SAILING ROUTE ISTRIA

If we want to begin our 7 days long cruising trip from Pula and head to the south, we can start from three different bases: ACI marina Pula, marina Veruda and ACI marina Pomer. We must have in mind that all interesting spots like Cres, Mali Lošinj, Susak, and Olib are far from our starting point (30-35 NM) and this could be a quite demanding journey for a sailing yacht (at least 7-8 hours nonstop sailing). ACI marina Pomer is the closest one to these attractions so we are going to propose a route starting from there. In case of departure from ACI marina Pula or marina Veruda it is also possible to sail to Cape Kamenjak or to wait Sunday morning and spend Saturday afternoon exploring Pula.

Day 1: Pomer – cape Kamenjak

When, we have time to sail to one of the numerous bays on peninsula Premantura, close to Cape Kamenjak. It is at a landscape of unusual beauty with many sunny days. The most popular bays are Velika and Mala Kolombarica where we can find interesting caves. Bay Portić is especially convenient when approaching with the boat. The whole peninsula is rich with biking and walking trails for those searching for more active holidays. In the southwest, there is a small island called Fenoliga where we can find a dinosaur footprint. Cape Kamenjak is an excellent spot for diving because of its rich underwater world, however, one needs to be especially careful when diving on its south part because of the strong currents.

Day 2: Cape Kamenjak – island Susak – 30 NM

After we had the breakfast and morning swim, we continue our journey to island Susak which is 30 NM away. We can expect mistral around 9-9:30 am and pleasant downwind sailing. If we encounter south wind (of course not the strong one), we must be prepared to use our motor. Once we arrive in Susak, we are going to leave our boat on a buoy in Bok, the main bay. We are going to use our dinghy to get closer and to explore this interesting island. Susak is special in so many ways – it is made of sand, it has its peculiar dialect and folk costumes, no cars, hotels or night bars… The only two settlements on the island are Gornje and Donje Selo (upper and lower village) with around 150 habitats living there permanently. Island Susak was more densely populated after World War II, but it had suffered a great exodus afterward due to economic and politic reasons. The greatest and the only, festive on this island is The Emigrant Day which is celebrated every last Saturday in July.

Day 3: Susak – island Premuda (Krijal) – 22 NM

On our 3^rd day of sailing, we head to island Premuda (direction Krijal). Island Premuda is one of the best spots for diving. For the more experienced ones, there is Szent Istvan, the largest shipwreck in the Adriatic. There is also an enchanting cathedral cave system in the bay of Široka. In some places, it is sufficient to have just a snorkeling gear in order to enjoy in a unique submarine world. There are a couple of cliffs and another shipwreck at only 3- 5 m depth. Premuda has nice beaches, and the one that we prefer is in Krijal, called Zad, it has sand and pebbles, a perfect combination. We are going to moor on a buoy in Krijal where they charge 15 KN per meter. Some of the restaurants we would recommend are Grmalj, Celestin and Masarine.

Day 4: Premuda – Pantera bay – 16 NM

Our next destination is Pantera bay on island Dugi otok. We are planning to anchor in its green embrace. One must be careful when entering the bay because the shallow waters surrounding it. After you moor on a buoy, take your dinghy and drive to a small pier in NW part of the bay and take a walk through hundred-year-old pines that were planted by Austrian lighthouse workers on Dugi Otok. Nearby, you can also visit Veli rat, the oldest and the biggest lighthouse on the Adriatic, which will soon be 170 years old. It is said that its builders spent around 100,000 egg yolks for its yellow walls in order to make them more resistible to wind and sea. There a couple of fine beaches around, but make sure you don’t forget your boat. In the case of the northern wind, it is the best to moor in the nearby marina.

Day 5: Bay Pantera to island Olib – 16 NM

It is time to return north. If we choose island Olib, we can moor in eastern bay Slatinica, western bay St. Nikola or port of Olib, depending on the weather conditions. We will find buoys in bays and moorings in the port. Island Olib is a big island with only 140 habitats. Just for comparison, island Murter is 10 km2 smaller than Olib, but it has 5000 habitats. People from Olib live from sheep, olives, a little bit of fish and a little bit less of tourism. You can buy fish from the local fisherman, but also a good olive oil or sheep milk cheese. The most beautiful beach is Slatinica bay from where you can easily reach the village on the other side because it is only 1.5 km away. For more active vacation, you can explore the island on bike or try windsurfing.

Day 6: Olib – Mali Lošinj – 22 NM

It is Thursday and we are sailing to a town of Mali Lošinj. It is the biggest town you can find on Croatian islands. We can moor our boat in marina Mali Lošinj. The whole island is a famous health tourism destination... It is filled with tranquil vivid landscapes with a unique healing climate in which you can enjoy throughout the whole year. If you have time, make sure you visit Providenca viewpoint with a great view over the archipelago. It is a great spot to have a drink and relax. Mali Lošinj is also home of an ancient bronze statue of Apoxyomenos, extracted from the underwater surroundings of island Lošinj on April 27, 1999. It is the only bronze statue found on the eastern Adriatic coast that dates back to the 1st century.

Day 7: Mali Lošinj – Pomer – 30 NM

It's a long journey ahead of us. If we want to get to Pula before nightfall, we should leave around noon. There are two options: to moor, the boat in the marina from where we started, spend the night with no rush and have our check-in tomorrow morning, or to spend one more night on anchor at Cape Kamenjak, have one last swim in the morning and return the boat on time.