Cruising Croatia For Families

On Croatia Online today, we looked at child friendly hotels in Croatia, which inspired us to think about how suitable a sailing holiday in Croatia might be for families with children of varying ages.

Earlier in the year, we interviewed a few experts for an article on sailing in Croatia for Time Out. When we asked them about taking children along, the consensus seemed to be that parents would probably be too distracted worrying about the safety of kids of five and under, and teenagers might prove hard to entertain. However, on a family holiday, if the charter includes hiring a local skipper, the experts told us it was the skipper’s job to keep everyone happy - with adolescents that means making sure they were fully involved, and leaving plenty of time for swimming and other beach activities. If you don’t take a skipper then that’s down to you, the parents!

That view has been endorsed by a number of families we’ve met who’ve tried it. Better still, a family sailing trip seems to bring everyone together. Readers might be interested to read a very touching report on the website of legendary sailor and prolific author, Jimmy Cornell. Noonsite includes the story of an Australian family who lived the dream for five weeks, sailing around Croatia, and considered it the best experience they had ever had as a family.

If you’ve only got a couple of weeks then perhaps the answer is to make sure you provide a variety of destinations and activities that suits everyone, and that’s very easy to do in Croatia. If the kids show signs of getting bored, perhaps spend a day at Marina Kornati in Biograd, ACI's Marina in Vodice or Marina Borik, near Zadar, and let the children take advantage of the nearby child friendly beaches, hotels and facilities while the adults chill out over a cocktail or two.

Croatia – Getting There Update

Today on Croatia Online, we reported on the latest news on flights to Croatia and it seems there are some good last minute deals to be had, even though we’re approaching peak season.

If you’re planning a sailing holiday then probably Split or  Zadar are the airports at the centre of the most popular sailing areas, and a high density of marinas hosting charter fleets. Those travelling from the UK seem likely to get the best deals from EasyJet (Split) or Ryanair (Zadar), but don’t discount the national flag carriers (eg Croatia Airlines and British Airways) in your search. American readers should note there are an increasing number of options for them, even if it means a normally short detour via Zagreb to get a regular domestic connecting flight.

However, the cost of the flight itself has to be weighed against the logistics of the charter and the possibility of an extra hotel night or two if the timings aren’t right. Some charter companies will offer a degree of flexibility on the normal Saturday afternoon start and it always pays to have a chat with your charter manager to see what’s possible.

There are, of course other ways of getting to Croatia from the UK, including driving. A few years ago, a cheap flight to Ancona in Italy and a ferry to Split were one of the few low cost options but, now that the low cost carriers have recognised Croatia’s potential, that’s not necessary. For those from the UK, the ferry is a great option for getting to see the best of Croatia as a land based tourist within Croatia, but not really a practicality for getting there. Italians, however, have a vast number of ferry options for crossing the Adriatic, though many choose to sail their own boats across, or drive to marinas in northern Croatia, where their boats are berthed, and sail down to Dalmatia.

For travellers with some spare time and a budget to die for, maybe a trip on the  Orient Express to Venice and then a one way superyacht charter from Venice to Dubrovnik or Montenegro?

Croatia is so much easier to get to now, in the summer season – more flights, great new motorway, ferry connections as good as ever, but still improving - that the discerning traveller has a vast amount of choice. Car hire prices however aren’t amongst the cheapest in Europe.

Follow the link to Croatia Online, in the opening paragraph, for direct links to airlines operating in Croatia and for the main Croatian airports. Below are a few others that may help:

Jadrolinija – Croatia’s main ferry company for international routes and local connections to the islands

Croatian Motorways – for information on motorway travel in Croatia

Croatia Online - Driving To The UK  - for some first hand tips on travelling to Croatia by car.

***

Today’s photo is of Korčula town where the ferry overnights not far from the local boats.

Onshore News – Dalmatian Coast and Islands

Whilst the Croatia Cruising Companion seems to be the book of choice for those focusing on sailing Dalmatia by sea, we’ve yet to find another resource that attempts to cover the Dalmatian Coast and islands onshore comprehensively. We welcome all contributions and competition on this as, despite our best attempts, and blanket coverage when we wrote the book, there are some remote islands that we get to revisit only periodically for news and updates for this site.

For landlubbers that may be attracted to the more deserted Croatian islands along the Dalmatian coast we’d suggest a copy of the Croatia Cruising Companion and the following links on sister site Croatia Online to give you a flavour of Croatia and some of its quirks and practicalities.

Croatia In August

Solta The Island Of Olives

Falconry In Croatia

Cost Of Living In Croatia

Split Hotel Update

Croatia's Best Kept Secrets

Cricket In  Croatia

Top 20 Island Gems

Sunday Times Best Sailing Holidays

Best Souvenirs Of Croatia

Croatia's Natural Splendour

Zadar's Newest Hotel

Oxford And Cambridge Boat Race, Split

 UNESCO In Croatia

Browse, prepare, research and enjoy!

Shore Based Fuel Stations In Croatia

A reader recently contacted us, see posting below, to let us know that the fuel station in Milna,  Brač, was open on a bank holiday, for longer hours than we suggested in the Croatia Cruising Companion. Better that way than the other way round but it does seem that many of the fuel stations have extended their hours of operation, particularly on Bank Holidays.

We’ve found some relatively new, web based information, on shore based fuel stations in Croatia and the following link, Adriasail – Fuel, will take you to a summary of opening hours, contact details and depths for most stations. If you then click on the name of the individual fuel station you will get more detailed information to cover the different seasons. Interestingly enough, the fuel station concerned shows the same opening hours as in the CCC for the month of June so it may just be that it wasn’t a “proper” bank holiday or July started early on Brač

As with all types of important information it pays to double check. In the introduction, on page 15, we suggest that you phone ahead to check opening times, depths, etc for the fuel station you intend to visit, and provide telephone numbers wherever available. We took our information directly from the owners and operators of the fuel station, in most cases and particularly when there were any discrepancies between a number of different sources, and occasionally a phone call may reveal that there is work going on in the harbour which puts the station out of action for a period.

***

Today’s photo is of the fuel station in Sumartin on Brač island.

Readers’ Update – Hvar and Brac

Below are some observations from readers who contacted us recently after returning from a week’s sailing in the Split area.

***

A super book which we found invaluable on our recent week's charter out of Split. I thought the following notes might be useful to your readers.

On Hvar we overnighted on the anchor in the small bay, Zavala, north of Rt Oplovac on the way down to Stari Grad. [CCC  page 170 and see note below]. It’s a beautiful and secluded spot  and very well sheltered. Also I think its walkable to Stari Grad which gets pretty busy in the high-season.

From Palmizana on Sv Klements [CCC page 165] we hiked the less-than 400 metres over the hill to the restaurants you mentioned. We used the one next to Gastionica Zori which was OK and much cheaper!

Later we were in Milna on Brac and noted that the fuelling stations stayed open all afternoon albeit it was a public holiday. 

Anthony Warren, Brentford

July 2009

***

Thanks to Anthony for his comments and we’ll be following up the opening hours of fuel stations in a later posting since most fuel stations now seem to operate longer hours in the summer season.

Zavala, the inlet near Stari Grad (see above), is not to be confused with Uvala Zavala and the town of Zavala on the south side of Hvar island [CCC page 177]. Croatia does have a habit of using the same name for a number of places. Hence you have a Milna on Hvar as well as the better known Milna on Brač island!

Today’s photo is of Stari Grad Hvar.

Cruising In Classic Style

Croatia, particularly Dalmatia, is at its best when explored from the sea but many of us just think of modern yacht charters as the means of discovery. Croatia is however a nation of seafarers which values, and remains in tune with, its nautical heritage. Enterprising locals, who choose to provide floating accommodation that makes the most of this heritage, deserve a wider audience.

Captain Ivica Benić is one such entrepreneur and has lovingly restored a classic gullet, Dolin, for tailor made cruises for parties of up to 10 people. Known to his English friends as Johnny, Ivica was born and raised in Australia, but eventually answered the call of his Croatian roots.

Dolin was originally built in 1946 and spent her first two years transporting wine from the Dalmatian islands before going into service for the Croatian ferry company  Jadrolinija, as one of its first passenger ships. She spent the next forty plus years as a cargo ship transporting goods to the islands of Cres and Lošinj, and later sand from the island of Krk.  In 1977, Ivica’s family became the proud owners using Dolin as a cargo and excursion boat until, in 2008, she underwent a complete refit for her new role as a luxury classic cruiser.

Though Dolin was refitted from the deck up, the hull is the original and has lost none of its former glory. Made from oak that was “seasoned” in mud and sea water for a couple of years, the hull was designed and crafted from the finest wood in an age when boats were built to outlive their owners. Dolin, however, makes many concessions to modern living elsewhere – air conditioning, 5 comfortable en-suite cabins and spacious, well fitted common areas.

Ivica decided to focus on comfort rather than cramming as many cabins in as possible, and for that reason also, Dolin is geared to groups rather than just trying to fill individual cabins. The desire to blend classic style with contemporary needs means Ivica also provides a well stocked kitchen, and a chef with international experience as well as the expected expertise in the preparation of local traditional Dalmatian dishes.

Dolin’s base is Zadar though, by arrangement, you can start and/or finish elsewhere. Itineraries are flexible too and a number of activities are also available by arrangement – diving, fishing, rafting, etc.

A one week basic charter costs range from €5,400 to €9,100 depending on the time of year, for up to 10 people in double cabins. You will pay an extra fixed fee of  €1,000 for cleaning, mooring in town ports, tourist taxes, fuel, etc, but if your group specifically wants to berth overnight in a marina, the marina fees will be extra – see  Croatia Cruising Companion - Town Ports And Harbours In Croatia for the pros and cons of marinas and town ports.

For half board add €230 per person per week and for full board add €320. You can also take advantage of an inclusive “domestic drinks” package which includes Croatian wines, beers and spirits; soft drinks, mineral water, coffee, tea and juices for an extra €170 per person per week or an equivalent but non alcoholic package at €90 per person per week. Otherwise you will pay for drinks at the bar prices unless you choose, as a group, to provide all your own drinks for a corkage fee of €600 for the week.

By my calculations, that means a group of ten, can cruise in classic style for a week, in early May or late December, for €680 per person; or with food and drink all in, €1,170, which compares pretty well with equivalent hotel costs.

For a full price list, boat layout and design, and more information, contact details are as follows:

Captain Ivica Benic
Mate Balote 84
23000 Zadar
Croatia
ivica.benic1@zd.t-com.hr
Phone  + 385 (o) 23 331 340
Fax       + 385 (o) 23 337 157  (capt.) Panjol
Mob.    + 385 0) 95 901 7455

We haven’t tried it yet but it’s now on the list and we’re always happy to give a resourceful entrepreneur, with something quite special to offer, a little helping hand.

View Full Album

Croatians Cross The English Channel In a Classic Rowing Boat

This morning we read an article in the Croatian Times reporting on an astonishing feat by a team of Croatian rowers yesterday. In a classic rowing boat called a lađa, pronounced ladja, 16 rowers, one drummer (to keep the rowing beat) and two coxes apparently made the crossing of the English Channel in 3.4 hours.

This afternoon we finally found a UK site, Kent Online, that corroborated the story but differs substantially on crew numbers and has the  video evidence to prove it which shows 8 rowers, a drummer and helmsman battling the waves.

These rowing boats have been used for transport on the Neretva River for centuries and you can read more about them by following this link - Ladja Marathon – and the one above. Thanks also to them for today’s photo of the annual marathon on the Neretva River.

The Neretva Delta covers around 20,000 hectares of Croatia and Bosnia and is one of the few remaining wetlands in Europe making it an important Ramsar Site and a great bird watching destination. It is also being considered for Nature Park status though that comes with additional restrictions and the idea is not universally popular with the locals. 

For those interested in bird watching go to sister site Croatia Online - Bird Watching in Croatia. For those more interested in the remarkable achievement of the Croatian rowers we will endeavour to hunt down some more information and hope the UK press does it justice. In the meantime, rowers of a more mainstream style may be interested in the following posting - Croatia Online - Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race In Split.

***

Readers of the Croatia Cruising Companion  should note that the Neretva Delta is not suitable for sailing boats. Very few of Croatia’s rivers are but the Krka River is a notable exception and well worth exploration as it passes the magnificent city of Šibenik, provides a great freshwater marina - ACI Skradin – and of course leads to the spectacular Krka National Park

***

Aficionados of tennis may be interested to read about Croatia’s prowess in this sport by linking to Croatia Online - Wimbledon And Tennis In Croatia

Weather Forecasts In Croatia

We recently had an email from a reader unsure as to how the areas of Croatia were identified in weather forecasts. Croatian weather and forecasts are covered in pages 8 and 9 of the introduction to the Croatia Cruising Companion and VHF broadcasts will normally identify a city - Split or Šibenik for example. However on sites such as The Croatian Meteorological And Hydrological Service, references are made to the Northern, Central and Southern Adriatic.

We have taken the liberty of including the map from the above website to show that, in fact, readers sailing in the area covered by the Croatia Cruising Companion need mostly focus on the Central Adriatic Region, though the small area of Croatia, south of Dubrovnik, falls in the Southern Adriatic region.

This classification of regions is not to be confused with the division of the Dalmatian region into Northern, Middle and Southern Dalmatia. The whole of Dalmatia is covered by the Croatia Cruising Companion and Dalmatia, as a whole, can roughly be said to equate to the Central Adriatic Region above.

These definitions probably sound more complicated than they are. In practice you will find that every marina has a daily weather report available for the area, and most tourist offices will print these out on demand. Plovput are responsible for the radio broadcast of weather and navigational information and operate three radio stations – Rijeka, Split and Dubrovnik – which broadcast this information 3 times a day in English.

The Croatian Tourist Board also has a good weather map on its site for looking at the weather in specific destinations. We’re sorry to see that today, whilst the UK is basking in sunshine for the opening days of Wimbledon, the whole of the Croatian coast seems to be suffering from “variably cloudy with thundershowers”!

Town Ports And Harbours in Croatia

A few days ago we posted a review of Marinas In Croatia and pointed out that, although some marinas offer the ultimate in luxury, many town harbours are close to marinas in standard and usually half the price. However there are a few differences:

1. Town or village harbours are normally run by a small company that gets a concession from the government. They are not so easy to find on the web or book ahead. In the Croatia Cruising Companion we’ve done our best to give all the contact details, but sometimes that’s just a mobile phone number. In most cases you’ll find it’s better to turn up and find a space, though in the high season it’s worth getting there a little earlier.

2. Some local harbours are just too shallow for yachts and exclusively geared towards local fishing boats so check depths carefully. Again, in the Croatia Cruising Companion we’ve identified, as far as we can, the areas for yachts and those for local boats. However you’ll normally find someone ready to help you as soon as they spot you coming – normally the concession manager.

3. In all the town ports of any size you will find a source of electricity and water, normally in the form of a concrete bollard or two. In some cases though, these are at the shallow end. Some ports have pedestals for almost every berth but in a few smaller ports a degree of resourcefulness is required. In Kukljica on Ugljan island, our neighbours tapped into the electricity supply at the security office, even though there are pedestals on the inner pontoons; and there’s a small secluded bay up the Krka estuary, which for obvious reasons should remain nameless, where the locals are “wired” to the lamp-posts!

4. Check shelter carefully, (covered for each port in the Croatia Cruising Companion). Whilst you will find that nearly all marinas are sheltered from all weather conditions, the town harbours and moorings don’t always afford all round protection, particularly where the best mooring options for yachts are towards the outer end of the harbour,  and sometimes on the outside of the breakwater.

5. In some municipal ports there are toilets and showers but this is the exception rather than the rule. In nearly all of them you will find lazy lines to tie up securely. You will normally be approached to pay your fees when you arrive and can expect to receive an invoice which will also include the nominal tourist tax charge for your stay. Also expect to hand over your passports briefly, and occasionally your other papers, so that the details can be taken. The overnight fee usually includes reasonable electricity and water where available. Out of season and in some smaller harbours, you may simply be expected to dine at the local restaurant in return for a berth. 

6. As we suggest above, the fee is normally around half the amount you would pay at a marina though there are some exceptions where the standard of facilities are higher. The Brijuni islands in Istria, a favourite for superyachts, are one example; Lastovo is another.

On the whole, you get the best of both worlds in most town harbours – a comfortable berth at a reasonable price, but you still feel part of the local scene. Below are a few of our favourites:

Pučišća on Brač island – Pučišća seems to be oblivious to tourism though very welcoming to visitors. It’s a thriving town as a result of the white Brač stone it quarries and there’s evidence of this everywhere including statues and intricately carved stone lamp-posts. The long narrow bay has plenty of space and the depths for yachts, and electricity and water pedestals are generously scattered around it. There’s also a good supply of bars and restaurants and our only problem was the chiming of bells, from a number of churches, throughout the night.

Sali on Dugi Otok – Sali is picture postcard perfect at sunset with the pastel hues of the houses reflected on the water. Electricity and water are available and there’s a boatyard and engine repair facilities. No shortage of cafés and restaurants either and, as with Pučišća above, you can expect to find life all year round though its prosperity centres on fishing and fish processing.

Vrboska on Hvar – Vrboska is a sleepy village that calls itself Little Venice because of a number of bridges over the inlet. It also has an ACI marina (see Marinas In Croatia) but the enthusiastic harbour manager knows every trick in the book when it comes to diverting boats hovering around the marina entrance. Though Vrboska has a few bars and restaurants, for more facilities it’s a lovely walk of about an hour along the coast (and past some lovely houses) to Jelsa, a bigger and upcoming town with a ferry service to Split and Brač. Jelsa also has good berthing but it’s exposed to the Bora and the berths are beside a clutch of noisy restaurants so not the place for a quiet night!

Prvić Luka on Prvić Island – The Šibenik Archipelago has many hidden gems. Prvić Luka, our favourite, is a charming small town but has a newish boutique hotel, Maestral, that also act as a base for swimming holidays (Swimtrek). Berthing is inside the breakwater on lazylines and there are toilets and electricity and water available. If you fancy spending a little more time in this area, Zlarin and Krapanj island are well worth a visit and have good facilities. However note that Krapanj acts as a base for flotilla holidays and therefore the lovely Hotel Spongiola (which also provides the berthing facilities) can get a little raucous on changeover night.

Bol on Brač – These berths are not the most sheltered in all conditions but Bol is such a picturesque and compact town that it’s worth the trip. Electricity and water are available and if the weather conditions are not right you can always get a boat trip from Jelsa which lies  opposite (see above). Bear in mind that the iconic Zlatni Rat beach, featured in most tourist literature photographs, and popular for wind surfing and other water sports, is a good walk away from the town centre. Also note that, despite its appearance on the photographs, its a pebble and not a sandy beach.

There are plenty of other great stops – Vis town on Vis island is one of the most popular, but those above are some of the less obvious. Today’s photo is of Rogač, the main ferry port on Šolta Island which provides a great illustration of how yachts and local boats co-exist in harmony on a quiet island. Šolta, the island, hides a number of gems and you can read much more about that on sister site Croatia Online. The link takes you to the last of four postings on this very special island just a short sail from Split.

Croatia – A Place For All Sailors?

Many people seem to feel that a sailing holiday is beyond their reach, either because they don’t know how to sail, or because they imagine it’s way beyond their budget. This posting aims to dispel a few myths.

Whilst a round the world trip might not be a good idea for a novice and nervous group of sailors, a sailing holiday in Croatia could be just the job. Obviously you have to pay attention to the weather and basic navigational and safety rules, but if you charter a yacht with a skipper you can learn as much or as little as you like about sailing whilst exploring Croatia the way it was meant to be discovered – by sea.

As for budgets, if you do your research carefully you will find plenty of bargains to be had this year. If you compare the total cost of the charter holiday with what it would cost you to stay in a hotel, you could get a pleasant surprise.

Croatia, particularly the Dalmatian Coast and Islands, is particularly friendly to a variety of nautical travellers.  The many islands mostly lie close to the mainland so you are never very far from land if the sea roughs up. Similarly, it’s easy to pick a route to stay in flat water if the weather conditions change. If you happen to be in a group of mixed bravado and tastes then you can leave some of the group in a fascinating historic city while the others go chasing the winds in the nearest channel. If some like to party and some don’t then seek the peace and quiet of the Pakleni Islands and send the party lovers by water taxi to Hvar town. Deserted bays may be the order of the day for romantic couples, and for families perhaps Bol on Brač, or Vodice and Biograd on the mainland, provide the ideal children’s playground for a daytime stop.

Those that haven’t sailed before often aren’t aware that charter yachts are relatively luxurious – the floating equivalent of three star hotels, without the room service but with a good sized kitchen. So if you just want to potter around and enjoy cocktails on the sun deck then you can do that in style too.

We’ve yet to meet any sailors, novice or otherwise, that haven’t had a great time when they’ve sailed with a skipper. The skipper takes all the responsibility, makes himself scarce when necessary, and knows exactly where to go to keep everyone happy. Those that choose a bareboat charter (without a skipper) also can’t fail to have a good time in Croatia if their sailing skills are up to it and they find other means of getting the best of local knowledge.

Below are a selection of  links to charter companies of which we’ve had excellent first hand reports. However the quality in Croatia is very high, as long as you stay with licensed charter companies, so you’re unlikely to go far wrong:

Adriasail Charter

Dalmatia Charter

Sail Croatia

And here are ten tips for making the most of your sailing holiday:

1. Travel light – pack your gear in foldable bags so they stow easily. Include a pair of jelly shoes for the pebble beaches.

2. Beware the sun – make sure a bimini (sun cover) comes as standard on your yacht and that you take a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, etc

3. Embrace the unexpected – don’t be to rigid in your itinerary so you can enjoy the ad hoc experiences which will make your holiday

4. Treat yourself to a bit of luxury half way through – maybe an overnight stop at a marina as a change from the quiet anchorages, see Croatia Cruising Companion - Marinas In Croatia

5. Learn a little Croatian  - it will make the locals happy though most speak good English. For a handy phrasebook link to the Croatian Language School

6. Leave everything except Marmite, Branston Pickle and teabags at home. The local produce is excellent, particularly olive oil, eggs, all fruit and veg, smoked ham (prsut), cheese and of course fish

7. Communications – for a relaxing holiday it’s best to leave the laptop behind but you’ll find WiFi in an increasing number of marinas. Mobile telephone signals are good in most places too.

8. Respect the weather – if you’re skipper suggests shelter to avoid a summer storm then he’ll almost always be able to find you a nearby town with plenty to explore. At worst it will be a sheltered bay with a restaurant and bars.

9. Prepare and do your research so that you can let your skipper know what sort of places you like.

10. Don’t forget to pack your copy of the Croatia Cruising Companion!

Marinas In Croatia

Those of you about to set off on your sailing holiday in Croatia, may already have decided on your overnight stops. Just where do you stay to maximise your enjoyment of one of the world's best cruising destinations? If you've novices onboard or appreciate the full gamut of overnight facilities, you may lean towards the bon homie and luxury of Croatia's 50 plus marinas. In that case, what do you need to know?

All of Dalmatia's marinas are covered, in depth, in the Croatia Cruising Companion, as well as all other feasible locations for overnight stays. Northern Croatia has an even higher density of marinas than Dalmatia but that's mostly because they are handy for the Germans, Austrians and Italians to drive too. Particularly at the beginning of August, you'll see fleets of foreign flagged yachts heading south to the sailing heartland of Croatia - Dalmatia. Wherever you are, there won't be a marina too far away though the coverage is thinnest in southern Dalmatia, around Dubrovnik and Peljesac.

Below are a few pointers if you favour marina stops, rather than anchorages or town ports, though many town ports have facilities almost up to marina standard and are often considerably cheaper.

Standards and Classification
All of Croatia's marinas are of a relatively high standard but Croatia classifies them by category. Category 1 indicates marinas of the highest standard, and so on. On some occasions the difference in category is just a question of whether some facilities are inside or outside the marina complex. All marinas have toilets, showers, reception, electricity and water, though in some of the more remote locations (normally islands with no natural water supply) electricity and water may be rationed to certain times. Most have cash points, exchange facilities, restaurants and bars. Some have fuel, maintenance and repair facilities, deluxe accommodation and a lot more. If you really want to spoil yourself, try Frapa, Tribunj and Lav. Marina Frapa, in Rogoznica near Trogir, is about to get an underwater restaurant, underneath its new superyacht pier, to add to its extensive facilities and nightly summer entertainment. Tribunj, not far from Šibenik, is a lovely unspoilt village with a classy marina, and Marina Lav, though a little isolated from any major town, is attached to one of Dalmatia's newest and plushest five star hotels, Le Meridien Grand Hotel Lav.

Government Owned ACI Chain
State owned ACI (Adriatic Club International) owns 21 marinas dotted around the coast. The Croatian government was well ahead of its time when it planned and conceived its network of marinas. However, in some locations, where possibilities for expansion are limited, the older marinas don't always cope so well with today's larger yachts. One of the advantages of state ownership (and this applies to Croatia's post offices and ferry services as well), is that the more remote and less profitable locations are covered (Zut and Piskera for example) though these marinas tend to be closed in winter. Those that berth in an ACI marina all year round get significant discounts on daily berthing in other ACI marinas.

Superyacht Marinas
Croatia is increasingly aiming at the luxury end of tourism and many marinas are being expanded to accommodate larger yachts. NCP Marina Mandalina will soon be Croatia’s first dedicated superyacht marina and already accommodates a number of gin palaces. Tribunj, Frapa and Lav also have good space for larger yachts and the facilities that go with it. Many other marinas will normally find a way of looking after superyacht captains or have a few dedicated superyacht berths.

Some Marinas To Watch
Recently opened Marina Preko, on Ugljan Island near Zadar was the first Croatian marina to install a purpose built pump-out system to keep the sea clean and we hope more will follow.
Šolta Island, near Split, should be getting its first marina this year, in Maslinica harbour. That's the next project for the owners of the beautifully refurbished castle, now that it is fully functioning as a luxury boutique hotel - see Croatia Online - Solta, Martinis Marchi
Dugi Rat, near Split is watching progress eagerly on the Korenat Point Development which will transform the area.
Marina Vinisce, not far from Trogir and Marina Agana has been open, closed, open and now appears to be closed again.

Pricing
Staying in a marina is the most expensive option, other than leaving already comfortable floating accommodation for a hotel. Daily berth rates are normally 10% to 20% higher in July and August, some marinas reduce their rates substantially between November and March, catamarans normally cost double, and you will find that negotiation on pricing is normally fruitless, particularly in the summer season. Rates normally include fair use of electricity and water and below are some examples for 10/20 metre yachts in the shoulder season, per day.

ACI Trogir - €45/€110 per night - http://www.aci-club.hr/
Marina Kaštela - €37/€94 near Split - http://www.marina-kastela.hr/
Marina Preko - €44/not quoted - http://www.marinapreko.com/

Some Tips
You can expect English speaking staff, someone normally on alert to show you to your berth, and a very helpful service. You will be expected to use marina facilities over third party ones, and some marinas do not allow other service/repair companies onto their premises. Every marina has a daily weather report and will provide as much local knowledge as you need though beware, they may have a cousin working at the "best restaurant in town".

For those on a first trip wondering whether to choose marinas or not, be prepared for the fact that you may have to sacrifice some tranquility for a little more luxury. You will be tightly packed in the summer season and that might shatter the image of the deserted island that you left behind a couple of hours ago!

***

Today's photo is from Marina Frapa looking towards Rogoznica.

Croatia's Marmite - The Kornati Islands

When we interviewed a few of the movers and shakers in Croatia's sailing world (see Croatia Cruising Companion Recommended Reading below), two destinations recurred - Vis Island and the Kornati Islands.

Vis Island seems to get a universal thumbs up from everyone that knows it - untouched, plenty to explore inland, great food and hospitality, fascinating history, English ties.....

Comparing the Kornati Islands to "love it or hate it" marmite is brave - who wouldn't love their stark and bewitching wilderness, the seasonal rustic restaurants, the density and variety of islands and the crystal clear water? Part of the answer lies with those of a pragmatic nature trying to please everyone - though there are many lovely bays there are few child friendly beaches; the skipper and navigator will be busy counting off the islands and looking for the shallows and rocks; there aren't many places which offer much to do ashore, and over exposure to so much spectacular natural scenery can dim the senses after a while.


The Croatia Cruising Companion devotes many pages to the Kornati Islands in a conscientious attempt to identify every possible bay, anchorage, marina and port. It isn't for the Croatia Cruising Companion to try and second guess reader preferences but to make sure there is consistent and comprehensive information on all the many choices offered by the Dalmatian Coast and Islands. We referred to this in the introduction, as well as highlighting various destinations that might suit many differing tastes. However these blog pages, and Croatia's world class status as a cruising destination, have inspired many readers to make the time to share their experiences and preferences with us and we count ourselves very lucky to have such rich and valuable first hand content on this site.

As Croatia's 2009 cruising season accelerates into full swing, we hope readers will again make the time to tell us of their experiences and special finds. In the meantime here are a few readers' highlights from 2008:

Miggy and Neal review the costs of cruising Croatia
Ian Shaw explores Dalmatia with a fresh eye
Nigel Crouch names his Dalmatian highlights
Mike Forbes provides latest updates on customs clearance and regulations

***

Today's photo is of Opat on Kornat Island - we understand that the two rustic restaurants there are now both under common ownership.

Croatia Sailing Holidays - Recommended Reading

For obvious reasons, we'd clearly recommend the Croatia Cruising Companion as the best read and the most useful reference book once you have decided to sail Croatia's heartland - the Dalmatian Coast and Islands.

However if you're just thinking about a sailing holiday and want to know a little more about what Croatia has to offer, to beginners and experts alike, pick up a copy of Time Out's Magazine For Visitors' To Croatia and read the sailing feature. The 2009 edition of the magazine is hot of the press and widely available in Croatia, Ireland and the UK.

As author of the regular sailing feature this site's editor again has to confess to a vested interest. This year, however, we decided to base the feature on interviews with local experts - a charter company owner, the president of the Dalmatian skippers' association, a sailing school owner and the vice president of a company that is developing Croatia's first marina exclusively for superyachts in conjunction with international marina company, IGY.

These were the kind of local contacts we tapped into when we wrote the Croatia Cruising Companion and you will find their insights and tips enough to get you booking that charter holiday or sailing course immediately. Time Out's Magazine also makes for great reading in a wide range of other areas and its independent reviews on where to eat, drink and stay, are hard to beat.

We'd like to think that the Croatian Cruising Companion, as well as being a comprehensive nautical guide, is relatively unique in its onshore coverage of almost every feasible anchorage, port and marina, even on the most remote Dalmatian island. However, if you want to spend a few days onshore in the larger towns and villages throughout Croatia, inland and by the sea, you'll find a wealth of complementary information in the Visitors' Guide To Croatia. With Amazon currently offering the Croatia Cruising Companion at £17.49 (retail price £24.99) and Time Out's Visitors' Guide on sale at £5, it's hard to think of a better value investment to help you make the most of all aspects of Croatia.

Croatia Featured In Sunday Times Best Sailing Holidays For 2009

Last Sunday, 26th April 2009, the Sunday Times published an article on the best sailing holidays for 2009, in which Croatia features heavily. We're also please to see our friends at Sailing School Croatia included in their 15 "who sails where in the Med" under "learning".
Author David Wickers makes a number of insightful points in the 7 page feature, not least is the fact that a sailing holiday (with a sailing school or skipper for the inexperienced) compares more favourably on price with a hotel based holiday than many might imagine.
Link to Sunday Times for the full feature, Croatia Cruising Companion - Learning To Sail, for our last posting on Sailing School Croatia, Sailing School Croatia, to go direct to their website, and the Croatia Cruising Companion, for more details on the essential guide to sailing the Dalmatian Coast and Islands.
Thanks to Ocean Matters for today's photo of Superyacht Galatea taking in the spectacular view.

Eddie Jordan Picks Elan and Kastela Marina

Co-author, John Nash, had poll position yesterday to watch Eddie Jordan, of Formula One fame, pick up his new yacht from Marina Kastela. John’s MFS offices are based in the marina but he apparently resisted the temptation to check with Eddie that he had his copy of the Croatia Cruising Companion safely on board.

The Elan 450, registered under the Croatian Flag, was specially improved for its new owner and will no doubt feature in the many regattas that take place in Croatia, throughout the year.

Many thanks to Zlatko “Jure” Vujević for today's photo. Similar images featured on the front pages of most of the Dalmatian daily newspapers today.

Keeping The Croatian Adriatic Clean

Perhaps not the most glamourous image on this blog but being a good sailor means keeping the sea clean, and that means using pump-out facilities. Co-author John Nash runs Marina Facility Solutions a company operating from Kaštela, near Split, set up some six years ago, to service Croatia's marina industry.

Building on his established career in the international yachting and marina world, not only has John brought the best of UK manufactured marina equipment to Croatia - pontooons, water and electricity pedestals, pump-out systems and more - but he's also become an expert on Croatia's marina industry working closely with local experts on new developments and a number of other marina linked projects.

Marina Preko are, as far as we know, the first Croatian Marina to include a state of the art pump-out solution as a standard service for berth holders and guests, though some other marinas will call a tanker on request. Though Croatia has been talking about new legislation and enforcing existing legislation better, to protect its crystal seas, real results have been slow coming.

Follow this link to Euromarina to see their report, in the February 2009 issue, on a visit to Marina Preko (page 32) and learn about John's significant input into what is quite a breakthrough for those that care about the purity of Croatia's Adriatic waters.

Šolta Island

We've covered Šolta Island on pages 149 to 151 of our Croatia Cruising Companion and have just been lucky enough to spend three days there. You can read more about inland Šolta on sister site Croatia Online (this link takes you to one of a number of postings on Šolta), but we would be remiss if we didn't specifically address it, in a Cruising Companion update, on this site.

Perhaps the most important development is in Maslenica where Martinis Marchi have completed an extremely painstaking restoration of the Baroque castle on the south side of the bay. Now the exclusive hotel and lovely restaurant are preparing to open for business in a couple of months. Next project is to get the marina up and ready for business and work on that is scheduled to start in September 2009. In the meantime berthing facilities are still as written.

As far as restaurants in Maslenica are concerned, we reported that Konoba Moni claims to be open all year round though it didn't seem to be last week. In fact the only establishment that we found open was the Pizzeria at the head of the bay, Konoba Picerija Gajeta (tel 021 659 104). In the winter it's only open till 6pm but will stay open later if you book ahead. It was a very welcome sight both for a coffee break and food, as the only other restaurant we found open on the island in March was Konoba Šolta in Rogač (a short walk up the hill, tel 021 654 540/www.villa-solta.com), and the only other open cafés seemed to be inland in Grohote (next to the post office) and in Rogač, the main ferry port.

Visitors to Šolta will mostly find that cash is king, post offices and tourists information are in most of the main settlements and there is just one fuel station, for cars or yacht, in Rogač, the main ferry port.

Today's photo is of the newly renovated castle, complete with heliport.

Krka Estuary Revisited - Zaton and Rasline

Once you've absorbed the historical, architectural, culinary and cultural delights of Šibenik, you could do worse than head upstream along the Krka river. In fact you could spend a week or two going inland behind Šibenik and really discover what Dalmatia is all about - see our sister site Croatia Online for more.

However, by yacht, you can head to state owned ACI Marina Skradin and use that as a base for exploring the Krka National Park and its waterfalls. On the way you'll pass under a 27 metre high road bridge - see page 108 of the Croatia Cruising Companion for a chartlet and navigational notes - and you'll also have the opportunity to check out Zaton. Though the harbour itself is quite shallow, there's a small inlet to port before you get there which is the base of the rowing club and a large restaurant. If you're lucky you may get a space on the pier, and if you're shameless you may choose to tap into the electricity that powers the street lights, as many of the locals seem to do!

Zaton itself has plenty of cafes, a few restaurants, a couple of supermarkets, a post office and a tourist board. Today we spotted a new, but so far nameless, hotel that looks ready on the outside but with the interior yet to be completed. We also saw one electricity and water pedestal, to starboard, just after the green light as you head into the bay. It's a well cared for town, with an impressive war memorial and seems to have quite a life of its own, outside the tourist season. On a lovely early spring day like today, it was positively buzzing with life.

Further upstream is Rasline without perhaps quite the same charm as Zaton but with a campsite, restaurants and bars. Navigation is challenging so perhaps its better to visit by car.

Today's photo is of the small inlet, with rowing club and restaurant, just before Zaton, looking downstream towards Šibenik, with Zaton behind us.

Ten Reasons For Sailing In Croatia

Over the last six years we've been lucky enough to experience most of what Croatia has to offer, particularly at sea. We've also had the chance to speak to a vast number 0f experts, drawn from all corners of the sailing world - visitors and locals alike. Foreigners sailing Croatia for the first time are, on the whole, spellbound by the Dalmatian Coast and Islands. Local mariners wouldn't want to go anywhere else, and trained skippers, after many years of nursing foreign charter visitors, still seem to revel in their guests' enjoyment. Here's our understanding of some of the aspects that qualify Croatia as a world class sailing destination.

1. Accessibility

In Dalmatia, you can easily visit 4 or 5 islands on a weeks's charter. You're at sea, but never very far away from land and passage distances are short.

2. Diversity

There's something for everyone within relatively close distance - party spots, deserted bays, cultural and historical sites, upscale venues or rustic restaurants.

3. Safety

There's a port for the occasional storm always close at hand. Flat waters can quickly be traded for rough seas. It's a sea faring nation with the infrastructure to suit and a geography that is designed for optimising safe enjoyment of the Adriatic.

4. Good Climate

Mediterranean!

5. Clear Waters

Enough has been said and you can read all the cliches on the internet. If you're travelling to Split from London on a clear day, sit on the right hand side of the plane (left is not quite so good) and see the outline of the islands descending into the bottom of the sea.

6. Hospitality

It's in the Dalmatian blood - there's an odd rogue wherever you go but if you behave as good and discerning guests, you're likely to be well rewarded.

7. Living History

You can sail right up to, and sometimes into, cities with a vast wealth of history, that are treated with respect rather than reverance. The history continues rather than being set aside as a spectator sport.

8. Entertainment

Traditional folk music or international Dj's - pick your spot. Better still to just pick a location and be surprised.

9. Serious Sailing

There are a huge number of regattas and competitions, mostly off season, and they are taken very seriously.

10. The Islands

You can get a taste of all that Croatia has to offer in a week or two, but you won't know it properly until you have come back several times. The inhabited islands still have a vibrant life inland, that is still almost totally undisovered. You can miss a lot chasing an itinerary from port to port.

Croatia Cruising Companion - How Does It Compare With The Competition?

As co-author of the Croatia Cruising Companion, it could be argued that this site’s editor is not best placed to draw an effective comparison with its competition. However previous experience suggests that all healthy competition should be embraced as a good thing. From a reader's point of view, hopefully specialist authors are likely to know more about the competition, and of course the subject, than most others!
Below we try and give readers the opportunity to decide for themselves, hopefully based on facts, and ordered around what we consider to be the Croatia Cruising Companion’s top five strengths.

1. Area and Content: Dalmatia - Nautical and Onshore

As far as we are aware, the Croatia Cruising Companion is the only publication covering Croatia’s sailing heartland (the Dalmatian Coast and Islands), that also includes detailed information and contact details once you get onshore. That’s over and above all the nautical information you would expect.

If you want to maximise your overall sailing and onshore experience of Croatia’s best cruising grounds, then we would suggest that the Croatia Cruising Companion has no rivals.

If you want to find out about all of Dalmatia’s islands, especially the most undiscovered, then we would suggest that the Croatia Cruising Companions offers more than most guides, sailing or otherwise.

If you prefer an excellent, highly visual, chart based, guide for navigation in Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro, without too much narrative, then consider 777 Harbours and Anchorages.

If Croatia is just a small part of an Adriatic itinerary and you just want one book that covers the lot, then head for Imray’s Adriatic Pilot.

2. Local Knowledge Ashore and Afloat

John Nash has worked within the Croatian Marina industry for over 6 years. It’s a standing joke amongst John’s Croatian business contacts that they need to talk to him to find out what’s happening in the industry – new marina facilities, change in transit prices, additional breakwaters, etc. John is also an experienced round the world sailor and spotted Croatia’s intrinsic potential as a world class cruising destination long before most others.

Whilst writing the Croatia Cruising Companion, Jane Cody became involved in many other Croatian projects – she’s working on Time Out's Visitors’ Guide To Croatia for the fourth consecutive year – feature writing and area reviews - and last year she wrote a book supplement on Croatia for Boat International.We aren’t aware of any other authors of comparable publications that are, and have been, so intensely immersed in Croatian nautical and tourism matters, let alone have a base in Croatia. We hope the results speak for themselves.

3. Up To Date

Part of the joy of spending so much time in Croatia is that it is one long voyage of discovery. The more you get to know it, the more there is to learn, and this site is for nautical news and updates. Sister site Croatia Online was conceived a little earlier and now has over 3 years worth of postings on Croatia. We are lucky that our blogs have attracted some delightful readers, who have made the time to provide valuable additional first hand information. Many have become friends. Again we’re not aware of any similar product that is as up to date.

4. Publication Quality

Quality issues are highly subjective and therefore we must refrain from much comment other than to say that the Croatia Cruising Companion’s 256 A4 pages are packed with photos, port plans and detailed information.

We’re also told “it’s a good read” and that a good number of landlubbers have also enjoyed dipping in and out of it when contemplating their next ideal summer break.

5. General Information - Introduction

The 23 pages of introduction cover cruising strategies, weather, navigational matters, safety, boat maintenance information (including contact details for engine, sail, hull, electronic and other repairs), a guide to the Croatian language and pronunciation, communications information, “getting there” details, and background information on provisioning, entertainment, beaches, rules and regulations, health matters, etc. Again we struggle to identify rivals in this respect.

***
Pricing and Amazon Ratings

The Croatia Cruising Companion retails at £ 24.99, the Adriatic Pilot at £32.50, and 777 Harbours and Anchorages at £28.50. Last time we looked for the Croatian Hydrographic Pilot it cost 330 kn (about £35).

At the time of writing, price and ratings on Amazon UK were as follows:

Croatia Cruising Companion – £17.49. Ranked 4 (Croatia), 18 (Sailing), 12,384 (books)

Imray Adriatic Pilot - £32.50. Ranked 71 (Italy), 36 (Sailing), 22,002 (Books)

777 Harbours and Anchorages – not listed on Amazon

HHI Pilot – not listed on Amazon.

***

Standing back as far as we can, Croatia, particularly Dalmatia, is now readily acknowledged as one of the world’s best cruising grounds and if that’s the place you want to explore, in depth for a week or two (and it takes years to distil it properly!), then we think the Croatia Cruising Companion is just that – the one and only book you’ll need, devoted to the best of the Adriatic.

If you'd like to cover a wider area – on a delivery or passage perhaps - then there’s more of a choice for just that one book but, of course, some detail has to be sacrificed for the bigger quantity of coverage.

Marina Vinišće Near Trogir

There are two marinas in Trogir bay: Trogir itself, part of the state owned ACI chain, and Marina Agana in the small town named Marina. However just outside Trogir bay, to the west, is the quiet and charming village of Vinišće, with its own sheltered bay, and a marina with a chequered history.

When we finalised our Croatia Cruising Companion in late summer 2007, we reported on page 130 "It's difficult to think of a quieter, more secluded spot than Vinišće....after much disruption to the locals, the marina looked to be fully up and running...with the pontoons filled with boats, a reception area, a shop and more to come."

We first met the owner way back in around 2004 as the marina was starting to take shape. He told us proudly that he had been camping out in Zagreb for 2 years obtaining the necessary permissions to build and operate the marina and he had nearly succeeded despite almost unanimous opposition from the local inhabitants who were quite content with their quiet and idyllic sleepy village with a couple of restaurants and shops. We first sailed there a year or so later - pontoons, berths, electricity and water pedestals all working well but the marina was unable to take our money as it didn't have a full operating licence. So we spent a lovely couple of days there free of charge. More recently, it's been a thriving, good value, operating marina but that all stopped last year and there are a number of people trying to contact the owner. In true Dalmatian fashion, it seems likely that the raft of permits required may not be complete - we can only guess. However, be prepared for the unexpected if you do decide to visit!

Today's photo shows a view of the bay from the north west.

Sailing School Croatia

We were lucky enough to spend some time with Nigel Turnbull, of Sailing School Croatia, recently. Nigel is founder and owner/manager of Croatia's very first RYA sailing school. Royal Yachting Association approval is not an easy thing to get, but being an RYA training centre confers a number of benefits, not least that clients can be asssured of the highest possible all round standards - teaching, equipment, safety knowledge, etc.

Nigel offers a wide range of courses - everything from complete beginners to those wishing to get their skipper's tickets. And if you don't want a certificate at all, that's fine too: you can just enjoy the scenery, an early morning swim in the crystal clear waters and delicious fresh fish from one of the great restaurants, in a deserted bay on one of Croatia's beautiful islands.

Sailing School Croatia takes groups, families, couples or individuals and spends a lot of time trying to get the right mix on one of their four yachts. Nigel maintains that it's a good instructor/skipper's job to keep everyone happy so he's no time for tales of adolescent teenagers getting bored - it's down to the instructor to make sure they don't, so the parents can concentrate on the sailing if that's what they want.

We asked Nigel what made Croatia particularly good for beginners, as well as inexperienced sailors. Here's what he told us:

"There are so many different places and islands to explore, close to the mainland, so it's easy to get to somewhere new in a morning or an afternoon. You arrive at a bay that looks like a Steven Spielberg set for an old style Mediterranean fishing harbour and can just bask in the sun in a time warp. You are in the open sea, but it's protected, and shelter and calm seas are never very far away in occasional temperamental weather. No matter which direction you head in, you can shape a route for flat seas and it's a great place for building fast early confidence."

We were also delighted to hear that Nigel has a copy of the Croatia Cruising Companion on board each yacht in his fleet, for the further enlightenment of his clients!

Happy New Year!

A belated and very happy New Year to all our readers and especially those who have bought a copy of our Croatia Cruising Companion.

There are quite a few of you now, if the Amazon best seller lists are anything to go by. Today on Amazon.co.uk it's number 2 for books on Croatia, and 8 in the sailing section (worldwide) which is a great way to start the New Year. On the US site, www.Amazon.com, it's currently 10th in the books section on Bosnia, Croatia and Hercegovina. That means that both sites can still offer substantial discounts (30% and 34% respectively) off the £25 and $33 list price.

So if you're holding off booking that perfect sailing holiday until you see what else is in store for 2009, at least you can plan, read and dream about it at an affordable price!

Today's photo is the copyright of Ivo Pervan, one of Croatia's most talented and celebrated photographers. Not only were we privileged to feature one of his photos on the front cover of the Croatia Cruising Companion, but we've subsequently had the chance to work with him on a couple of other projects and that's a similar privilege. For more details got to www.ivopervan.hr.

We'll be on another round of collecting news and updates in the next few weeks as we travel around Croatia after a longish Christmas break. For non nautical news and information on Croatia, don't forget to visit our sister site Croatia Online.

Sibenik's St Nicholas Day Regatta In Pictures

Šibenik In Winter

This photo shows the view from land, over the rooftops of Šibenik Old Town. The way out to sea is to the left of the yacht in the background. Heading to Šibenik, once you've negotiated the well controlled channel, you'll be greeted by a magnificent view of the Old Town and its UNESCO protected Cathedral.

Šibenik has a regatta every year to celebrate St Nicholas Day on 6th December so we'll be bringing you news from that next week.

Skradin, Near Šibenik

ACI's marina in Skradin is a very special place to moor your boat. It's not just one of the very few Croatian marinas that is in fresh, rather than sea water, but from here you can explore the River Krka and its waterfalls and the delightful town of Skradin itself. In July and August it gets very busy as many of the organised trips to the waterfalls, by boat, start from here. Its popularity as a tourist destination has given rise to a number of good restaurants, one good hotel and a number of apartments to rent, mostly closed in the winter, but off season is the best time to explore the town away from the crowds.

We'll be covering more of the onshore attractions on our sister site, Croatia Online and of course you can read more about it, including how to get there, in our Croatia Cruising Companion (page 107). In brief, head up the Krka estuary past Šibenik and it's about 8 miles upstream.

Today's picture shows the view of the town and marina from the road bridge. Sailing to Skradin you will be approaching from the left of the picture and will see the tall church tower in front of you and the marina to port. The marina has 153 berths with water and electricity and an overnight berth for a 12 metre boat will cost you €49, increasing by 10% in July and August. Many people choose to winter their boats here because of the fresh water - annual berths are therefore hard to get but cost €2,67o for a 12 metre boat.

Kornati Islands

We've just spotted an article, ostensibly about sailing, in the Independent back in October, in the Home and Garden section of all things! Whilst it does major on the vegetation, or lack of it, there are some extremely vivid descriptions of the scenery which most people, including ourselves, normally describe in just a few words as stark or lunar.

Follow this link - http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/gardening/woman-overboard-a-croatian-sailing-holiday-provides-a-horticultural-treat-969478.html It's a good read!

Look out for our next posting on the unique attractions of ACI's marina in Skradin - we've been exploring there today and there's plenty of news.

Cost Of Cruising Croatia

We've mentioned Miggy and Neal's blog before - they've been cruising Croatian waters this year but are now "resting" in the Ionian Island of Lefkas. Their most recent posting is a round up of their year's sailing which makes very interesting reading. Although they stress that the benefits far outweigh the difficulties, they did mention a couple of problems specific to Croatia. Here's an extract below:

The principal difficulties that we have experienced during our travels this year have been:

Getting camping gaz refills in Italy and Croatia

Lack of internet access in Croatia particularly WiFi

Expensive marinas, quays and cost of living generally in Croatia

Overcrowded moorings during the July and August mania

The WiFi situation seems to be improving with several marinas now offering it but, if you're prepared to invest about £80 you can get a "web and walk stick" from T-com which you top up on a pay as you go basis. It's extremely simple to use - just plug it into a USB port, connect, and you're away.

As far as expense is concerned, Croatia is no longer the bargain it was, particularly the marinas which have increased their prices by 10 to 20 per cent each year for the last three or four years. Despite that, they're still pretty competitive compared with other cruising areas. Town moorings are normally about half the price of marinas and there are still plenty of anchorages which are free - all are detailed in our Croatia Cruising Companion. To give you an idea of current marina prices, ACI, the market leader with 21 marinas, charges €41 per day for a 10 metre boat moored in its Split marina and €100 a day for a 20 metre boat. The price increases by 10% in June and September, and 20% in July and August. Most of their other marinas are similarly priced except generally there is a 50% reduction between November and February inclusive and the summer surcharge is generally capped at 10% in July and August.

Croatia is a victim of its own success as far as overcrowding in the summer is concerned though the Italians have, for many years, sailed over en masse in August. However if you pick your stops carefully and avoid the flotilla routes and more popular areas you can usually find somewhere but, as Miggy and Neal found out, it often means heading to your destination a bit earlier in the day in the high season. September is one of the best months to sail as the water is still warm enough to swim (and sometimes, like this year, in October too!) and the crowds have gone. May and June are also good.

Thanks to Miggy and Neal for a fascinating read - link to http://miggyandneal.blogspot.com/2008/11/annual-cruising-round-up.html for the full story.

Today's photo is of a boat moored at Kaštel Lukšić, near Split, one of Croatia's mooring bargains though it's not suitable in all weathers.

Reader's Report - Southern Dalmatia Part II

Today's photo is of Sučuraj on Hvar island. We've acclaimed it several times as one of the most photogenic villages we've visited. Ian Shaw, who captured this image, has also been kind enough to round off his most recent voyage around Dalmatia with his latest report. See the immediately preceding posting for Part I.

***

Following our overnight stay at Cavtat (would have liked to have stayed longer), we returned to Okuklje and the same mooring. No more to be said here (see prior posting). Our intended destination was Vrbroska, but steadily worsening weather forced us to change our plans. We decided to take a look at Lovisće, even though the wind had started to blow from the North. As an anchorage only it may be OK, but since that was not what we were looking for, we moved on. Quite frankly, the whole village had a depressing air about it, and offered nothing at first glance which would have encouraged us to stay. The two rusting trawlers moored at the jetty had an air of gloomy permanence.

Our options were narrowing as quickly as the Bora was increasing. A quick look at the chart threw up Sučuraj and the Croatia Cruising Companion confirmed good shelter for the prevailing weather conditions. The Bora kept us here for two nights and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We berthed starboard side to on the (nearly) new wooden jetty immediately to the west of the ferry terminal. The harbour master's office is one of the three kiosks immediately adjacent the wooden jetty. Mooring fees 300 kuna for a 15m boat, including electrics (16 amp) and water. The ferry provided us with entertainment and we continue to be impressed by the ferry services offered to the islands we have visited.

The Bora was still blowing the next day, but we decided to take a look to the North and found conditions perfectly managable for a trip to Stari Grad, our favourite port of those we have visited so far. It was interesting to note the change in weather conditions in the Hvarski Kanal, in the space of half a mile or so the wind would vary from force three to six and back. In narrowest part between Brač and Hvar, Brač seemed to offer some protection from the wind, and then the two islands acted to funnel the wind. Whilst this posed no difficulty, it was interesting to observe and take note of. The sky to the west was clear and we sailed into warm, sunny weather and calmer seas before turning to port and starting our run into Stari Grad. Arriving late lunchtime we found plenty of berths available; by late afternoon, however, all the berths had been filled and some yachts were obliged to lay up alongside the trip boats. We ate that evening at Restaurant Antika which had been recommended to us on our last visit in July. Thoroughly enjoyed the meal and atmosphere (Aussies and Scots) and will go back and eat there again.

Next day was our last full day and a sail back to Marina Frapa. Always a surprise when we arrive since we never know which berth we will have. It bothered us at first, not having an allocated berth. But since there is room for all, it doesn't seem to matter so much.

An early start next day for the EasyJet flight to Gatwick, then onwards to Geneva and back to France - a long day.

Reader's Report - Southern Dalmatia Part I

Whilst we've been exploring inland Croatia (see sister site Croatia Online), we are once again indebted to Ian Shaw for putting the Croatia Cruising Companion through its paces and supplying us with some incredibly useful and detailed updates. Below is Ian's report on his travels to Hvar, Korčula and Mljet, as well as an update on Marina Frapa's progress with its underwater restaurant and a new Wireless Internet System. Thanks also to Ian for the photo of one of his favourite restaurants - more information below.

***

Leaving Marina Frapa (the new, underwater restaurant is under construction adjacent to the superyacht transit pier) on the Friday, we stopped over in Maslinica before heading to Hvar Town. Very picturesque; the harbour is a plethora of cafés and restaurants, but the lazy lines were a real spaghetti. We checked before leaving the following day and found a line around one of our props, so yours truly had to go over the side and cut it off.
The mooring rings are not well secured and with a very heavy swell from the East, our boat managed to pull one ring and spike almost out of its drilled hole on the jetty. A number of sailing yachts to seaward nearly touched masts and rigging on numerous occasions. The overnight mooring fee for a 15.60m boat was 840 kuna; wow, these are top South of France prices, and the harbourmaster's office weren't too keen to give the change for 850 kuna either!
I don't know what time the clubs turfed their customers out, but most of the noisy drunks seemed to be English and Scottish!
I am sure a lot of people will like Hvar Town, busy and bustling, but I don't think we'll be visiting again.

We then headed to Korcula Town for two nights. A fascinating town with plenty to see and several internet cafés for those who are wedded to the internet. One can just wander and there is a surprise at every corner. The ACI marina is excellent, with a reception manned by a formidable lady who warmed to us greatly when we told her how much we had disliked Hvar Town and that Korcula was much nicer! It is a very pleasant marina, on the ball staff, and a nice restaurant-we ate there one evening and were not disappointed. Well recommended. We also ate at Pizzeria Doris (turn right out of the marina entrance and it can be found 250m on the left. Pizzas and wine for five for 400 kuna and it was all good!

Our next stop was the island of Mljet and the bay of Okuklje, as you say a well-protected anchorage. We arrived at lunchtime to two locals waving and offering a mooring. We moored at Konoba Maran, the first restaurant to starboard, and the place where most of the yachts seemed to make for. It was blazing hot, my wife went straight for a swim and the rest of us for a beer or a glass of wine. We liked it so much that we returned two nights later. The mooring is free on the implicit understanding that you eat at the restaurant. We did on both nights and the food is excellent, especially the black (squid ink) risotto. As good as the other restaurants we have eaten at on our trips to Croatia, and the chips are also good! Bearing in mind the mooring is free a three course meal for six (on the second visit) plus wine a gogo and coffee came to 1200 kuna, brilliant. One tip, book your table as soon as you arrive, the restaurant was packed both nights we ate there. Contact details: phone +385 20 746 186; +385 98 931 96 01. Website: http://www.okuklje-maran.com/

After our first stay at Okuklje we headed for Cavtat to pick up a passenger arriving from the USA. We picked Cavtat since the CCC advised clearing in formalities were much quicker than Dubrovnik. Nevertheless this did entail a certain amount of toing and froing on the day. Like Korcula, we were charmed by Cavtat and found all the harbour staff friendly and helpful. We moored at Cavtat Luka. The quay moorings are rope passed through holes drilled in the stonework, no lazy lines you have to drop anchor. We were very doubtful about the holding ability of these lines and passed a short length of spinnaker line through the holes on the quay to give us some comfort, especially since the Bora was causing some swell.
As regards the formalities we caused some confusion at the harbourmaster's office, who were fully expecting a list to which amendments for incoming crew/passengers would be made. Not so in our case. In the confusion we were given a new list bearing the names of only the passengers/crew aboard. If it is any help to others this is the way we set up our cruising and this is what we have learned:

-we set up our list of crew/passengers at the beginning of the season, some 20 in all. This list bears the detachable part of the vignette. When we sail from Marina Frapa we take the original list with us. The marina issues us with an A4 sheet for each person aboard (foreign visitor), showing passport details. In effect, the marina is carrying out the duties of the police registering the foreign visitor. You must sail with the original list and the A4 sheet for each person aboard. So long as the persons aboard are on the list of crew/passengers no visit to the harbourmaster's office is necessary. If the original list needs to be changed, then a visit to the harbourmaster's office to effect that change is necessary. Where there is no facility for issuing the A4 sheet above at the marina, then visit the local police station with the incomer's passport and they will complete the formalities. The incomer need not attend the police station personally, but you shouldn't sail with that person aboard until formalities are completed.

PS Marina Frapa is now a wi-fi zone.

***

A Flavour of Inland Croatia

Space and editorial constraints meant that our Croatia Cruising Companion necessarily focused on the sailing heartland of Croatia - the Dalmatian Coast and islands. We did however endeavour to pinpoint inland highlights that were not too far away from suitable ports and anchorages. On our blog we have a little bit more leeway just to tease readers with the delights of inland Croatia. Today's picture is of the small marina in Osijek, on the river Drava, a major tributary of the Danube.

Osijek is almost as east as you can get in Croatia, more or less due north of Dubrovnik but separated from it by the widest part of Bosnia and Hercegovina, close to the Hungarian border, and the capital of the green, fertile and mostly flat Slavonian region. Here you'll experience a Continental rather than Mediterranean climate so, before or after your summer cruise, why not hire a car and explore inland Croatia as spring and autumn show it off at its best.

You can read more about inland Croatia on our sister site Croatia Online. More news soon on this site as our travels take us back to the Dalmatian coast for further updates to add to our Croatia Cruising Companion.

If Only The Rules and Regulations Were As Crystal Clear As The Sea!

Just as superyachts were beginning to feel more assured of a warm welcome in Croatia, a new twist to the already murky rules and regulations has arisen. This time it's the unfortunate story of a megayacht that legitimately fuelled up in France, but ends up having fuel dyed a similar cover to the fuel used by Croatia's fisherman which apparently is illegal in Croatia.

This appears to be the first reported incident of its kind and not something that the international yachting industry has come across before, including those with a great deal of experience in the Adriatic. The unfortunate yacht was delayed, fined and its visitors refused permission to embark, though it appears that the authorities have now conceded that the yacht was not breaking Croatian law and are endeavouring to redress the situation.

You can read the full story by following this link http://www.the-triton.com/megayachtnews/index.php?news=2801 and we agree with the comment there that Croatia still has some way to go to reassure nautical visitors that there will be a warm welcome and no unpleasant surprises. This is particularly the case for superyachts, a market that Croatia has specifically stated it wants to attract in greater numbers. Croatia's natural beauty is one thing, but these customers, and the captains with the responsibility for carrying out owners' wishes, need, above all, a smooth and trouble free administrative passage. Just one story like this, circulating fast as it will through a small elite network, is enough to deter many visitors just as they might have been beginning to believe that Croatia really had made the rules and regulations easier for superyachts to meet in all areas.

Today's photo is of the fuel station by Sumartin on Brač Island.

Cruising Croatia - First Hand

Just a quick posting to let readers know that Miggy and Neal's blog is "on air" again with a detailed account of their trip round the Dalmatian coast and islands and an interesting visit to Montenegro as well.

Follow this link for their latest news and I hope they don't mind me "borrowing" one of their photos! http://miggyandneal.blogspot.com/2008/09/croatia-revisited-and-montenegro.html

Superyacht Marinas In Croatia

We were lucky enough to be asked to write the lead feature for Boat International's Superports' Directory 2009, a few months ago. That involved a review of the trends in the superyacht industry around the world and an anlysis of major new developments. It also enabled us to try and ensure that Croatian marinas were properly represented in the directory and, as we wrote, it was clear that Croatia and neighbouring Montenegro have all the potential to emerge as significant superyacht destinations. Montenegro has the advantage of being a small and newly independent country that can write the rules sensibly for superyachts without the constraints of the often cumbersome and confusing legislative process that Croatia suffers from. It also has the advantage of a brand new dedicated facility, with exceptional geographical and infrastructural advantages, due to open in 2009. However, when superyacht visitors are satisfied that the Croatian rules and regulations are more transparent and easier for them to meet, they can enjoy an ever increasing number of berthing options.

Readers who can't get their hands on the hard copy will be pleased to know that Dockwalk, a member of the Boat International Group of companies, is now publishing the Directory online and we were pleased to be able to facilitate a number of new or updated entries for Croatia and Montenegro. The Dockwalk site has only recently been launched but is well on the way to completion. You'll already find Marina Frapa, Rogoznica on it (pictured), one of this year's new entries for its recently completed megayacht transit pier.

For those that want to know more about Croatia as a superyacht destination, see our earlier posting Boat International - Superyacht Owners' Guide: The Best of Croatia

Baška Voda

We spotted a great account of nautical and on shore life in Baška Voda, near Makarska, by some Australians who purchased a yacht there. Also interesting for the details of the paperwork involved in buying and exporting a yacht from Croatia. For the full story go to Seafarers.

Baška Voda has a relatively small marina which has improved greatly over the past few years, in an area - southern Dalmatia - which is much more sparse on marinas than central and northern Dalmatia. Baška Voda is also notable for one of the best modern spas in Croatia - at Russian owned Hotel Horizont (pictured).

Croatia - In An Emergency: Important Update

Croatia Cruising Companion Readers should note that there is now just one number for all the emergency services - 112.

112 is the "official" EU number and replaces Croatia's collection of numbers (93, 94. etc) and separate call centres for the individual emergency services.

Cruising Blog - Dubrovnik

Readers may be interested to read the exploits of a Canadian couple now cruising Dubrovnik. A little engine trouble has forced them to stay there longer than intended which means they've time to describe Dubrovnik in a little more detail! We hope they get it fixed soon and look forward to reading more about their summer sailing Croatia. The link is http://chinookofcanada1.blogspot.com/2008/07/summer-cruising-2008-photo.html

And if regular readers suspect us of having laid down tools and turned delegation into an art form, please rest assured that we are beavering away on updates over the summer. However whilst the Croatian cruising season is in full swing we believe it's helpful and useful to report on other people's experiences here. There's nothing to beat a wide variety of accounts and discoveries and we hope that this blog adds to the fun and complements or reinforces the information in our Croatia Cruising Companion.

Croatia Cruising Companion Reader's Report - Vis, Hvar, Brač and Šolta

Thanks again to Ian Shaw for today's posting - the second part of his July visit. We look forward to more updates in September and are most grateful to Ian for his very pertinent and helpful comments, and a real flavour of what Croatia has to offer to first time nautical visitors. Ian also supplied today's photo of Hotel Tamaris in Vis. Sorry for the delay in getting the posting up Ian - an urgent deadline to meet!

***

Continuing from the last message, we left Vela Luka for Vis on Monday, 7th July. We had intended to try Ugbi but there was heavy swell from the SE plus a 12 knot wind from the same direction, so we decided to go with the elements and head for Vis. A big change from our visit at the end of May. All the town berths were taken and the town was heaving. We headed to Kut where we were in the lee of the land and dropped anchor. A charter yacht gave us an hour's entertainment when, seeking to anchor, it snagged our anchor chain, despite us displaying the required black sphere. We have 100m of inch chain, of which we had run out around 75m, so we had about 25m on the sea bed. The yacht's crew were exhausted after a number of futile efforts before figuring that they needed to rope up the chain and disengage their own anchor. It was interesting to note the number of yachts that failed to display the required black sphere and anchor lights.
We used the RIB to shuttle back a forth from Vis Town and Kut, but in the end were pleased we had stayed away from the town; it was noisy that night.

The next day the wind and swell had dropped, so we headed for Stari Grad. We were really impressed with the town. It had a terrific atmosphere, not too big or small, busy without being too busy. We were a ten minute walk to the swimming area (direction Ferry berth) with an adjacent café and 100m from the first bar in the town! That evening we tried one of your recommendations - Restaurant Cod Barba Luke which was first class and probably vied with Pod Bore at Vela Luka and Trica gardelin at Vrboska as the best restaurants we ate at. The food, as always, was good and meticulously served. We drank a white St Klement and a red Faros(?). The following night it was a toss up whether to eat on board, but it was hot so we plumped for pizzas, salad and pasta at the Pharos on the quay. Simple, but good, and the pizza bread with rosemary was a revelation. It was worth the visit just to eat that. In total, for 4 salad starters, pizza or pasta main course, 4 ice creams and a couple of bottles of wine, I paid 600 Kn. As always the staff were first class. Mooring charges 20 Kn per metre, which seems to include tourist tax

We were sad to leave Stari Grad and decided to try Bol. The small quay was exceptionally busy and pressed everyone close to the boats. That and the adjacent cafés would have made for a noisy night. We noted that the two outside berths on the eastern edge of the inner breakwater were vacant, but after watching those boats already berthed rocked up and down by the swell from the "sixpenny sicks" (trip boats) for several minutes we decided to give it a miss. So we made for Vrboska. Once again another revelation, a beautiful small town.

Clearly there is competition between the ACI marina and the town berths. If there is a spare town berth a whistle is blown, arms are waved to attract attention and lazy lines made ready. The young man and his brother who supervise the moorings are certainly on the ball and a couple of "fixers" - restaurant to eat, wine to taste (and buy) and so on. Apart from the ACI marinas, this was the most expensive berth we had 40 Kn per metre, but I reckoned it was worth it. Incidentally the bornes here have a 32 amp supply as well as 16 amps; the ACI marina only has 16 amp so far as I could see. We ate on board the first night and the second had a meal at Restoran Trica gardelin. This is quite a large restaurant and was busy lunchtime and evening the day of our arrival, so we booked for the second night. One of the best restaurants we ate at.

For our last night before returning to Rogoznica we made for Maslinica. Once again we were stunned; a small village, but with bags of character. We berthed to the South; there aren't many berths, around 12, depending on the size of the boats. A lot of work appears to be going on at the jetty, but I'm not sure for what. In any event, there are only two bornes with eight 16 amp sockets each. The fortified villa is now an upmarket hotel with beautiful gardens and a posh restaurant called "Martinis Marchi". Surprisingly, there was no menu posted outside the restaurant, or any indication that sailors were welcome, so we took our custom to the restaurant at the head of the bay. It was packed, there was an accordionist, and we thorougly enjoyed ourselves; sod Martinis Marchi!
We had a drink at the Konoba Moni before dinner. We were made welcome, even though we weren't dining there.

A couple of points about Maslinica. We arrived during the day from the South and the red/white light to starboard is hidden by trees until one is abeam of it. We also found a number of swimmers in the entrance to the inlet and around the lazy lines of the moored boats, which need to be watched for.

The next day we returned to Marina Frapa. We left early and were glad we did, since we had a Scirocco on our stern, which strengthened as the day went on. Some boats arriving at the marina after us had a real problem berthing.

Overall, we are very impressed with Croatia. The people are friendly and welcoming, and that doesn't appear to be forced. The kids are well behaved. Compared to marinas in France and Italy, everyone made an effort. Invariably, the bornes supplying electricity and water work first time. The mooring fees are cheaper than high and mid - season France and Italy.

Any complaints: one, we couldn't find anywhere that sells Schweppes tonic water in small bottles/cans!

Readers' Report - July 2008 - Trogir, Šolta, Brač, Hvar

Many thanks to Ian Shaw for today's posting with some great detail on his recent travels. Note particularly that Ian reports some changes in Rogač on Šolta. Ian has promised us another instalment on his trip when he has time.

***
Our friends arrived early on Monday morning and the following day left for Trogir to refuel. Unfortunately, a very large motor yacht had sucked the fuel dock dry and we were told we would have to wait until around 18 00 for fuel. Since it was only 11 00, we decided to head for Rogač on Šolta to refuel. There appears to be a new ferry berth here, further to seaward, then a new or refurbed fuel dock, before the town moorings. Looking at the Croatia Cruising Companion plan on page 150 it would seem the two have changed places. We liked Rogač - it was quiet, we could swim from the small beach which was a two or three minute walk around the inlet to the South side, and we enjoyed an inexpensive meal at Restaurant Pasarela (021 654-505), of fish/pizzas. The restaurant is signposted and is a two minute walk from the beach.

I paid 240 Kn for a 15m boat for one night, including tourist tax for four people. On our side of the harbour, adjacent to the fuel dock, there is only one electic "borne" from which long connecting leads to the berths were laid. It didn't seem to be working when we were there.

We had intended eating aboard the boat that evening, but a generator problem put paid to that (hence the visit to the Pasarela).

We needed to have the generator fixed. The problem was the generator motor water pump, which wasn't functioning and causing overheating. Dismantling was a difficult job, so we decided to head for ACI Milna on Brač to see if we could find a mechanic. This was our first stop at an ACI marina. How different from France were you can spend hours on the phone or VHF trying to find a berth, and when you do you are generally left to find the mooring yourself with no help from the marina. So far, the general practice seems to be "first come, first served", with a marinero to guide you to the berth and pull up a lazy line for you. The marinero seemed very keen to have the Croatian authorisations as soon as possible which puzzled us a bit, but we soon got used to it and it saved us a walk to the reception or harbour master's office (unlike France or Italy, where in some marinas it could be quite a hike). The marina was able to provide phone numbers of mechanics/electricians etc. Ours found the problem in less than a minute (a worn drive belt on the generator motor water pump) and it was quickly rectified. The mechanic was excellent and clearly knew generators.

We spent two nights in Milna and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. It's not stunningly beautiful, but had character (we were treated to the equivalent of the Croatian declaration of independence around midnight on the first night!). We ate two nights running at the Palma restaurant which is directly opposite the entrance to the boatyard on the town side of the marina. We had excellent fish each time and a three course meal with a couple of litres of house wine cost around 700 Kn. Highly recommended, and the waitress spoke better English than we did!

We did want to have a look at Hvar Town, but felt that it would be busy, so decided to head for ACI Palmižana. Once again, no problem with a berth. A one night stay turned into two as we launched the RIB and pottered around. The Captain's restaurant at the head of the jetty offered breakfast, lunch and dinner. The breakfast we had was excellent; we reeled off the order to the waitress who wrote nothing down. We were sure she would get the order wrong, but it was us who were wrong, it was exactly as ordered.

We next headed for Korčula and, specifically, Vela Luka. Of all the places we visited, it was liked the least - mainly by the ladies, but I found it OK. I think the car park adjacent to the town moorings and fuel dock gave it a bit of a desolate air. Part of the town moorings have been refurbed to give space for around 20 boats (depending on size) with new lazy lines and mooring rings. Price 310 Kn including tourist tax. We ate that evening at the restaurant recommended in the Croatia Cruising Companion (Pod Bore), exellent fish and meat and good service too. We paid around 1,000 kn for four.

***

Today's photo is of Milna on Brač Island.

Croatia Cruising Companion - Readers' Cruising Feedback

Thanks to Nigel Crouch for investing in the Croatia Cruising Companion and for taking the time to give his comments and experiences on his recent trip. Nigel is by no means alone in his comment about rising prices for nautical tourism in Croatia - the exchange rate is largely outside Croatia's control, but the significant year on year increases in daily berth rates at marinas and ports could end up meaning that a sailing holiday in "The Mediterranean That Once Was" (Croatia tourist board strap line) is no longer as affordable as it once was. More important than the prices themselves is that visitors believe the Minister for Tourism has a firm direction to follow and is excercising some sort of leadership on the more excessive price increases, the facilities that go with the tariff, and the overall quality of the cruising area, including conserving the pristine sea conditions that are sometimes under siege from the sheer volume of visitors. Here's Nigel's report with editorial notes in brackets and italics.

***

We really liked Brbinj (Dugi Otok page 68) and Antonio’s restaurant there was excellent with great grilled fish and a sublime view. I did it again on way back with Jenny and once more it was first-class.

Opat (Kornat page 76 - since we visited we understand that both restaurants are now under the same ownership) was lovely as was the lobster we consumed there in the Opat Restaurant (albeit at a lovely price!).

We spent a couple of nights in Skradin (mainland near Šibenik, page 107) and ate well in Toni’s and Canneletto’s. The Krka Falls trip was as good as ever.

Good fun fighting for a place at Primošten (mainland, page 111; recent update on prices and facilities - Croatia Cruising Companion - Primosten Update) and the harbour guy was particularly helpful. Good environment to watch one of the Croatia Euro games.

Vinišce (mainland page 130) was a very tranquil anchorage and we got some tremendous home-made red wine there (despite being in plastic beer bottles!).

Very nice guy, Nick, at outer marina in Milna (Brač page 152), who has replaced Jan and his wife, who were great characters.

We thought Vis Town (Vis page 180) was great and we ate well in the Wine Bar near the quay. On the subsequent passage to Stari Grad (Hvar page 169) we were pursued by not one but two thunderstorms, which tried to catch us in a pincer movement and almost succeeded. Stari Grad very nice and we had good meals at Pharia and Antika. Jenny had an interesting experience getting locked in the public loos there.

Trogir Marina (mainland page 132) remains the best spot by far to see people doing everything in their power to write off their boats – and everyone else’s.

Maslinica on Šolta (page 149) was a super spot and, again, a very helpful Harbour Master. Ate well in Konoba Saskinja.

We really like Rogoznica (mainland page 127) and Marina Frappa is absolutely first-class and no more expensive than the other marinas. They are just opening a very nice pool there.

We thought Tribunj (mainland page 99 and see recent update
Croatia Cruising Companion - Tribunj Update) was a nice place but the marina there was the most expensive we visited.

Could not get on to a mooring buoy at Soline on Pašman (page 50) despite early arrival – it was packed! – but turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we then went to Luka Žut (Žut page 84) and highly recommend Konoba Sandra, which had wondrous fish.

Luka Telašćica (Dugi Otok page 62) was fantastic and had superb overnight there eating on board in an idyllic spot up near the head of the channel.

Zadar (mainland page 32) was a very interesting place and Jenny had her only pukka cocktail of the trip there – an outstanding Marguerita lovingly made with infinite care by the barmaid. Had a superb meal at your recommended fish place there. Vjeko runs an excellent operation in the marina there with his Kiriacoulis team.

Despite the bizarre weather, it was a wonderful trip and we think that the overall quality of food everywhere had improved significantly. Our one worry was that with the adverse Sterling/Kuna Exchange Rate and high inflation in Marina Costs and Harbour Dues they have got to be careful not kill the golden goose in these difficult ‘credit crunch’ times.

The bottom line, though, is that Croatia is a fantastic sailing area and the people are great – thanks, again, for all your help in making it an unforgettable trip.

***

And again thanks to Nigel for taking the trouble to send in his comments. It's incredibly helpful to us to hear other first hand accounts of how the various destinations stand up to the test and the consistency of various restaurants that may just have been good on the day(s) we visited. We hope that such reports also provide readers of the Croatia Cruising Companion with added depth and will make sure the book stays as up to date and helpful as possible.

Today's photo is of Opat on Kornat Island.

Reader's Update - Customs Clearance and Regulations in Croatia

Many thanks to Mike Forbes for today's posting and photo.

Mike shares his boat with 3 co-owners and is thus one of the unintentional victims of the Croatian legislation introduced in 2005, aimed at preventing illegal chartering, but carelessly drawn up to frustrate a number of yachtsmen simply wanting to enjoy the delights of Croatian waters at an affordable cost.
The government tells us it wants to encourage superyachts, and turns a blind eye in that respect - what about fractional owners?

For more information on the rules and regulations, follow this link - http://www.mmpi.hr/default.aspx?id=668. For an update on clearing customs at Gruz, Dubrovnik (don't - go to Cavtat!), link to noonsite.

Mike tells us that he put the Croatia Cruising Companion to good use on his travels and particularly enjoyed Uvala Pokrivenik on the north coast of Hvar (page 175). Mike is a fan of deserted anchorages and probably won't thank us for mentioning another of his favourites, Uvala Rasotica on Brač island, for which he kindly supplied excellent photos (page 12 and 160).

Mike's photo above shows his yacht in splendid isolation at Neum.

***

To circumvent the Croatian limit on the number of people allowed to sail on foreign-flagged vessels (28 in our case, shared between four owners) we decided to carry out our mid-cruise crew change outside Croatia, namely at Neum in the short coastline of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

On arrival from the UK I went to the Harbourmaster's Office in Split and told them my plan. The Duty Officer told me that all my crew, due to leave me in Neum, would have to appear on the List of Persons, the official List making up the 28 authorised people. I remonstrated saying that people who disembarked outside Croatia did not have to be listed; unfortunately the 2005 e-mail from the Croatian Ministry of the Sea that outlined the Rules, including out-of-Croatia crew-changes, was at home in UK. He was adamant - and so was I. He was eventually persuaded to telephone his boss - it was a Sunday - and grumpily agreed to issue me with a Crew List with their names NOT having to go on the List of Persons. We now have a copy of the all-important e-mail with our Ship's Papers.

Ten days later we checked out of Croatia at the unlovely industrial port of Ploce. All went well until the policeman who came to stamp our passports asked where and when had we registered with the police on arrival in Croatia. This is normally done by hotels, but arriving as we do and going straight to the marina it is not a practice we have followed. The policeman was taking this very seriously and returned to his HQ for further research and advice. When he returned he said the marina at Split had not reported us but he had found reference to me when I had attended some language training at a hotel in Porec in April. After muttering that ignorance of the law was no defence and laboriously taking down our details he let us go.Two hours later we arrived off Neum.

We flew a Bosnia-Herzegovina courtesy flag (made from a computer print-out) but this was the only flag we saw. We were the only yacht there, indeed the largest vessel. It is a somewhat depressing holiday resort with many people for whom we got the impression that this was their first sight of the sea. We secured stern-to the only quay, with an anchor out, and became the centre of attraction to the curious holiday-makers. The only harbourmaster in Bosnia was supremely uninterested in us, neither did the police want to know. I felt it unwise to leave the boat unattended so we dined onboard on excellent take-away pizzas.

Next day my three crew-members departed to Dubrovnik airport by taxi and were replaced several hours later by five others, including my wife and American grand daughter. I was not sorry to leave next morning, and when we checked in to Croatia at Ploce - flying Flag Q - the policewoman arrived armed with arrival registration forms which she filled in before stamping our passports. Within an hour we were off for a very welcome night at the little Hvar village of Sučuraj.

I am not sure whether other yachts use Neum to change crews, or prefer to go to Herceg-Novi, Montenegro. The latter has the advantage that there are other fascinating places to visit, such as Kotor. Whichever we use, the requirement constrains the cruise and provides a complication we could do without. But this has been a fact of Croatian cruising for foreign flags since 2005 which we have learned to live with. Hopefully, eventful EU accession will consign the Rule to history.

***

As a postscript to Mike's note on registering as a visitor in Croatia, this is an area where we have heard that the police are tightening up. By the letter of the law, all foreign visitors are required to register with the local police within 24 hours of arrival. If you're staying at a hotel or campsite, or on a charter holiday, registration is normally done for you. If you're staying with friends, or otherwise doing your own thing, the onus is on you, and if renting an apartment you should check that the owner has registered you.

Tribunj - Update

On page 99 and 100 of our Croatia Cruising Companion, we focused on Tribunj's stylish marina, arguably the focal point of the village. Marina Tribunj continues to attract high class visitors and provides facilities accordingly. It's also blessed with extremely friendly and efficient staff. 2008 prices for daily berths are €46 for a 10 metre boat rising to €55 in July and August, and €127/€152 for a 20 metre boat, which isn't too much of an increase from the prices we quoted for last year in the book. The move of the charter fleet to sister Marina Kremik should mean there are plenty of transit berths available every day of the week.

Those cruising on a budget, in clement weather, might want to consider the town moorings on the south west side of the small island that contains the old town, and is linked to the mainland by a stone bridge. There's space for 35 boats here, stern or bows to on lazy lines, with electricity and water laid on. Depths are around 2 to 3 metres in most places. The cost is 20 kunas per metre, about half of what the marina charges, which is a fairly standard ratio throughout Croatia. However these berths are exposed to winds from the south east, south, south west, and, to a cetain extent from the west, so don't afford the same all round protection as the marina. You'll also be mooring up right next to a number of cafe bars so don't expect too much privacy. The harbour master, Vlado, has a small office by the moorings (19 Podvrh, just right of the travel agents as you face the houses with your back to the sea), and can be contacted, 24 hours a day he assured us, on VHF Channel 9 or mobile 091 564 6573.

A further limited option, for relatively shallow draft boats, is the protected bay of Sovlje, west of the town. There's a small pier on the east of the bay, where you can more alongside, in depths of up to 2 metres, and that gives you the chance to enjoy a secluded bay and
Restaurant Plavi Val.

Perhaps the best kept secret of the area is the boatyard in Sovlje though trying to find out more about it from the workforce was like pulling teeth so don't expect communications to be too easy. Fortunately, after some persistence, we eventually stumbled on Toni Stipaničev who spoke reasonable English and seemed a little more keen to help us. The main focus of the yard seems to be building classic wooden fishing boats. The one in today's picture is due to be launched in the middle of August and goes under the generic name "Pobiednik" which roughly translates as "winner". There's a spacious hangar, a lift ("about 50 tons"), and a slip, so if you're in need of assistance and have plenty of patience, then they may be able to help. Tel 091 752 5175 (mobile) for more information.

***

Read more about onshore news on Tribunj on our sister site Croatia Online, and if you're looking for a good base, combining the traditions of a fishing village, with the night life of neighbouring Vodice, you could do a lot worse.

Amazon - Search Inside The Croatia Cruising Companion

Those considering whether to buy the Croatia Cruising Companion can now look at some of the pages of the book by following the direct link to Amazon - Croatia Cruising Companion.

Here you'll find the front cover, contents page, a few pages from Chapter One, the index and the back cover.

The excerpts from Chapter One cover the first main town of Zadar and are on a scale that's easy to read and will give you a flavour of the content and format of the book.

Reader's Report - June 2008

Many thanks to Ian Shaw for today's posting. Ian is currently sailing around Dalmatia and contacted us via this site. Ian's report is particularly interesting for his comments on entering Croatian waters and facilities, etc, in Vis and Marina Frapa.

***

Well, we made it to Marina Frapa. We were lucky with the weather; sunshine all the way, with only a heavy swell on the starboard beam to contend with during the leg to Bonifacio, and a force 6 to 7 in the Straights of Messina. Flat calm on the leg to Ischia accompanied by dolphins at the bow of the boat for about half an hour. We sailed each leg overnight and then spent a day in port before the next one.We spent one night at Messina before crossing the straights to Reggio di Calabria. Neither have anything to commend them. We then overnighted at Marina di Leuca right on the heel of Italy, before setting a course for Vis the following afternoon just North of Otranto (the marina at Brindisi was allegedly full).We arrived at Vis on the Saturday morning, 31st May, around 9.00 am, where we eventually completed the entry formalities on the Monday morning. Strictly, our port of entry should have been Ugbi, but no one seemed to mind. The order was harbourmaster first, then police.We ate at the Hotel Tamaris restaurant on the jetty. I went for a beer first to get a feel for the place and came across Darko, the waiter from Zagreb, who could have graced any five star restaurant here in France. He was knowledgeable about the menu and the wines, enthusiastic for the food he served and gave good advice about what we should order. The five of us had a terrific meal of local fish, T-bone steaks with excellent white and red wines. Recommended.One issue left a bad taste in our mouths and it was nothing to do with Croatia. A flotilla of around 25 charter yachts, crewed by young French doctors and partners arrived on the Sunday afternoon. Their fancy dress party continued until breakfast time the following morning when one of the crew on a nearby yacht decided to cool down his friend with the hosepipe. The locals had had enough by this time and had called the police, who arrived only to be hosed down as well through the open window of the police car. Whether this was deliberate or not is difficult to say, but the guilty party was indentified I suspect, by his own colleagues, otherwise all aboard looked likely to be detained "for questioning", and taken off in the police car. On the positive side we met some charming Americans from the Seattle area, when we helped them repair the propeller on the dinghy outboard. They had a "wobbly" arrival and having made up their lines proceeded to remove the outboard from the dinghy which they had been towing. The skipper, unfortunately, was defeated by physics since he stood up in the dinghy cradling the outboard in his arms only for the dinghy to suddenly slide forward dumping him overboard. I was having a beer at the bar opposite and jumped up since I was concerned he might have injured himself in the fall, but as I did a hand appeared over the jetty clutching the rope attached to the outboard followed by a very wet skipper. The sacrificial pin on the propeller broke, but we fixed them up with a temporary repair. They showed their gratitude by kindly inviting us aboard for a drink before dinner.We eventually left Vis late Monday morning for Marina Frapa arriving just after lunch. It is certainly impressive. We moored the boat on the seaward side of the last pier until the marina master had completed his berth planning. A bit strange since the berth had been booked and paid for in February. So we had the long walk to the heart of the marina.
The system there seems to be that you book anything you need through marina reception...boat cleaning, engineering, electricals etc. One fills in a work sheet and it is then processed. It’s too early to say how well this works and the service manager was new.There is an excellent laundry at the marina, to the extent that we left a lot of our clothes there and will pick them up this weekend.We walked to Rogoznica and back, road surfacing and drainage works all over. Not a particularly interesting walk and I think the answer is to take the RIB across to the village if we want to go there.We found the Croatians we met charming. They were interested in us and what we thought of their country and showed real pleasure when we said how impressed we were. I got a good "feel" about the country and I am sure we will enjoy our visits there. Croatia deserves to succeed.

***

Thanks again Ian - looking forward to more news!

Today's photo is of the the view from Hotel Tamaris, in Vis, across to the small islet, now attached to the mainland.

Boat International: Superyacht Owners Guide: The Best of Croatia

When asked to write this guide for Boat International, I had no idea it was to be packaged with such an auspicious issue of the magazine. Now I've seen the "complete" July 2008 edition, I realise that July 23rd, also a notable date for personal reasons, is the silver jubilee of the monarch of yachting magazines.

To celebrate its 25 years, Boat International's July magazine not only includes the superyacht owners' guide to Croatia, but also a bumper jubilee special issue magazine. Amanda McCracken, BI's Editor explains "this special issue is a celebration of yachting....we set out to find 25 of the most innovative yachts and 25 people who have been instrumental in changing the path of yachting in some way."

With some innovative skills of their own, the BI team started off this research with a poll to established leaders in the industry, collated the results, and used them as a basis for insightful one to one interviews with the 25 most influential people, and a review of the 25 most significant yachts. The result may well become a definitive reference guide to the world of superyachting over the last 25 years - a 222 page glossy and highly visual, yet authorative, guide to the movers and shakers over the past 25 years, and the yachts that exemplify the excellence that has been achieved.

For those of us that can't yet aspire to owning or chartering a superyacht of our own, the July 2008 magazine, at £4.95, has to be one of the wisest investments you can make if you want to find out about the best of Croatia, the highlights of the superyacht world over the last 25 years, and get a hands on taste of this exclusive world.

For those of us that enjoy sailing Croatia in smaller vessels, the Croatia Cruising Companion will help you make the best of all that Dalmatia has to offer - from deserted bays with rustic konobas (for traditional grilled fish and meat), to the more cosmopolitan towns with 5 star restaurants where you can splash out on those special occasions.

Follow the direct link to our sister site, Croatia Online, for more details on the Superyacht Owners' Guide To Croatia.

Primošten - Update

We covered Primošten in some detail in the Croatia Cruising Companion, on pages 111 and 112, and it's become even more well cared for since then. The new gardens just outside the old town are now maturing and yesterday, when we revisited, the berthing area and moorings were in high demand.

As we said in the book, the breakwater provides good protection, but winds from the south-west can cause a heavy swell and the moorings are not protected by the breakwater. However, in clement weather, and as evidenced by yesterday's popularity, it's a favourite Sunday stop for sailors.

A 10 metre boat now costs 260 kunas to berth; a 20 metre boat 338 kunas. Add on the nominal tourist taxes. Water and electricity are included in the price and, reassuringly, there are signs on the water and electricity pedestals threatening a 200 Euro fine for emptying waste tanks while berthed!

You can read more about what's onshore on our sister blog Croatia Online.

Crystal Clear Waters and Pump Out Facilities

Much has been made about Croatia's crystal clear waters and we very much hope they stay that way for generations to come. However, if that's to be the case, Croatia needs more enlightened marinas such as Marina Preko who have just installed one of the first integrated pump out systems in Croatia into their new marina on Ugljan island.

Although the Croatian government has passed legislation on the dumping of nautical waste, few marinas offer much other than the possibility of arranging a tanker on request. It's therefore not easy for nautical tourists to dispose of the waste in an ecologically friendly manner and so, unfortunately, much of it is still dumped at sea. Marina Preko talked to John Nash of Marina Facility Solutions, based near Split, at an early stage of the marina's development plans and, with the help of manufacturers, LeeStrom, who John represents in Croatia, came up with the perfect solution for Marina Preko. John has been endeavouring, for most of the five years he has spent in Croatia, to encourage marina owners to install integrated pump out systems more widely. "Not only are they essential to the sustainability of first class nautical tourism in Croatia, but the cost is more affordable than many marina owners believe". John explains "most ethically and ecologically minded nautical tourists value the service and have no objection to paying marinas a fair price for utilising the system."

We hope that any readers of this blog, or of our Croatia Cruising Companion, will support Marina Preko and Marina Facility Solutions in their ecological leadership and encourage other Croatian marinas to provide a similar service.

Sailing Croatia - First Hand Account

It's great to see an increasing number of blogs on sailing Croatia, and we came across one yesterday which makes for a fascinating read. It's a detailed account of a couple's sailing adventures and good for highlighting a number of the good and occasional not so good points about cruising Dalmatia. Not so good was the price that Miggy and Neal were charged to moor at Dubrovnik marina - €45 per night. Amongst the many good points was the ease with which they cleared customs and formalities at Cavtat. Miggy and Neal suggested there was so much to report on in Dalmatia that they could write a book about it. Cheekily we left a comment on their blog telling them that we already had!

Follow their adventures on http://miggyandneal.blogspot.com/2008/06/southern-dalmatia.html.

Today's photo is of Polače on Mljet Island - one of the best in the area and referred to in Miggy and Neal's blog.

Croatia Cruising Companion - Where To Find It

Today's photo was taken during our book promotion at the new Split Library. You can read more about it on sister site Croatia Online. There you can also read about our latest completed project - Superyacht Owners' Guide: The Best of Croatia - out now with the July 2008 edition of Boat International Magazine.

Today's posting follows a deluge of enquiries about where to find the Croatia Cruising Companion (Dalmatian Coast and Islands) in Croatia.

Here is the latest list of book shops that we are aware of:

Split International Bookshop - Split Riva

Knjizara Matica - Šibenik - just off the Riva

Algoritam - Zagreb, Osijek, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula and Varazdin - check location and availability by following this link http://www.algoritam.hr/?m=0&p=knjizare

Profil - Zagreb, Rijeka and Split (Joker Centre) - follow this link for contact details of the individual shops http://www.profil.hr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=212&Itemid=236

VBZ - Zagreb, Rijeka, Karlovac, Split, Zadar Tuzla - go to www.vbz.hr, click on "o nama" at the top, then "VBZ knijžare" and select the store nearest you to get contact details.

In the meantime, we are in the process of finalising agreements with a number of marinas who wish to stock the book as a service for their customers and many charter guests will already find that the Croatia Cruising Companion is the English Language nautical guide of choice for discerning charter company managers.

Croatia Cruising Companion Promotion - Split Library 21st May 2008

Regular readers of our sister site, Croatia Online, will know that we have already reported on the fantastic facilities at the new Split Library. As will as being an outstanding book and media resource, the library also holds regular events and book promotions.

We are fortunate enough to have been invited to do a promotion of the Croatia Cruising Companion there on Wednesday 21st May 2008 and we have a number of eminent guests.

Introducing the book will be Mili Razović, President of the Split County Tourist Board and Joško Pilić, President of the Dalmatian Skippers Association and owner of Adriasail Charter.