Sailing Itinerary Pula I 14 days
Day 1 Pula - Rabac 30 NM
Sailing from Pula towards the eastern coast of the Istrian peninsula, you will find a beautiful bay in the town of Rabac - the Pearl of Kvarner Gulf. Rabac lies at the foot of towering slopes protecting the town and ensuring a mild Mediterranean climate. Beautiful surroundings, lovely pebbly beaches, pleasant environment, and Kvarner Bay view attract its visitors. Rabac used to be a small fishing village, but it turned into a modern holiday destination. The port of Rabac has 450 m of the waterfront in a natural bay protected from north winds (Bora, Tramuntana), partially protected from winds from the east, and completely unprotected from the south (Jugo, Mistral. Due to its openness to the south, the port is described as unsafe in nautical guides.
Day 2 Rabac – Cres island 14 NM
Sailing from Rabac to the SE, you will get to the island of Cres, the 2nd largest island in Croatia. Cres offers numerous attractions to visitors and pristine Mediterranean nature, beautiful pebble beaches, crystal clear sea, numerous walking, cycling trails, and rich historical and cultural heritage sites. Sailing the Cres coastline, you will find countless beautiful bays with hidden beaches and crystal clear sea where you can anchor. While sailing in the waters of Cres, there are big chances to meet friendly dolphins.
At the bottom of the Cres bay is located ACI marina Cres with 440 berths in the sea and 70 on dry.
Day 3 Cres – Unije island 25 NM
Sailing towards the S area of Kvarner Gulf, you will reach the largest island in the surrounding of Lošinj island, Unije island. The northern and eastern sides of the Unije are steep and rocky, overgrown with evergreen holly oak, while the southern and western sides are flatter and form a bay.
In Unije village, a wide bay, you can find a berth on its breakwater. However, it is unsafe in the bay when strong winds from the 3rd and 4th quadrants hit the bay and during summer storms. Under these circumstances, it would be best to leave the bay.
A more protected anchorage bay on the eastern coast of the Unije island is Maračol. The bay is sheltered of all but the strong south-wind Jugo.
Day 4 Unije – Premuda island 25 NM
After a few days spent in Kvarner Gulf, you can set sail towards the region of Dalmatia. Premuda is a small island that belongs to the Zadar Archipelago, the part of North Dalmatia. Premuda is surrounded by islets and cliffs, which protect the island from strong winds. The island has two ports, Loza and Krial, on the road from one to another is Premuda. The island has just two restaurants, two shops, an ambulance, a post office, and a church.
Krial is the main port of the island. The little port is protected from all winds but NW, which develop not very big waves. Anchorage is well protected from Bora and SW but exposed to NW.
Mooring: on the head or from the W’s inner side from the break-water (depth 1.5-2.4 m). Anchor to the S from the port closer to the center of the passage. The anchor holds well on the sandy bottom. It is shallow along all coasts.
Warning: be aware of powerful currents on the anchorage.
Day 5 Premuda – Zapuntel, Molat island 11 NM
Molat island is the 5th biggest inhabited island in the Zadar Archipelago. The NE coast is indented by numerous bays, while the SW is hardly indented and steep. All settlements on the Island (Molat, Zapuntel, Brgulje) are inland.
Zapuntel is a lovely little harbour located in a passage between islands Ist and Molat. The harbour is situated on NW end of Molat Island facing the island Ist and another anchorage in Mljake Bay right across the passage.
Zapuntel is well protected from winds from all directions, except Bora, which tends to produce a nasty swell in the bay. The harbour has a L-shaped pier with a few moorings but no water and power supply. There are two restaurants and a small shop.
In case you don’t find a free spot in Zapnutel, there are two more bays, Jazi and Brgulj bay.
Jazi is the eastern port of Molat, exposed to north and northeast winds. Food and water supply is possible in limited quantities.
The whole bay is shallow. Below the houses there are two small piers, and the depths next to them are from 0.8 to 1.4 m. Anchorage S from the islet Tovarnjak at a depth of about 15 m. The sandy bottom holds well.
Brgulj Bay on the southwest coast, with its eastern bays Lučina, Podgarbe, and Luka, is the best natural shelter for boats in this part of the Adriatic. In Lucina, you can get food and water, and there are a post office and a restaurant.
Day 6 Molat – Božava, Dugi Otok 10 NM
Božava is a small village and port located on the northwest side of Dugi Otok, in a bay surrounded by pine trees. It’s a little place but offers everything you might need during your sailing trip: post office, store, bakery, bars/restaurants. The city port offers an adequate shelter, moorings, water, and electricity supply. Close to Božava, on the opposite side of the Dugi Otok, is one of the most famous bays on the whole Adriatic, the Sakarun. If you have time, don’t miss the opportunity to visit Sakarun, a safe bay for sailors.
Day 7 Božava – Sali, Dugi Otok 17 NM
Sali is located on the southeastern coast of Dugi Otok. Sali is the municipal and administrative center of the island. Sali has a thousand-year-old fishing tradition, and ancient olive groves surrounding the village witness intensive agricultural activities throughout the centuries.
The vicinity of the Nature Park Telašćica and the National Park Kornati makes Sali an ideal sailing destination.
Sali port has a berth capacity of 90 boats on 2 quays: N and S. Both of them are equipped with laid moorings, water, electricity, toilets, and showers. In the restaurants of Sali, you can try the traditional dishes of this area, which are based on local and fresh ingredients.
Day 8 Sali – Telašćica Nature Park or Žut island 9 NM
Nature Park Telašćica bay stretches 8 km within the Dugi Otok island with a maximum width of 1.5 km, in and around it are six islets. Behind its peninsulas and bays of various sizes, one can always find shelter from winds depending on their direction. Almost everywhere on the capes surrounding the bay are anchored buoys. On the northern side of Telašćica, wholly sheltered from Bora, is the most popular bay Ćuška Duboka. Here the sea sneaked in deeply between steep, bare rocks. At the bottom of the bay, the sea is only 3 m deep, and there are reefs one should take care of. The most frequented bay is Mir.
Fishing is allowed only with permits issued by the administration of the park. Diving with equipment is permitted only in specific locations and with the license. Prices of tickets and fees of the Public institution of “Nature Park Telašćica”.
Žut is one of the Kornati archipelago islands, between Pašman and the island of Kornat. There are no permanent settlements on this island. The only visitors throughout the year are fisherman, shepherds, olive producers, and fig pickers from the island of Murter.
In Žut is located ACI Marina Žut with 120 berths. Besides the ACI marina, there are few more ports land anchorages: Ražanj, Bizikovica, Pinizel, Strunac, Bodovac, Hiljača.
Since the island of Žut belongs to National Park Kornati. Every visitor should have a valid ticket for each day of their stay in the park. Tickets purchased outside the park’s premises and from the webshop are cheaper than tickets purchased from the receptionists within the park’s premises.
Day 9 Žut island – Biograd 11 NM
Biograd is a coastal town and nautical center located in North Dalmatia, 28 km south of Zadar. Biograd is one of the best sailing destinations on the Adriatic Sea. Close to Biograd are three national parks: Paklenica, Kornati Archipelago, and Krka, as well as the Nature Park and Lake Vrana. In front of Biogard are two islets Planac and St. Catherine. There are two large modern marinas with all facilities you might need during your sailing adventures, Marina Kornati and Marina Šangulin. From these marinas, you can also charter a yacht to sail around the Kornati and Zadar Archipelago.
Day 10 Biograd – Zadar 16 NM
Sailing NE along the coastline, you will reach the magical town of Zadar. Zadar is an open-air museum, a city where history is felt in every pile. A place where the ancient intertwines with modern. It is a historic old town of Roman ruins, medieval churches, and monuments. In the old town, placed on a peninsula, you can enjoy visiting its numerous museums, nice and cozy cafes and restaurants.
Must-visit locations in Zadar: Sea Organ, Greeting to the Sun, Five Wells Square, Episcopal Complex, Museum of Ancient Glass.
Close to the city center are two marinas with all the necessary facilities: Marina Borik and Marina Zadar.
On the way from Biograd, you can make a stop and visit village Kukljica on the island of Ugljan.
Day 11 Zadar – Olib island 28 NM
Olib island is part of a group of islands northwest of Zadar. The island is a favorite destination for boaters and sailors and recreational fishers. The island is known for sheep breeding, olive growing, stone walls, oaks, a restored old parish church of Saint Anastasia where Glagolitic codices are kept. On the west coast of the island is the largest bay and port Olib, while on the east side is the port Slatinica with the most beautiful sandy beach on the island. The bay of St. Nicholas is sheltered from all but the south winds and is suitable for anchoring.
In the port of Olib you can find moorings on the outside and inside of the breakwater (depth 2-4 m. The head and inner part next to the head of the breakwater are used by passenger ships. On both sides of the breakwater are mooring buoys as well as SW of the harbour. You can anchor in front of the harbour or SW from the harbour where the sandy bottom holds up well.
Day 12 Olib – Novalja, Island Pag 13 NM
Among the younger generations, Novalja with its beautiful beach Zrće is known as the No. 1 summer party destination in Croatia. But Novalja has much more to offer.
Far from the fast pace of life, daily rush, and stress, in Novalja you will find a corner of the home atmosphere where tradition and comfort of the modern way of life combine - a place where nature and man have always been inextricably linked.
Hundreds of kilometers of drywall lace, greenery of the Novalja field, and the sea’s blue make Novalja your first choice for a sailing holiday in harmony with preserved nature.
Novalja and the island of Pag are perfect destinations for outdoor activities: diving, hiking, cycling, climbing.
Mooring you can search in Novalja city port or in ACI Marina Šimuni, located in the west of Pag Island, in the Maun Channel.
Day 13 Novalja, Island Pag – Mali Lošinj, Island Lošinj 20 NM
Mali Lošinj is the cultural and social center of Lošinj island, located on its eastern coast, and it`s the largest city on Croatian islands. High-quality seas and supreme air quality with over 200 days of sunshine and 1018 plant species, of which 939 belong to indigenous flora, make Lošinj the ideal aromatherapy center and a modern destination of vitality, health tourism, and environmental awareness.
To enter the bay of Mali Lošinj from the east coast, you will have to pass through a narrow canal Privlaka. Be careful since the passage with a strong current can be very tricky.
You can search for a mooring in Y/C Marina Mali Lošinj. The marina’s guests have at their disposal an excellent restaurant, grocery shop, and sailing equipment shop. The marina is open all year round. The alternative to the marina is a City Port of Mali Lošinj.
Although Mali Lošinj Bay provides adequate protection in all winds, strong NE winds and Bora can cause swell and waves in the harbour. The port is bustling during the season, especially in July and August.
Day 14 Mali Lošinj – Pula 37 NM
Sailing back from Mali Lošinj to Pula, you can make a swim stop in one of the mesmerizing hidden coves along the way on Cape Kamenjak.
