part uninhabited, and, outside the small cove of Ovca, there is no place to drop anchor, so we will, for the moment, sail away from Dugi otok and sail to Rava.

Squeezed between Iz and Dugi otok is Rava, an islet that is worth stopping at. There is no need to hurry here, so moor in Mala Rava, drop anchor in Paladinice or land in Marinica Bay, the harbour of Vela Rava, and take a stroll around the island. Walk through its settlements, climb to the top of the hill in Vela Rava, a village that is being renovated daily, where its former inhabitants, now scattered from Zadar to America, return to spend their summers.

From Rava we sail back to Dugi otok straight to Luka Bay, protected by the islet of Luski. It is nice to drop anchor just off it, and if your draught is not too deep you can also dock at the waterfront. Next there is the settlement of Zmanscica beneath the village of Zman, which is situated five hundred metres uphill and has preserved its original outline.

To get to the bay and settlement of Zaglav, we will pass through the channel between Dugi otok and Krknata, yet another islet that stretches alongside. Krknata is a real little paradise, full of olive groves, with only a dozen houses. Zaglav is protected by an over three hundred meter long breakwater that stretches from land to the rock Pohlib. The nice three-pronged bay with a newly constructed waterfront to the northern side is a very lively place. A ferry docks here, and the only fuel filling station for boats on the island is also here.

It is even livelier in Sali, the largest settlement on Dugi otok. Once the centre of fishing in the region, it is now turning its eyes more and more to sailing and tourism. A few years ago, a new waterfront was built at the southern side of the port for travellers who sail these waters, so together with the old waterfront the port now offers safe and peaceful mooring for some seventy vessels. Sali is a picturesque place. The three small docks at the far end of the port are full of local boats. Here you can often buy fish directly from fishermen returning from sea. To get to Telascica, the other large bay on the island, through Mala Proversa, a narrow strait that separates the islands of Katina and Dugi otok, we need to pass the islet of Lavdar which lies to the north of Dugi otok. A nature reserve, the harbour of Telascica is a large and safe anchorage to the south side of Dugi otok, right next to the Kornati National Park. It consists of several coves suitable for anchorage. The most famous is Mir, which sits beside a lake of the same name. Making the trip to it and climbing the cliffs on the southern side of the island is a part of nautical ritual. There are plenty of buoys in this part of Telascica and it can get quite crowded. In recent years many buoys have been anchored in the other coves, most in the deepest and safest part of the harbour. Given the number of coves, in Telascica you will find one to shelter in whatever the weather conditions and whatever the wind.

Iz

From Telascica we will not head forward towards the Kornati islands, but will, rather, if our draught is less than 2 metres, make our way back through Velika Proversa and sail to Iz, an island set halfway between Dugi otok and Ugljan. The settlements of Iz are also on the northern coast of the island, which is more indented, if we do not count the Bay of Soline and the islets off its shores. The main island settlement and the main nautical centre is Veli Iz. It developed around the harbour in which there is a marina with fifty berths. If there happens to be no space in the harbour you can moor in the neighbouring Draga Cove. Veli Iz, or as the natives call it, Zmorasnje selo, was inhabited as far back as the time of the Liburnians. Iz is an island of olive growers, fishermen and sailors, and as such still retains the qualities of a real island settlement, even though tourism is now making inroads here as well. If you spend a day or two here, sailing out for a swim in the neighbouring coves or off the islet of Rutnjak is definitely a good choice. The other settlements on Iz are equally picturesque, especially Mali Iz, but it is hard to land there unless we are sailing a small vessel, so it is best to tour them on foot. If we are looking for a place to drop anchor somewhere along Iz, the best place to do so would be on the southern part of the north-eastern side in Vodenjak Bay, protected by the islets of Temesnjak and Skoljic.

Ugljan and Pasman

From Iz we will again take a route that is rarely taken by a summertime sailor. We head out to the island of Ugljan which, together with Pasman protects the low-lying coastline around Zadar and Biograd from the southerly wind. The first ports of call are Male Lamjane and Vele Lamjane, two inlets on the southern coast of Ugljan that, together with Sabuscica and the islets of Kosara and Skolj, make the far southern coast of Ugljan very indented. If we want to drop anchor here it is best to do so in Male Lamjane or in Sabuscica. In Vele Lamjane there is a shipyard which has, together with a fishing port and fish farm, taken up the entire bay. Just under a mile to the south of Sabuscica is the strait known as Zdrilac, where the islands of Ugljan and Pasman are no more than fifty metres apart. It is always lively in this strait so you should proceed with caution and look up because the bridge that spans the straits bears a large figure of 16.5 - which indicates the height of the bridge. So, if you have a yacht with a tall mast, you will have to take a somewhat longer route to the Zadar Channel. Having passed the narrow straits, the shores of Ugljan and Pasman abruptly separate and then close again, creating a lake in the sea safe for anchorage. But we are not going to stop over here, but will instead make our way to Kukljice, attractive with its fishing port atmosphere, a scene we will come across frequently on Ugljan. In the deep and protected harbour you can always find mooring, and although the locals are increasingly involved in tourism and less in fishing, there is no shortage of good fish in the restaurants of Kukljice.

The fishing fleet of the inhabitants of Kali, the next settlement we will sail to, is big enough to fill its two harbours, Kali and Batalaza, and even the waterfront in Lamjane. If you do, however, manage to find a mooring - with the permission of the fishermen, to one of their vessels, or at the pier, you will be in the fishing epicentre of the Adriatic Sea: there are fishing nets strewn along the breakwater, and crews busy on their boats even when in harbour. If you come during the full moon in July, you'll be here for the Kali Fishermen Fiesta which consists not only of Dionysian summer festivities but also a serious convention for Croatian fishermen. The people of Kali are not only excellent fishermen in the Adriatic. They also hunt in the Pacific Ocean. They are preparing to expand their small harbour to make room for their ships, and also for nautical tourists, who are sure to come - both for the atmosphere and the fish.

What the people of Kali have planned, the people of Preko are already achieving. The local harbour is being widened. Preko, a charming island village, gains added charm because of its two islets. The larger of the two, Osljak, and the smaller, Galovac, stand like sentinels to the eastern and western sides. Sutomiscica has also become a frequent destination over the past two years. In the bay in which you could once only drop anchor or moor to the small pier, a new marina has been built. Its owners have designed the entire project based on the olive growing tradition of Ugljan. In addition to this, when we want to visit Zadar by boat, and avoid the crowds, we can sail here and a fast motor launch from the marina will take us over the Zadar Channel in no time at all. From the northern side of Ugljan we will sail to two larger settlements, Veli Lukoran and Ugljan, and then go through the strait of Veli Zdrilac on to its south-western shores. It is much more sparsely inhabited, and the two bays on this part of the island are worth stopping at. They are Pavlesina and Prtljug and face the south. It is from this side of Ugljan that we continue on our way to Pasman.

Pasman is a quieter island than Ugljan, it settlements along the coast are smaller, but that is what gives it its charm. We sail along its southern side when we want to be near an almost barren coast and stop and spend the night at anchor in one of the protected coves. There are several such coves. No one sails into Kablin any more as it is the site of a fish farm so we continue on to Kobiljak and Sveti Ante Bay, where there are often many boats. There are even more in the next three coves- Soline, the best anchorage on the island, and Zinceni and Lanđina. A decade or two ago all these coves were deserted, with the odd cottage that was used only in summer. Today this is no longer the case. There are people here, houses, but also taverns and shops all of which come in handy when a sailor at anchor gets an urge to go on dry land. From Lanđina we sail to the northern side of the island and the Pasman Channel passing a small archipelago made up of the islets of Kosara, Maslinjak, Zizanj, Gangaro and Kotula.

The waters along the northern coast of Pasman are shallow, and scattered through it are thirteen islets and a few reefs, so you need to navigate with caution, but this is what makes our sailing even more interesting. There is activity all around us - numerous boats taking people for a swim, boats that sail out of the marinas in Biograd and Sukosan… As for us, we are heading to Tkon, two miles from the southernmost point on the island. Here you can find a berth at the pier of the local harbour, take a stroll and visit the nearby 12th century Benedictine monastery with its Gothic church on Mount Cokovac, and the three kilometre distant Franciscan monastery by the sea, in the village of Kraj. From there the houses of Pasman, the island's main settlement, are clearly visible. If we decide to sail to its port, we have to be careful and steer to the north of a small row of islands that includes Veliki Duzac, Mali Duzac and Muntar. This is the only way we can have enough sea under our keel. A number of small villages line the route from Pasman to Zdrelac: Barotul, Mrljane, Neviđane, Dobropoljana, Banj and Zdrelac. Moorings can be found at all of them, thus allowing us to enjoy the solitude and intimacy these small places offer.

Zadar

From Zdrelac to Zadar it is a straight six miles. On this occasion we are not going to sail further north to visit Petrcane, Zaton and Privlaka but by circumnavigating Vir, we arrive at the Bay of Nin and Ljubacki Bay, and the southernmost part of the Velebit Channel - entering yet again the realm of the bura. From there we could first make land in the small ports of Razanac and Vinjerac, and then pass through the Straits of Novigrad and sail into the Sea of Novigrad and the Sea of Karin - enclosed sea basins. Following this, we could drop our anchors off Posedarje and treat ourselves to some of the superb prosciutto produced there, or perhaps go on to the small port of Novigrad to mingle with its famous fishermen. We, however, are going to leave this for another time, and instead we are going to sail to Tankerkomerc marina in the heart of the ancient city of Zadar. We could also find a berth at the Borik marina on the western shore of the city, in the neighbourhood where there is the best known sailing club in the region, the Uskok Sailing Club. These two marinas are, along with other ports, large and small, the centre of nautical life in this area.

Over recent years Zadar has become a large nautical centre. Numerous regattas are staged in its waters, spectacular yachts dock here, it is the seat of many charter companies, there are three shipyards here manufacturing yachts and boats. You can stay in Zadar for days and never be bored. It is a town with rich history, ravaged and occupied again and again, passing from one power to another, and preserving elements from each of them: the remnants of the forum of the Roman Iadera, the church of St. Donatus, the Romanesque cathedral… Zadar is also its main street, the Kalelarga, the Foša, its betule, or rather its inns, and cafés, endless discussions about basketball and the sea - this is what peopls here live for.

From here we sail to the Dalmacija marina, the largest on the eastern coast of the Adriatic, exactly half way between Bibinje and Sukosan. Set in what was once a nondescript part of a shallow coastline, it is now a nautical base from where you can quickly get to the most attractive islands in the central Adriatic. The ancient Croatian royal town of Biograd is only nine nautical miles to the south of this marina.

Biograd is also an important nautical centre. It is home to the marinas Kornati and Sangulin, where almost a thousand boats can berth. It is nice to wander along the streets of Biograd, sit in its pubs, and walk the waterfront. You can always find a familiar face, and invariably a discussion will ensue about Vis, Hvar, the Kornati islands, or about autumn in Biograd when numerous regattas take place, as does the highly entertaining nautical fair of Biograd.

The narrow coastal belt between Lake Vrana and the mainland, together with islands of Vrgada and Murvenjak and two islets Arta Velika and Arta Mala, lying south of Biograd, also form a part of the waters of Zadar. And although the usual route from Biograd is to sail towards Pasman and Vrgada, it is just as nice to follow the low-lying coastline to Pakostan or to slip into the inlets of Vela luka and Mala luka. Wherever you go, Lake Vrana - the largest natural fresh water lake in Croatia, and a nature park within which there is an important ornithological reserve - is within reach since it runs parallel to the shore.

We are heading to Vrgada, a small island with a charming settlement named Luka, a cove with the same name and an anchorage in the straits between the islets of Artina and Vrgada, where we drop anchor for our last swim on our tour of the waters of Zadar. The next stage of our cruise takes us along the shores and to the islands that make up the waters of Sibenik.

Source: HTZ