Our recent sailing trip took us to the beautiful town of Šibenik in Croatia and further up the picturesque Krka River.
In the neighborhood of Šibenik, we met with Marco and Bianca. When we just bought our catamaran in 2019, we stayed for 2 years in the Netherlands to learn to sail and to get to know the boat. In those 2 years we received 24 traininggroups on board and next to that, private guests who wanted to learn how to sail or wanted to buy a catamaran as well. Marco and Bianca were our first private guests, with whom we sailed from Stavoren to Enkhuizen.
So we have special memories on our trip with Marco and Bianca and have stayed in touch ever since! They now have a camper and travel Europe. We knew they would be in Croatia this time and we were able to travel together for 3 days which was a lot of fun!
First we went to the camping where their beautiful camper close to Šibenik was located now. It was very nice to meet them again and their cute dog Skye!
The next day, they spent the day with us on the catamaran and they boarded on our Lagoon42, also Skye enjoyed himself being on a Lagoon42 catamaran again and was very relaxed on the water!
Old Submarine Tunnel
Just before sailing into Šibenik, there was an old submarine tunnel on the right side of the coast. Used during the Homeland War in the early 1990s, this tunnel served as a shelter for the Croatian submarines, avoiding being bombed. Carved into the rock, it offers an impressive glimpse into the military history of the region.
The submarine tunnel is a relic from the Yugoslav period and offers a unique insight into the military tactics and infrastructure of that time. It is a surreal experience to see this tunnel, knowing the important role it played in Croatia’s recent history.
Šibenik
Situated on the Dalmatian coast, Šibenik is one of the oldest cities in Croatia. Šibenik is the only city on the Adriatic coast that was founded by the Croatians themselves, without any influence from the Romans, Byzantines or Venetians.
The area around Šibenik is known for its production of lavender oil, wine and olive oil. You see a lot of fortresses in this area, they played a crucial role in defending Šibenik from Ottoman attacks in the 16th century.
Walking through the Old Town of Šibenik
Šibenik has a rich history dating back to the 11th century. The Old Town is full of narrow streets, medieval buildings and hidden squares that take you back in time. It was a hot day, but we enjoyed walking the streets and having a local diner.
Wedding in Croatia
One of the highlights of Šibenik is the Cathedral of St. James, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built between 1431 and 1535, this cathedral is unique in that it is made entirely of stone, without the use of wood or metals.
We witnessed a newly married couple coming out of this church in Šibenik around 20:00h on this Saturday night. They danced together to beautiful traditional music. Family and friends stood around them clapping. The tamburica (a string instrument) and folklore dances are popular at weddings. It was fun to experience this exuberant wedding celebration. I think that in the Netherlands you don’t see someone waving a Dutch flag and the bride making a cool cheering gesture at the end.
Floating Mussel Shop
As we sailed away from Šibenik, deeper into land, we passed a floating mussel shop by a high Bridge. Here you can buy fresh mussels straight from the Adriatic sea, a delicacy that we definitely wanted to try. The guys from the shop already waved at us ;).
They weigh the mussels that we hanging into the salty water, then wash them with fresh water and bring them in a little boat to your ship.
We cooked half of them in white wine and half of them in beer. We enjoyed eating the mussels!
Under the bridge and up the Krka River
We continued our journey up the Krka River and passed this high bridge of 390 meters long and 30 meters high. We had our Code Zero sail up, our mast is 22 meters, but it still looks cramped when you sail underneath a 30 meter high bridge ;).
The Krka River is named after the ancient Illyrian goddess of waters. We already enjoyed the high mountains at the coast line, but here they became even larger and more close to the water. So if felt a bit like sailing in the fjords! Of course, the wind is now blocked from the mountains, so we put the sail away.
This river is famous for its beautiful waterfalls and green surroundings, ending up at the National Park of Krka. We didn’t go that far, we got back to our anchoring spot at the river. We noticed there while swimming, that the water was less salty than in the Adriatic sea itself. We use our watermaker a lot, making fresh water out of seawater. Gilles was surprised to find out that he usually has to use 800 psi and now it was only 350 psi. So the fresh water from the mountains really makes this water less saltier.
We enjoyed stayed in a bay at the Krka river in the crystal clear blue water, we saw a lot of fish while swimming there and a beautiful sunset!
