- Sailing Croatia tips
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by Ultra Sailing Team
When planning your sailing vacation in Croatia, it is always important to clarify which area you want to explore by a sailboat or catamaran. The Croatian Adriatic Coast is quite large, so while planning, it is important to consider which starting point is the best accessible for you. If you travel by car, many guests think that the last point to book your boat is in Trogir or Split, everything south of Split is then already too long for the driving distance.
What is the best area for sailing in Croatia?
If you arrive by plane, it could be much easier to travel, because of the proximity from the airport to the actual marina. Usually, it is in a radius of approx. 20-30km, at least these distances are where we operate our charter bases and our boats are located.
When you plan your sailing vacation in North Adriatic in Istria or Kvarner area, the best option is flying to the city of Pula. “Airport Pula” is about 15KM away from our charter base in ACI Marina Pomer. Other option would be, you take a flight to Zagreb-Airport and from there a rent-a-car to Pula, which is about 2,5 – 3 hours driving distance from Zagreb.
If you like sailing in the Zadar-Kornati area, you can either sail from Sukosan, Zadar or Biograd marina, in that case you have great flight connections to Zadar-Airport from most European countries.
Split Airport has the best flight connections during summer season and it is the ideal airport for a sailing from Split, Kastela or Trogir area and discovering the middle Dalmatia.
Last but not least, the pearl of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik area. If you decide to start from Dubrovnik or Slano marina, the best choice is to fly to Dubrovnik-Airport, which also have good flight connections during high season, but not so good flight connections in pre and after season, like April and October.
In this blog we are referring to a 7-day sailing trip from ACI Marina Pomer (Pula), in Medulin Bay, sailing south to the islands of Susak, Mali Losinj, Ilovik, Rab, Krk and Cres. As you probably know, the sailing vacation and route largely depends on the weather conditions, so we always mention some alternatives where you can stay overnight or at least to consider another option if the weather is very bad.
Day 1 (Saturday) – from Marina Pomer – Bay Portic (Cape Kamenjak) 4nm
Depending on the time of your arrival in the marina on Saturday, when you have done the shopping and check-in, and if the weather conditions are suitable, you have the opportunity to sail to the “Portic bay” in the nature park on Cape Kamenjak, 4 nautical miles away from ACI Marina Pomer. It is a good opportunity to get a little familiar with the boat itself and to see if everything is ok, if all the equipment works well, to avoid “unpleasant surprises”.
Cape Kamenjak is the southernmost point of the Istrian peninsula; the cape is considered a true natural paradise with many bays. Here you can stay on anchor and overnight in the bay of Mali or Veli Portic. Please note that the bay is part of the Kamenjak Nature Park and anchoring over seaweed is prohibited. If you feeling too exhausted on Saturday after arrival, shopping and handing over the boat or the weather conditions are not suitable for sailing out, you can alternatively explore the Medulin area or take a trip to the old town of Pula, which is 8 kilometers away and then start your sailing vacation on Sunday morning.
Day 2 (Sunday) – from Marina Pomer or Portic Bay to island Susak or Mali Losinj 22nm
If you start on Sunday from Pomer, it is approx. 22 nautical miles to Susak Island or 4 nautical miles less if you have sailed out on Saturday and stayed in Portic bay the night before. Susak is characterized by a peculiarity, because unlike most inhabited islands on the Croatian Adriatic coast, it is not rocky, but consists of sand. The island was well populated until the 1960s, when there was a large emigration of the inhabitants to the USA. Today there are about 100-150 inhabitants, for most of them tourism is the main source of income. The island is mostly visited by the excursion boats from Losinj during the day, in the evening it is much quieter and less crowded.
Supply options
There is a small supermarket in the harbor and some restaurants like “No. 13” or tavern “Vera”. The selection and quantity are limited, prices might be a bit higher than on the mainland. But since it is your first day, we assume you’ve done provisioning in Pomer.
Berths
You can either find a berth at the pier or the promenade in the small port of Susak or in the eastern bay “Bok” which is offers mooring buoys. The small port is quite narrow and mostly occupied by local fishing boats or tourist boats, so it is better to go to the bay „Bok” on a mooring buoy to stay overnight. In the bay are approx. 30 mooring buoys and it offers good protection from southerly and westerly winds, while exposed to northern “bura” wind in that case, it’s better to avoid this bay.
Bay Bok: Tel: 00385 95 8493 664, Email: alen.hosic@gmail.com
Port of Susak: +385 99 335 87 60
Alternatively, you can find a well-protected and safe berth in the bay of Mali Losinj, 7 nm away from Susak. You can find a berth in the new marina on the west-side, with completely 100 new berths and facilities. The marina also has a filling station.
Other option would be in the harbor of Mali Losinj with five pontoons, which occupy the entire southwestern part of the harbor. Sailing boats which moor here will be in the heart of Mali Lošinj. In midsummer it is quite crowded. Mali Losinj is a lively town, there you will find some grocery stores, restaurants and a gas station.
Contact for Marina Losinj:
Tel: 00385 51 234 081, email: booking@marinalosinj.com
Contact for city port: Tel: 00385 99 262 5376 or (0) 99 262 5373
Day 3 (Monday) – from Mali Losinj to island Ilovik and Sveti Petar 13nm
In front of the beautiful island of Losinj are two smaller islets, Ilovik (also known as the Flower Island) and opposite to the island of Ilovik is the island of Sveti Petar. The two islets are separated by a 2.5 km long and 300 m wide channel. The channel offers very good protection and serves as a harbor for the boaters who come here to enjoy the pristine nature. The depths in the middle of the channel is around 7 meters and decrease to around 1,5 meter near the shore. The Channel has been used for mooring since the ancient times, so the islands shows traces of different historical times.
The tranquil town of Ilovik is a little village, with a particularly nautical atmosphere during the season. It is very popular among boaters, because there is no car traffic, only the locals use small tractors as a main transportation on the island. The reputation as a flower island comes from the blooming roses, oleanders and other types of flowers in the front yards around every house.
The opposite island of Sveti Petar is almost deserted, there is only a graveyard with the ruins of a Benedictine monastery.
Berths
There are three options for finding a berth around Ilovik and Sveti Petar.
On the east side of the channel, closer to the shore of the island of Sveti Petar are around 80 mooring buoys. This buoy field is well protected against almost all winds, swell only occurs while strong Jugo (SE) blows. Generally, most of the channel is sheltered from all winds, sometimes while strong Bura (NE) blows, it is better to stay closer to Sveti Peter than to Ilovik island. If you decide to stay on a mooring buoy, you can take the dinghy to the island of Ilovik.
Alternatively, you can also moor in the port of Ilovik, where you have the option of mooring on the south side of the ferry pier, but the north side should definitely be kept free for local ferry traffic. The depth at the pier is around 3 meters. Another buoy field, located south-east of the ferry pier offers further mooring options.
If there are no berths at the pier and no mooring buoys, it is possible to anchor beyond the row of moorings, to the SE of the village.
The island of Ilovik offers several restaurants and bars, as well as a grocery store. There is water and electricity at the ferry pier, water can also be taken from the draw-well in front of the church square.
Contact Port of Ilovik: 00385 99 335 8777
Day 4 (Tuesday) from Ilovik to Island of Rab (21nm)
We sail further in north-east direction and pass the island of “Vele Orjule”, to the island of Rab. Our goal for stay is the town and marina of the same name “Rab”. This is one of the popular sailing destinations for many boaters and yacht charter guests who are sailing in the North Adriatic.
The town of Rab is known as important trading center since the Roman times and has admirable historical monuments, in particular the four famous bell towers or the ruins of the castle of St. Christopher, as well as other galleries and monuments.
It is best to take a trip along the “Srednja Ulica” (Middle Street) in the Old Town and discover the beauty of Rab.
Berths
The best way to find a berth is the ACI Marina Rab, but you can also find a berth at the town quay on the port side. The town quay is much more exposed to the swell of the constantly boat traffic in the harbor. The ACI Marina Rab is a popular sailing destination in a lively tourist town, there are 140 berths in the marina, if you want to be sure to get one, you can do online berth reservation.
The other option would be anchorage in the Sveta Eufemija bay, where you will be within easy reach of the town and have a great view of all four bell towers. In this case you should use a dinghy to visit the Rab town.
Supply options
The supply options in Rab are excellent, you can find several supermarkets, restaurants, bars, postal offices, nautical shops and everything you might need, there are also 2 gas stations and boat service facilities if needed.
Contact: ACI Marina Rab, phone: 00385 51 724 023, email: m.rab@aci-club.hr
Day 5 (Wednesday) – from Rab to island Krk 22nm
From Rab we sail further north to the Island of Krk, towards Marina Punat. The sea area between the islands or Rab and Krk is notorious for the strong NE-wind Bura, blowing from the mainland in the area of Senj and it can be felt even in the sea area between Rab and Krk. So, plan your departure in relation to the weather forecast.
Punat is a small town located on the eastern part of bay Puntarska Draga. It is a popular bathing resort and very well protected bay. It is the second largest bay on Krk. The entrance was dredged and widened, so it is not anymore that shallow and narrow, but the current can be strong. Still watch out for the markers, the best way to enter it is between the red and green markers, cause it is very shallow outside the marked channel. You have the option to stay in the Marina Punat or on anchor inside the bay.
The bay itself is also quite shallow, the maximum depth is about 10 meters, so be sure to use a good chart or navigation instruments. In the middle of the bay is the islet of Kosljun, with a Benedictine monastery built in the 12th century. You can visit the monastery with the dinghy as soon as you have moored in the marina. Please note, that you won’t be able to visit the monastery in trunks or bathing clothes. Also while sailing please watch out for swimmers in the bay. You can anchor anywhere, but the best option is the north side of the Kosljun islet, where the depth is around 5 and 9 meters.
Berths
With about 1000 berths, Marina Punat is the largest marina in North Adriatic and one of the oldest marina in Croatia. The marina itself is very modern and good equipped with a wide range of services, including a hotel, boat service, restaurants etc.
Supply options
The town of Punat offers good supply options with supermarkets, restaurants and bars. Also, in the Marina Punat itself there is a supermarket, a restaurant and a pizzeria, as well as a hotel belonging to the marina. A gas station can be found in the port of the town of Krk, 2SM away.
Kontakt: 00385 51 654 111, Email: marina-punat@marina-punat.hr
Day 6 (Thursday) – from island Krk to island Cres 35nm
Our sailing trip s slowly coming to an end and it is important to spend as much time as possible swimming, sailing and exploring. We continue sailing around the island of Cres to the town of the same name, which is considered a safe harbor in all weather conditions. Once you reach the Cres channel, it is best to pass it through the middle to avoid any bottoming.
The island has retained almost all of its original appearance to this day and has a lot to offer to boaters looking for a nice island cruise. Most of the eastern coast is steep, uninhabited and not particularly cove rich. The northwestern part is very similar. The most beautiful and interesting part of the coast for boat trips stretches from the town of Cres in a southerly direction to Osor and further south to the bays of Punta Kriza.
The town of Cres with the beautifully painted patrician houses looks very idyllic. The center of Cres is cca. 10-minute stroll along the waterfront from the Marina. In Cres you can visit the well-known Benedictine monastery with its extensive icon collection from the 15th century or the Franciscan monastery with the church of Sveti Franjo from the 14th century. Explore the romantic narrow streets and enjoy the view in one of the many street cafes and restaurants.
Berths
Although there is the possibility of mooring in the town port or the Cres marina, the places there are mostly reserved for local wooden ships, liners and excursion boats. That is why our choice is ACI Marina Cres, at the entrance to the channel on the starboard side, which is more spacious and comfortable. Due to choppy seas, please do not moor on the outside of the breakwater while waiting for the place to be assigned in the marina, rather find a place in the marina and move later if needed. The marina offers 460 water berths.
Supply option
The marina includes a café, a restaurant, a boat accessories shop, apartment accommodation and a grocery store. You have more shopping opportunities in the harbor and in the old town of Cres. A petrol station is located in front of the outer pier.
Contact: City Port and Marina Cres: 00385 51 571 544 and 00385 91 1571 431
ACI Marina Cres: 00385 51 571 622, email: m.cres@aci-club.hr
Day 7 (Friday) – back to Pomer 26nm with swimming stop
It is time to finish our sailing journey and sail back to the home port. As soon as you sail out of the Cres Channel, set a course for the southern tip of Istria and consider where to stop for a swim on the way before entering the marina. If you stayed in the marina when you arrived on Saturday, you can anchor in Portic Bay on the way back, or you can stop for a swim on the islands of Ceja, Bodulas or Levan at the entrance to Medulin Bay. Most charter guest sail into the inner section of Medulin on the way to the marina in Pomer. The harbor is sheltered from all winds except a strong SE (Jugo). But since it is just a several hours stop, you can anchor throughout the bay, where depths allow and apart from where there is a lot of traffic.
Plan to refuel on the way back. A gas station is located in Marina Medulin, about half a nautical mile from ACI Marina Pomer.
