Looking for Feedback On Croatia

[Lagoon4us]

We have relied on Navtex as well, it really isn't a huge issue as the wave action isn't that high compared to other areas wev'e sailed ie Pacific. The most we were out in Croatia was just under 50knots and waves were no more than 1.5 to 2 metres.

Wherever you call in get a copy of the printout from each charter base, it's good info that they use to protect their flock.

Also be observant, when the mono's are being knocked over on the horizon then reef, they are great tell-tales we use them all the time.

VIP is a good service provider for internet in Croatia BUT as said previous NAVTEX is the go.

Have fun :-)

[CarinaPDX]

Thinking a bit more about it, I do remember watching on TV in Croatia some video of a Bora that was hitting further north of my position - not the sort of conditions a sailor would like. Again, very unlikely that it would be a problem in the summer, but it is always a good idea to keep a weather eye. (BTW you might enjoy watching some Croatian TV - they show lots of good programming in the original language with Croatian subtitles).

A source of GRIB files is by way of Airmail/Sailmail, which is broadly useful for cruising and something I have used and recommend. This is also another means for emailing.

I also have used an unlocked 3G modem with my laptop; SIM cards are readily available at moderate prices throughout Europe for data services, including in Croatia.

Finding open wifi access points is becoming more difficult, but many restaurants do have wifi for their customers and this might be adequate for occasional email. I wouldn't rely on it for weather - NAVTEX, Airmail, and 3G modems are all better.

Enjoy Croatia - wonderful place.

Greg

[Lagoon4us]

Velabit Strait is to be avoided, the biggest problem we endured in Croatia is LACK of wind.........Similar problem here in Greek Islands.
Cheers Frank

[K_V_B]

The last time I was in Croatia it was the high season (August) and the weather was rather unsetled. The usualy pattern of wind in the morning and late afternoon, with quiet nights was replaced with one of winds blowing from unusual directions, gradually increasing over a couple of days, followed by two days of heave rain. After that we would get a few days of calm sunny weather until the next disturbance arrived.

I used the wind maps on this site to quite good effect:
DHMZ

[AngeW]

Thanks so much for the information and views, appreciate it. We hit a couple of those sudden thunderstorms last season around Corfu and in Sardinia, alarming, but over pretty quickly. We are very cautious about digging in the anchor, and snorkel over to check it is secure too. These storms were in daylight however, storms at night always seem worse don't you think? I haven't had a storm experience with Med mooring, when tied up to a couple of trees onshore with the anchor down, less room to respond if you do come unstuck.
Fingers crossed the Bora stays away this season, or stays localised to the North. I'm going to figure out a network of boltholes we can scurry into as a back up (had some major storm experiences last year, prefer not to repeat).
We haven't a Navtex, but been using gribs and the vhf forecasts in each country until now, found pretty accurate. And as you suggest, chatting to charter places or marinas with local knowledge can really help.

Really looking forward to Croatia, it sounds so beautiful.

thanks again
Ange

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by AngeW

Really looking forward to Croatia, it sounds so beautiful.

thanks again
Ange

I am too. We will be there in three weeks. So if any of you see a catamaran with PALARRAN lettered on the bows, say hello and we will be happy to share a drink with you.

We are staying between Trogir and Dubrovnik. There isn't enough time to venture further north this year.

[Rapanui]

After 3 years of trying adhoc Wifi to get internet access, we finally in April bought a Vipme 3G dongle in Croatia, 199kuna (~30 Euro) and access for up to 1Gb/day is 10 kuna (~1.5 Euro) for 24 hours. Reception is really good, even in isolated bays. You can download the official forecast at any time from Weather forecast for the Adriatic.

Having said that, the VHF forecasts in English and Croatian are broadcast at 0745, 1445 and 2145 local time and are excellent if at times they seem pessimistic. It is quite common that they will issue a warning of gusts 35-40 kts whereas the area forecast will be less than 20kts. I would be wary of using GRIB and sites like Windfinder as in my experience the Croatia weather is dominated by local effects, particularly funnelling between islands and islands/mainland.

Like others we have seen few Bora and those have been early or late season and short lived. The most likely bad weather is the Yugo (Scirocco) which is SE wind, full of dust from N Africa, and they can last up to 3 days and tend to be strong winds up to 30kts rather than gales. Strong winds from other directions seem extremely rare.

There are loads of boltholes to anchor in any wind direction, 777 Harbours and Anchorages (888 if you speak German) pretty well covers all of them for the whole of Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Albania. You just need a good reliable anchor and gear.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by Rapanui

After 3 years of trying adhoc Wifi to get internet access, we finally in April bought a Vipme 3G dongle in Croatia, 199kuna (~30 Euro) and access for up to 1Gb/day is 10 kuna (~1.5 Euro) for 24 hours. Reception is really good, even in isolated bays. You can download the official forecast at any time from Weather forecast for the Adriatic.

Having said that, the VHF forecasts in English and Croatian are broadcast at 0745, 1445 and 2145 local time and are excellent if at times they seem pessimistic. It is quite common that they will issue a warning of gusts 35-40 kts whereas the area forecast will be less than 20kts. I would be wary of using GRIB and sites like Windfinder as in my experience the Croatia weather is dominated by local effects, particularly funnelling between islands and islands/mainland.

Like others we have seen few Bora and those have been early or late season and short lived. The most likely bad weather is the Yugo (Scirocco) which is SE wind, full of dust from N Africa, and they can last up to 3 days and tend to be strong winds up to 30kts rather than gales. Strong winds from other directions seem extremely rare.

There are loads of boltholes to anchor in any wind direction, 777 Harbours and Anchorages (888 if you speak German) pretty well covers all of them for the whole of Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Albania. You just need a good reliable anchor and gear.

All good info, we are busily scrubbing the morrocon dust/mud away as we speak...

777 / 888 = indespensible info..

Cheers Frank

[AngeW]

Originally Posted by Rapanui

After 3 years of trying adhoc Wifi to get internet access, we finally in April bought a Vipme 3G dongle in Croatia, 199kuna (~30 Euro) and access for up to 1Gb/day is 10 kuna (~1.5 Euro) for 24 hours. Reception is really good, even in isolated bays. You can download the official forecast at any time from Weather forecast for the Adriatic.

Having said that, the VHF forecasts in English and Croatian are broadcast at 0745, 1445 and 2145 local time and are excellent if at times they seem pessimistic. It is quite common that they will issue a warning of gusts 35-40 kts whereas the area forecast will be less than 20kts. I would be wary of using GRIB and sites like Windfinder as in my experience the Croatia weather is dominated by local effects, particularly funnelling between islands and islands/mainland.

Like others we have seen few Bora and those have been early or late season and short lived. The most likely bad weather is the Yugo (Scirocco) which is SE wind, full of dust from N Africa, and they can last up to 3 days and tend to be strong winds up to 30kts rather than gales. Strong winds from other directions seem extremely rare.

There are loads of boltholes to anchor in any wind direction, 777 Harbours and Anchorages (888 if you speak German) pretty well covers all of them for the whole of Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Albania. You just need a good reliable anchor and gear.

What a helpful reply, thank you so much. It sure can be frustrating hunting around for the right dongle and plan, thats really helpful. Useful to know about the gribs too - I have been reading about the local weather and the impact of the topography in Croatia - steep mountains etc, makes sense that a local report will be the most useful.
We hit what I think must have been a Scirocco when crossing from Sardinia to Sicily, and hit first a massive unforecast thunderstorm and northerly front, and then a crazily hot wind from the SE that seemed like something was on fire.
Cheers for the help to you all, its a lovely community of folk on the sea. If you see a bunch of New Zealander's on Murihiku our Lagoon 380 (usually all women crew), do come say hi, Ange

[orlando]

regarding bora

this is nice thread about bora, posts are in croatian but there is a lot of nice pictures about sumer/winter bora in croatia

http://nautica-portal.com/forum/index.php?topic=4853.0

Bura – the powerful katabatic wind of the Adriatic | Go Hvar

[Pete7]

Orlando, hi and welcome to Cruisers Forum. Some spectacular photos on the forum you linked to. Don't worry about it being in Croatian, Google Chrome converts it into English quite well.

Pete

[orlando]

Thanks Pete,

I noticed no one mentioning "Tramuntana", N wind, that can be more nasty then boora (NE). boora is clear blue sky, but there is another one bura, in croatian bura škura, in english is shomething like "dark bora".It is variation of Bura wind. with characteristics of low, gray clouds bringing rain. it looks like you mixed bura and jugo, (bora and south wind), called jugo or pronounced yugo, not that car from ex yugoslavia yugo, but jugo, or in croatian "south".
but during the summer you are more likely to win lottery jack pot than encounter bura, most of the time you will not even sail or do 2kts or less., get yourselves a lot of petrol for beegining. on more thing that is not mentionet is "pulenat", the wind that seldom blows. It is actualy more dangerous wind than bora, with strength up to 12 Bf, comes suddenly and lasts briefly bringing abundant rain.
that is west wind comming from Ligurian sea, crossing italy and hitting Croatian coast. that wind is scary. it is wery rare becouse when it reach croatia it dyed down and there is not at all or is wery week, but if pulenat hit croatian coast with full force comming sudenly ad with any "tale tales", there is almost no hiding place.but there is one good thing. last only few hours. normally from midnight to early morning and sudenly die out. not trace thet ever was (apart wrecks)

[Lagoon4us]

Actually this site isn't bad and we referred to it all year whilst cruising Croatia the only criticism is whilst it shows windspeed in Kilometres per hour it actually means knots.....

Frank

[orlando]

...and also watch your back from time to time for one of those....

Tornado Waterspout Pijavica - YouTube

[AngeW]

[QUOTE=orlando;1239149]...and also watch your back from time to time for one of those....


Wow, that is amazing, but really, enough of the scary images, lets have some placid ponds and sedating seas.