26th July: Leaving Lamljana we hoped for a sail but the wind was very fickle and light to start with. We decided to wait an hour or so in the bay of Zincena on Pasman where we scooted around in gusts from the east. We headed off again at 1ish but still the wind didn’t really arrive for another couple of hours. We called in to Murter, a place that has come to feel like home having spent our boatyard time there. We had a great afternoon catching up with friends from Brighton who were holidaying in Croatia. Leaving Murter our journey south gave us some long overdue sails. Late morning a westerly to north westerly wind set in, building to a F4 or 5, perfect to get Emerald sailing.
The Great Wall of Ostrica
The wall ofOstrica
We were having trouble choosing our next place to go to in the islands between Rogoznica and Sibenik. Many suitable places are buoyed and others that initially looked good turned out to be deep close in and we didn’t want the faff of long lining to shore. We scanned the charts for something around the mainland instead and the large bay of Mirine near Grebastica looked ideal. It even had the remains of a medieval wall for added interest. After an hour or so motoring out around through the islands north of Murter the wind came up from the west and we had another good sail mostly on a broad reach. Arriving in the anchorage mid afternoon we were very pleased to find loads of space.
Lovely views
Ashore there are tracks through the woods and with a bit of a scramble, we were able to get up close to the wall. The wall was built to keep the Turks away in the 15th century. In Croatian it is called ‘bedem’ meaning defensive. It’s is in very good condition given its age, some stones at the water end have been borrowed away for reuse in other buildings, but otherwise in very good nick.
Thunder clouds puffed up and rumbled inland, but they didn’t trouble us. It was a lovely, peaceful and spacious anchorage.
Lots of space in this anchorage. Bubbly thunder clouds forming inland
Solta
A happy Emerald romping away
Another great broad reach sail had us chomping up the miles towards Solta. We seemed to have joined a huge exodus of boats heading towards Split, white triangles of sail as far as we could see. It was charter change over day tomorrow and they were all heading back to base; some of them could do with reviewing their rules of the road. As we now heading back into an area busy with charter fleets, we were a little nervous that our chosen anchorage of Necujam would be crowded but as we got closer it pleased us to see boat after boat leaving.
Where Free Willy retired to?
Sailing down past the island of Drvenik it looked like we were being chased by herds of galloping white horses as the wind increased. As it was all behind us Emerald was romping along under genny alone.
The bay of Necujam is wide and long but deep, 20m plus in the middle. There are some inlets along the north side where yachts were long lined ashore but did I mention we don’t like tying to shore? Down in the very western tip of the bay more boats were leaving and we snuggled into a gap in 8m depth. Even more boats left and we had another lovely, peaceful evening.
Emerald at Necujam
We wore ourselves out with a walk the next morning and by mid-afternoon a few charter boats were arriving. Unfortunately we’d parked right in front of the restaurant they were using that night and ended up being surrounded, but unexpectedly they left a decent distance between us.
Sailing Info
26th July: Lamljana to Zincena to Murter, 24nm travelled (8nm sailed)
Anchored in Zincena in 7m in position 43 54.8’N 15 22.47’E
Anchored in Murter 4.5m in position 43 49.43’N 15 35.27’E
As mentioned in a previous blog, Murter is a holiday town with most provisions available.
28th July: Murter to Mirine, 24nm travelled (15nm sailed)
Anchored in 6m in position 43 38.52’N 15 56.88’E
Very good holding and clear water.
A rural anchorage, no bars, restaurants or shops. There were very few boats there when we visited.
29th July: Mirine to Necujam, Solta, 32nm travelled (26nm sailed)
Anchored in 8m in position 43 23.037’N 16 18.878’E
A holiday resort, restaurants and bars with a small supermarket in amongst the holiday home complex.