A night ride to Rab, 20-21 June

With the need to return to Pula by the end of the week—and a forecasted storm approaching—we decided on a one-shot night sail from Šibenik to Rab, a 90-nautical-mile passage. Our decision was guided by the forecast of a moderate Bora event, with wind speeds around 14 m/s (28 knots), which we expected would allow us to maintain a steady 7 to 8 knots under sail, significantly shortening the time needed to cover the distance.

Passing Sibenik at night

It worked as expected: under two reefs and the staysail, we made good speed through the night. However, the Bora lasted much longer than anticipated, extending well into the next day. While the boat handled the conditions well, the prolonged exposure to strong winds and confused seas made for a demanding passage...
Here is the route that we followed.

In the middle of the night, across Turanj, we passed the island of Galešnjak that became famous in February 2009 when Google Earth brought it to the world attention. Galešnjak is uninhabited and privately owned. But you can organise engagement and wedding parties there...

Galešnjak on Belisama chart plotter

The forecast was as follows on Windy (left) and on the Bora forecast Croatian site (right):

The two forecasts diverged notably around the Zadar area: Windy predicted much lighter winds, while the Croatian national forecast maintained stronger Bora conditions—and in the end, the locals were right. It seemed that the usual land breeze I’m familiar with was combining with the cold Bora, intensifying the northeasterly winds during the second half of the night. By sunrise, the wind gradually began to ease.

The photo below shows the typical cloud “waves” formed by this interaction. These striking formations originate from the peaks of the Velebit mountain range and stretch seaward, a signature pattern of the Bora and land breeze convergence in the early morning hours.

By late morning in the same area, the breeze had completely faded, leaving only a scattering of cumulus humilis, the first signs of a developing sea breeze, which would gradually build strength into the afternoon. It was a fascinating learning experience, revealing how local wind patterns interact and evolve over the course of a single day in this region.

Rab is a very nice island known for its cultural heritage dating from the Romans, its medieval architecture, and its sandy beaches, which is rather rare in Croatia.. 

Typical small sand beach in Rab, only accessible by sea!