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  ailors
who come from the northernmost part of the Adriatic, passing by Umag, Rovinj and
Pula… will sail into the Gulf of Kvarner after turning Porer lighthouse.
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The quite obvious commingling of currents right by Porer, which
is so strong that sometimes the swirling of the water creates a feeling of
discomfort, will tell even landlubbers that there is a border of some kind.
Sailors, no matter what those who are responsible for determining the boundaries
between states or regions or units defined in some other way aver, will agree
that from Porer eastwards it is the typically Kvarnerian meteorological
conditions that rule. The bora, for example, one of the main factors
distinguishing the Kvarner from any other bay (or appertaining section of sea)
blows in one way up to Porer, and in another west of it. The waves roll to that
lighthouse borne by the strong bora from the quick foothills of Cres, while to
the west of Porer they are not be to found.
This is why Porer, looked at in the
eyes of the mariner, forms an integral part of the Gulf of Kvarner. In the event
of some emergency, like having set sail for Unije or Susak and then being forced
to turn back after a mile or two, the logical choice is to go to Porer.
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the nautical chart it can be seen that the entrance into Pomer is very
narrow and shallow. To this one has to add the fact that we are talking about
times when we are being forced by rough weather to take shelter in Pomer. If
there is a bora, the waves are big indeed. Big and fast. While setting a course
to get in to Pomer, one should not forget that the chart has depth values that
hold good for a calm sea. If we are sailing in with waves two metres high we
have to realise that the depths marked should be reduced by half the height of
the wave.
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You have to sail into Pomer between the
islet of Ceja and the islet of Bodulas, aiming at Munat Point. Fener, an islet
that is located several cables south east of Ceja has to be cleared from the
east. At night the light on Munat Point will lead us with its white sector right
to the entrance in the narrowest part of the bay. Some will say that it is
dangerous to sail into this bay at night. In this guide for yachtsmen we have
attempted not to use the word dangerous. For at sea, everything can become
dangerous if you don’t act in accord with the fundamental principles of
navigation. So if the entrance to Porer were unmarked, if there were no light,
we would agree that it would be dangerous to sail in here. But in this case, one
just has to stick to the instructions on the chart, and there is no reason to
talk of any peril. Of course, this is assuming that one knows how to read the
chart. But if one does not, then it is dangerous set out to sea at all, let
alone try to get somewhere.
ailing into the Gulf of
Kvarner from Pomer is much harder if there is a strong bora or sirocco. Both
waves create big waves here, and anyone who does not know the direction of the
currents will find his own movements quite a mystery. In both cases, then, the
uninitiated would do well to return to Pula.
If one had to choose which is the least pleasant wind here (for neither is
dangerous per se), one would after all plump for the bora. The waves from the
sirocco, however large they are, will always give us some choice: to go back to
the safety of one of the bays in Istria, or attempt to push through to some part
of Kvarner out of the way of the south wind.
But unlike the southerly, the bora will attempt to shoo us
out of Kvarner. At any rate it is good to have your passport with you. The
Adriatic is not so big that if we get caught by bad weather we might not opt to
tie up on the neighbouring coast, that of Italy. After the seventy miles that
separate our coast from theirs, the bora will be found to have lost some of its
strength.
We might remind the more obstinate, or those who for
some reason or other cannot put off crossing the Kvarner, that there are some
fifteen miles to Unije, the first certain refuge. Motor vessels will find it
hard to put up with the waves from the bora because they come straight from the
beam. Sailing ships will have to sail very close-hauled indeed, adjusting the
course with plenty of manoeuvres. Somewhere around half way across Kvarner the
bora will start blowing from a direction more favourable to those using
sail-power, and when we have got into the lee of Unije, the crew is very likely
going to agree to stop and have a good rest on the island.
Kvarner storms
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 his
is an opportunity to say a bit more about these well-known Kvarner storms. For
coming from the direction of Porer, the most open part of the Gulf is before
us. Twenty miles is quite enough to be surprised by a summer storm.
 There
are various proverbs that tell us how to behave at sea when we are overtaken by
a storm. Although at the beginning of this guide we said how much we valued the
centuries-amassed wisdom of the local sailors, now is the time to say that
times have after all changed, and that some experience cannot be applied to
contemporary craft.
First of all, one has to say that
surprises are increasingly a rarity, for meteorology has become a remarkably
exact science. The signs of a storm brewing are also easily visible. When the
cumulus grows into cumulonimbus, with the highest layers stretching most
blatantly into their characteristic anvil, we can be sure that a storm is going
to plunge down upon the sea (some people compare the anvil to the grey beard of
an old man).
Before the advent of the first rush of
rain and wind, a calm will reign upon the water. Since these are summer storms,
they are accompanied by a particular mugginess. Before the wind that causes the
storm hits, a light breeze usually blows towards it from the opposite quarter,
most often coming from the land, bringing the scent of pines with it. This does
not all take place at once, and since storms are most common in the afternoon
or just before evening, a look to the west is enough to foresee its coming.
The
most important thing is that a storm is an integral part of sailing and there
is no need to flee it. And anyway, the speed at which it goes tells us that
there is no way of escaping it.
Today’s vessels are so constructed that
the typical Kvarner storm, which usually lasts just twenty minutes or half an
hour, cannot be a real threat. Unless, of course, we make some crucial error.
For
example. We have sailed out without listening to the forecast. For if we are in
some marina, or at some safe mooring or at anchor and a storm is forecast, it
is better to wait for it to pass over, and see what the weather is like after
that.
 We
have to make quite sure that the bay in which we have anchored is securely
protected from the storm. In principle, unsafe anchorages are those that are
open to the west. In such a case, never drop yet another anchor. Any kind of
doubt about the safety of an anchorage has to force you to sail out. You might
wonder what the next step is after you have dropped a second anchor. A third?
No, the next step is abandoning ship. And then watch terrified from the shore
wondering what is going to happen to it. If you have stuck with one anchor,
then you have to check whether you can raise it without difficulty. Or get a
sharp knife ready. You have to be ready to sail out.
A
second example. If we have already set sail in the conviction that the
storm cannot touch us, and after some time seen the sky blackening and dropping
right down to touch the sea, then we don’t go back, no matter how scared
we are. You have to sail as far possible from the land and the islands, because
during a storm the only real danger comes from land. If we turn back in a
fright and attempt to get to the land under power, the most likely thing is
that the first really powerful gust will get us just before we get into the
haven. And since we are not going to be on our own, because many will be
attempting to take cover (power craft, primarily, relying on speed and the
power of their engines), anything might happen. Inexperience is no good as an
excuse, because a great deal of experience is required to handle a boat in this
crush. Everyone will be attempting to tie up somewhere, anywhere, and so it is
much safer on the open sea.
The third example.
If we have followed this advice and stayed at sea, people on a sailing boat
have to raise the sail. The oldsters said that you had to drop the sails in a
storm, but they had different rigging, different sails. We suggest raising the
mainsail, with two or three reefs taken in, and calmly wait out the first
onslaught of the wind.
Mistake number four:
starting the engine.
All these mistakes tend to be made out of fear. But
fear, just like the storm itself, is a part of sailing, and there is no need to
be ashamed of it. For the experienced, fear is a sign that something has to be
done. And the only thing to be done is to prepare the ship for the storm.
 Well,
then, first of all, up goes the sail. The mainsail, or if it is our intention
to sail in the direction of the storm’s own movement, the storm jib. That is
why it is called a storm jib. The battens have to be checked, and the thin
cording that regulates the tension of the trailing edge of the sail has to be
tautened. Many will say that they won’t raise the sail because they don’t
want it torn to shreds. But if the sail is set in this way, the wind won’t do
anything to it. Sails split when they flap out of control, but the force of the
wind won’t tear them if they have one or two reefs taken in. Since most
yachtsmen today use roll sails, find a way of tautening the trailing edge.
All
of the valves that stop water getting in have to be closed. Some ships have
more trouble with this, some less, but it is important to close them all.
Things on deck have to be fastened down, and everything below deck put in
its place. If there are children aboard, have them sit in the cabin with
someone older.
Those who stay on deck prepared for life and death battle (joke) have to put
on their safety harness. It is not a good idea to buck yourself up with long
draughts of spirits because you have to get used to the fear. And anyway, you
can be quite certain that the storm can do nothing to you. It is a lot more
dangerous living in the city.
Before the storm hits, remember the course on the compass
that guarantees to take us away from the land. It might happen that there is
such a downpour that it will prevent us from seeing anything around the ship,
and one has to trust to the compass and the course one has remembered.
When the first gust hits - then sail! Sail into the wind, into the storm.
And you will be surprised how a ship made ready in this way will find its own
way through the wind and the waves. It won’t be fast, but it will be safe.
Don’t even consider any sea anchors or ropes to stabilize the ship. You
will only get tangled up in them. This is for the ocean, and for the very
experienced.
There, the storm has gone by. And when the rain stops, what a surprise. We
are already just off Unije.
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 If
we are just at the beginning of the cruise, and contact with civilization seems
a bit beside the point, we can take refuge in Vrulje Bay, which is located in
the southern part of the island (it’s a good refuge only from the bora). The
bottom of the bay is pebbly, and an anchor is not very reliable.
The
settlement of Unije is on the western coast of the island. Abutting on
the very centre of the village, a smallish pier extends into the sea, a red
lighthouse at the end of it. There is space for a dozen yachts, and the depth of
the sea at the head of the pier is greater than five metres. You can tie up only
on the inner side of the pier.
If there is no space on the pier, then anchor in the middle of the bay. One
anchors at a depth of 5 to 10 metres. During anchoring, we can give ourselves
some help by drawing a line in the mind’s eye between the head of the pier and
the Školjić rock. The anchor should be dropped somewhere
around this line. That part of the bay between the rock and Unije (towards the
protuberant Nart Point) is not deep enough and has to be avoided.
If we halt in Unije overnight, we shouldn’t be surprised by banging on the
deck in the morning, because the regular passenger ship docks in the harbour,
and almost everyone tied up here will have to shift. But if the bora has
stopped, this is a good opportunity to set off on an early tour of the island.
A very photogenic part of the island, sailing to the north, bears the name
Vele Stijene. The vertical cliffs that sweep into the sea recall the landscape
of the Kornati. Somewhat further to the north we will come up on the very
attractive Zasmokve Bay. Sailing further along the coast of Unije you have to
watch out for shoals, marked with crosses, which means that some rock is right
below the surface of the water.
For those who are inclined to adventure, it will be a
challenge to sail between the islet of Samunćel and
the coast of Unije. Any anyway, on a rock right next to the islet there is a
sign that warns sailors to go round the western side.
 On
the eastern coast of Unije there are three coves - Maračol, Podkujni and
Vognišća. All of these lovely bays have cut deep into the island of Unije. Of
them, Maračol gives the best cover from the bora.
Of course, coming from Pomer we could not take cover in these bays, but for
those who think the bora is too strong while they are sailing around that part of
the coast of Lošinj that Osorčica rises above, these coves represent a certain
refuge. The bora,
though strong, blows in the direction of the points, and right behind the points
we will find good shelter. But if you have a choice about which to sail into,
then the choice is for Maračol
This bay still hides
traces of military supply dumps. Since the army always chooses the best
shelters, the number of sailors who trust their safety to this cove need not
surprise us. The crush is the greater if there is rough weather. The end of the
cove has a bridge built over it. The bottom is sandy, and in the middle of the
bay the anchor will touch the bed at 7 to 9 metres.
Further
to the south there are no great items of interest for sailors. One sign for
shoals is to be found not far from the southernmost cape of Unije, but since we
can sail round it from all sides it is no particular challenge. Nevertheless, it
is worth taking a good look at the relief of this shoal on the map.
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The
Srakane islands. There are Velike and Male Srakane (Big and Little
respectively). Two islands, islets, located along the line of the southern cape
of Unije.
The Srakane islands are somehow
mysterious. People are seldom seen upon them. Even the islands are somehow
hidden, though well lit at night. Between the Big and the Little there is a
shallow passage. It is said that the people from Little, or perhaps Big, swim at
night from one island to the other, so that we should not know which of these
two islands they spend the night on. Their concealment is aided and abetted by
the rushes, plants taller than a man, and… No, it’s just a joke. There is no
reason for them to hide from us. In fact, they are rather well known for their
hospitableness. Particularly in winter. For in the sea around them, in winter a
great many squid congregate. Fishermen come here from all over the However we go
round the Srakane(s), we won’t easily see a bay that looks like a shelter. But
if curiosity nevertheless drives us to stop here, this can be done only in one
place. In Gornja Trata Bay, which is on the south west of the island, below the
village of Vele Srakane, there is a concrete pier some fifteen metres long. At
the head of the pier the depth of water is about three metres, and the only safe
mooring is at the head of the pier.
The Srakane duo are
a good overture to what is waiting for us on an island located some four miles
to the south - Susak.
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 f
Kornati is the archipelago most painted, Susak is the island most talked of.
Some people have even taken their doctorates about all the particularities of
the place. It is interesting to many. Linguists study the language of the
Susakites, which is different from all other Croatian dialects. Vintners look
for the secret of the far-famed wines of the island. Builders study the way the
Susakites filter seawater through the sand and produce brackish water.
Biologists are fascinated by the vegetation of it, and geologists try to figure
out how it was formed. The Susakites themselves, obviously not overwhelmingly
interested in these topics, have emigrated en masse. This has led to a new twist
for the linguists, because they now talk a language replete with Americanisms.
There is one more thing that distinguishes the island from all others. Instead
of with the well-known dry stone walls, the holdings on this island are
separated by rushes. It is cut in such a way that it grows like walls between
the fields, also protecting the crops from winds and spindrift.
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the highest elevation of the island is a conspicuous lighthouse the light of
which has a very great range, being one of the three most powerful in the
Adriatic. At night, at regular intervals of time, its light touches the whole of
the island, and if we take the effort to climb up to some eminence, during windy
nights it will create for us a rare play of light in the rushes that grow all
around.
Susak ladies are known for their unusual
traditional costumes. They are studied by ethnologists (the clothing). Many
couples come from America, more precisely from New York’s Hoboken, to get
married here, paying tribute to their origins in this manner.
 The
port of Susak is called Dragoča. This is the only place on
the island where one can tie up. The pier protects the little harbour from the
bora, but it is very nasty to have to sail in while this wind is actually
blowing. Only twenty metres from the head of the pier, on which there is a green
lighthouse, lie the remains of a ruined pier. This is not just a stone, a rock,
but the whole underwater length of a demolished pier. In the inner part of the
harbour lots of barques of the local population are tied up. However, sensible
of the value of tourism, they usually leave spots free for yachtsmen. But of
course, since Susak is a very attractive island, we often won’t find any room
left.
 At
the head of the pier the depth of water is about two metres, at the inner berths
it is about three at the very end, and alongside the sides about two. On the
lighthouse itself there are signs banning anchoring, primarily because of the
passenger ship that ties up here every day, linking Susak and Mali Lošinj.
If there is no place in the harbour, we will very likely find some opposite
the sandy beach Susak is famed for. It is located in Bok Bay. What is more, it
is said that bathing from the beaches of Susak helps women who would like to
have children but find it difficult to conceive.
You have to anchor a hundred metres or so from the beach, because the coast
deeps down very gently. Behind the beach rise mountains of sand, into which some
of the many visitors have dug real caves. They sometimes spend several days in
them, revelling in all the particularities of the island. At the end of the
beach close to the town is a well of brackish water, which is perfectly
acceptable for showering in.
On the other side of Susak, although we constantly
say it is an island of sand, we will come upon a rocky shore. Since Bok Bay is
exposed to all the winds from the first quadrant, it is good to know of the
shelter in Tiseni Bay. Sailing further along the island after Tiseni Bay, making
use of the chart to make sure we don’t get stuck on some shoal, we can sail
into Suzanski Bay. On the southern short of Susak, Porat Bay has snuck deep into
the island. Probably this is the best anchorage on the whole of the island
during the bora. Here too we have to anchor at some distance from the coast,
because once again the bottom slopes down very gradually into deep water.
After
Susak, insofar as we have not fallen in love with it, the journey leads us to
Mali Lošinj or Ilovik. In fact, we have already reached them once before in
this guide, during our first itinerary.
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