First Crossing: Sailing into Croatia
As we approached the Croatian border, a sense of calm washed over us. The sails were up, and we drifted quietly over the water. Leaning over the starboard side from the helm, I spotted something in the water that I couldn’t quite make out at first. Just beside the boat, something large floated, and my first thought was that it was a mine—but no, it was a sea turtle! Not long after, Espen spotted another one, and I saw a third swimming underwater. I think we saw a green sea turtle and a leatherback. The biggest one, at least 1.5 meters long, we don’t know. Shortly after, Emilie excitedly pointed out something jumping on the horizon—dolphins! They swam right under the netting at the front of Yggdrasil, welcoming us to this new country none of us had ever visited before.
It was just after 5 a.m. on July 31st, and after more than five weeks docked at Pier H in Rimini Marina, we finally set sail towards Pula in Croatia. The journey began with a stunning sunrise and a maze of small fishing buoys to navigate through, mostly set up to catch squid—something Fredrik and Emilie have been enjoying plenty of 😊. Soon, the oil rigs took over the seascape, towering giants of the sea, but still tiny compared to those we have in the North Sea. It was a strange contrast, enjoying the sight of dolphins leaping on the horizon while passing by these massive structures that we’ve become so dependent on, yet which cause so much harm.
The waters between Italy and parts of Croatia were covered with long, slimy green-brown algae (unicellular microalgae), a result of heavy rainfall earlier in the year followed by intense heat. When we removed the coarse filter for the engine's cooling water, it was completely clogged with these algae. We had heard from others in Italy that many boats had experienced similar issues with blocked filters. According to Spanish researchers, a sad new heat record was set this week, with water temperatures reaching 28.9°C, threatening marine life and preventing air temperatures from cooling down at night, leading to yet another heatwave. It's hot, and with fans breaking down one after another, the nights are unbearably sticky. We’re all feeling the strain, both physically and emotionally, with no cool place to retreat to. Swimming helps, even though the water is incredibly warm. We’re eagerly looking forward to cooler days. But with that being said, we would not be any other place.
A little before 7 p.m., we docked in Pula, with a panoramic view of the amphitheater. We spent the evening exploring the city and the amphitheater, where concerts are often held—though not on this particular night. Early the next day, Captain Espen went to the harbor master, registered our vignette, and we received the official paperwork allowing us to sail in Croatia. We also took care of the tourist tax online. The harbor master was more interested in telling us about a sci-fi series he was reading, featuring a spaceship named Yggdrasil. Little did we know that fear would be a close companion in the days to come.
Thunderstorms:
Our first night at anchor in Croatia seemed set to be perfect. We anchored in a small, somewhat sheltered spot in Unije, along with five other boats. The weather forecast looked excellent. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and later, the distant thunderstorm that played out on the horizon—until we realized it was heading straight for us. We were hit with 30 minutes of 30-knot winds, lightning, and thunder. It was a test for our anchor, which thankfully held firm. There was little sleep that night, with much flashlight-checking of the shore to see if we needed to move, but we made it through. The next day was calm and pleasant again, though two of the other boats had chosen to leave during the night.
After much debate and multiple rounds on PredictWind and Windy, along with checking for local thunderstorms, we decided to sail overnight to Split—a decision we would come to regret. The day was beautiful, with another stunning sunset. But then the storm began to brew behind us, taking about two hours to catch up. It was the most intense thunderstorm we have ever experienced, with lightning striking all around us, illuminating the pitch-black sky repeatedly. By 1 a.m., it was right on top of us. Emilie slept below, but Fredrik was awake and joined us on deck. The wind picked up again, reaching 30 knots, but with it at our stern, we mostly saw it on the wind gauge. We all had our life jackets on, lifelines out, and the grab bag packed, including essential medications. But we knew that abandoning the boat was the last resort, only if it were on fire or sinking. Then, a bolt of lightning struck just a few hundred meters away, the thunder booming around us. Emilie could feel the vibrations down in the cabin. Thirty minutes later, it was over, and the light show continued ahead of us. Espen took most of the night shift, and I took over for a short hour before dawn, greeted by a calm sea and a beautiful sunrise as we approached Split. We knew we had some work to do before the next night sail.
During our 18 days in Croatia, we spent 11 nights at anchor, two on buoys, two in harbors, one unforgettable night in a thunderstorm you just read about, and one at a restaurant mooring at Konoba Riba on Mljet. This is our route- with kids flying in and out of Split:):
Croatia is expensive, but it’s a paradise for sailing. It doesn’t have to be overly costly if you anchor out. Our favorite stop was in the bay of Nevaja, right after Porat Bay on the island Bisevo. Here, we had the crystal-clear waters all to ourselves. Emilie snorkeled endlessly, and we prepared a scorpionfish and a red snapper we got from the restaurant on the grill. Scorpionfish have very poisonous spines, and Christoffer was convinced I was trying to poison the family. It was an interesting experience to prepare and cook, with Google being a great help. And we all agreed it tasted better than the snapper 😊. There’s something special about the tranquility you find at anchorages like this and being so close to nature.
Our favorite spot
It’s impossible not to be struck by the history of this country and all the beautiful buildings. We explored Trogir, Primosten, Komiza, and Korcula. We only saw Dubrovnik from the outside—our budget doesn’t allow for those kinds of expenses. Docking at the marina here costs just under 600 euros, and all the attractions are pricey too. Fredrik was thrilled when we approached Korcula, insisting I take pictures talking about how privileged they are to get this experience. As we wandered through the streets, I couldn’t help but think about what it must have been like to live here through the different eras. It’s a blend of the old Yugoslavia and Italy, a country that has seen much war and different regimes. Tourism makes it hard to grasp what the authentic Croatia is. In all the cities we visited, there were many historical buildings, but everything is set up around hordes of tourists, shops and restaurants. We felt we experienced more of it in smaller places like Porat. Here, they got their fish from local fishermen early in the morning, and in the backyard, they grew tomatoes, lemons, and olives. The atmosphere was serene. But the old towns are so beautiful!
Korcula
Trogir
Primosten
12th century Monastry St. Mary`s island national park of Mljet
Dubrovnik
We’re already living much simpler than we did at home, buying very little new. We’ve become very conscious of our electricity use, water consumption, and waste. I’ve taught the kids how to make ecobricks, packing plastic bottles tightly with clean plastic. While these likely won’t be used to build anything in Europe, it’s a great way to manage and compress our trash.
Emilie stuffing a ecobric
Christoffer is trying to fix a broken fan
Fredrik is reducing the space taken up by the juice container.
The boys are reluctantly accepting the very slow electric motor we have on the dinghy. For now.
We have been too busy with many projects and appointments with deadlines during these days, making us rush a bit too much. We also missed out on exploring a large area between Pula and Split that we would have loved to see. But we had too many commitments and things that needed to be done, partly because we left much later than planned. It reminds us of the importance of taking the time to stop and stay in places for a while, rather than sailing every day. Part of what drives us now are new commitments, but mostly, we want to ensure we get a good weather window to cross out of the Mediterranean to the Canary Islands.
Espen will provide an update on all the projects, but in the last few days in Croatia, we’ve had more than enough energy from the solar panels he installed, the radar is up and running, the engine belt has been tightened, and the watermaker is producing plenty of water. I think I got a bit of an upset stomach after tasting it, but we’ll give it another try. It probably should be analysed by a lab.
I dream that in the near future, we will sail more without the engine, letting nature dictate the pace. We’ve had many days of high temperatures and little wind. That said, we’ve also had some fantastic sailing days, especially down to Vis and Korcula. Feeling lucky to have so many more days to come.
The thunderstorms around Ibiza and Corsica the last days reminds us of jet again to prepare properly and do the best planning we can to before we sail from Montenegro were we are now and down to the heal of Italy (south east).
- Anicke
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