Croatia: Sailing the Dalmatian Coast

European tourists, especially Germans, Czechs and Italians, have been discovering Croatia?s Mediterranean beauty for years. Yet the republic, formed in December 1990, on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea with some 1,185 islands, islets and reefs stretching along its Dalmatian coast, does not seem well known among American travelers.

Invited to sail in Croatia in late September by Boulderites Jim and Lina Beckley, nine of us toured the country and sailed to several of its islands on a 51-foot boat through a Moorings charter. Of course, we also met three other couples from Boulder also sailing from the same charter company.

It?s always a small world for Boulder travelers.

Before sailing, we rented a spacious apartment of a Croatian family in Trogir, just north of the city of Split, where we toured Diocletian?s Palace, built by Roman Emperor Diocletian at the end of the third century A.D.
We sailed from Dubrovnik to beautiful bays on the islands of Sipan, Mljet and Korcula and the Peljesac Peninsula, endlessly fascinated by the area?s undeveloped beauty, ancient stonework of small seaside villages, deep blue waters of the Adriatic and memorable meals of mussels, clams and other seafood cooked in wood fires of brick ovens. There were also handmade cheeses, breads, fresh vegetables and delicious red and white Croatian wines.

After a week?s sail, we returned to Dubrovnik, walking the fortress wall that surrounds its old city and offers up seaside views of its red-tiled cathedrals, businesses and homes. Although the UNESCO world heritage site was bombed in the Yugoslav wars, restoration work continues today, and Croatia?s tourism future, especially as a sailing destination, seems assured.

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