Senj, Northern Croatia

Before you get excited about Senj, please note that this is the one town in Croatia  where the fierce Bora (north-east) wind blows hardest and fastest. It can reach over 200 km per hour and blows for roughly 200 days every year. Given that the Bora can appear from almost nowhere very quickly, we wouldn’t recommend Senj for an overnight stop. However, if you are certain that there’s a minimal risk of a Bora while you are in the area, then it’s a mighty fine town to explore for an hour or two. and the campsite restaurant, Konoba Gajeta, (pictured immediately below) makes for a good lunchtime stop.

Sister site, Croatia Online, explains a little of its history and features, and Croatia Camping Guide puts the very central Kamp Škver firmly in its top ten. Both links take you straight to the postings on Senj.

For passing sailors there are plenty of berthing options but only in the most clement of weather as the shelter is no match for a Bora or winds from the north and north-west.  Small local boats occupy the area north of the “middle” main pier which lies in the south-east part of the harbour.

Visitors can berth, alongside, on either side of this pier (green light) if space permits, or the south side of the north pier (red light), or the quay in front of the Harbour Master, or the east side of the south-west breakwater (white light). A waypoint of 44°59.60’ E 14°53.60E should give you a good view of your berthing options about three cables our from the shore.      

There’s a ten ton hoist on the north pier with the red light, and slips by both the north pier and the south-west breakwater.  I also saw my first Croatian  Electric car charger by the south breakwater.

The compact town surrounds the harbour and should have everything you need including banks, shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. If you’re feeling energetic and want to take in the view, make the climb up to the fortress.

The harbour master’s office is just behind the quay that lies east of the main breakwater. Contact details

Address:  Obala kralja Zvonimira 12, 53270 Senj.

Tel: + 385 ( 0 ) 53 881 301

Uvala Sibinj, Near Senj

Roughly between Klenovica and Senj is a small bay called Uvala Sibinj. It’s not very well protected, so not suitable for an overnight stop but there is a nice little restaurant, part of a small campsite, with mooring blocks and buoys just away from the main beach, to encourage you to come and eat there and perhaps have a swim. There’s also a minibus service to take you into Senj.

The water looks very shallow for the few metres approaching the shoreline but, according to the owner, depths are around 4 metres by the buoys.

I took co-ordinates onshore, at the campsite, as follows:               45° 02.663’ N 14°52.685E

For more information about the campsite check out our posting on sister site Croatia Camping Guide

Croatia’s Largest Marina Gets Larger!!

We’re jumping ahead a little, in terms of reporting on our early summer trip, but we couldn’t resist sharing the latest news on Croatia’s largest marina - D-Marin Dalmacija - in Sukošan, near Zadar, Croatia.

It was already a fairly modern marina, with all the essential facilities, but the huge expanse of empty spaces and grey buildings gave the place an eerie feel and were crying out for rejuvenation. So it was greatly in need of substantial investment when the Dogus Group acquired it a few years ago.

When we visited in June, even with building work still going on, it was already in our top five of the most transformed marinas – Olive Island, Marina Seget, Marina Trogir and another Dogus Group marina, D-Marin Mandalina,  also featuring.  Now, the work is complete and the Portus Beach Club, on the outer, semi-circular, superyacht pier, is open for business.

A huge artifical beach has been made on the seaward facing side of the semi-circular pier and guests can rent deck chairs, towels and parasols, as well as luxury cabanas that come complete with champagne, ice cream, water and cold towels. There’s also Rum Shack, a beach bar offering a wide range of cocktails and other refreshments. 

Portus Beach Club also provides two restaurants, a night bar, kids club and sports facilities. The first floor restaurant offers local specialities and a wide selection of Croatian and international wines. Nearby is a spacious lounge bar designed in Mediterranean style. Both have a spectacular view of the bay and provide an ideal place for a business lunch, romantic dinner or an exclusive event. Enjoy more casual dining in the ground floor restaurant which offers an all day menu of Mediterranean and domestic dishes.

Kids Club offers different kind of fun and educational activities, all with professional supervision, and for everyone there’s music and DJs every afternoon from 4 pm until 9 pm, with Thursday, Friday and Saturday scheduled for live performances.

The investment required for a project of this scale is immense - €6.5 million according to the owners – but it’s just a quarter of the €25 million spent over the last three years which includes the impressive new administrative building, a new entrance, new toilets, a new building for charter and service companies and much improved landscaping.  The result is a really classy look and a new sense of purpose for what now has the air of  a vibrant marina village in its own right, rather than just an enormous yacht berthing facility! It still does remind me a little of Tracy Island from the Thunderbirds series but now in a good, chic way!

What makes all this work even more impressive is the speed and lack of fuss with which it is accomplished. It’s easy to forget the immense scale of each new project, and that some of  the marina is built on land reclaimed from the sea and it’s therefore not that easy to grow verdant lawns and pretty flower beds.

Those who have a copy of our Croatia Cruising Companion won’t find the physical layout (see up to date chart below) and  approach very different from the way it was described on page 37 and 38, and the small village of Sukošan still retains its local charm, despite the size of its newer neighbour.  The new aerial shot looks very different though from the boat and car park on page 38!

And there’s something about the chunky lights that typifies the scale and purpose of Croatia’s biggest marina, now becoming one of its most upmarket ones.

Many thanks to D-Marin Dalmacija for their assistance with information and images. To go direct to the marina’s website link to D-Marin Dalmacija Overview

Klenovica, Near Novi Vinodolski and Senj

Klenovica looks like a great place for a gentle lunchtime stop and you can read about what’s in store, onshore, on sister site Croatia Online.

The decent sized harbour has a green light at the end of the breakwater, although all but one of the main pilot books’ latest editions only seem to mention the while light on the little islet, Sv Anton, to the south. This islet is connected to the mainland by a rubble causeway.

The harbour has around 15 bollards for electricity and water, fairly evenly spaced around the main quay which lines the breakwater and then doglegs to the left as you look at it from the approach. It looks like some are fitted up for 3 phase electricity.

This quay appears to be quite new and there are a couple of  buoys so you can moor bow- or stern-to on the dogleg, and I guess laid lines will be there soon if they are not already there now. Local boats were moored alongside on the quay that runs along the breakwater.

Opposite the breakwater is an older quay, mostly used by fishing boats, and local boats are moored between the two, at the head of the bay, where there’s also a slip (next to the statue).

Depths are between 3 and 6 metres on the inner side of the breakwater, up to 3.5 metres on the older quay opposite and up to 1.4 metres where the local boats are moored. Shallow draft boats can also anchor either side of the causeway to Sv Anton, by the campsite.

The bay is reasonably well protected from the Bora, which blows very hard in this area, but exposed to winds from the north-west, through west, to south.

Novi Vinodolski – Not One, But Two New Marinas!

Glancing at a few of the recently published new editions of pilot books, you’d think that the new marinas at Novi Vinodolski were one of Croatia’s best kept secrets and yet the Croatian Tourist Board announced the projects in 2011. The pontoons in the main harbour are almost complete whilst it looks like the new marina just east of the city centre may not be too much further away. The photo above shows it in May this year.
The “Town Centre” marina will offer around 220 berths and Marina Muroskva, further east, about 170, plus around 320 dry berths. Novi Vinodolski already has a fuel station, a small harbour for local boats and moorings for smaller boats in the river mouth.

It’s a fascinating town of a different era and this substantial investment in nautical tourism may well inspire other projects and further modernisation. Read more about the town itself on sister site Croatia Online
Finally, on the weather front, the interesting sky in the morning. in the main picture, was followed by another beautiful Croatian sunset.



Update 27.3.2018 - have a look at the article on the following link for progress on the two marinas and even more investment in the region to come - Total Croatia News - Is Novi Vinodolski Becoming A New It Destination?

Selce, Near Crikvenica

Like neighbouring Crikvenica, which gives it’s name to the “Riviera” of which Selce is a part, Selce belongs to an older style of Croatian tourism that grew up around health spas. Not for much longer perhaps as there seems to be plenty of investment activity in the pipeline for the whole of this area.

As you can sea from the photo above, there are moorings for yachts on the main quay, with electricity and water bollards. The yacht is moored roughly where the red “circle” is on the image below. The arrow points to the pier where the white light is.

According to the harbour master, depths are 3 to 4 metres where the yacht is moored. The berths in the inner harbours are for local boats and depths are shallower. Tripper boats tend to use the perpendicular pier with the white light as can be seen below.

There’s a 5 ton crane and Selce has plenty of cafés, restaurants and bars, as well as some pretty gardens.

Crikvenica – On The Brink Of Nautical Discovery?

I mentioned, on sister site Croatia Online (COL – Crikvenica), that part of Crikvenica looked as if it might be in need of a little TLC and it seems, on further research, that  investment might be just around the corner. It’s already got plenty to offer, including sandy beaches and all the essential amenities and facilities, but is a little rooted in an almost bygone age of tourism.

For nautical visitors to Croatia it also already offers quite a lot including a fuel berth, pictured, and several smallish harbours, mostly for local and tripper boats. Soon, however, it may get its own 200 berth marina and we’ll be telling you more about that in due course. In the meantime they are a few options for visiting yachts:

a) in the main harbour, just west of the river mouth, berth on lazy lines on the inner side of the main breakwater and east harbour wall in depths of around 3 metres but note that the outer end of the jetty is mainly for tripper boats and the inner harbour for local boats

b) there are rings and bollards for lines along the quay by the river mouth. Depths vary between 2 and 4 metres and there’s a low road bridge just a little way down river

c) a little further east there’s Luke Podvorska, the newish harbour for local boats but that’s usually full

The main harbour has some smart new electricity and water pedestals and there’s a green light at the end of the long breakwater with another green light further east on the west side of the river mouth. The fuel station is immediately west of this second green light and has depths of approximately 3 metres.

ACI’s Newest Marina In Slano Is Now Open

It was a bit of a building site when we visited at the end of May this year, and we did (correctly!) doubt the scheduled original opening date of July 1st, but ACI have worked pretty hard and productively to finish off their first new marina in many years.

ACI marina “Veljko Barbieri” opened on 3rd August 2016 and is ready to take the pressure off the Dubrovnik region which is always in need of extra marina capacity. And to encourage berthholders it’s currently offering 30% off its normal rate for annual berths and a BOGOF [buy one get one free] offer on daily berths.

Not only is this the first new marina in a while for ACI but it’s the first to break with ACI’s traditional naming system. Rather than the expected ACI Marina Slano, it has been named in honour of the founder and innovator of the ACI Marina Chain – Veljko Barbieri.

Slano itself has plenty of room for this new 200 berth marina on the east side of the bay, just off the picture to the right  in the image below. The expansive bay was previously dominated by Hotel Admiral, pictured, at the head of the bay, and will now have a more “balanced” look.

The marina will also bring some more varied life to this quiet resort town which suffered badly in the Homeland War and in an earthquake in 1996, although there are no longer any signs of these events.

As you would expect, the marina has modern facilities and equipment and the bay itself also offers some well equipped town moorings (pictured below - between the new marina and the hotel) , as well as an anchorage in Uvala Badija, also on the east side but further out towards the open sea.

The main picture shows the new lights and some of the marina pontoons – perhaps not an image that instantly grabs attention but we were trying to be kind to ACI by not showing too much of the building works. If you want to see some more glamourous shots of the finished product, link to the ACI Picture Gallery.

For more information on the marina, go to the dedicated section of the ACI website ACI Marina Veljko Barbieri Slano where, interestingly, ACI hedges its bets and adds Slano to the name!

Croatia Invests In Its Marinas

A seven week trip around the Croatian coastline and islands has been highly informative. After several years of very little change and just the odd new marina popping up every now and then, things are hotting up. In the last few weeks we’ve visited almost every marina featured in our Croatia Cruising Companion (and that’s all of the marinas along the Dalmatian Coast and on the islands), and many of the bays and ports.

In some ways, very little has changed; in other ways changes are more significant.Refreshingly we found that not every bay is now the subject of a concession with mooring buoys; some are still open to all to anchor in for free. We also discovered that a substantial amount of those precious EU structural funds are being used to improve beaches, walkways, squares and quays. And sometimes local authorities are going it alone to improve their ports and harbours.

Seaplanes are occupying precious space in some busy ports but making connections much easier for holidaymakers visiting islands. Elsewhere, for example in Šibenik, which was expected to be the next destination to host seaplanes, local objections seem to be winning at the moment.

Most of all we found a huge amount of investment in the marina infrasture with the widespread renovation of older facilities and the building of several new ones. Some time ago we told you about Marina Trogir, pictured, which is already operating at good capacity levels with more investment to come. We’ve also told you about the relatively recent Baotić Yacht Club Seget nearby, which is now a veritable hubbub of activity on a grand scale, compared with the small group of buildings we first saw in 2009, just after it first opened and before all phases were complete.

The completion of these two marinas now means that the number and choice of berths in the highly popular mid Dalmatian town of Trogir has increased substantially. Existing ACI Marina Trogir is next door to Marina Trogir and of course Trogir Riva (the town quay and promenade) has always been popular with superyachts.

So, now that all those projects in the melting pot for so long have come, or are coming,  to fruition, and after catching up properly with all the local industry experts, it seems like an ideal time to update the Croatia Cruising Companion and bring out a new edition. We’re lucky enough to have a new publisher prepared to invest in exactly what the Croatia Cruising Companion needs to bring it bang up to date, continue to meet the high expectations of its readers and do justice to one of the best cruising grounds in the world.  And, although we originally wrote and designed the CCC uniquely to suit Croatia, and meet our desire to make it the best book of its kind on the market, we’re delighted that its no longer held back by being part of  a series, albeit the flagship and best seller of that series.  So keep an eye on this blog for a taste of what’s to come in the new edition.

For earlier postings on the two Trogir marinas, follow the links below :-
Baotić Yacht Club Seget Soft Opening
Marina Trogir Opens on Trogir Shipyard Site

New Improved Croatian Marina in Zadar?

It was bound to happen eventually. This majestic building in Zadar, once the home of the Maraska distillery, is apparently destined to become a 5 star, 120 room hotel. Next door there will be a luxury residential complex and a commercial zone including shops, restaurants and bars.

Dogus Group, who own three marinas in Croatia, including the flagship D-Marin Mandalina Marina in  Šibenik, announced recently they will be investing €80 million in the project which is due to start later this year and take approximately one year. Dogus does not have a marina in Zadar city centre itself though it’s difficult not to suppose that they must have their eyes on Zadar Marina which lies right next to the Maraska building and could probably do with some new investment.

Dogus opened a new hotel at D-Marin Mandalina last year and, this year, will also be upgrading facilities at nearby D-Marin Borik and  D-Marin Dalmacija Sukošan.

Zadar is a rising Croatian star. Ten years ago it was little known as a tourist destination and pretty hard to find a decent choice of hotels. Now, thanks to its own special charms and Ryannair favouring its airport, its attracting more and more visitors. For nautical tourists, however, it’s always been a very special destination with a marina that’s right in the heart of everything.

Sister blog Croatia Online has many postings on Zadar and here are a few, in chronological order – oldest first – which will give you an idea of just how much (or how little?!) some things have changed:

Zadar - November 2006

Ryanair Flies to Zadar & HMS Cornwall in Split - February 2007

Croatia Destinations - Zadar & Sibenik - February 2007

Zadar's Newest Hotel - November 2008

Zadar's Sky Diving Cocktail Bar Owner - July 2010

Croatia's Zadar Airport Continues To Grow - Feb 2015

Croatia’s Neighbour Build’s Largest Ever Yacht Berth

Ok, I know Montenegro is not Croatia but it does have a habit of stealing the limelight from its neighbour! Montenegro has a tiny coastline but some of it, particularly the Bay of Kotor, is spectacular, and it is here you will find Porto Montenegro and plenty of other superyacht marina activity. Small though it is, Montenegro has the distinct advantage of being able to offer Croatia’s amazing cruising grounds as part of its package. It has deliberately focused on the luxury end of the nautical tourism market, with considerable success, and now offers the world’s largest superyacht berth at 250 metres (820 feet), much bigger than the world’s largest yacht….so far!

Have a look here - Porto Montenegro - for the full story and to see how fast and how far the marina has changed since the photo above, taken in 2012.

Croatia Marina Prices 2016

Most, but by no means all, of Croatia’s 50 plus marinas have, by now, decided on their prices for 2016. Regular nautical visitors to Croatia will know that the pricing structure varies from marina to marina – some daily, weekly, monthly and annual rates include things like water and electricity and some don’t; some have discounts for multiple days stay and/or throw in additional services; some have slightly different dates for each season; size categories can vary, some price rises take effect in January, some in April etc, etc. Almost all charge at least 50% extra for catamarans. The variations can make comparison between marinas quite difficult but if you read the small print carefully the marinas are normally quite good at spelling out exactly how much it costs for each service.

State owned ACI have 22 marinas if you include the new marina in Slano which is due to be ready for the 2016 season. Their prices and price structure vary from location to location but the following examples will give you an idea of what you might be in store for if you prefer to spend the night in these marinas.

In ACI Marina Vodice, a 12 metre boat will cost €72 per day in the main summer season (1.7 to 31.8 inclusive) and  €66 a day the rest of the year. In ACI Split a 12 metre boat is  €90 a day from 1.6 to 30.9 inclusive and €78 per day the rest of the year.  If you go to ACI’s website - ACI Marinas – you can look at each marina individually, or if you follow this link -  ACI Marinas Price List - 2016 you can print out 26 pages of 2016 marina prices!

Below are three examples (and direct links in brackets) of prices amongst the indepent marinas, though in typical Dalmatian fashion they are quite a few who have yet to publish 2016 prices as at today’s date of 22.2.2016.

All are daily rates for 12 metre boats.

Marina Tribunj (Tribunj Prices):  1.7 to 31.8  €97; otherwise  €73

Marina Frapa (Frapa Prices) 1.7 to 31.8  €89; otherwise  €67 (effective 1.1.2016)

Marina Kornati  (Kornati Prices) all year - €66

And finally, below are links to postings on similar exercises we have carried out in previous years.

Marina Prices 2014

Marina Prices 2011

Marina Prices 2008

***

Today’s photo is of Tribunj Marina back in 2010 -  not that long after the pink marina building in the background was finished. The wooden boat in the foreground is a replica of a traditional fishing boat - the Gajeta Falkuša – and you can read more about that on Croatia Cruising Companion - the Gajeta Falkuša although unfortunately Lifejacket Adventures is no longer around.

Croatian Superyacht Marinas – The Year Ahead!

Below is an extract from the feature we wrote for this year’s Superports, a Boat International annual guide to superyacht marinas around the world. It’s good to see Croatia taking such a large chunk of the space dedicated to news for the year ahead!

***

State owned ACI runs 21 of Croatia’s fifty plus marinas. Dubrovnik, Split and Korčula are favourite locations, as is Pakleni, close to Hvar town, and Vrboska also on Hvar island. ACI Marina Skradin is popular, not just for its proximity to the spectacular Krka water falls, but also for its rare combination of salt and fresh water. In Istria and Kvarner, in northern Croatia, ACI Marinas Pula, Opatija, Umag and Cres all have their special attractions including Pula’s magnificent Roman amphitheatre and Opatija’s grand villas and promenades.

ACI’s latest investment programme started with the replacement of all the pontoons at ACI Marina Cres, work which is now complete. Soon, a twenty second marina will be added to the network with the completion of a new marina in Slano, near Dubrovnik, which will cater for yachts up to 25 metres in length. In autumn 2016, work will start on ACI Marina Opatija to extend the marina and provide 42 dedicated superyacht berths for yachts up to 60 metres or more. Next will be a major extension to ACI Marina Dubrovnik to provide an additional 45 berths for superyachts, and a reconfiguration of the traditional stone building on site, an old summer palace, into a 5-star boutique hotel.

ACI Marina Pomer, for smaller yachts, is having a major facelift, due for completion by summer 2016, and ACI Marina Rovinj, also currently for smaller yachts, will undergo an extensive reconstruction and upgrade of facilities, starting in late 2016, which will provide 22 berths for yachts between 27 and 30 metres and should result in it becoming ACI’s flagship and first five anchor marina, as categorised (and rarely awarded) by the national regulating authority.

Also on the agenda for 2016 is the roll out of a gastro project which started in 2015 with the grand opening of “Navigare”, a newly-refurbished restaurant in ACI Marina Milna on the island of Brač. Key elements are a modern interior design concept and consistently high catering standards focusing on traditional local cuisine with a modern twist. ACI Marinas Pomer, Cres, Slano, Žut and Piskera are next in line for a gastro makeover that will eventually be introduced in all 22 marinas.

Also in Croatia, D-Marin continues with an impressive program of upgrades and improvements to its marinas. Their flagship superyacht marina, D-Marin Mandalina in Šibenik, has 79 dedicated superyacht berths out of a total of 429, can accommodate yachts up to 140 metres in length and continues to receive the highest industry accolades. In July 2015 D-Resort Šibenik opened in the heart of D-Marin Mandalina and features a luxury hotel with 63 rooms, six suites and three exclusive villas with private pools. There’s also a spa, gym, shops, four bars, and two à la carte restaurants. In summer 2016 there will be a new Beach Club with VIP cabanas, an additional swimming pool, open air fitness and beach food court. Just along the coast, Croatia’s largest marina, D-Marin Dalmacija is adding an exclusive Beach Club with restaurants and a kids' area, as well as a Piazza with pub and fashion stores.

In central Dalmatia, independently owned Marina Kaštela, was a rare new marina for Croatia in the noughties. Superbly located just five kilometres from Split airport, close to the historic city of Split and a short sail or ferry ride from the alluring islands of Brač, Hvar and Vis, it’s a popular base for superyachts. In contrast to the bright lights of Split and Hvar town, the immediately surrounding area is classic traditional Dalmatia – stone houses, family restaurants, tucked away beaches and historic castles. The closest castle (kaštel), just a short walk from the marina, was built by nuns and is probably the best of the handful of castles in this cluster of villages collectively known as Kaštela.

In 2015, Marina Kaštela added the Nautic Restaurant above the reception area in the main building, which, with space for over 300 guests, should make it popular for weddings and other events and will take the pressure of the existing restaurant. 2017 will see the opening of an indoor swimming pool, spa and wellness centre, pizzeria and sailing club. Further improvements planned for the future include a 200-ton travel lift, on site pump-out system and a hotel and congress centre. The 420 berth marina features modern equipment, up to 400 amp power and depths of 8 to 10 metres alongside the breakwater dedicated to superyachts. The marina owner has always taken his community responsibilities seriously and sponsors a number of local organisations as well as hosting on site a smaller marina for local boats, and a rowing and sports club.

Another piece of good news from Croatia is the roll out of European Coastal Airways’ affordable sea plane service with scheduled flights that make connections along the coast and between the islands much quicker and easier. De Havilland Twin Otters carrying up to 19 passengers whizz owners and guests from an international airport to their destination island in minutes. Currently, Split is the main hub for flights to the islands but there are also connections from Zadar, Pula, Rijeka and Ancona in Italy, with more to come.

***

Thank to ACI Marinas for today’s photo of Marina Palmižana on the island of Sv Klement near Hvar island.

And if you’d like your own copy of Superports 2016, here’s the link:  Boat International EStore - Superports 2016

Marina Kaštela, One of Croatia’s Newer Marinas and Still Improving!

Independently owned Marina Kaštela was a rare new marina for Croatia in the noughties. Superbly located just five kilometres from Split airport, close to the historic city of Split and a short sail or ferry ride from the alluring islands of Brač, Hvar and Vis, it’s a popular base for superyachts. In contrast to the bright lights of Split and Hvar town, the immediately surrounding area is classic traditional Dalmatia – stone houses, family restaurants, tucked away beaches and historic castles. The closest castle (kaštel), just a short walk from the marina, was built by nuns and is probably the best of the handful of castles in this cluster of villages collectively known as Kaštela.

In 2015, Marina Kaštela, near the Dalmatian capital of Split, added the Nautic Restaurant above the reception area in the main building, which, with space for over 300 guests, should make it popular for weddings and other events and will take the pressure of the existing restaurant. In 2017 Marina Kaštela will have an indoor swimming pool, spa and wellness centre, pizzeria and sailing club. Further improvements planned for the future include a 200-ton travel lift, on site pump-out system and a hotel and congress centre. The 420 berth marina features modern equipment, up to 400 amp power and depths of 8 to 10 metres alongside the breakwater dedicated to superyachts.