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Sailing routes

Kvarner: Krk, Rab, Lošinj and Cres in a week

A one-week route from Punat on Krk for more experienced crews: Rab, Silba, Mali Lošinj, Osor and Cres, with longer legs and a bura on which every plan depends.

days
7
nautical miles
140
Longest leg (NM)
25
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Kvarner is a sea area of large islands and long channels. The legs here are longer than in Dalmatia, the harbours further apart and the bays quieter. Marina Punat, in the almost enclosed Puntarska draga, is one of the largest charter bases in the northern Adriatic.

Everything in Kvarner is planned around bura: it is strongest in the Velebit Channel and the Kvarner Gulf, and it arrives almost without warning. The route therefore keeps to the more westerly, more sheltered waters, but it calls for a crew that knows how to reef in good time.

Krk - Rab - Lošinj - Cres

Day-by-day itinerary

  1. 1

    Day 1

    Punat - Rab

    approx. 20 NM3.6 h under wayRab

    From Puntarska draga south to Rab. The town with its four bell towers can be recognised from afar. The ACI marina is opposite the old town; in a strong jugo you feel the swell in the harbour.

    Overnight: Rab, ACI marina Rab

  2. 2

    Day 2

    Rab - Silba

    approx. 23 NM4.2 h under waySilba

    Across Kvarnerić to Silba, a car-free island. The two harbours on its two coasts complement each other, so you choose the one that is in the lee that day. Sveti Ante bay in the south of the island is sheltered from northerly winds.

    Overnight: Silba

  3. 3

    Day 3

    Silba - Mali Lošinj

    approx. 18 NM3.3 h under wayLošinj

    Past Ilovik, with the option of a stop on a buoy in the channel, and up the west coast of Lošinj into Lošinj bay. Mali Lošinj has a marina, a town quay, a fuel station and every kind of shop.

    Overnight: Mali Lošinj, Lošinj

  4. 4

    Day 4

    Mali Lošinj - Osor

    approx. 17 NM3.1 h under wayCres

    North along the west coast of Lošinj to Osor, a small town on the cut that separates Cres from Lošinj. West of the bridge you anchor in Bijar bay or berth alongside the quay. Osor was once an ancient town on the Amber Road.

    Overnight: Osor, uvala Bijar, Cres

  5. 5

    Day 5

    Osor - Cres

    approx. 20 NM3.6 h under wayCres

    North along the west coast of Cres, with a stop in Martinšćica or below Lubenice, to the town of Cres. The ACI marina lies in a deep, well-protected bay.

    Overnight: Cres, ACI marina Cres

  6. 6

    Day 6

    Cres - Malinska

    approx. 25 NM4.5 h under wayKrk

    The longest leg: round the northern cape of Cres and across Kvarner to Malinska on Krk. Set off early and only with a checked forecast, because this part of the route is the most exposed to bura.

    Overnight: Malinska, Krk

  7. 7

    Day 7

    Malinska - Krk - Punat

    approx. 17 NM3 h under wayKrk

    Along the west coast of Krk to the town of Krk, where it is worth stopping for lunch and a walk along the walls. Then another three miles to Puntarska draga and the marina.

    Via: KrkOvernight: Punat, Marina Punat, Krk

Tips for this route

  • The swing bridge at Osor opens twice a day, at 9:00 and 17:00, and the cut is about three metres deep. This route stays west of the bridge, so no opening is needed.
  • Bura is strongest in the Velebit Channel and the Kvarner Gulf. When it is forecast, stay in harbour or shorten the leg.
  • Fuel: Krk, Mali Lošinj and Cres.
  • The entrance to Puntarska draga is narrow: keep to the marked fairway.

Distances are approximate and calculated for the shortest safe passage. Time under way is calculated at a speed of about 6 knots.

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Safety

Emergency at sea

Croatia's national maritime search and rescue coordination centre (MRCC Rijeka) is on watch 24 hours a day. Save the number before you set off.

Before you call, have ready the boat's position (coordinates or the nearest headland, island or bay), the number of people on board and a description of the problem. A call to 112 is put through to the maritime rescue centre.

Get out on the water yourself

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The information is for guidance only and does not replace official nautical charts, pilot books or forecasts. Check the current conditions and regulations before you set off.