Basic HTML Version
Mentioning Senj, we have to decide to carry on
cruising along the coast or Krk, or cut across the
Velebit Channel, and sail right along the land.
The dilemma is the greater when we mention all
the historical interest of the city of Senj. The
Uskoks of Senj…
No. We are sailors, and if we have to pick island
or mainland, our natural bent is for the island.
Let us go along Krk.
We should not miss out on a visit to Vrbnik. In the
tourist guides it says it is a typical Frankopan
settlement that in its ground plan is similar to all
the others that the Dukes of Krk put up in the
Croatian Littoral. And, it goes on to say, the port is
protected fromall the winds. This can be said only
if you have never been caught by a bora in Vrbnik.
A strong bora. The pier does, it is true, protect the
harbour fromthe actual wind, but thewavesmake
such a mighty and very nasty confusion inside
that you dare not leave the boat for a moment,
constantly shifting the fenders fromone side to the
other to avoid damage. And then if you are caught
by a powerful bora in Vrbnik, itmeans that you are
actually imprisoned there.
If the weather is nice, you can really enjoy
yourself. For swimmers, there is an unusual
beach at the very foot of the great cliff that makes
up the seaward side of the eminence on which
the city itself is located. You can get to the first
beach on foot, but the second, which is at a
distance from the pier, can be reached only by
swimming. Or one of the locals might take you
in a small boat. The sun soon goes from the
beaches, but in the summer heats it must make
good sense to have an umbrella. For lovers of
good wine, Vrbnik is a place for trying the best
lahtina, a famed wine made from the grape of
the same name. Culture-vultures will also find
plenty of interest in Vrbnik. Hardly surprising,
when we know that Vrbnik was mentioned first
off in 1100, and in 1388 it gained its statute or
charter, written in the Glagolitic script.
Right opposite Vrbnik lies the lovely little bay
called rnovnica. Lovers of the land, so that you
should not have the right to criticise us, we
promise to visit it at the first opportunity, by road
if need be.
Getting deeper and deeper into the channel
Soline