Cruising in the Kornati Islands

After dragging Michael over the Krka National Park waterfalls, we agreed to head out to the Kornati national park, a string of largely uninhabited islands off the coast of the Central Adriatic.  We came down the beautiful Krka river, accompanied by thousands of swans, to Sibenik. We decided to treat ourselves to a night in a marina.

Nav mark on the Krka river

Another submarine pen in the Krka river

I find these nav marks strangely attractive

Pav in the Mandelina marina in Sibenik

Portico entrance to a Sibenik house

After a day wandering around Sibenik, an attractive medieval style town, we headed back out of the river system and across to the Kornati chain of islands.

Leaving the river system, back out to sea.

Venetian fort guarding the entrance to the Krka river

Lighthouse at the river's entrance

First glimpse of the Kornatis.

Michael on watch.

There's 140 islands in the Kornati archipelago, scattered over about 320 square kilometers. Eighty five percent of the islands are stony, and this gives the archipelago an other-worldly lunar quality. The sea-scape was beautiful, the water was clean and crystal clear. It was quite an experience sailing by these islands. George Bernard Shaw described them thus: "On the last day of the Creation god desired to crown his work, and thus created the Kornati Islands out of tears, stars and breath".

Stony islands in the Kornati

Running down the length of the largest island, Kornat

The islands had a lunar landscape quality

Another view

A lunch stop anchorage.

We spent a rather windy night in Lavsa on a mooring ball. Leaving the park, we had an exciting sail in 25 knots of wind, back to the island of Pasman. We almost ran aground while beating through the narrow channels of the islands in the north of the park, the depth meter went to 1.5 metres (we go aground at .9 metres). Quick U-turn put us right, but it shows you not to trust our computer charts completely!

Michael chilling.

Coast off Zadar

Radar walls and municipal buildings

We made an overnight stop at Landin, on Pasman to avoid a bit of wind. We then circumnavigated the island of Pasman, going south, to get up to Zadar.  Zadar turned out to be a wonderful town. It was old and Venetian, but it was also a lively cultural centre without becoming a husked-out tourist town. We booked into Borik marina, but if I was going again, I'd anchor in the small bay just north of the old walled town. The marina was not well sheltered, very rolly, and with poor facilities. It was 75 Euro a night.

Sunset over Zadar

The bay inside Zadar

Zadar street music 

Town gate

Lively thoroughfares in Zadar

Megan stepping out

We had a great meal out with Michael in the old town. Michael was to leave the next morning, catching a bus back to Split and then on to Barcelona. Megan and I were pretty exhausted after playing tour guide for nine days, so we bit the bullet and paid for another night in the marina. After seeing to Pavlov's never-ending needs, we pulled our bikes out, and had a wonderful ride from Borik into the old town (about 6 km each way). The path went along the waterfront, which was filled with small harbours, old palatial homes and interesting 'stuff'.  

Town square in Zadar

Cultural centre in Zadar

Street musician

Beautiful architecture

Croatian accordionist

After the emotional roller-coaster of Michael's visit, Megan and I needed a few days just watching the world flow by, so we headed out to Dugi Otok, another national park 12 miles off the coast of Croatia. We found a nice and protected anchorage (with no fees!) in Brbinj on Dugi, and we settled in here to just catch our breath.

Setting sun