Croatia | Sea | Kayaking | Tours | Lifejacket Adventures - Adriatic Expeditions

Tim and I went to Šibenik today to sit the small boat skipper license (voditelj brodice) examination at the Harbour Master’s (Lučka Kapetanija) office.

If you do not have a licence from home or if you have a licence that does not contain a VHF-licence, you need to sit a short oral test to get a B Category License of Competency - similar to the Recreational Skipper’s Ticket in Western Australia. Apparently as no such national licensing regime exists in the U.S., Americans wishing to charter a Croatian-flagged vessel may be required to sit the test.

The license is valid for boats up to 30 registered gross tonnes and for less than 12 people. It allows you to travel 3nm from the coast or islands - given that the islands are so close along the Croatian coast, this means you can cruise to nearly all of them.

Locations of the Harbour Masters’ Offices can be found here.

You need to bring:

a. 815 kuna.

b. 40 kuna in tax stamps (from the closest newspaper stand).

c. your passport.

d. 2 passport photographs.

Some subjects of the examination are:

a. Navigation.

b. Navigational lights.

c. Right of way.

d. VHF radio procedure.

Amazingly there is no practical examination. They print a handy study guide and the test can be taken in Croatian, English, German, and Italian.

The staff of the Šibenik office were very friendly and helpful - unlike some of the characters found in the Split office, with whom we have had problems before.

While waiting for the test, Tim showed me some of his old haunts in Šibenik - I had never spent time there though its only 30 minutes from Split. The old town was quiet but in many ways nicer than Split.

The centrepiece of Šibenik is the Cathedral of St. James (Katedrala sv. Jakova).

The idea of building a cathedral originated in 1298 when Šibenik was given its own diocese. The actual decision to build it was finalised in 1402, though construction did not begin until 1431 and with minor disruptions lasted until 1536. Not much has changed in Croatia - this is a typical construction schedule even today!

It was built on the city’s south-side, where a Romanesque church had stood. The cathedral’s construction began in Venetian Gothic style, and was completed in Tuscan Renaissance style, due to the change over the years of the main architect.

In 1441 Juraj Dalmatinac (George of Dalmatia) was elected architect. At the time he was living and studying art in Venice. He had done some work there on Saint Mark’s Cathedral. Juraj, a devotee of the Late (Venetian) Gothic style, decided to enlarged the original plans for the cathedral, adding a side nave and apses. By the time of his death in 1475 he had also put up the basic constructive elements for the building of the dome and enriched the cathedral with numerous sculptures.

After the his death, Nikola Firentinac (Nicholas of Florence) took over the cathedral’s construction. Sticking to Juraj’s basic plan he however continued the building in Renaissance style, completing the top parts of the cathedral: the dome, the sculpture of Saints Michael, James and Mark, the roof complex and the upper part of the facade. Following Firentinac’s death in 1505, construction continued under Venetian constructors and local craftsmen.

The roof and the dome of St James’ are unique in the world. Like all the other parts of the church, they were made exclusively from stone (i.e. no wooden beams or clay tiles), using the same dry wall techniques Juraj Dalmatinac used while building the apses and the sacristy. The stone slab roof of the central and lateral naves form a semicircular vault visible from the inside as well as from the outside.

The dome of the church was heavily damaged during the shelling of Šibenik in September 1991. Today it has been fully restored with no visible damage.

The cathedral was consecrated in 1555 and in 2000 was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Split is expecting an increase in cruise-ship arrivals this year. For these guests and others who wish to explore the coast, rivers, hills and islands around Split we have teamed-up with our Danish friends at Solitum to provide interesting half-day and full-day tours.

Evening Walking Tour of Diocletian’s Palace

Salona and Klis Fortress Walking Tour

Afternoon Sail on Historical Wooden Boats (available after the end of July)

Aurora & Hacienda Nightclubs Transfer Bus

Cetina River and Omiš Hiking Tour

Hvar Island Wine Tour

Brač Island Tour

Krka Waterfalls Tour

Plitvice Lakes and North Velebit Hiking Tour

Over the weekend of 10-12 May we were able to enjoy the hospitality of Giorgio and Maritzia who organized the first seakayaking symposium - Bibione Kayak - of which we know on the Adriatic Sea. The base for the event was Capalonga Camping, about 1 hour from Venice, in northern Italy. The camp is also only 1 hour from Motovun, in Croatia - which was handy for us.

At the event we met many interesting paddlers, including Nigel Foster (seakayak designer and adventurer) and Kristin (potter to the stars), Jen Kleck (a friend of Ray Fusco’s from the US) and Kay (importer for Klepper Folding Kayaks), and others from Serbia, Slovenia, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.

On the Monday night Lifejacket Adventures gave a short, mosquito-plagued talk on kayaking in Croatia, our attempt to cross the Adriatic Sea by kayak unsupported and the old wooden boats of Croatia. The above video was included and shows how to paddle (or row) ‘old-school’.

We made the most of the excellent facilities at the campground - swimming, bbqing and bike riding. We couldn’t get the kids out of the pool as the weather was perfect. Next year we plan to attend for the whole week. Seakayakers in Europe should definitely make the effort to attend, as the festival also ties into the Vogalonga event in Venice. Congratulations to Bibione Kayak!

Tonight our friends Jane Cody and John Nash had the official Croatian launch of their book, Croatia Cruising Companion. Jane also did some writing for the new Timeout Croatia magazine, and she presented it as well to the audience of marina representatives and tourism agencies.

The Cruising Companion took Jane and John several years to research - they visited every bay of significance from Zadar to the south. For each they produced anchorage charts as well as wrote lengthy descriptions on available facilities - such as our laundrette in Split.

The book is perfect for those coming here to rent a yacht and visit the Dalmatian Islands. It is currently ranked #3 for both books on Croatia and those on sailing on Amazon.com.

Timeout Croatia has a thicker guide magazine again this year. More stories and more information are crammed inside. One of our kayaking pictures, taken on a tour around Vis and Hvar Islands, appears in the adventure section.

Ray Fusco has been helping us with promoting our tours and needed a new flier to pass onto Jersey Paddler.

As can be seen from the last posts we have been catching up on our newspaper reading. Old lefties who read The Guardian in the UK may have seen a recent article about the best places to take your loved one. Under the title Glamorous Romantic Getaways, our friend Goran and his restaurant Vila Kaliopa are given an excellent review, “Hidden behind the 16th-century Garibaldi Palace walls on the island of Vis, Villa Kaliopa is a secret garden of palms, sculpture and candlelit tables each out of earshot so you don’t have to whisper your sweet nothings where smiley waiters present the days catch.” (And Jules says I never take her anywhere special!)

Sounds like the perfect end to a day of arguing with that special person in a double kayak!

Felix Oppenheim, an excellent outdoor photographer, snapped us eating at a less salubrious (yet just as charming) eatery. Several photographs on our website were taken by him.

The Guardian also recently put Istria in its 100 Underated Foodie Breaks, and even mentions Motovun, “A cone-shaped peninsula, Istria is where the Balkans meet the Adriatic. Lushly forested and decidedly hilly, Istria is also where some of the world’s best (and biggest) truffles are dug. A lengthy meander around the inland walled hill-towns of Trst, Hum (the world’s smallest, so it boasts), Lupoglav, Buzet, Motovun - and many more - rewards you with enchanting eagle’s eye views, sleepy villages, and delightfully affordable restaurants with truffle-centred menus. Add fresh, young Croatian wines and a mere scattering of tourists and you’re in gourmet heaven.”

Another magazine, another poll and the Dalmatian Islands are again ranked very highly. Travel + Leisure Magazine put them at #7 in their Top 10 World’s Best Islands. Follow the link and you arrive at a 2005 article about many of the islands we often visit.

Of Dubrovnik - “Dalmatia’s most famous city is touted as an unspoiled gem, though this is really a matter of degree. While it’s not yet as overrun as, say, Prague or Positano (the two unlikely places that Dubrovnik most resembles), it’s well within the crosshairs of mass tourism. Dubrovnik’s Old Town maintains a precarious equilibrium between Then and Now, Here and Elsewhere. Menus in Italian, English, and German hang outside every traditional wooden-beamed konoba, or tavern. Benetton and Diesel boutiques line the medieval lanes. And pushcart vendors proffer not just handmade olive soaps but also Old Town mouse pads.”

On Korčula - “The sharp scent of pine resin mingles with salt air on Korcula, three hours by ferry from Dubrovnik. Forests of Aleppo pine, cypress, and holm oak make this one of the Adriatic’s most verdant isles. It’s known for top-notch wines and for being one of several alleged birthplaces of Marco Polo.”

About Hvar - “By far the most glamorous of the Adriatic islands, Hvar is heir to that noble lineage running from Cannes and Capri through St. Bart’s and South Beach: the latest of the famous international playgrounds. At the height of summer, Hvar Town is so relentlessly gorgeous it makes your eyes ache. Everything screams, Ogle me: the harbor edged with bougainvillea, the perfectly aged Renaissance façades, the absurdly huge yachts and sailboats, and a nonstop parade of caramelized torsos. As if the cast and setting didn’t already suggest a perfume ad, Hvar’s entire waterfront is redolent of lavender, which proliferates on the island and is sold in satchels by sidewalk vendors.”

And Vis - “From the sea, Vis seems an unforgiving hunk of rock, dotted with parched scrub and brush. Despite its desolate appearance, Vis holds remarkable natural bounty. More than 500 varieties of herbs flourish on the island (consider that the whole of England has only around 300). Climbing those scrabbly hillsides, you can grow dizzy from the scent of rosemary and sage. Asparagus, garlic, and arugula all grow wild here, alongside the mandarin-orange and carob trees—carob infuses the local grappa. There are also some passable island wines, such as the dry white Vugava and the ruby-red Plavac, which, for some reason, Viskis often dilute with ice cubes.”

We could have posted a picture of the islands surrounded by blue seas and sky, but instead its a dark interior shot - of another of Dalmatia’s draws - Modra Špilja (the ‘Blue Cave’) - a blue grotto on Biševo Island.

Above is one of the hardest working and most generous expats in Split, our friend Nigel Turnball.

Several years ago he set up Sailing School Croatia. Its the only RYA approved sailing school in these parts, offering a range of courses for yachties in a beautiful location - the Dalmatian Islands.

Together we enjoy the occasional recreational sail or we call him whenever we are off on a new adventure - he was kind enough to follow when the authorities forced us to take a support boat on our attempt to kayak across the Adriatic Sea.

The New York Times recently published a list of the must-see places in the world for 2008. Included in this list, at an impressive #11, is the town of Hvar (on Hvar Island).

The NY Times describes Hvar thus:

“As Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast has become a new Riviera, Hvar has become its St. Tropez: a tiny village that fills with yachts and international partyers over the summer. While the waterfront Carpe Diem remains the island’s night-life center, narrow stone alleys are lined with chic cocktail lounges and hotel terraces, including the rooftop pool at the new Adriana Hotel, Croatia’s first Leading Small Hotels of the World member.”

Now personally I can only take the ‘jet-set’ in small doses. But when you combine the high-life with a little adventure its excellent. Many of those who visit Hvar Town only see its bars and nearby beaches, but there is a lot more to explore on the whole island.

The picture in the NY Times article is actually of a beach in Komiža, which happens to be on Vis Island - only 25 kilometers away - so much for the fact-checkers!

But both Vis and Hvar Islands are combined in our Vis and Hvar Islands Kayak Adventure - how’s that for a segue!? (And, yes, our picture at the top of this post is of a beach on Hvar!)

Ray Fusco, who I had fun with in early 2006, attempting to cross the Adriatic Sea, has been a busy man lately. Not only has he survived cancer - during our crossing, unbeknown to him, he had a fist-size tumor on his kidney - but he founded and organizes the New York Mayor’s Cup, a circumnavigation of Manhattan Island paddle race; consults to other events through Ray Fusco Inc.; and now teaches local NY high-school kids, who otherwise wouldn’t get a chance to experience it, kayaking.

Ray hopes to be back in Croatia on June 23rd with friends to help guide one of our Korčula to Dubrovnik Kayak Expeditions.

The skiing in Bosnia Hercegovina has not been very good this year. The closest ski resort to Split, Kupres, has suffered from poor snow falls and has been closed for most of the season.

Finally, last weekend weather cold enough to throw a white blanket across the region blew through and most of Split headed to the mountains across the border. Believing that Kupres would be too crowded, we headed a little further into Hercegovina, to the town of Blidinje. Blidinje is more remote than Kupres and takes a little effort to get there, but because it is higher the snow is consistently better.

The road between Blidinje and Tomislavgrad was closed due to snow meaning that we had to take the long way around. For about 15kms towards the end of the drive the road it is not yet finished - it is gravel (or makadam as the locals say). The resort is only 5 years old after all. It took us 3.5 hours to get there - an hour longer than what is usual.

We found the Motel Risovac on the internet. It was small and basic, but the staff were friendly and it was only 17€/person/night - a little more for half-board.

The ski resort is also small and basic. It only had a quad-chairlift to the top of the mountain and a children’s t-bar operating. But once again it is cheap. The day lift tickets are 10€ for adults and 5€ for kids and ski hire is 10€.

Balkan skiing is very rural - amazed local farmers stood at the bottom of the runs smoking and watching the crazy strangers struggling down the hills in their colourful outfits.

Many of cars in the car-park had Dubrovnik registrations - Blidinje is a similar distance to there as Split.

Dalmacija Ski is a good website (if you can understand Croatian) for all information on skiing in Bosnia Hercegovina.

We had two excellent days and hope to go back next weekend as more snow is forecast.

For New Year’s Eve we drove north to Lake Bled, Slovenia. The town had been so highly recommended by many people coming into our laundromat in Split that we decided we had to visit.

The 6 hour drive up the auto cesta from Split to Bled took us around Rijeka and Ljubljana. The thick covering of snow on the ground in Lika got us really excited. However arriving in Lake Bled we were disappointed to see not so much snow on the ground.

In Bled we booked into Hotel Berc run by Luka and his family. It is not really a hotel, but a recently built pension. Luka’s brother already runs Pension Berc across the road in the original family house.

The next day, Luka told us that the temperatures were low enough for snow-making, so Aklie and I decided to try out Krvavec, about 35kms away, for his first day of skiing. We took the gondola up the mountain (approx. 1500m), well above the day’s clouds. We had perfect sunshine the whole day. Hiring skis was a nightmare as the rental store is tiny. It would have been better to rent equipment in Bled. Aklie enjoyed his first lesson on the ‘bunny’ slope and the round-about.

That night we had steaks at Gostilna Pri Planincu, a pub with car number-plates from all over the world plastering the walls. The first thing we noted, coming from Croatia, was the lack of smoke. Slovenia now has laws banning smoking in pubs, cafes and restaurants.

Instead of driving for 40 minutes and catching the gondola up the mountain, the next morning we simply walked 100 yards to the Straža, a small chairlift in the centre of Bled. Going there not only saved time but also money. Aklie again had a lesson and when he got tired we simply walked back to the hotel.

The variety of restaurants in Split is limited, so for something different we went to the Peking Chinese Restaurant. The family which own it arrived 10 years ago from mainland China - how do you decide to leave China and end up in a small town in Slovenia? The food was good.

Not only could we walk to the ski-slope or the town’s restaurants but next door was the Hotel Golf with its heated pools, spas and slides. We dove in for the day. One indoor/outdoor pool had a view across the lake to the 11th Century Bled Castle on the opposite side.

We were invited to join 2 English families and one from San Diego for New Year’s Eve Dinner and their Talent Show after. They had bought a couple of impressive bottles of Slovenian wine during the day and made a big pot of chilli. The Talent Show went from the absurd, with a Monty Python sketch, through the depressing, with a Wilfred Owen poem, to the post-modern, with Kerry’s contemporary adaptations of nursery rhymes. We then headed down the riva, or waterfront, to drink mulled wine, set-off fireworks and countdown to midnight.

The Elan Ski Factory is a 10 minute drive from Lake Bled. Thinking that they might have a factory outlet store selling factory seconds we went over. They don’t sell seconds but they were having a sale so we bought Aklie his first pair of skis. Given that we can go skiing in Kupres, just across the Bosnian border from Split, we hope to get much use from them this year - if there is more snow than last year.

Dinner was at the Union Grill. And though the mushroom sauce arrived late, it was worth the wait.

There is an uneasy relationship between Slovenes and Croats. Croats view their northern neighbours as arrogant and rigid; Slovenes believe Croats are just lazy Balkans. On the way back to Croatia, we stopped into the BTC Shopping Centre in Ljubljana and straightaway we felt like the country hillbillies. Croatia has very little choice in goods and what is imported is usually very poor quality. Seeing the range of shops we felt like we were in civilization again.

We then hit the road and drove 2 hours to Motovun to meet Anita, who is doing the drawings for our house renovation.

Thanks to Cameron Hewitt at Rick Steve’s for his advice.

Some of our pictures.

The Croatian National Parks that we have visited so far we have really enjoyed. One trip that always goes well is walking around the Plitvice Lakes, in the Lika region. The Lakes are protected on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

As the River Korana cuts its way down through the limestone of the surrounding hills its water gains a high concentration of calcium carbonate. When the water gets caught in amongst the fallen birch, ash or pine trees of the lush forest the limestone is decanted and builds up dams which eventually produce lakes and waterfalls. At the moment there are 16 large lakes.

Beauty-wise, there doesn’t seem to be a bad time to visit the Lakes. In winter, snow blankets everthing; in spring, the wild-flowers bloom; in summer, you can have a quick swim in Kozjak Lake, the main lake; in autumn, the forest changes quickly from greens to browns and reds. The only problems are the summer crowds and the entrance price which keeps going up - it was 110 kuna in 2007. The best way to escape the crowds is to use the upper trails. They make their way through hillside forests - and allow views down to the Lakes.

The Lakes are full of char, trout, minnows and carp. They gather at the edges, under the shade of the surrounding trees.

We always stay in the small village of Korana, a collection of about a dozen old traditional houses on the river just outside of the Park. The Luketić brothers have 2 guest-houses - with a large terrace on the river for evening meals. Its possible to swim directly in front of the village, except in the height of summer when the river can disappear underground.

It is a 3 hour drive from Split to Plitvice. Usually we drive to the town of Rastoke, known as ‘Little Plitvice’, on the way, for a top baked trout meal at Konoba Petro.