As yet another low pressure system brought wind and rain to the English Channel our thoughts turned from passage making to Cherbourg to finding gentle breezes and some warmer weather.
The Adriatic Sea has always looked an interesting cruising ground and proved to be just what was required for a summer cruise.
The company Adria Services, based in Isola, Slovenia has a fleet of yachts to charter ranging from twenty five to fifty feet. We chartered a Bavaria 35 Match which was in good condition and well equipped.
The charts and pilot books were provided as was bed linen but bring your own towels and something to light the gas!
The handover was thorough. All our questions were answered and English is well spoken which helps with the technical queries.
Our aim was to sail south to Croatia and having experienced Caribbean red tape at the hands of the Customs and Immigration, the Slovenian and Croatian Customs could not have been more friendly or helpful.
A large Spar supermarket five minutes walk away provided us with all our requirements and there were plenty of restaurants to choose from along the quayside to eat ashore.
We visited several places on the very north of the coastline of Croatia. The towns had marinas for overnight stays with some mooring buoys for the short stops to run ashore for shopping or ice creams.
The weather was gentle enough on our trip for us to overnight at anchor in the small bays which although full during the day seemed to empty by dusk. The water was warm for swimming and clear to enjoy snorkelling, so the shower at the aft end of the cockpit proved very popular.
Our Bavaria 35 Match sailed well, the roller furling jib and lazy jacks on the main made sail handling easy. The cockpit was large enough for the five of us to enjoy with comfort. The boom tent was straightforward to rig, keeping the sun off the cockpit and cabin during the heat of the day.
On our return to Isola the team were ready to help with our berthing and end of cruise debriefing was swift and efficient.
On this occasion, as it was a last minute booking, we flew to Trieste in Italy intending to bus across the border to Isola. A four hour flight delay made our arrival time late so we took a bus to the city of Trieste and a taxi to Isola. The return trip had plenty of time and daylight to catch a bus all the way back to the airport, but we made a diversion to the famous Lipizzaner stud farm at Lipica in the mountains. It is a beautiful location and makes a lovely overnight stop.
Boris Oman and his team in the Adria Service office are always available to answer any questions. I look forward to our next visit!
Certificate requirements
Adria Services requires the skipper to have a minimum of an International Certificate of Competence to charter their yachts. This is a half day’s test and equates to Day Skipper level. Get yours with Cowes Sailing School.
