The Kvarner is the largest bay on the Croatian Adriatic coast and one of the largest in Europe. Its dimensions are immense: stretching from Opatija in the north to the island of Ilovik in the south, it measures an impressive 55 nautical miles. And the bay’s east-west extent, from the southern tip of Istria to the Velebit Mountains, is 40 nautical miles. The Greifswald Bodden would fit inside it more than 17 times over. The Kvarner is bordered to the west by the Istrian peninsula, to the north and east by the Velebit Mountains, and to the south by the Adriatic Sea.
The Kvarner: closer, quieter, cheaper
There are more than 65 harbours and bays to moor in on the Kvarner islands alone – not counting the mainland coast. As well as the four large islands of Krk, Rab, Cres and Lošinj, there are also more than a dozen smaller islets, so there are more than enough destinations for a week’s charter. What sets the Kvarner apart from the much-visited sailing destinations in Central and Southern Dalmatia? Boaters from southern Germany and Austria particularly appreciate the fact that the Kvarner can be reached by car in a reasonable amount of time. Nevertheless, it is nowhere near as crowded as the southern Adriatic. As a result, many things here are significantly cheaper – from mooring fees to the bill at a good konoba. And sailors appreciate the fact that there is usually more wind in the Kvarner during the season than in the south.
With the sun on our faces and a sense of spontaneity in our hearts
So there are plenty of good reasons to charter a boat in the Kvarner and set off on a sailing trip in the Adriatic’s largest bay. We picked up a Beneteau 41.1 sailing yacht at Marina Punat to explore the most beautiful spots in the Kvarner for ourselves. With the sun shining brightly on our faces, we set sail from the marina in the evening and head west. Anyone sailing in the Kvarner should not arrive with a fixed itinerary, but should always be flexible and adapt to the current wind direction. In the afternoon, the bora provides a brief interlude. We make the most of the cool, driving wind from the north-east and head south-west towards the uninhabited island of Plavnik. On the southern coast of the islet lies Uvala Krušija, a small anchorage well sheltered from the bora.
In Search of Solitude
When we arrive, there are two sailing boats and two smaller motorboats moored there. We drop anchor at a depth of eight metres – everything’s perfect. The only slight nuisance is the noise from the ‘fish picnic’ boat, which is moored alongside the short jetty. Just as we’re about to go for a swim, a carpet of fish scraps drifts across the bay. They’ve obviously just been washing up. Let’s get out of here. We stop briefly at the Blue Grotto in the neighbouring bay. When an excursion boat turns up here too and moors between a buoy and a bollard on shore, we make a beeline for the open sea. It’s only three miles to Krušcica Bay on the east coast of the island of Cres. Here, three sailing boats and three motorboats are anchored in the most secluded of settings. The crystal-clear water is perfect for swimming and snorkelling. And the few yachtsmen have the stunning beach all to themselves. There’s no road leading into the interior of the island, so hopefully Krušcica will remain a paradise for a long time to come.
A cult destination in the Kvarner region
In the morning, a fresh southerly wind wakes us. We had planned to head south towards the island of Lošinj, which would have meant tacking the whole way. On the spur of the moment, we change our plans and head south-east towards the island of Rab. On a bearing of 128 degrees, we set our sights on Supetarska Draga Bay and manage to maintain a close-hauled course. After a good two hours, we reach the entrance to the bay and, due to the proximity of the shore, take the sails down. We leave the two rocky islets to starboard and head through a dredged channel straight towards the jetty at the ‘Stiegenwirt’. Moored alongside the concrete jetty, we literally have no more than a hand’s breadth of water beneath the keel.
The restaurant is officially called ‘Belvedere’, but has been known to sailors for decades simply as the ‘Stiegenwirt’, because you have to climb exactly 100 steps uphill from the jetty to reach the restaurant. Ivan Lovric has been running this popular restaurant since 1981. Its specialities are fish and seafood. He has now handed over the reins in the kitchen to his charming granddaughter, Marija. Anyone approaching the jetty for the first time with a draught of two metres or more should ring senior chef Ivan, who guides guests by telephone from his terrace to the dredged (but unbuoyed) channel (Tel. +385/51/77 61 62). The restaurant is absolutely packed in the evenings, even in the early season. It’s a favourite haunt for boaters from southern Germany and Austria in particular. The food, service and the view at sunset are absolutely sensational.
Following in the Romans’ footsteps
This morning we’ve got another light bora – wonderful! With the cold wind at our backs, we set a course for the south-west and head south along the impressive rocky coastline of Cres. Stretching 65 kilometres from north to south, Cres is the longest island in the Kvarner. At its southernmost tip lies the widely ramified Luka Pod Sv. Križ, with more than a dozen sub-bays. We head into the Kolorat sub-bay and moor to a buoy. At nine o’clock in the morning, we pass through the Osor drawbridge and sail through the historic channel between the islands of Cres and Lošinj. The eleven-metre-wide, navigable canal was built by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago. The Osor Channel remains an important shipping route to this day for small cargo ships, fishing vessels and pleasure craft.
Read the second part of the report here:
And: What’s new on the Adriatic? – Click here for the latest update on the area:
Area information
Getting here
The “In2theblue” charter base is situated in Marina Punat in the south of the island of Krk. The journey by car from Munich to Punat takes around seven hours; from Hamburg, Eurowings operates direct flights to Krk. The marina is 31 kilometres from Rijeka Airport in the north of the island. Alternatively, from June to September, the ÖBB operates a motorail service from Hamburg to Villach. From there, it is a 3.5-hour drive to the charter base.
Charter
As well as yacht charter, In2theblue specialises in sailing instruction, skipper training and regatta training. The charter fleet comprises 37 sailing yachts ranging from 34 to 51 feet, including five catamarans. The bases are Punat and Kremik. The Beneteau 41.1 we chartered (12.43 x 4.20 x 2.18 m, three double cabins, two bathrooms) is easy to handle even by a small crew thanks to its furling mainsail and electric winch. Depending on the season, the yacht costs between 1,100 and 2,400 euros per week. Extras: Transit log (€290), bed linen, towels (€10 per person), outboard motor (€80), gennaker (€500), SUP (€130), end-of-charter cleaning (€100), Croatian tourist tax (€1.33 per person per night). Contact: In2theblue Charter, Puntica 7, 51521 Punat, Croatia. Tel. +43/676/898 62 83 04 in2theblue.com/yachtcharter
Navigation
The crew should be proficient in basic seamanship, such as anchoring and mooring with mooring lines. This includes planning the voyage in line with the daily weather forecast, particularly with regard to the Bora. The weather can change suddenly, and the Bora may arrive earlier or be stronger than forecast.
Driving licences
German skippers must hold at least a recreational boat licence for inland waters to charter a boat. One member of the crew must hold a radio licence.
Wind, weather
During the season, the Kvarner Bay enjoys a mild and sunny climate. The Maestral, a fair-weather wind, blows from the north-west from morning until afternoon and dies down in the evening. The bora (from the north-east) reaches its greatest strength in the Vinodolski Channel, the Senjska Vrata and the Velebit Channel. It can also occur in other parts of Kvarner, but is significantly weaker there. Strong winds and rough seas can also be caused by the jugo (from the south-east) or a thunderstorm (from westerly directions). From May to October, daytime temperatures range from 21 to 30 degrees. meteo.hr / windfinder.com / windguru.cz
Bodo Müller
Freier Autor