One week charter out of Split, Croatia

[davidlhill]

Hi,

I have just booked a charter for a week out of Split, towards the end of June. It is needed for my sanity!

I have never sailed that area before, and online I've found a few suggested itineraries. eg:

• Day 1: Split to Brač Spend a day on the island of Brac. ...
• Day 2: Brač to Vis.
• Day 3: Vis to Lastovo. ...
• Day 4: Lastovo to Korčula. ...
• Day 5: Korčula to Hvar. ...
• Day 6: Hvar to Stari Grad. ...
• Day 7: Stari Grad to Split.

Does anyone here with experience have any 'must visit' places around there, or conversely 'do avoid'. My partner hasn't sailed before, so overnight anchoring in bays would probably stress her too much.

What would appeal is small bays with good restaurants with their own jetty - my idea of heaven too

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[RichardS]

It's a great sailing area and all the places you name are worth seeing, especially in June when it should not be too busy.

To be honest, if the weather is settled, which you will know very accurately from DHMZ - Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service then anchoring is usually less stressful than tying up alongside or messing with lazy lines.

You should have an edition of 777 onboard (you could email to check) and that will tell you all you need to know about bays, restaurants and jetties.

Richard

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Chartered twice in the past. Loved it.

I found this very useful: anchorages

We really enjoyed Vis and Primosten for day trips off the boat. As for small bays with good restaurants with their own jetty. Yes that's pretty much every bay in the islands

 

[davidlhill]

I kind of agree with you about anchoring being less stressful than lazy lines. However, I'd be stressed using the dinghy to get back to the boat in the dark after a good meal (with wine of course!) afterwards

When I see novices trying to moor stern to they tend to make two mistakes - the helm goes too fast, and then tries to do too much. Come to think of it, a third common mistake is to go into reverse too close to the jetty to start with. I'm sure you can think of more!

The word 'hubris' has just popped into my head

Maybe towards the end of the week we'll try a night at anchor - it is a lovely way to spend a night after all. I just have to remember to rig up a snubber to minimise weird chain noises during the night!

 

[davidlhill]

I found this very useful: anchorages

Interesting!

 

[mrangry]

I have never sailed there but did watch a recent you tube video of someone sailing there and mooring costs per night were ridiculously expensive

 

[RichardS]

Interesting!

This previous post of mine from a few months ago might also prove helpful.

Croatia sailing guide - which?

Richard

 

[RupertW]

There are so many options in a week from Split but after basing our boat there for a few years, this was the itinerary when we had guests aboard.

Split to Drvenik Veli - Krknasje blue lagoon for afternoon swim at anchor then eat on board or short row ashore to little restaurant and swim again in the morning.

Drvenik Veli to Milna - harbour wall cheaper than marina and pleasant town for the evening
Milna to Jelsa (on Hvar) - fabulous old town under the mountains and so many options for a night out - must get there between 11am and 2pm to get a space
Jelsa to Pokrovenik (on Hvar) - remote and lovely anchorage to swim off the hangover and eat on board
Pokrovenik to Korcula marina - another lovely town but arrive before 15:00 in season
Korcula back to Drvenik Veli - longest sail then after a last idyllic morning swim back to Split


But a dozen other options spring to mind.

 

[mattonthesea]

I've chartered in Croatia three times, twice around Split and Dubrovnic. Lovely. Expensive. Generally, there are lots of beginners around so the Marineros default attitude is that you are one too. I would advise asking them what they want you to do. It can be quite disturbing to have a rib you weren't aware of suddenly act as a bowthruster just as you are preparing to execute your textbook manoeuvre into a stern to mooring!

Best to book beforehand for Korčula. and be aware that it is the tightest of marinas. But worth it; plan to stay an afternoon or morning extra there. Not big but it has a wonderful feel to it.

Vis fills up but they have plenty of moorings.

Off thread: In 2016 we holed up in Vrboska to see out a storm. The surge was 1.4 metres! Too much for the lazy line so a couple of locals took our anchor to drop the other side of the river. Held the whole row of boats from landing on the quay... We sat in the restaurant with every now and then the water rising up to our calves and back down again. Aqua-dining. And kept anchor watch.

 

[Sailing steve]

We've chartered several times out of Trogir just up the coast from Split.

You'll not even scratch the surface of the region in a week but highlights for us on the mainland coast include Trogir, Primosten, Skradin and the Krka estuary and park. Offshore are all round the Pakleni islands, Maslinica on Solta and Drvenic Veli.

Expensive marina berthing everywhere and we've often had several days of flat calm with hardly any wind so be ready for a big diesel bill. Always been busy in ports and marinas so try to get in early and be ready for chaos at the fuel berths when everybody fills up late Friday afternoon. Assisted Mediterranean mooring stern on with lazy lines in all marinas. Mostly forget VHF - communicating is with shouts and referees whistles. Try to berth away from Flotillas and Yacht Week parties if you want any sleep that night.

Most of the quiet anchorages now have mooring buoys laid which you pay for. Our two favourite bays are U Beretusta near Skaradin and U Vinogradisce on SV Clement. Shores are mostly very steep to and the holding isn't always good. Look to see how high the rocks are exposed above the tideline before the vegetation starts - the more exposed rock the less shelter in a sudden blow. Last time we went was June 2018 and everywhere was packed but post COVID it may be very different.

There will almost certainly be charts on board but the Cruising Companion from Wiley Nautical ISBN-13:978-1-904358-28-2 is worth taking along.

 

[TiggerToo]

To be honest, if the weather is settled, which you will know very accurately from DHMZ - Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service then anchoring is usually less stressful than tying up alongside or messing with lazy lines.

definitely agree.

DON'T go looking for harbours, marinas, etc. They are DEFINITELY more stressful.

Also, take direct advice from your charterer about where and when to fill the tank prior to return. Hint: try to avoid the fuel barge in Split Harbour on the Friday night.

Guess how I know. Not for the fainthearted.

The memory of that week is forever etched into our minds - in a positive way. So: look forward to it

 

[Skellum]

I think you will struggle to get onto the town quay at Hvar, but there is a water taxi running from the (expensive) ACI marina at Palmizana. My advice would be that town quays are generally better value (and nicer) than marinas. As mentioned above, some of the more popular anchorages have now been laid with mooring buoys that you have to pay for.
If going onto Vis town quay make sure your lazy line is really tight, your stern a good distance from the quay, and your plank either fully on the boat or left on the quay as the ferry that comes in several times a day creates a swell that often causes damage to moored yachts. Kut on the other side of the bay (mooring buoy or quay) has an excellent seafood restaurant and Komiza on the eastern side of the island is lovely.
Also recommend Starigrad, Vrboska on Hvar. Stomorska, Sesula and Maslinica on Solta.
Primosten, Skradin and Vela Luka if heading NW.
As mentioned before, Korcula is stunning but the marina gets busy. You can anchor near the marina, or tie up in Lumbarda and get a taxi to the town if it’s full.
Enjoy!

 

[laika]

I was hesitant to post as my info is 15 years out of date. My first charter experience was on a boat a friend had chartered out of split. I'd definitely go again but next time I'd do considerably more anchoring (or mooring to buoys if the decent anchorages are now covered with buoys). The ACI marinas were soulless and expensive. Even in mid september (don't know the situation in June) the town quays were full as soon as the night before's boats had left and anchoring in harbours would start off fine but end up stressful as more and more boats with little idea how to anchor dropped the hook perilously close. Skellum's point about Vis is well made: a couple of boats around us smacked their sterns into the quay.

Our boat didn't have a pilot book on board and we found it impossible to buy one anywhere once we'd left split so I'd definitely check with the operator whether one is on board and if not buy one. On the itinerary front, if the OP's partner hasn't sailed before is 7 days of sailing a bit full on? Might be worth scaling back the itinerary to allow for a day just wandering round somewhere like Hvar rather than seeing nothing of the place other than restaurants for an evening meal.

 

[RichardS]

If you want first class food try the Mediterran in Primosten, the sole restaurant in Drevnik Veli and Giaxa in Hvar.

Richard

 

[glynd]

We've been 3-4 times over the last decade, and last time were shocked how expensive it had gotten. Think more than London prices to eat, and a take no prisoners attitude— in many Marinas.

Having said that, it is still a favourite place to sail. There are some lovely spots, and the wreck with the pristine porcelain toilet has always amused us.
The “hidden“ submarine bases are worth a quick gander if you are passing…

We have never made it into the Blue Lagoon - always been so full of day boats / charter boats, we have abandoned and gone elsewhere..

 

[Skellum]

When I worked there as a flotilla skipper 15 years ago they still promoted Croatia as “the Mediterranean as it used to be”. Coming back over the years you notice that they are losing that as more development takes place, more Russian holiday homes get built etc.
I think it’s less developed and more authentic if you head south in the direction of Dubrovnik- particularly Miljet and Lastovo where there are still places to anchor and some free restaurant pontoons. Okuklije is a favourite of mine. The Elafite islands just before you reach Dubrovnik were still very nice last time I was there.
But from Split you need a 2 week charter to get there.

 

[mjcoon]

I think it’s less developed and more authentic if you head south in the direction of Dubrovnik- particularly Miljet and Lastovo where there are still places to anchor and some free restaurant pontoons. Okuklije is a favourite of mine. The Elafite islands just before you reach Dubrovnik were still very nice last time I was there.
But from Split you need a 2 week charter to get there.

Or could head even further south to Montenegro as we did a few years ago. Wouldn't want to start from Split, though, lovely as it is. On other hand Dubrovnik is expensive as a base, of course, though also a destination on its own...

 

[RichardS]

We have never made it into the Blue Lagoon - always been so full of day boats / charter boats, we have abandoned and gone elsewhere..

Indeed so. The only time we have ever been rammed by a dragging boat was in the Blue Lagoon (Drevnik Veli). Check whether the wind might get up in the night before you decide to anchor there. If you are able to anchor there watch for the Pipefish. There are several bays with Pipefish colonies but there are a lot of them in Drevnik Veli and they are easy to see against the light bottom. They are strange creatures.

The other Blue Lagoon on Bisevo (near Vis) is certainly worth a visit in the dinghy near midday but, of course, you can't anchor in that one.

Richard

 

[Metabarca]

Another vote for anchoring in small bays rather than at town jetties. Many (most) bays will anyway have anchored buoys to tie up to.
As for the area, I prefer further north as being quieter and less touristy (!), but Vis is great for historic reasons (and nothing to do with the blurb on the tourist panel on show in the town - more info if interested), as is Korcula (and no, Marco Polo was not Croatian: relatives lived here when Korcula was Venetian). 777 is fundamental for seeking out the best places in which to anchor snugly.

 

[TiggerToo]

and no, Marco Polo was not Croatian: relatives lived here when Korcula was Venetian

funny this....
I 'd like to discuss a lot about this sort of matter - and we could then move on to Cristoforo Colombo...
but politics have been banned from these fora, so we can't.