Kornati archipelago

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* ''Donji Kornati'' (Lower Kornati), including the island of Kornat, are mostly facing the open sea in the southwest.
* ''Donji Kornati'' (Lower Kornati), including the island of Kornat, are mostly facing the open sea in the southwest.
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The islands of ''Donji Kornati'' belong to the [http://www.np-kornati.hr/en '''National park Kornati''']. Although tourism is allowed and even encouraged there, the majority of land there is still privately owned. The park is just S of the island of [[Dugi Otok]] where is another Croatian park, ''Telašćica Nature Park'', which is located around a homonymous bay of [[Luka Telašćica]].
+
The islands of ''Donji Kornati'' belong to the [http://www.np-kornati.hr/en '''National park Kornati''']. Although tourism is allowed and even encouraged there, the majority of land is still privately owned. The park is just S of the island of [[Dugi Otok]] where there is another Croatian park, ''Telašćica Nature Park'', located around the homonymous bay of [[Luka Telašćica]].
In the National park Kornati mooring is only allowed in the designated bays, some of which are equipped with mooring buoys and several with restaurants.  The only other mooring option among the islands is the ACI-operated [[Marina Piskera]] on the SW side of Otok Piskera, which is open from April to October only.
In the National park Kornati mooring is only allowed in the designated bays, some of which are equipped with mooring buoys and several with restaurants.  The only other mooring option among the islands is the ACI-operated [[Marina Piskera]] on the SW side of Otok Piskera, which is open from April to October only.

Revision as of 22:40, 6 January 2017

WorldMediterraneanAdriatic SeaCroatiaKornati archipelago
Kornati archipelago
43°48.912'N, 015°20.297'E Chart icon.png
lat=43.815207 | lon=15.338287 | zoom=11 | y
KornatiIslands.jpg
Magnify-clip.png
The Kornati Islands offer a unique cruising ground
POI icon.png | Interactive map of marina and anchorages

Kornati archipelago lie off the mainland coast of Croatia, 20 miles S of the city of Zadar and surrounded by the islands of Dugi Otok to the N, Murter to the E and Zirje to the S. The group consists of over 140 islands and islets of all sizes distributed on a NW/SE axis over an area of almost 85 square miles. Once generously covered with vegetation, the islands were gradually deforested over several generations to reveal bare, white limestone formations that gleam in the sunlight against the azure blue of the surrounding seas.

Geographically these islands can be divided into two main groups:

  • Gornji Kornati (Upper Kornati) aka Žutsko-sitska skupina (Žut-Sit group) are located closer to the mainland, including the northernmost island of Sit and the surrounding islets, divided by a channel from Žut and its surrounding islets to the south. Žut is the largest and most indented of these islands.
  • Donji Kornati (Lower Kornati), including the island of Kornat, are mostly facing the open sea in the southwest.

The islands of Donji Kornati belong to the National park Kornati. Although tourism is allowed and even encouraged there, the majority of land is still privately owned. The park is just S of the island of Dugi Otok where there is another Croatian park, Telašćica Nature Park, located around the homonymous bay of Luka Telašćica.

In the National park Kornati mooring is only allowed in the designated bays, some of which are equipped with mooring buoys and several with restaurants. The only other mooring option among the islands is the ACI-operated Marina Piskera on the SW side of Otok Piskera, which is open from April to October only.

Charts

British Admiralty
515
2711
Croatian chart
MK13
Imray
M25 (Otok Rab to Sibenik)

Weather

Diurnal winds among the islands are mostly moderate during the summer months, predominantly from NW and rarely exceeding force 4/5, although gusting is common in narrow channels between islands and on the lee side of headlands. At night, katabatic winds off the mountains affect some of the islands close to the mainland coast. During early spring and (especially) autumn conditions can be more unsettled, occasionally accompanied by violent thunderstorms - luckily of short duration - with winds of 30-35 knots or more and vicious, steep seas. In the winter the sudden, violent N wind off the mountains, the bora, is much to be feared, especially along the coast from Rijeka down to Zadar, although its effects can be felt as far south as Split.

Equally prevalent in winter - although not uncommon in summer - is the scirocco, a S/SE wind that blows up from North Africa, usually in advance of a depression moving E across the Mediterranean. Unlike the bora, the scirocco only occasionally exceeds gale force, but is still a phenomenon to be wary of, especially if on a lee coast.

For sources of weather forecasting, see Croatia.

Passages

See Croatia.

Islands

Donji Kornati

Inside the Kornati park

Gornji Kornati

Outside the Kornati park

  • Žut Žut /wiki/%C5%BDut Marina icon – marina |Anchorage icon – anchorage |
  • Sit Sit/wiki/Sit Anchorage icon – anchorage |
Key to symbols: |Port of entry icon – port of entry |Harbour icon – harbour |Marina icon – marina |Anchorage icon – anchorage ||

More islands listed at the site of Kormati park.

Communication

Add here VHF channel for coastguard, harbor masters. etc.

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

Navigation

The maximum speed of navigation in the National Park is 8 knots.

There are 4 zones of strict protection in the National park; no navigation (incl. anchorage, mooring and landing) is allowed there:

  • islet of Purara/wiki/Kornati_archipelago#PuraraWorld icon.png Purara [[Kornati archipelago#Purara|Purara]] 43°41.823'N, 015°26.216'E with cliffs Klint and Volić and 1200 m off their coastlines
  • islet of Mrtovnjak/wiki/Kornati_archipelago#MrtovnjakWorld icon.png Mrtovnjak [[Kornati archipelago#Mrtovnjak|Mrtovnjak]] 43°42.454'N, 015°32.114'E and 100 m off its coastline
  • islet of Kolobučar/wiki/Kornati_archipelago#Kolobu.C4.8DarWorld icon.png Kolobučar [[Kornati archipelago#Kolobučar|Kolobučar]] 43°44.389'N, 015°22.947'E and 250 m off its coastline
  • islets of Mali and Veliki Obručan/wiki/Kornati_archipelago#Veliki_Obru.C4.8DanWorld icon.png Veliki Obručan [[Kornati archipelago#Veliki Obručan|Veliki Obručan]] 43°50.042'N, 015°13.609'E and 200 m off their coastlines

Entrance

Zadar is the nearest port of entry. In summer only, Bozava and Sali on Dugi Otok are also ports of entry.

Fees / permits

Visiting the park is paid on a per boat basis. Tickets can be bought either at a tourist agency outside the park or alternatively the park's rangers issue tickets in situ, but bear in mind that this way you'll pay twice the "outside" price.

For more details check the links Ticket prices and fees and Spots of commission ticket sales at the bottom of Useful information page at the park's official site.

Berthing

A cove at the Lavsa island
Marinas and yacht clubs
  • Marina PiškeraMarina Piškera/wiki/Marina_Pi%C5%A1kera Marina icon – marina |
    -- actually the marina is at the island of Vela Panitula, next to the island of Piškera

Anchorages

Most of the anchorages are on the largest of the islands, Kornat, but there are further anchorages on the islands of Levrnaka, Lavsa, Zakan and Vela Smokvica.

Officially endorsed overnight anchorages are: Stiniva, Statival, Lupeška, Tomasovac - Suha punta, Šipnate, Lučica, Kravljačica, Strižnja, Vruje, Gujak, Opat, Smokica, Ravni Žakan, Lavsa, Piškera - Vela Panitula, Anica on Levrnaka, Podbižanj, and Koromašna.

Facilities

Water

See Marina Piskera

Electricity

See Marina Piskera

Toilets

In Marina Piskera.

Showers

N/A (Not Available).

Laundry

None.

Garbage

Bins in Marina Piskera.

Supplies

Fuel

Not available in the islands; nearest fuel station is Zaglav on Dugi Otok

Cooking gas

None.

Chandlers

None.

Services

Repairs

None.

Internet

N/A.

Mobile connectivity

Is there mobile telephone signal such as G4, G3, GPRS in the island? How strong is the signal? Are there any blind spots?

Vehicle Rentals

None.

Provisioning

Small convenience shops in Marina Piskera, Marina Zut and at u. Vrulje at the Kornat island.

Transportation

No public transport available, albeit there are numerous excursion boats coming from a number of popular spots on the mainland.

For nearest option see Sali Transportation.

Eating out

Tourism

The Tureta on Kornat island
The landscape offers poignant reminders of former days

The islands of the archipelago are arguably best appreciated from the sea or, if you are interested in marine life, underneath it. In addition to having national park status, much of the archipelago is also a marina conservation area and sea life is abundant in many of the bays and anchorages. Snorkelling is free, but scuba diving requires a separate permit, issued only to local Croatian diving establishments. Fishing is also prohibited without a licence.

Ashore, there are no permanent settlements, the sparsely scattered houses being occupied seasonally by fishermen or other owners from the mainland or adjoining islands. A large proportion of the summer residents consists of the restaurant owners and their families and national park staff, including the wardens whose job it is to ensure the regulations are observed.

Visitors stepping ashore are required to stick to designated paths on the islands as much of the land is private property, especially on the landward side. Drystone walls and the occasional straggly plantation are a reminder of the former days of sheep farming and basic agriculture on the islands. The main shore-based attractions for walkers are the high viewpoints of Metlina or Opat on Kornat island or Litnji Vrh on Smokvica island, which can be climbed by anyone reasonably fit and offer fantastic views over the archipelago.

Architecturally there are few traces of the various civilizations that inhabited the islands in former times, although there are outlines of dwellings and burial tumuli dating from pre-Roman times on several of the islands. Half way down the SW coast of Kornat island is the Tureta, the substantial remains of a squat, powerful fort believed to date to the 16th century and constructed to protect the seaways from pirate and other incursions.

Visitor's information

There are two information centres on the islands of the park:

  • Park Information Centre (Ravni Žakan)/wiki/Kornati_archipelago#Park_Information_Centre_.28Ravni_.C5.BDakan.29World icon.png Park Information Centre (Ravni Žakan) [[Kornati archipelago#Park Information Centre (Ravni Žakan)|Park Information Centre (Ravni Žakan)]] 43°43.557'N, 015°25.817'E
  • Park Information Centre (u. Vrulje)/wiki/Kornati_archipelago#Park_Information_Centre_.28u._Vrulje.29World icon.png Park Information Centre (u. Vrulje) [[Kornati archipelago#Park Information Centre (u. Vrulje)|Park Information Centre (u. Vrulje)]] 43°48.511'N, 015°18.484'E

Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

Links

References & Publications

See Croatia.

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

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Date of member's last visit to Kornati archipelago and this page's details validated:


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Names: Haiqu, Athene of Lymington


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