Twenty S&CA members join a five-boat club charter around Croatia's Dalmatian coast, sailing from Šibenik to Trogir, Brač and Maslinica, with UNESCO old towns, seafood dinners, an engine scare, and plenty of Adriatic swimming along the way.
I had never been to Croatia before, or sailed around its local waters, and so I was very much looking forward to the club charter in September. It was a very enjoyable experience, and here are the highlights of what was a great week…
We met on a late September Saturday at Marina Mandalina in Šibenik (closest airport Split or Zadar), from where the club had chartered five sailing boats. My fellow ‘charterees’ were a mixed bunch. Some were existing groups of friends who hired a boat to themselves, whilst others were skippers who had volunteered to skipper a boat of club members, some meeting each other for the first time. As usual there was a range of abilities and experience – though with a common ambition to have a fun week! The event had attracted an impressive 20 club members; most from the UK, but also a couple of sailors from Spain and France, presumably attracted by the promise of warmth and sunshine.
Five yachts had been chartered: ‘Get Lucky’ (skippered by Andrew), ‘Evana’ (an Elan 50, skippered by Martin), ‘Sveti Ivan’ (a Dufour 382, skippered by Jonathan), ‘Luka’ (a Dufour 350, skippered by Michael) and ‘Sportsky’ (a Grand Soleil 44, skippered by Antony). All wonderful yacht names, but exactly how ‘Sveti Ivan’ came to be named after a hot Russian labourer was a frequent source of conjecture and debate!
Jonathan organised and led the charter throughout the week, as he was the most experienced and knowledgeable of the area, having sailed the Croatian coast many times before. An outline itinerary had already been drawn up before everyone arrived. A bit of inside knowledge is a great thing, and it’s great to be sent to some beautiful spots without having to do the research oneself. This included tips about good anchorages for swimming and restaurants.
Winds were largely predictable during the week, and with lots of well-spaced islands and harbours, distances were perfect for relaxed, leisurely sailing and island hopping.
The central Croatian coastline is beautiful. It is that part of the coast that stretches roughly from Šibenik down to Split. A lot is packed into not very many miles, there being a mix of dramatic scenery as well as calm, sleepy bays and beaches. There are islands everywhere! Think hundreds of islands, islets and rocky nubs. Some large, green and well populated, like Brač and Šolta. Others we passed were just white stone humps with a few shrubs – keep your eyes peeled for those, to avoid a sudden stop!
Towns like Šibenik, Trogir and Primošten are very historic and resemble film sets, complete with mediaeval walls, terracotta roofs, narrow labyrinthine alleyways, and picturesque little squares. I imagine they look the same as they did hundreds of years ago. Typically, they are tucked right on the waterfront, often with a fortress watching over them. Yachts can sail right into the town centre, and moor up just a few feet from delightful restaurants and drinking establishments. And get the waiter to take your lines – why not!
Away from the hustle and bustle of these larger towns, there are plenty of quieter, attractive anchorages. If only I was a little more skilled at anchoring, we could have visited more. The Croatian water is seriously clear, warm and very inviting; there was a lot of swimming and general splashing around at every opportunity.
My fellow crew were club members Andrew, Riki and Nick. Our boat was a 14m Dufour 46 named ‘Get Lucky’! She was very roomy, with four double cabins. And in case you are wondering, she cost around €2,000 to charter for the week, split between the four of us. There were four heads, two ensuite, each with a shower. She also boasted a large cockpit with a big Bimini – so plenty of room to sit, eat and entertain. In addition to these essential lounging, eating and drinking comforts, she also had some useful stuff like a bow thruster, offshore wifi, a tender and a paddle board! I have to say we loved the boat from the moment we stepped on board.
However, before setting sail our first task was provisions – and yes, even Croatia has Lidl! After shopping we retired to the marina bar and restaurant to meet and socialise with the other crews.
We had a dramatic and scenic departure from Šibenik marina, passing along Saint Anthony’s Channel with towering rock cliffs on either side. It was rather like sailing through the Cheddar Gorge, if this were indeed possible! Approaching the channel to the open sea you pass by St Nicholas Fortress, a 16th-century castle that guards the narrow channel. It felt as though we were navigating through a medieval checkpoint, before entering the Adriatic Sea proper.
Sailing south, the coastline is all pine-clad hills, with the occasional church belfry peeking above the trees. The town of Primošten sits on a former island, now linked to the mainland by a causeway. As we approached, a tight cluster of stone houses and a church, perched on the hilltop, came into view. Unfortunately, although we arrived mid-afternoon, the harbour was already full. We therefore anchored in a bay to the west of the old town, where we swam and chatted to the other crews who were likewise enjoying the water. This chatter included a debate as to whether the anchor was holding, and on what it was holding! In Croatia this question is easily answered – get your goggles on and swim down and have a look. Fortunately, our anchor was secure, which augured well for an undisturbed sleep that night.
We bbq’d on board (well, our fantastic chef extraordinaire, Riki, did all the work). Riki deserves a special mention for his superb and delicious cooking. Being Italian, as well as a former chef, he could do things with food that none of the rest of us could match.
First thing next day we pumped up the tender, before popping ashore to explore the town. We stopped for a break at the bakery and coffee shop. Some also explored the ‘rumoured to be gay’ nudist beach, but it turned out to be a disappointment, apparently, on both the gay and nude fronts!
After a passage of a few hours we arrived, late afternoon, in Trogir. Primošten had been pretty, but Trogir was stunning. This historic old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a perfectly preserved medieval town located on a small island, separated from the mainland by just a narrow waterway. It has a lively waterfront with cafes, restaurants and lots of yachts! Our destination was the ACI Trogir Marina. We arrived with just enough time for a freshen up and aperitif before we met the other crews for dinner at the Marina Restaurant. This was to be the first of many seafood extravaganzas! Andrew was called upon to give a well-received welcome speech on behalf of the club, plus a toast to a week of good sailing weather. The extremely fresh seafood (a regular feature of this holiday) was delicious, although I think some of it was still wriggling. The following morning we breakfasted at a local restaurant before visiting the historic cathedral and old town, buying some fried fish on the way back to the boat for lunch.
The plan for today, after leaving Trogir, was to skirt around the Isle of Šolta and press on to the island of Brač. But we all know what can happen to even the best laid plans…! I was at the helm. We had been motoring for maybe 20 minutes, not long after we had departed Trogir, when the engine overheat warning light decided to make its presence known. Not a good start to the day! Now, I can remember my Day Skipper engine WOBBLE checks (Water filter, Oil, Belt, Bilges, Levels, Engine/exhaust), but I sensed this might require someone who could ‘fix stuff’. Step forward our hero of the day, our very own Nick, I’m sure he won’t mind me saying that he has the air of an old sea dog with years of experience… and he can fix stuff! As we drifted along in light airs getting nowhere, myself and Riki adopted expressions of ‘concern’ on hearing mutterings of head gasket failure, whilst old sea dog Nick got to work. The problem was soon diagnosed as low coolant level, and quickly rectified, allowing us to resume our journey. From then on we adopted the mantra ‘we may be gay, but we can fix stuff’ – and despite it being Nick who solved the problem, we all glowed with pride and felt just a little more butch.
Underway again, we headed for the town of Milna on the NW corner of Brač. To be honest, we didn’t know we were headed there, but that is where we ended up. It had been the intention to rendezvous with the other boats at a river anchorage on the island of Brač (Plan A), but this proved rather popular and was ‘chocca’. Hence Plan B – mooring against the harbour wall in Milna itself, but that was full too. Hasty VHF inter-boat exchanges then ensued, and Plan C was hatched: we would all berth in the marina itself. But, as Robbie Burns might have put it, the best laid schemes were ‘nae done yet’ – the marina was full too! So on to Plan D, a supposed calm and peaceful anchorage just a mile or so from the town. This plan was enthusiastically embraced by all boats (we were getting desperate), although those with half-empty glasses had begun to wonder whether there would be sufficient letters in the alphabet for us to find somewhere to stop for the night! Unfortunately, Plan D concealed the unexpected Plan E – the one which requires everyone to wake up at four in the morning to deal with a suspected dragging anchor. But after simply deploying more chain, we all went back to sleep.
The following morning it was all aboard the trusted tender for a pootle into the picturesque town of Milna itself; full of character and with a peaceful vibe. Then back to the boat for a short and pleasant sail to the north-west, along the narrow channel between Brač and Šolta, to the lovely anchorage at Maslinica with its astonishingly clear waters, perfect for swimming. This was my favourite spot of the whole week. In the evening we had an all-crews dinner at Konoba Sezula – a restaurant with its own patrons’ mooring buoys. The restaurant sends a tender to collect you for dinner, and yet more seafood!
It was up early for an all-crews pre-breakfast swim around the boats in the warm, crystal clear waters. The question was asked, ‘What is the collective term for a group of gay men swimming?’ It was decided that a ‘whoopsy’ was the best collective noun. Then a post-breakfast stroll around Maslinica itself; a small, elegant village centred around a 300-year-old castle which is now a boutique hotel! We drank iced tea overlooking the pretty harbour and devoured some Croatian chocolate pancakes – yummy. Then back to the boat and up anchor for a sail heading north-west along Šolta’s north coast to Rogoznica; we had begun our journey back. Rogoznica lies in a well-sheltered bay and has a large, modern marina – our destination for the night, Marina Frapa. Not for the first time, we had drinks on board and welcomed crew from the other yachts.
Especially large, and very well deserved, G&Ts were poured for the crew of yacht Evana (or ‘the boat from Hell’, as it became affectionately known), skippered by Martin. They had suffered more than their fair share of technical issues during the course of the week, including blocked loos and a non-retracting swim platform… and they arrived in Maslinica minus a genoa, but that’s sub judice! The charter company did send out a team to fix each of the problems as they arose, but regrettably, and obviously frustratingly, it meant that plans were frequently delayed. Gin and sympathy was therefore proffered in more than good measure!
Rogoznica was one of the quieter places we visited, but it had lots of Dalmatian charm. On Friday morning we explored the town’s pleasant waterfront, including its famous ‘Dragon’s Eye Lake’. Then it was ‘sails up’ and off along the coast, close hauled and in bright sunshine, back to Šibenik. But there was still time for one final hitch to keep us on our toes: the autohelm stopped working! Fortunately, this was in fact a small problem of our own making – someone had turned the thing off at the control panel. But we remembered ‘we are gay and we can fix stuff’ – and so we fixed it, by turning it back on again.
As is usual on charters, before returning to our home port marina berth we were required to refuel – and not just our boat, but every other charter boat that had been out that week. There was therefore quite a queue for the refuelling pontoon! So we made a quick dash for the town’s other refuelling jetty, where we joined a shorter queue and had fun practising keeping a 45-foot yacht ‘on station’ in quite strong winds. Refuelling successfully completed, it was back to the marina for our post-charter boat inspection. Had we arrived back with all of the parts of the boat still intact? To say our inspection was thorough is an understatement! At one point a wetsuit-clad diver, complete with underwater camera, dived under the boat to inspect the hull. Fortunately, we passed muster – clearly the bow thruster was still there.
So, to the summary. All on board our boat ‘Get Lucky’ had had a great week’s holiday, and would be well up for doing the same, or something similar, next year – perhaps an upgrade to one of the large catamarans that appear to be popular in the area. The marina was only too happy to let us look at a very nice catamaran that we have now got our eye on for our next Croatian adventure!
Many thanks to all of the skippers, and particularly to Jonathan for organising such an enjoyable week. And a special thanks from me to our ‘Get Lucky’ skipper, Andrew, who had the courage to allow me to skipper the yacht for a couple of days. A great experience, and a wonderful example of how club members can develop their sailing skills. Thank you too to my friend Savvy Navvy!
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