Otok Zirje was our next choice for finding a suitable anchorage in Croatia. This island, only 45 minutes away from our last anchorage, has 3 bays in the popular area called Uvala Stupica Vela and we chose the far eastern of the 3.
Arriving early, we had a choice spot to anchor and stern tie to shore not too far from a neighbouring boat that had done the same thing. But as the afternoon drew on, the ever incoming yachts crowded in around us. When a big catamaran tried to drop anchor and back down into the tight spot between us and the other boat and run a shore line, he had a problem.
As he was bearing down on us, sideways, Jordan heard his motor alarm go off which he immediately knew was a stalled motor. Manoeuvring a cat with only 1 motor in a tight spot with an onshore breeze and drifting sideways was an incident about to happen. So Jordan jumped in the dinghy and with full power, pushed up against the stern of the cat enabling the captain to use the other functional motor to back up without hitting our bow.
It missed our bowsprit by about 1 foot, not that we were worried because it is so heavy duty but it would have done a job on the cat's hull. A rope had wrapped around one of the cat's 'paws' which they soon cut loose and re-anchored properly. The happy group insisted on presenting Jordan with wine for his quick action that saved the day.
After a quiet evening, the next morning we continued onward to another bay on Otok Zirje (Uvala Tratinska) where we anchored and tied to a shore tree.
We had 2 visitors. Our first visitor was a "market boat" with produce, bakery, ice, ice cream, etc. We only needed bananas but alas he was sold out.
Home delivery
Early in the afternoon, our second visitor was an official who stated that we were not allowed to anchor in this bay and must leave or take a mooring ball. We did not wish to pay for mooring, after all, we felt that we were safely anchored and not a danger to those moored, so left.
After about an hour, we came to Otok Kakan and discovered a bay full of mooring balls (Uvala Potkucina). We decided to drop the hook in a safe area, wondering if again we would be asked to hook up or leave. And sure enough we were. As it was getting pretty windy and we didn't want to leave, we asked for a deal and he gave us a mooring ball for 100 Kuna ($20 CAD) instead of the usual 150 ($30 CAD) for this bay and our boat size.
Recent anchorages:
N43°38.195' E015°41.565' Jul 29 Otok Zirje (Uvala Stupica Vela)
N43°39.795' E015°37.510' Jul 30 Otok Zirje (Uvala Tratinska)
N43°41.836' E015°39.756' Jul 30 Otok Kakan (Uvala Potkucina: anchored)
N43°41.648' E015°39.899' Jul 30 Otok Kakan (Uvala Potkucina: moored)
If you couldn't find Chanty in the above photo, here is her little ear sticking out, circled in black. Not a good place if we were sailing downwind as an accidental jibe would 'cat'apault her overboard. Then she would be 'cat'atonic. It would be a 'cat'astrophe. LOL!
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