Croatian sailing charter FAQS

Pointers for the uninitiated:

We chartered a sailboat in Croatia this fall (2011). This was our 1^st venture chartering in Europe. I read all I could on the Web about sailing in the Adriatic, and there were no bad surprises. However, there are a few things that a North American sailor might not expect, so notes below may be helpful. Caveat: these are one person’s opinions, based on one charter, your experience might be entirely different.

1.  Tie up in the Mediterranean: you likely know that in most marinas you are expected to tie to the dock stern first. It isn’t as difficult as I feared —in most marinas there are a lot of people to lend you a hand. If you never done it before, you might want to practice before you get there. Hint: good communication between members of the crew is essential.
   
2. Channel buoys: Port & Starboard colors are reversed.
   
3. Tides: in the Adriatic there do not seem to be any.
   
4. Marinas and tieups: Expensive! In Croatia most marinas with power and water charge an average of €90-130 a day –depending on the length of your boat and the season. Tie up boys cost between €30-€50 unless they are owned by a restaurant (most are), in which case you are expected to dine at the establishment that owns the buoy. This arrangement can be a very reasonable deal, however you do end up cheek by jowl with neighbors who may have very different plans for the night than you do. In Croatia we found a lot of charter boats manned by 6 to 8 slightly over the hill gentlemen (mostly Croatian or German) whose appreciation for the beauty of their own singing voices far exceeded my own (and my crew’s).
   
   Of course you can drop an anchor for free; however anchoring spots can be tight and you should expect the wind to pick up quite a bit after sundown for at least 2 or 3 hours (catablastic winds).
   
5. In high season, if you want to stay at one of the more popular marinas, best call ahed —we could not find a spot after 3:00 PM even in off-season. If you make a reservation at an ACI marina, you usually have to pay 20 to 30% extra.
   
6. VHF: nobody seems to use it. We thought our radio was broken because it was silent on all channels. Occasionally you hear somebody on channel 16 talking to a marina, otherwise everybody uses a cell phone. Supposedly continuous weather broadcasts are often either not continuous or do not exist. Periodic weather updates do come on various channels —you need to know the local arrangement— 3 times a day in Croatian and in English; they both sound the same.
   
7.  Weather: best way to get it wether broadcast is to pick up a hard-copy in the Marina or in the local tourist information center. I found the 24 hour forecast quite accurate, but beyond one day, it is anybody’s guess. In the part of the Adratic  we were sailing (Central Dalmatia) the wind shifted a lot and there was a great deal of local variation. The easiest way to get around in the sailboat –if you want to sail–is to make your plan after you picked up the morning report. Otherwise get a boat with a good motor.
   
8.  Most charter boats come with furling jib and main; the former is an unqualified boon. My crew and I were used to a conventional main and found the loose footed furling main something of a pain in the unmentionable.
   
9.  Bow-thrusters; I thought these were for sissies: I learned to depend them in tightly crowded marinas.
   
10. When at anchor, take a good look at what your neighbors are doing. I came to believe that most folks chartering Croatia have very strange ideas on how to set the hook, and how much scope to let out. We saw a few very nice boats making contact with the terra firma.
    
11. In Croatia, boats do not have holding tanks. In spite of this, the water is crystal clear. However, in close quarters, the lack of holding tanks is something to consider before you go for a morning swim.
    
12.  Buy a SIM card from the local cigar/magazine store and program your Charterer’s number in your phone. There are things you likely want to ask from time-to-time. (Like the the location of the breaker for the windlass --in a closet in the Port cabin).
    
13. Charter boats have a lot of wonderful equipment that runs on electricity (fridges, freezers, hot water makers, radios, plotters, lights, etc.) Plan to spend every 2^nd or 3^rd night plugged into shore power, otherwise you might wish that you have paid better attention to your celestial navigation course. Our lesson: since we motored for 6 hours 2 days previous, we thought that we had little to worry about when we planned to get up at 5 o’clock on our last day to make way before the sun rose. First the freezer, next hot water, then the plotter and the GPS died, followed by the autopilot, instruments, and  last most of the the nav lights went out (all this while we were motoring). Luckily it was a clear night, but it was an interesting run…

The voyage of the Kandur (2011)

Sailing Croatia: Sept. 17 to Oct. 1, 2011

Day 1: Sat. Sept. 17

7 AM: The crew, consisting of Adam, Sharon, Tom, Jedd and Sarena, convene for breakfast inside the Diocletian Palace in Split and, amid 2000 year old ruins, plan for and anticipate the voyage to come.

We spend the rest of the morning provisioning in the green market in Split and at a supermarket in Kaštela, taking into account the food requirements of two no gluten-ers, one no fish-er, one low carb-er, and two watching their fat-ers, and still come away loaded down with enough provisions to feed a hungry army for a month.

Then it’s on to Kaštela Marina, to Candor Charters, to load up our boat, a lovely 40.3 foot Juneau by the name of “Kandur” (Hungarian for a Tom cat, we are told by the Hungarian amongst us), sporting every piece of equipment a sailor could want (and some he/she wouldn’t), including a furling main, a furling jib, and two wheels, and furnished with creature comforts to which we are not (but would like to become) accustomed, including 3 large cabins (you could almost stand up in the V berth), 2 heads complete with sinks, showers, and HOT water, and spacious dining/lounge area, a separate navigation station, and a galley with an electrical fridge and a gimbal stove and oven (a gimbal, to the uninitiated, of which I was one, is a pivoted support that allows the rotation of an object about a single axis – in other words, even in rough seas, your precious coffee pot sits securely on the stove, rocking gently back and forth).

2:10 PM: We are on our way, with Captain Adam at the helm, sporting his new jaunty Croatian sailing cap. He guides the boat expertly out of the harbour.

Once past the headland of the mainland, the 10 – 15 knot wind prompts Captain Adam to suggest we sail, so the crew sets to work, the main and jib are unfurled (my that was easy) and we are under sail. Captain Adam is now grinning from ear to ear.  After a time, first mate Jedd takes over the helm, and his grin almost matches Adam’s. Tom and Sarena also take a turn at the wheel. (Helm duties are shared amongst Adam, Jedd, Sarena, and Tom throughout the trip.)

The wind dies down after a time and we are reduced to motoring –- still not too shabby with the lovely islands and generally gorgeous scenery all around. Everyone is grinning now. We are wondering how we are going to go back to our cosy little Velocitas after experiencing the luxury of Kandur (choruses of “How’re you gonna keep ‘em down on the farm …” are heard from time to time).

Given the hour, Tom (one of whose tasks is to handle navigation using the onboard charts while Jedd mans the GPS) suggests that we motor through the passage between Brač and Šolta. We decide not to try for our original destination, but to put in in a small inlet, Blaca, on the south side of Brač.

It turns out to be a lovely, tranquil cove and, to our amazement, we are the only boat which seems to have found this mini paradise. Adam, Jedd, and Sarena go in for a swim – the water is reported to be like bathwater (with respect to temperature, that is – it is extremely clear).

We partake in a lovely dinner on deck, eating like a hungry army, and decide that we will need to reprovision the next day.

Day 2: Sun. Sept. 18

We are up and about not too early, and discover, when trying to get a weather report, that the VHF radio does not appear to be working. This could be a problem.

9:50: We haul up the anchor and head toward Stari Grad on the north coast of the island of Hvar. There is a brisk southerly wind and as we are not in a hurry and it is not far to our destination, we decide to enjoy the sailing, members of the crew taking turns tacking back and forth until we are well into the harbour.

2 PM: Arriving in the harbour of Stari Grad, we discuss whether to just stop for a lunch and reprovisioning on shore and continue on or to explore the town and spend the night here. The decision is postponed. We tie up to a float, maneuver our small dinghy to shore (it takes two trips to transport the 5 of us), have a delightful lunch, shop, and make a stop at an internet café for a caffeine and communication fix.

By this time, the hour, the wine, the food, and the inertia  have made our decision for us. We explore the town, discovering in the process that there is a charge for tying up at a float, and return to the boat for a light dinner on deck. The view of Stari Grad at night is magical and we are pleased about our “decision” to stay.

We still can’t get the radio to work, but have  managed to secure a weather report at the tourist office and the forecast for the next day is for high winds. The decision is made to set out early and head for the island of Korčula.

Day 3: Mon. Sept 19

7:30: Adam and Jedd are on deck and we pull out by 7:30. The winds are strong and favourable as we head west along the north coast of Hvar, becoming blustery as we round the western tip of Hvar and start to head south-east. We have a wild sail until we pass Hvar Town and decide that the better part of valour is to motor at this point.

For the next 4 to 5 hours, we are tossed about like a cork by winds gusting to 39 knots and extremely high swells and experience a rain storm just past Hvar Town. Jedd does a masterful job a the helm negotiating the winds and waves. Just to add to the excitement, the GPS conks out (a GPS on a boat that’s not waterproof?).

2:30: We arrive at Vela Luka on the island of Korčula, rather green and soaked through to the bone (we had shed most of our rain gear after the rain storm –an unwise move, as it turns out). We had hope for a wharf tie up but none is available so we have to tie up to a float and use the dinghy to ferry us to shore.

By this point we are becoming quite fed up with the poor maneuverability of the dinghy, as well as its small size (only fits 3) which regularly confronts us with our own version of the missionaries and cannibals problem (though so far no one has been eaten).  Adam prepares the dinghy to go ashore but the dinghy has other plans and Adam ends up taking an unplanned swim, along with his much valued iPhone.

Jedd and Sarena go ashore to shop and Adam, Sharon, and Tom plan to go ashore for dinner when Jedd and Sarena return with the dinghy, leaving them to enjoy an evening to themselves on the boat. As we await the return of the dinghy, we are courted by two guys in a small boat soliciting diners for their restaurant. The thought of a ride ashore and not having to contend with the vagaries of the infamous dinghy convince us. We end up having a great dinner at Casablanca restaurant, but the wind really begins to blow while we’re there (a mistral, we’re told, one of the countless winds which blow in these parts, all of which have names). By the time the guys try to take us back to our boat, the wind is howling and the waves are raging – the guys have great difficulty in landing the boat and even more difficulty landing us back on our boat (one of them suggests that maybe we should just stay at his house – and I’m am very ready to accept!). We do though eventually manage to make it back on the boat without further mishap.

We have managed to get in touch by phone with Gabor at Candor charters who answers our various questions:

1) no, the boat does not have a holding tank,

2) the VHF radio should be working, and

 3) the weather forecast for the next day is a Bora, another one of the infamous strong Croatian winds, this one from the north. We consider laying low the next day to avoid the Bora.

Day 4: Tue. Sept. 20

7:30: It’s a cloudy, rainy morning. Adam and Jedd are up early.

9:55: We awaken the rest of the crew. The water is calm and there is not much wind. A discussion ensues about whether to lay low as planned due to Bora predications or to motor out to the end of the harbour (about an hour away), see what conditions are like there, and decide at that point whether to try for Korčula town (Korčula is the name of the island and also the name of the main town on the island). We opt for the latter and so we’re off. Things appear quite calm when we get to open waters and so we proceed.  We try to sail for a bit but lose our wind and settle into motoring.

4 PM: It’s overcast and a bit rainy but we make good time and arrive at Korčula (town) around 4.  Our plan is to try for a space at the ACI Marina so we can get the VHF radio fixed and indulge in much postponed (and needed) showers and laundry. Unfortunately there is no room at the marina and so we try for the marina at Lumbarda, a few kilometers away. No space there either.

We do, however, find a lovely anchorage in a nearby bay and lounge on deck enjoying our aperitivos and the scenery, Tom braving the dinghy to row ashore and phone ahead to the ACI Marina to make a reservation for the next day.

We are treated to a wonderful pasta carbonara (with a choice of regular or gluten-free pasta) by Captain Adam, who moonlights as chef Adam, and to a guitar serenade by Jedd and Sarena. We eventually settle in to what appears to be a very calm night.

3 AM: We are awakened rather violently by blustery winds which pick up to gale force. Adam goes out on deck to make sure that all is well and remains to man the helm until things calm down.

 5 AM: The seas resume their mirror-like appearance and Adam comes back to bed. We have now experienced the infamous Bora.

Day 5: Wed. Sept. 21

We have a fairly leisurely wake-up, a hearty breakfast, and scoot over to the ACI Marina in Korčula, pulling into a berth and stern tying. Stern tying is a mooring technique used in Croatia which involves backing the boat into the berth, usually in an extremely narrow space, using the boat hook to pick up an undersea line which is attached to a float, tying the bow to this float, and tying the stern (with one line or two) to the dock.  It is a challenging technique for the uninitiated requiring co-ordination amongst the crew members, but Adam and crew handle the challenge with great aplomb.

The day is beautiful and sunny and we spend it shopping, showering (it is interesting how a normally taken-for-granted activity such as showering takes on such significance in the context of boating that it bears commentary), getting laundry done, trying (and failing) to get the radio fixed, and mostly wandering around the exquisite town of Korčula. The city is a real gem – a small walled city on a peninsula with narrow alley-like streets and magnificent views on every side. Adam and Sharon go into town for a lovely dinner and Tom, Jedd, and Sarena decide to eat on the boat.

Day 6: Thurs. Sept. 22

10:10 AM: After a civilized wake-up and wash-up at the Marina, we are off. It is another beautiful sunny day and the various crew members manage a combination of sailing when winds permit and motoring when they don’t.

Late afternoon: We pull into Saplunara, on the eastern tip of the island of Mljet. When we try to anchor, we discover that the electric anchor winch is not functioning and so decide to tie up at one of the floats belonging to a restaurant, thus committing us to dinner at that restaurant and postponing the planned dinner of chicken with feta and red peppers to another evening (all the floats in the bay belong to restaurants– this seems to be the usual practice).

After enjoying our faux prosecco (it is to Prosecco as Old Smugglers is to scotch), we are fetched by the restaurant owner. We are feeling a little grumpy about the malfunctioning of the winch and about the fact that the restaurant floats monopolize all the good anchoring spots, but the wonderfully fresh fish that the four of us share (poor Adam, the non fish-er is again relegated to so-so meat) and the lovely atmosphere turns our moods around.

We speak to Gabor from Candor Charters, and he informs us that the problem with the anchor winch is simply a breaker (he had failed to inform us about the whereabouts of the breakers – in an obscure spot in one of the cabins). A flip of the breaker and the winch is again functional.

Tomorrow it’s on to Dubrovnik.

Day 7: Fri. Sept. 23

We’re off heading for Dubrovnik. It’s another sunny hot day with changeable winds. We manage to get a good long tack out of Mljet, then have to motor most of the way.

1 PM: We arrive at the mouth of the harbour. We have a reservation at the ACI Marina which is about 6 km. from the old city, up a long narrow inlet which is actually the mouth of a river. The first view of the city is a surprise. We go under a large, impressive bridge and are surrounded by quite modern buildings, all with red tile roofs. There are a number of mega-sized cruise ships in the harbour.

We arrive at the marina, and Adam and crew do another elegant parking job in the Croatian manner. This particular ACI Marina is a super-deluxe job, complete with several restaurants and a swimming pool.

We speak to Gabor who tells us that he will arrange for a mechanic to come and look at the VHF some time during the day. So we hide a boat key for the mechanic and board the bus for the old city.

Dubrovnik turns out to be an absolutely spectacular city which lives up to all the hype. The architecture is stunning and it is surrounded by impressive city walls. We visit the Jewish museum (in a synagogue that is reputed to be the second oldest in Europe) though there are only 45 Jews left, the centre of Jewish life in Croatia having been Zagreb. We wander the city for a while, then walk the walls which completely surround the old city. The views are staggering. We all agree that we can’t think of another city quite like this (its beauty is not a well-kept secret – the number of tourists is also staggering).

We are tired, hot, and hungry after our 2 hour walk and settle into a Bosnian restaurant for dinner (oddly named Taj Mahal).  The name may be odd but the food is outstanding. We are served far too much wonderful food but somehow manage to consume it all.

After a bit more wandering, Jedd and Sarena set off on their own and Tom, Adam and Sharon attend a concert in a local church. The atmosphere is lovely but the music is not the highlight of the trip.

Day 8: Sat. Sept. 24

6 AM: Sharon is up and at it, getting herself and things cleaned up and organized.

8:10 AM: The rest of the crew begins to show signs of life.  Jedd, Sarena and Sharon head into town for a final savouring of the old city, and Sharon to try and get her glasses fixed, again.

Adam and Tom decide to remain on the boat to get things organized and to wait for the mechanic to return to show us how to get the radio to work. The mechanic arrives and demonstrates that the radio is in fact working -- he claims that there was never anything wrong with it and that the apparent problem was just a lack of traffic (weather reports are not continuous but only given at certain times) but we are dubious. Whatever the truth of the situation, there is now a constant stream of voices in Croatian emanating from the previously silent VHF.

1 PM: We go to refuel before heading out but get stuck in the shallow mud of the river just beyond the refueling dock. We are rescued by a couple of guys in a motor boat who give us a tow.

1:45 PM: We are off for real. It is yet another beautiful sunny day but the wind is on our nose (so what else is new) so we motor to Mljet (Tom is now complaining that whenever he takes the helm, the wind disappears).

Late afternoon: We tie up in Okukije, toward the east end of the north side of the island. It is a lovely, protected bay with a number of restaurants, all of which are soliciting their tie-ups and hence their restaurants. One restauranteur offers a tie-up charge of 100 kunas if we don’t go to the restaurant, but finally a very nice restauranteur let’s us tie up to his float for free when we explain that we are transporting a chicken which is in need of being cooked that evening.  Adam, Jedd, and Sarena go in for a swim.

Sharon finally prepares the much-postponed chicken with feta and red peppers and we all decide to dinghy over to the nice man’s restaurant for dessert. Palacinkas (with jam or chocolate) are enjoyed by the gluten eaters and grappa is enjoyed by all (and also a strange local fruity drink).

Back on the boat, we play a round of  ‘moot’, the game which Tom has been touting for several days. We agree that the questions are rather silly (so is the Star Spangled Banner a shanty???), but have fun nonetheless --  a suitable finish to another great day.

Day 9: Sun. Sept. 25

7 AM: Adam arises early and has us out of the mooring and underway by 7. Adam and Sharon enjoy their granola and the lovely scenery on deck while the rest of the crew sleep.

8:50 AM: We pull into Polače on the northwest side of Mljet.  We anchor while the rest of the crew breakfasts, then decide to tie up to a restaurant mooring, go off and see the lakes and monastery in the nature park, then return to the restaurant for lunch (this being the “payment” for our mooring).

We take a minibus to the Veliko Jezero (the “big lake”), where we board a boat to take us to a 12^th century Benedictine Monastery on a nearby island. It is a gorgeous spot (those Benedictines sure understood location, location, location) where some members of our party decide to take a swim. The water is crystal clear.  We decide to have lunch at the restaurant on the island, then take a boat to Malo Jezero (the “small lake”) where we hike all around the lake, then walk back to the place from which the minibus takes us back to Polače.

We lounge on board, then Adam, Sharon and Tom go for dinner at the Calypso restaurant (thus compensating for the lunch we missed earlier), while Jedd and Sarena remain on board to dine.

Day 10: Mon. Sept. 26

Today is a special day – Jedd’s 30^th birthday.

Adam is up early and we set off.  There is good wind and we get some early morning sailing in.  When everyone arises, Adam fixes us a special breakfast in honour of the occasion.

It’s overcast and we soon lose our wind, and so motor all morning. At lunch time, we anchor in a lovely cove at Ubli, on Laštovo, and Jedd and Sarena go out in the dinghy to explore an old submarine bunker (Laštovo was a navy base during the Tito era).

The rest of us flake out on deck.

In late afternoon we raise anchor and make for Zaklopatica where we’ve made a reservation for mooring and dinner at the Triton restaurant, reputed to be Laštovo’s finest.

Onboard, after tying up, we toast to Jedd’s birthday with spritzers and with beers. Then Sarena shows a video that she’s made of birthday greetings from friends and family – it is very sweet. We are all touched.

We move venues to the Triton where we’ve arranged a special meal of lobster, grouper, sea bass, and the obligatory plate of grilled meats for Adam. It is all extremely fresh and delicious (in fact, the lobster is pulled up from the ocean in a cage, removed from the cage, and offered to Sharon for inspection before dinner – she approves, much to the chagrin of the lobster). Then gifts and further libations. It’s a great celebration.

We stagger back to the boat and eventually manage to sleep despite the carousing of our German neighbours in the next boat.

Day 11: Tue. Sept. 27

Adam has us off early again. We have some wind and Sharon even takes the helm to sail for a while.

It is a sunny warm day again. We try some sailing but mostly motor to the island of Vis. We tie up to a float at Komiža and go ashore to reprovision and eat gelato, and decide in the end to stay the night in Komiža. Back on board, Jedd leads us in a rousing sing-song with his guitar and we end the day with a polenta dinner which Sharon has fixed.

Day 12: Wed. Sept. 28

The sea has been very choppy for most of the night. We head for the island of Biševo to see the famous Blue Cave which is reputed to be spectacular in the late morning when the sun hits the water at a certain angle. We arrive early, but the sea is very choppy. Much discussion ensues about the wisdom of trying to go into the cave in these conditions in our unreliable dinghy, and in the end it is decided not to risk it.

So we head off toward Sv. Klement, at one point giving Jedd and Sarena a tow in the water,  and anchor in the cove of Vinogrdisce, securing a stern tie to a tree on shore as most of the other boats have done (and there are many other boats). We spend our time swimming, lazing, and preparing dinner.

When Adam goes up on deck to take in the laundry just before dinner, he discovers that the wind is pushing us dangerously close to the shore. We try putting out an additional anchor on the starboard side but Adam is still concerned and so the decision is made to move. This involves a maneuver requiring complex co-ordination among the crew members, having to let go of the stern line (to which we had attached a float for ease of retrieval), pulling up the side anchor, pulling up the anchor, and maneuvring the boat to a safer position in the dark in a very crowded bay. After several abortive attempts, we finally succeed in finding a secure spot to anchor. Adam and Jedd then go out in the dinghy to help another boat which has gone aground on the rocks and to retrieve the stern line. Finally – we have dinner and drink a toast to the fine “seaperson”-ship of the crew.

Day 13: Thurs. Sept. 29

We are up early again and head for Hvar Town (Hvar is the name of both the island and one of the main towns on the island). The dock moorings are all taken but we find a fine spot in the harbour and tie up to a float reasonably close to shore. We spend the day wandering about Hvar, climbing to the fortress at the top of the town, exploring the maze of narrow, steep side streets, and enjoying our cappuccinos at a lovely café on the picturesque square. Hvar is picture-perfect. It is a haunt of the rich and famous for a reason.

We return to the boat for lunch and afterwards wander about some more. As Adam and Sharon sit on a bench and look out to sea admiring the vista, we reflect on our Croatian adventure and decide that life is good.

We all meet for a fine dinner in a roof-top restaurant. Then back to the boat to eventually doze off despite the raucous sounds emanating from a lively party onshore.

Day 14: Fri. Sept. 30

We have a large, leisurely breakfast consisting of an omelet containing most of the leftovers in our fridge, then off to refuel and enjoy our last day of sailing.

We decide that today we will go where the winds take us. Sarena and Jedd lead us in a great sail all day – a fine way to end the trip.

5 PM: Sarena maneuvers us into Veli Drvenik, a spot chosen so that we will be within reach of Kaštela Marina the next morning. We manage to anchor after several attempts. Sarena and Jedd whip up an amazing dinner and we enjoy our last evening on board Kandur.

Day 15: Sat. Oct. 1

5 AM: Adam and Jedd are up and getting us moving so as to reach Kaštela Marina by 9 as required. Not too long afterwards, we are all on deck, delighting in the night sky, the stars, and the amazing sight of the lights of Split as we approach. It is tranquil and magical.

8 AM: We deliver Kandur safe and sound (relatively), and sadly unpack, leaving our boat to the next comer. We all agree that it has been a truly amazing experience in every way.