Grandsons Sailing round Northern Adria

My two youngest grandsons Laurenz (3 years) and Valentin (9 month) with their parents Sophie and Christian, and their uncle Roland arrived in Marina Stella on Saturday 21st July. After two days of leisure in the beautiful and quiet marina and the spacious swimming pool we left for Croatia with a nice north westerly wind on Monday 23rd. We declared entry in Novigrad and dropped anchor in quiet Uvala Busuja for two relaxing days and nights.























Again with steady north westerly winds we sailed south to Pula, where we moored in the ACI Marina, had an early dinner with Pljeskavica sa sirom at Jupiter and explored the busy city at night. Early next morning we bought fish and vegetables at the picturesque Pula market and continued with light rain into the Medulin archpelago, where we anchored in Uvala Bijeca with pasta di verdura on board.













After a visit to the beach we crossed Kvarner Gulf and reached Susak harbor, where we found a mooring place on the outside mole. We - and in particular our youngsters - enjoyed three leisurely days at the shallow sandy beach playing, swimming, and walking. In the evening we relished dinner at Sansegus.

At noon of Monday, July 30th we motored to the south of Otok Losinj and anchored in crystal clear Uvala Tomozina for another comfortable swim and a good pasta meal. Next morning we crossed Kvarner Gulf back north tacking in a nice northerly wind and dropped anchor in Uvala Paltana for some swim and a lot of pancakes.












With no wind we motored further south alongside Pula and through Fazansky Kanal east of Brijuni and dropped anchor in turquoise Uvala Pulari south of Rovinj.

















After a rather windy swim we left Uvala Pulari, passed north of Otocic Sveti Andrija rounded Otok Sveta Katarina with a nice view of Rovinj, took a swim in Uvala Sesula and finally moored in Marina Porec. We had a good Croatian dinner at Konoba Aba and strolled around in the old city. Next morning we bunkered some food, refueld some diesel, and declared exit. With fine east-north-easterly winds we sailed north until Grado, where we moored in the city harbor early afternoon. We strolled around the city, visited the sandy beach and enjoyed dinner at Osteria in Contrada.

We left Grado at noon on Saturday, August 4th, crossed the Bay south of Porto Buso and entered Laguna di Marano again east of Punta Faro, Lignano. Two hours before high tide we passed Canale Cialisia with a minimum depth of 1.4m and finally moored in Marina Stella early afternoon. We finalized our infant-cruise with a healthy dinner at Al Cacciatore .


We sailed 51h and logged 233sm in 13 days. You may download our track in gpx-format or view it directly on GoogleMaps.

Cruising Laguna di Marano

After Jonas and his parents had left my wife Ilse and I left Marina Stella on Monday, July 16th three hours before high tide, motored downstream Fiume Stella, pumped up our lifting keel and rudder to a draft of 0.9m, and continued with no wind through the piles of Canale Cialisia. We decided to continue inside Laguna di Marano on the famous Litoranea Veneta, so we motored north in the direction to Marano and then turned east into Alacciante di San Andrea, turned south to shallow Canale Zelina with only 1.2m depth, where we again turned east through Canale Muro with minimum depths of 1.5m to Porto Buso. Continuing Canale Anfora Vecchia e passed north of Isola Anfora. In Canale Secco minimum depth was 1.8m and further east in Canale di San Pietro depths were never below 2m. We moored in the town harbor of Grado, strolled around the old city and enjoyed dinner in Osteria in Contrada, while heavy thunderstorms hit the city.

We bought some bread, prosciutto and ravioli at the local market in the morning and then left the Laguna. For a good swim we anchored south of Villaggio Primero. With black clouds we continued east and after turning north for Monfalcone we were hit by forceful squalls and a heavy hailstorm. We entered the harbor and anchored in Bacino di Panzano east of Fincantieri shipyard. Soon the weather cleared up and we could see assiduous works going on on the new M/S Costa Venezia  with a lenght of 323m for up to 5260 Chinese guests. We had the ravioli from Grado  for dinner.


Next morning we explored the Timavo canals northeast of Monfalcone, visited Duino and Sistiana and anchored for a swim south of Aurisina. At Castello di Miramare we turned south for Marina San Rocco, where we moored and walked to Muggia, where we had a delicious fish-dinner on the terrace of Ittiturismo La Terrazza.

With nice weather we continued south into Slovenia next day and anchored in Strunjansky Zaliv for some good swimming, salads and wine on board. A nice southerly wind pushed us next morning on our last leg back to Lignano and upstream to Marina Stella.


We sailed 26h and logged 104sm in 5 days. You may download our track in gpx-format or view it directly on GoogleMaps.

Venice Lagoon via Istria to Marano Lagoon

On Wednesday 4th, July two hours before high tide my 5 year old grandson Jonas, his parents Isa and Matthias and my wife Ilse left Marina Stella, motored downstream Fiume Stella, then followed Canale Cialisia, and set sail east of Lignano tacking west to Jesolo. After sunset we moored in Porto Touristico di Jesolo and had perfect Pizza at Da Berton.







Next morning we continued west, stopped for a short swim and entered Venice Lagoon through Porto Lido. We moored vis a vis  San Marco Square at San Giorgio Maggiore, where the friendly ormeggiatore of Compagnia della Vela Venezia waited for us.














For the next two days we explored Venice by foot and vaporetto. Jonas had three times delicious ice cream at Gelato Fantasy
We very very happy with Guidecca Restaurants  al storico da Crea and Altanella; Ai Pescatori on Burano and B Restaurant alla Vecchia Pescheria on Murano.

At noon on Saturday 7th we motored west of Le Vignole and on the north side of Sant' Erasmo, then further north passing San Francesco del Deserto in depth about 2m to Burano, where we turned south to Treporti and then east to Le Saline, where we spent a wonderful night at anchor. At sunrise next morning we set sail to Croatia, leaving Venice Lagoon via Porto Lido. Driven by steady northerly winds we reached Novigrad early afternoon and declared entry into Croatia. We anchored in Luka Cervar Porat, took a healthy swim and had a nice potato and vegetable stew for dinner on board. For another relaxing day at anchor we moved to near Uvala Sv. Martin and savored spaghetti tonno.










Tuesday 10th afternoon we moored in Marina Porec, visited the old city and had dinner at Gostionica Tri Bacve .

Next morning after refueling we motored south to Zelena Laguna, where we spent another leisurely day and night at anchor. We set sail to Novigrad declaring exit next day and motored back to Lignano with no wind at all. After a relaxing swim we entered Marano Lagoon east of Punta Faro and dropped anchor north of Canale Lustri in safe depth of 2m for a lot of pancakes and a peaceful night. With high tide next morning we motored north and up Fiume Stella, and reached finally Marina Stella at noon. We celebrated our cruise and the doctorate conferral of our son Matthias at Trattoria Al Paradiso.

We sailed 35h and logged 177sm in 10 days. You may download our track in gpx-format or view it directly on GoogleMaps.

Culture Cruise in Northern Adriatic Seas

When my friend Wilhelm came on board in Marina Stella on Monday 4th of June 2018 we had to wait for high tide and then motored south through Laguna di Marano and anchored near Porto Buso. Wilhelm prepared a wonderful Risotto di Radicchio. During the night the wind changed and at 5:00 our boat lay only 20cm above a bank of sand. So we started the motor and pulled the boat to deeper grounds before low tide would run us aground.

After a healthy breakfast we set sail to Novigrad, where we declared entry into Croatia and continued south with stormy weather. We moored in Marina Porec and explored the nice medieval city of Porec. We visited the impressive Euphrasian Basilica  and had a nice turbot at Sv. Nicola Restaurant.
We refueled next morning, declared exit and motored north with nearly no wind, passed the famous lighthouse Savudrija and sailed slowly near Piran in Slovenia. Finally we moored in Porto San Rocco Marina, where we took a walk to Muggia and explored the nice city and had a wonderful dinner at the terrace above the fishermans cooperative society at Ittiturismo La Terrazza.

Next morning we went by bus No. 27 to Parco di Muggia Vecchia, where we visited the little basilica of Santa Maria Assunta (10th-13th century), housing frescoes from the 14th-15th centuries. At noon we motored to Trieste and moored in Marina San Giusto. We took bus No 6 to Miramare and visited the nice castle and park with thunder and rain. Back in Trieste we had a very sweet cafe at Peratoners Caffe degli Specchi, visited the new branch of Eataly and had a nice dinner at Al Bagatto.

After a heavy thunderstorm we sailed west to Grado, visited the small city harbor and then motored north through Canale della Taida and further on fiume Natissa to Marina di Aquileia. During high tide the minimum water level was 1.4m. We visited the famous Basilica di Aquileia with her famous mosaics and frescoes.
With the help of a friendly Italian couple who took us back to the marina in heavy rain in their small car we had a hefty pizza at Da Nettuno

Early on Saturday, 9th with sunny weather we went back south and motored west through Litoranea Veneta and Taglio Nuovo. We anchored north of Canale Anfora Vecchia. At noon we took the dinghy to Ai Ciodi , where we enjoyed a selection of tasty Antipasti Mare in a wonderful location. Late afternoon we sailed from Porto Buso to Lignano and continued with high tide up Canale Cialisia with minimum waterlevel of 1.5m to Fiume Stella and ended our cruise moored again in Marina Stella, where we savoured local cheese and Refosco wine.

We sailed 36h and logged 137sm in 6 days. You may download our track in gpx-format or view it directly on GoogleMaps.