Croatian Itinerary - Opinions and when is sunset?!

[Bellacruiser]

Hi there,

We are chartering a yacht from Trogir (near Split) in the first week of July. We have paid for early check-in so are expected to embark between 1 and 2pm and shouldn't have to worry about any queuing for attention etc at this time nor is Trogir a bottleneck to get out of like ACI Split .

We'd like to push on and cover some decent miles that afternoon, but wondering how far is too far/when is sunset for that time of year? I have looked it up and various sites put it at about 8pm, but is it feasible to sail that late? (Realistically we would like to sail for about 2pm-6.30pm).

The ideal would be if we could press on to ACI Palmizana (with our berth pre-booked) as covering these miles on our first day opens up the whole week for us and means we can then ensure only a short sail on our final day. This is about 30NM. We'll be on a 2016 Elan 45 Impression with 55hp motor if we need it. Is this too far?!

Any advice appreciated! Thank you!

 

[RichardS]

If you're not leaving Trogir until 2pm at the earliest I would normally say that 30 NM is too far as we always anchor and if intending to anchor it would be risky as you might have more trouble anchoring that you expect as some bays have a bit iffy holding. It would be going dark whilst you are looking for a good spot. With a marina berth booked it would be a much better bet although it will be a slog if the wind is from the South but not the end of the world but you might be eating lateish. If that fits in with your plans then go for it but you will need to get organised for your departure and if things like the yacht briefing get delayed, and they often do, I would have a back up plan ready for a shorter sail to a nice anchorage, just in case.

Richard

 

[Metabarca]

Sunset will be around 19.40 at Trogir at that time of year (GMT+1)

 

[Bellacruiser]

Thank you both for your replies, appreciate the comments!

We would only attempt the leg if we were pre-booked at ACI Palmizana. Our alternative is to put into Solta (Maslinica/Sesula) and have a really laid back afternoon.
Without then losing one of our much-wanted stops then that leaves us with a c28nm leg on the Friday when we have to be back in Trogir base for 6pm. That unnerves me a little, but then if we keep one eye on the weather a day or two before and adjust if it's at all adverse, that distance is more than doable by 6pm if we make an early start at 7am. If we get a good run, we will go to Blue Lagoon/Drvenik Veli for a prolonged swim stop and if under time pressure can slog on.

As a general rule I've always been told to be within 40nm of base by two days before return and we will be...and with one eye on the forecast so hopefully that works!

 

[RupertW]

Wow - you probably know the area and have done it all before but to me you are rushing past some fabulous spots to my least favourite stopping place in Croatia.

I know I'd be stocking up nicely then doing a 90 minute sail to Krknasje on Drvenik Veli to swim in turquoise have a few ice cold beers, repeat, then for the first nigth either eat on board or go to the cafe/restaurant a short row ashore, then maybe onto Milna for a second night, or perhaps go straight through the Gates of Split to Hvar - Jelsa for a night out or Pokrovenik for another but very different stunning anchorage.

Going to the most expensive marina in Croatia, then maybe paying 50 Euros for a boat taxi to Hvar wouldn't hack it. But having said all that, one of my favourite things about Croatia is that there are so many choices we can all argue about which is best and happens to suit us or our guests that particular time.

 

[tudorsailor]

Its probably a push and very weather dependent. You might think you have a berth reserved at ACI Palmazana but the dock guys simply guide people in, first come first serve. You do not communicate by radio when you arrive. They just whistle at you. Thye have no idea of your yachts's name. So if you arrive late, they will not have kept you a space. July is a busy time. If the weather is right, anchoring in the bay on the south side of the island where the bars and restaurants are is great - once the tourist boats go. The bar with seats in the trees is especially chilled

Why not stop at Milna on Brac for you first night. Nice spot for guests new to the area. If you are lucky the restaurant by the marina may have fresh tuna

TudorSailor

 

[Bellacruiser]

Thanks all. Personally I'm not too fussed to go to Hvar town at all having been before and found it be a curious mix of overpriced (spend hundreds if you want to sit down anywhere in a club) and chicken-escalope-and-chips restaurants at the other end of the scale. That (well, Palmizana) was to accommodate some of our crew who have heard of Hvar and wanted to go.

Vinogradisce on Sveti Klement in the Pakleni which was a rough plan for another night albeit I'm told the concession for the anchorage has now been awarded and mooring is chargeable.

This trip we are a mixed group of 7 in our early 30s and they want a bit of nightlife. I'm conscious we need enough time in town quays or marinas to keep the water tanks topped up because the girls will not manage despite my cautioning them!

In September we go as a four with another couple from Dubrovnik and that will be more nature, wine and good food based!

If I can manage to remove Hvar town (not the island itself!) from our itinerary I'm now thinking the following. We are guaranteed to commence check in at 1pm and the company offers this to only 5 boats per Saturday and guarantees to get us underway quick. We're in Trogir a few days before so will have provisions all sorted etc so fairly hopeful we'll be off around 2pm. So:

Sat - Solta (Sesula Bay) via a long swim stop at Drvenik Veli
Sun - Vinogradisce (Sveti Klement/Pakleni)
Mon - Vis town via submarine tunnels and Stonica
Tue - Komiza via Bisevo (Blue Cave/Modra Spilja) and Stiniva
Wed - Stari Grad
Thu - Milna (or Stomorska?)
Fri - back to Trogir maybe via Drvenik Veli again

So many variables, my head hurts!

 

[Skylark]

I don't know the area particularly well; last autumn I crewed with a pal moving his boat from Corfu to Venice and we sailed through Croatian waters. Very nice.

A 30 mile journey starting early afternoon on the first day of a family cruising holiday could be a great start or the ruination of the week. Can't predict weather or crew fitness and willingness. If it's a holiday, why risk overdoing it so early. A better shakedown, imho, would be to find an early anchorage or moring adjacent to a lovely beach Taverna. Get familiar with the boat, ablute and sink a few cold beers and a nice meal out.

If it's a bunch of blokes or a delivery trip with crew comfortable and experienced with night sailing then go for it!

 

[Nina Lucia]

Perfect, or Stari Grad, Hvar?

Its probably a push and very weather dependent. You might think you have a berth reserved at ACI Palmazana but the dock guys simply guide people in, first come first serve. You do not communicate by radio when you arrive. They just whistle at you. Thye have no idea of your yachts's name. So if you arrive late, they will not have kept you a space. July is a busy time. If the weather is right, anchoring in the bay on the south side of the island where the bars and restaurants are is great - once the tourist boats go. The bar with seats in the trees is especially chilled

Why not stop at Milna on Brac for you first night. Nice spot for guests new to the area. If you are lucky the restaurant by the marina may have fresh tuna

TudorSailor

 

[RichardS]

Thanks all. Personally I'm not too fussed to go to Hvar town at all having been before and found it be a curious mix of overpriced (spend hundreds if you want to sit down anywhere in a club) and chicken-escalope-and-chips restaurants at the other end of the scale. That (well, Palmizana) was to accommodate some of our crew who have heard of Hvar and wanted to go.

Vinogradisce on Sveti Klement in the Pakleni which was a rough plan for another night albeit I'm told the concession for the anchorage has now been awarded and mooring is chargeable.

This trip we are a mixed group of 7 in our early 30s and they want a bit of nightlife. I'm conscious we need enough time in town quays or marinas to keep the water tanks topped up because the girls will not manage despite my cautioning them!

In September we go as a four with another couple from Dubrovnik and that will be more nature, wine and good food based!

If I can manage to remove Hvar town (not the island itself!) from our itinerary I'm now thinking the following. We are guaranteed to commence check in at 1pm and the company offers this to only 5 boats per Saturday and guarantees to get us underway quick. We're in Trogir a few days before so will have provisions all sorted etc so fairly hopeful we'll be off around 2pm. So:

Sat - Solta (Sesula Bay) via a long swim stop at Drvenik Veli
Sun - Vinogradisce (Sveti Klement/Pakleni)
Mon - Vis town via submarine tunnels and Stonica
Tue - Komiza via Bisevo (Blue Cave/Modra Spilja) and Stiniva
Wed - Stari Grad
Thu - Milna (or Stomorska?)
Fri - back to Trogir maybe via Drvenik Veli again

So many variables, my head hurts!

Stoncica, on the way to Bisevo, is one of our favourite anchorages in Croatia .... a sheltered bay other than NE, as sandy as you can get in Croatia (apart from Susak) and an excellent and reasonably priced restaurant ...... but, unfortunately, unless you anchor well out, you will now have to pay for mooring. And, even worse, the anchoring concession is not owned by the restaurant so there's no freebie if eating there. Still recommended though.

Krknjas bay at the SE end of Drevnik Veli is another favourite blue anchorage with a great restaurant. Everything, even the potatoes, are grown in the restaurant garden. No credit cards though, so have Kuna to hand.

Richard

 

[Bellacruiser]

Stoncica, on the way to Bisevo, is one of our favourite anchorages in Croatia .... a sheltered bay other than NE, as sandy as you can get in Croatia (apart from Susak) and an excellent and reasonably priced restaurant ...... but, unfortunately, unless you anchor well out, you will now have to pay for mooring. And, even worse, the anchoring concession is not owned by the restaurant so there's no freebie if eating there. Still recommended though.

Richard

Really?! Is the charge just for overnighting do you know, or also swim stops etc? Do you recall the kind of price range?

 

[RichardS]

Really?! Is the charge just for overnighting do you know, or also swim stops etc? Do you recall the kind of price range?

We've only ever stayed there overnight at the usual £15 - £20 for a buoy. You might be able to negotiate a discount to 50% or something for a lunchtime stop.

We used to be able to get close up into the shore and anchor in the sand but there is now a line of swimming floats right across the bay where the sand starts and the mooring buoys are on the seaward side of the swimming floats and the bay is so narrow that if you try and anchor you will be within the 200m restriction zone of the nearest buoy so will still have to pay even if you are not using a buoy.

The old official Croatian Government moorings map http://www.mppi.hr/default.aspx?id=7411 does not show this as an offical chargeable anchorage which means that you may have more scope for negotiation. The problem with the map is that it has never been properly kept up to date so there always has to be a negotiation with the "collection man in the boat". I'm 100% sure that the new moorings at Stoncica are official.

Unfortunately the new Croatian Govt app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hr.mppi.nis&ah=69Ap9mDbQ_49TEg0t0Iuisb69UY which is free and available for Android and Apple does show Uvala Stoncica as an offical anchorage. It looks like the map has been abandoned in favour of the app and the fee collector might well have the app on his phone and you are then stuffed.

The app is actually pretty good with a lot of info in English (if you put in a UK phone number .... you don't need to put in any of the other information if you don't want to) and has the advantage that you can use it offline. If you click on the map of any anchorage you open up the main map and can navigate across to an island or area if you don't know the name of the bays you are considering. It also has the official registered price of the anchorage so you know in advance what you're going to pay.

The app also has a red distress button which will presumably automatically notify the Croatian coastguard. Is the the first distress call app I wonder?

Richard

 

[GeorgeTina]

Don't know whether you can help but I cannot download the Nautical app on to my Nexus 7 as it is "incompatible" with my Devices. Do you have to have a Croatia sim or something ?.

 

[RichardS]

Don't know whether you can help but I cannot download the Nautical app on to my Nexus 7 as it is "incompatible" with my Devices. Do you have to have a Croatia sim or something ?.

That's strange ..... it runs fine on my Sony Xperia running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. Can you update to that of you're not on it already?

I'm running it on my UK tablet with a Giffgaff (O2) sim although here at home I'm actually connecting over wifi.

Richard