The Croatian Adriatic Sea is certainly one of the most beautiful and popular skipper areas in the Mediterranean. With a coastline of over 1,700 kilometers and its countless small and large bays on the mainland coast and on the more than 1,200 islands, every skipper will find their territory. In this overview, SeaHelp divides the Croatian Adriatic into seven areas, which differ greatly in terms of use and character. The records of SeaHelp founder Wolfgang Dauser, who has known “his” Adriatic well for many years, were very helpful in this respect.
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Region Istria
The peninsula has many marinas and a correspondingly large number of long-term residents. The marinas and boat gas stations offer an excellent infrastructure. The few coves on the west coast have to be shared with the bathers from the many hotels and campsites; their swimming demarcations often make the turquoise water inaccessible to anchorages. The coast here is largely open, so that the stern waves of the countless boats and yachts in beautiful mistral weather are added to the typical swell. In the south, around Pula and Medulin, there are sheltered bays suitable for overnight stays at anchor.
Conclusion: very good for marina residents and transit crews, as well as for trailer boats around the southern tip of Istria. Disappointing for boaters and island hoppers with sports boats.
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Kvarner Region
Kvarner Bay is divided into three regions by the large islands of Krk and Cres. In connection with the Velebit Mountains, these have a strong influence on the weather. The western region includes Istria’s eastern side as far as Rijeka and the western northern half of Cres. The dominant channel for commercial shipping in the north and the influences of the Ucka mountain range in the west and the Velebit mountain range in the east can cause very difficult weather conditions for skippers. The area is characterized by a few marinas and correspondingly few boat gas stations, as well as almost no bathing coves.
In the south along the west coast of Losinj there are good anchorages and bathing bays, as well as campsites with buoys. The central Kvarner region is bounded by the eastern side of Cres Island, the beautiful west coast of Krk, Rab Island and the northern tip of Pag to the south. The area has many beautiful anchorages (often without buoy operators) and the marinas and city ports offer guest berths, which are limited in the high season and require early arrival or reservation. The eastern Kvarner region is basically a long channel with a lot of transit traffic that runs along the mainland from Rijeka to Jablanac, the ferry port to Rab. There are plenty of marinas and gas stations, but the massive mountains with frequent strong gusts can make things uncomfortable for boaters.
Conclusion: Very good for marina/city harbor boats as well as bay fans. The island west coasts of Krk and Losinj are very appealing, as is the paradise for trailer boat skippers around Rab. The area is one of the Bora strong wind areas and not very suitable in unstable weather conditions.
🎥 Youtube Videos Revier Kvarner von SeaHelp
Region Kvarner-Süd:
The small islands of Silba, Olib, Premuda, Skarda, Ist and Molat form a wonderful island world with few pleasure craft and many anchorages, as well as simple city harbors.
In the north of the area, transit traffic through Italy prevails, with boats on their way to Dalmatia; the islands of Ilovik and Premuda have very busy transit ports that experience the corresponding swell.
On the islands of Silba, Olib, Ist and Molat, there are many bays with and without mooring buoys and few pleasure craft. Boaters will not find the same good infrastructure as in other Croatian areas, as only small local ports/piers are available, with few berths. On top of that, the distance to the Velebit Mountains means that the bora only makes itself felt to a limited extent here in the event of a storm, and many of the turquoise-blue anchorages and bathing bays have an ideal water depth of two to four meters.
conclusion: very good for yachts at anchor or moored to buoys, but bad for marina and pleasure craft, as self-sufficiency (water, electricity) is required here.
Zadar region
The area has three large islands that divide the region from NW to SW like a barrier and significantly influence shipping traffic, concentrating it in a few narrow spots.
Dugi Otok, the longest island in Croatia, protects the area from the west and, together with the islands of Ugljan and Pasman and the smaller islands of Sestrunj, Zverinac and Iz, creates a large, protected basin.
An excellent area with beautiful and safe anchorages, even for day trips, where a surprising thunderstorm is not a big challenge. The archipelago of the Kornati, a paradise for all boaters, is further protected towards the south. There, the infrastructure is sufficient, but bunkering is only possible to a limited extent. The channel between the mainland and Ugljan/Pasman is very busy and there is a lot of swell to be expected.
Conclusion: Very good for laydays with anchor or buoy, city harbors with sufficient berths are available, less suitable for marina laydays and lovers of secluded coves.
🎥 Youtube Videos Revier Zadar by SeaHelp
Sibenik Region
The many smaller islands of Murter, Zlarin, Prvic, Tijat, Kaprije, Kakan, Zirje, among others, offer good protection with countless bays and anchorages. The islands are flat and surrounded by turquoise-blue water. Murter has now overtaken the island of Rab as a trailer boat hotspot. There are a few large marinas along the mainland and city harbors on the islands with sufficient berths. Due to the flat hinterland, hardly any fall winds or extreme weather situations are to be expected. Even in bad weather, there are hardly any waves between the islands in the north; however, there are no protective islands south of Zirje.
Conclusion: Very good for boaters with a buoy and a pleasure craft skipper; marinas and city ports along the mainland with sufficient berths are also available. Bad for lovers of secluded coves; the supply options are very limited away from the mainland.
A week from Šibenik with your own yacht (Part 1, Kornati)
One week from Šibenik with your own yacht (part 2, Krka)
🎥 Youtube Videos Sibenik area by SeaHelp
Region Split
The northern area around Split & Trogir is perfect for marina lovers, as there are numerous marinas with good services. The area to the south of Split around the five large islands of Solta, Brac, Hvar, Vis and Korcula is characterized by long distances when crossing from one island to the next. This makes it difficult for the skipper to find safe havens in unstable weather conditions.
There is an abundance of culture and gastronomy. With the larger islands, it should be noted that the few coves with a usable water depth of less than 15 meters quickly become overcrowded. The city ports and the regions around the Hvar and Korcula are endlessly overrun in the summer months and berths without reservations are almost impossible to get. Due to the high mountains of the islands, downslope winds are to be expected and the distances facilitate strong wave formation. There are only a limited number of anchorages, but they have a water depth of at least 6 meters, which often makes anchoring impossible for pleasure craft.
Conclusion: Very good for marina and city harbor berths along the mainland and on the large islands. Good supply options on all islands, bad for lovers of secluded bays and spontaneous crews, since berths must be reserved in advance for the most part. The wave height or swell can be uncomfortable due to the distances.
🎥 YouTube videos of the Split area by SeaHelp
Dubrovnik region
The hot spot Dubrovnik is not only a magnet for yachties and overcrowded in the summer months. The up to one thousand meter high Peljesac Mountains in the north trigger morning downslope winds in the area. The Elaphite Islands on Dubrovnik’s doorstep are idyllic, but bordered by a shore area that is only three to five meters wide, which is insufficient for either a swim stop or anchoring.
The small town harbors are inviting and offer sufficient supply options. Mljet, the large island in the area, is only interesting for yachties on the north coast, since the southern area is mostly characterized by cliffs with steep banks. The few bays in the north have water depths of over 15 meters in some places, making them only semi-optimal for anchoring.
Conclusion: Very good for marina and city harbor boats around Dubrovnik with good supply options. Bad for lovers of turquoise water, as the anchor depth in the bays is often over 15 meters.
🎥 Youtube Videos Revier Dubrovnik by SeaHelp
SeaHelp’s summary:
Croatia has made great efforts to develop its unique coastline and the countless islands in terms of infrastructure, and not least the quality of its water has earned it a top position among the top water sports areas in Europe and the world. However, parts of the Adriatic Sea are also among the most demanding lake areas, where every skipper or boater can find “their” area, for which they must prepare conscientiously in theory and practice. Then nothing should stand in the way of a beautiful and varied boating vacation.
SeaHelp Area Guide
The area guide in the SeaHelp App provides valuable information for skippers and water sports enthusiasts in the Adriatic Sea, especially in Croatia. It contains detailed descriptions of areas, important information about ports, anchorages and danger spots, as well as practical tips for safe and enjoyable navigation. With up-to-date data and a user-friendly interface, it is an indispensable tool for anyone wishing to explore the Croatian coast.
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