Croatia we came ... Family + HIGHFIELD OM540DL

[MatFromPoland]

My wife suddenly had 5 days of holiday from work (22 - 26 of August)

Quick research. To Greece 2 weekends + 5 days are not enough. Trip tooks 3 days (by ferry from Trieste to Patras or by car) with boat on trailer.

This year many people have chosen Poland so it was not possible to find any free place in this short period. But friend of mine was in Tisno (Murter island in Croatia) so he convinced me to visit first time Croatia.

We have been not in touch since 10 y so I was surprised that he likes motorboats but more exclusive so he went to Croatia towing Sea Ray 21 SXP (american style open boat).

1400 km from Warsaw to Tisno.
First day 12 hrs from Warsaw to Graz in Austria (about 900 km). Oekotel (hotel) near Graz cost about 100 EUR for 4 persons including breakfast. Next day only 6 hrs from Hotel to Tisno (less than 500 km)

So we travel from Warsaw to Trieste one weekend and travel back another one weekend back (24-25th of August)

We always go to Greece via ferry from Trieste. Never bother borders.
But Croatia is in EU but it is not in Schengen. 30 minutes we have spent on this border. Next 30 minutes on highways tolls near Zagreb. In opposite direction it was really huge traffic caused by accident in long tunnel.

Ok - why Tisno ? Because my friend have been in Croatia every year since many years. And since 3-4 years he decided that Murter is the paradise for motorboats. It is like Ionian Sea in Greece. A lot of islands. Very close to Kornati Kornati National Park

[MatFromPoland]

On our stay in hotel near Graz we faced rain during night and on next day.


We bring this rain to Tisno unfortunately. On the day when we came it was heavy storm during whole night. Rain stopped Monday morning and I have discovered that my bilge pump works but not turn off (I have fixed it after return to Poland).
It is Whale Orca Auto which gets only 5A so it did not drain battery even a little.
After storm BORA (local wind from land to the Sea direction) has been started so it was hard to get off land. We forgot to make mooring line from mooring buoy.


on the right to my boat my friend Sea Ray 21 SXP boat.

Wind was strong but from continent to the Sea so if you not go so far waves were reasonable.

[MatFromPoland]

No ida why we were only one family use boat during Bora. A few sailboats maybe.
Even big RIB-s not go. A lot of ZAR61 - Generally peope have here bigger boats than mine 5,4m





First trip was to Sibernik. But my boat and me do not like slowly movement via river.
My boat good operates till 10 km/h. Any more speed and it try to go on plane which case bad fuel economy and behavior.

Entry to Sybenik:

So having 3 hrs such way in front of me to waterfalls of Krk made me mad so we went back at this point


So finally we just make trip around be not so far from continent

[MatFromPoland]

On Wednesday wind was less (till Wednesday 4-5 BF, on Wednesday morning about 3 BF)

So we decided to go and see Kornati



Theoretically you have to buy ticket for your boat to do this but we had not time to go into Mutter office to do this so decided to buy it on Kornati (which is double price).
Finally nobody has asked for the ticket ...



Kornati landscape looks like Moon landscape ..




If you see any houses they are konobas (fish restaurants) for sure.
Near some of them there are tourist points (places with nice view usually on higher hill)

On mentioned below picture a few ships near such place:


And many people from these ships went to viewpoint (on higher hill I think)


I was the only one small RIB. Many motorboats like 8 - 12m with cabins or even 2 decks. If you look at picture of our trace you can see that Kornati is very long island and from West side of it there are many smaller islands. If you go between them even during wind it is quite. The only problematic can be wind from North or South but very rare in this area.

The only "normal" Sea condition you can face between Murter island and Kornati archipelago (about 30 km). But you can choose longer way than we did and hide/use many islands on the way.

[MatFromPoland]

Twins on rear bench (daughter was in the camp in this period of time)

[MatFromPoland]

What we found fantastic in Croatia there are restaurants on desert islands.
Sea food was incredible tasty but almost double than food in Greece.
For example we spent in Greece 50 EUR for 5 persons and here 80 EUR for 4 persons ...

On the way to konoba/restaurant:




And on the way back (our boat was the smallest one I think)



When we went back from Kornati to continent wave were about 50-75 cm
But from sometimes to sometimes there were wakes from big motorboats going in half-plane or plane. On of this I saw in last moment and we fly more than boat length in the air. When I looked back 8m big motorboat with cabin (but less deep V than our) did the same (was out of the water till propeller).

So based on my observation in this area we do not need really big RIB.
More than 5m deep V be enough. Especially we have jockey seats and most of boats in marinas were Med style without jockey seats

We park not in port/marina but near street. There were mooring buoys and places to tide mooring lines. Some of them were "private" and we have to pay for this privileges 5 EUR per day

[Siochair]

That is quite a trek you had but the scenery in Croatia looks as if it is worth it. Thanks for posting.

[MatFromPoland]

Time to summary:

Total cost was about 1 000 GBP (in total including VAT ) for whole trip for 4 persons

Additional expenses were:
- yearly permission to use boat in Croatia about 50 EUR
- fuel for boat (we made 400 km and used about 150 liters)

- We found apartment for 4 people for 60 EUR - reasonable price. There were really 2 apartments (each have bedroom and bathroom)

- Vinietes for Chech, Austria, Slovenia are the same for car and car towing boat (one condition GVW for car have to be less than 3500 kg - they count ONLY GVW of the car not CAR + boat on trailer like in Poland)

- In Croatia we were car type II which was a little more expensive than "normal car"
-- there were 2-3 toll posts but in this near Zadar there are always queue

I do recommend Murter island
- many islands around
- very close to Kornati
- in Murter and Jazzera villages (Murter island) fuel stations in marinas
- many attractions/trip much shorter than in Greece.
- reasonable Sea conditions even during Bora wind
- fantastic restaurants on desert islands but double more expensive than restaurants in Greece

Minuses:
- Storm or Bora wind can rapidly change Sea temperature
-- we can not snorkel because we forgot short neoprene suits and Sea temperature was below 20 C which was too low for us
- Much more boats and people than in Greece

[MatFromPoland]

Compare Greece to Croatia ....

Greece:
- more warm
- more stable weather
- even storm or wind not changes Sea temperature so rapidly thank in Croatia
- in Peloponese really not any boats at all, not a lot of tourist. Many villagies have marinas and you always can find free place/places to park boat
- Marinas in Peloponese/Crete some on the Ionian Sea FREE OF CHARGE,
- water to wash out boat for free and available in each marina near each boat ramp
- not a problem to keep trailer in port or near apartment

Croatia:
- you pay for everything (place in marina)
- can not find any water near boat ramp
- no place for trailer (I had to transport it 2 km far away from apartment and boat and left on some parking)
- full of tourists
- full of boats, really big boats

OK,

But for weekend Croatia is perfect for me
1000 GBP for Family (petrol for car, all charges, apartment, food, everything except using boat) was really good price even we had to pay for keeping boat.

Trip was less expensive.

Trip to Greece cost:
700 EUR ferry from Triest to Patra and back (cabin for 5, car, boat on trailer)
Petrol for 2500 km (about 350 EUR or more)

So one week in Croatia cost me almost the same than TRIP to Greece

For long period we do prefer Greece. Less price for food in restaurants, warmer Sea, better/stable weather, free of charge use boat (free marina/media/no payable permissions to use boat). Trip is expensive but stay is less expensive

For one week CRO is better. And much better than Poland. We do not have so clear water than in Croatia or Greece. And temperature in Baltic Sea occasionally is about 19C. To Polish Sea I have to travel almost 7-8 hrs. So I do prefer to make one day more and be in Croatia

[MatFromPoland]

"... yellow submarine ..." oops this one was red



Nice Zodiac park 3 boats from our:


Retaired couple from Germany use it every day.
It was almost the one smallest boat (than our) near 1km ...

There were some camping on Murter islands with people having small RIB or SIB. But they usually travel to nearest island or bay

A few catamarans on the way to Kornati:


After few trips with boat I hope that it be not divorce ...
Wife has accepted spending. And enjoy holidays with boat:

[neil.mccrirrick]

Good report mat and some distances travelled very impressed 👍


Sent from my iPad using my finger

[MatFromPoland]

I have chosen my boat knowing that will make long trips.
I have comfortable VAN for 7 people but we occupy only 5 places - other places are for water toys and other bags. I did not want to change car or buy Range Rover to tow bigger/heavier boat. For conditions near Murter in Croatia mine boat is enough.

For Greece sometimes I want to have bigger one but never had feeling that we can not back ...

I have told on beginning of my thread that I could not make trip to KRK waterfalls:


I (and boat) are nervous to troll by river with speed limit 5 or 10 knots.
Me and she prefers Sea and Sea conditions and speed 40-50 km/h

Maybe will do it next time:

On above mentioned picture you can see where we turned back.
We have to go to Sibernik, turn left and go 2 hrs by river.

Last distance to waterfalls you have to left boat in marina and go by one of many ships going here

[kerny]

Croatia looks stunning Mat, looks like you had fantastic holiday looking at your pics

[two stroke mick]

Mat well done thanks for making the effort to post your trip

Tsm

[Trimix]

Very interesting - thanks for posting up your trip.

[sailrib]

Thanks for posting and glad to hear you enjoyed Croatia. I too really like it there.


It's an awesome places for ribbing. I would leave from Split and head out to the islands (Hvar and Vis). Isl. of Vis is awesome and has a ton of remote coves to check out with crystal clear water. It's easy to find reasonable housing on the go, just head to the tourist board in the town your at and they'll hook you up. Renting scooters was cheap and the food & wine is very good.

[MatFromPoland]

Originally Posted by sailrib

It's easy to find reasonable housing on the go, just head to the tourist board in the town your at and they'll hook you up. Renting scooters was cheap and the food & wine is very good.

Yes if you not go in the middle of high season.
Believe me (or rather my friends who are every year here) there are more tourists every year. This year especially after migrants problem and terrorists attack CROatia is more popular.

I have never seen so many boats in marinas, so many tourists and faced hard time to find free parking place even I was out of high season. 21 of August school starts in Germany (in some lands) and maybe in Italy. So these tourists with kids left Croatia.

Originally we planed to be one week earlier and we couldn't find any apartment for 4 in bookings. Plus our friends staying in Tisno couldn't find such apartment for us either. If we decided to move holidays for another week there were more opportunities.

So for first time I do recommend 21 of August and later to be here and not be scared of many tourists. Especially when you tow the boat on trailer.

And ask in advance if apartment owner can organize place for boat in marina or any other place suitable to go into and from boat by dry foot.

Many tourists having SIB-s have only buoy and have to go or swim even to go into it.

Generally it is nice place and many islands to go around them.
Kornati are very unique with this moon like landscape



Food in konobas/restaurants on islands is really fantastic (but expensive for me which is not for UK people I think)

[sailrib]

I'll admit it's been a while (six years) and my visits to Croatia are during May- June. Sorry to hear it's so crowded.

I would recommend trying the island of Vis next time, it definitely seems to be less crowded than other areas as it's the farthest island offshore but still very reachable by rib and very beautiful.

Here's some pics of it in my last visit.

[Tim M]

Cool photos and write up of your trip. Was excited to see Sibenik on your list. I was based there for around three months after the yacht (43m / 38 knots max speed - big high performance yacht) I was working on (first officer) broken down (big problems!). We ended up in the small ship yard just beyond the new hotel at the Eastern end of the inlet. Some beautiful boating around there. The red submarine was fun running out of Split, did that a couple of times, although the harbour always seemed to smell terrible. Guess it must have been all those yachts pumping their black tanks! Some great memories of that area.

[MatFromPoland]

WOW !!! 43m yacht and max speed like this one on mine boat
( and I was sure that mine is fast )

I can not imagine how much fuel it used at max speed.
For me big motorboat are all greater than 8m
And there were plenty. Many with 3 decks I suppose.
And on upper deck naturists ... Even was windy.

It have to looked strange mine boat and crew in rash-guards, neoprene impact jackets and automatic pneumatic life jackets and bigger motorboats like 10-12m with naked people including steering captain (but he had the captain cap of course)

I have passed Sibenik in my way to KRK waterfalls, just looked at city panorama including Cathedral.

It is not mine - at this time mine OLYMPUS TG-1 had problem (I have to buy TG4 I suppose)