A hat does you good - this saying often applies to Croatia's coast from a windsurfing perspective. However, due to the warm water temperatures, this does not refer to the fact that you have to wear a neoprene cap here, but rather to the imposing mountains along the coastline. If the weather is bad in the up to 1700 metre high mountain ranges in the hinterland and you can see a striking cloud cover over the peaks from the sea, then this is a guarantee for a full bora - for windsurfing fans, this sight, which is reminiscent of the "tablecloth" of Table Mountain in Cape Town, usually means several days of fun in a row.
Full broadside
So when the cool downslope wind from the nearby mountains gets going, the island of Krk, the largest island in the Adriatic after Cres, also gets the full brunt of it. Time and again, the connecting bridge to the island has to be closed due to storms. Anyone travelling from the mainland to Krk will notice how the climate changes with every kilometre. While the hinterland often still seems to be in the grip of winter at the beginning of April, the first orange trees are already in full bloom on Krk, the street cafés are busy and the many sheep in the meadows nibble on the juicy and salty grass that gives the region's milk, meat and cheese their famous flavour.
Although Krk offers many reasons to visit, such as the crystal-clear sea, a good wind ratio and quick accessibility, the island is still a rather unknown quantity in the windsurfing scene. When the forecast is good, it is mainly windsurfers from nearby Slovenia or locals from the steadily growing Croatian scene who come to the spots on Krk - windsurfing tourists are still rather rare.
This is not the first time our spot reporter Woife Strasser has travelled to Krk for this spot guide - and certainly not the last. He highlights the best spots on the island for you, which will primarily make shallow water fans happy, but with a bit of luck can also offer swell or even moderate surf.
Windsurfing on Krk - general information
Journey:
Krk can be reached from Munich in around six hours by car or campervan from Munich via Salzburg, Villach, Lublijana and Rijeka to Krk. Alternatively, you can also travel via Udine - with a stop at Lago di Cavazzo (see surf 8/2018). The island of Krk itself can be reached from the mainland via a toll bridge. Travelling by plane is also an option, as Rijeka Airport is located on Krk. In "normal" years, Krk is served by several Central European airports, e.g. by Eurowings.
Living & Camping:
The island of Krk is well developed for tourism and there is a wide range of accommodation in all categories - to be found via the well-known booking portals on the Internet. As you can't avoid having your own equipment on Krk, travelling by camper or motorhome is probably the most obvious choice for many people. Wild camping is generally forbidden and is consistently penalised in the summer months. In winter, when the campsites are closed, wild camping is often tolerated as long as you stick to the rules, i.e. don't spread out too much, use your own toilet and dispose of your rubbish appropriately. General information for tourists can be found at www.info-krk.com
In the summer months, there are also some accommodation and campsites close to the spot. Here is a selection:
- Hotel Kanijt: Sophisticated hotel at the Punat marina ( www.kanajt.hr/de )
- Hotel Omorika: Situated at the campsite in Punat Simple, but recommendable! ( www.omorika-punat.com )
- Camping Pila: Campsite in Punat, no spot access, but by the water
( www.hoteli-punat.hr/de/campingplatz-pila-23 ) - Camp Maslinik: Small campsite above the village of Punat ( www.kamp-maslinik.hr )
- Camping Marta
- Camp Punta Jerta: Mobile Homes and Camping on the west coast of Krk ( www.puntajerta.com )
- Camping Bor Not far from Krk town and Punat
- Camping Jesevac: Located directly south of the old town of Krk ( www.camping-adriatic.com/jezevac-camp-krk )
- Krk Premium Camping Resort: Family camping with water slides & pools ( www.camping-adriatic.com/camping-krk-politin )
- Marusina Olive Hills: Above the lagoon, on a slope with an olive grove and great views of the lagoon, with camping and wooden houses ( www.marusinaolivehills.co )
- Baska Beach Camping Resort: Long pebble beach ( www.camping-adriatic.com/zablace-camping-baska )
- Camping Adriatic: Beautiful pebble beach in a quiet neighbourhood ( www.camping-adriatic.com )
- Kamp Mali: www.kamp-mali.hr
- Baska Beach Camping Resort: High standard, directly on the beach of Baska ( www.camping-adriatic.com/zablace-camping-baska )
Wind, weather & neoprene recommendations:
The windiest time of year for windsurfers is between October and May. At the beginning of November, the water temperature is still just under 20 degrees and even in winter the water doesn't get colder than 13 degrees. In October and November, the air is usually still very pleasant at 15-20 degrees, only in the height of winter, when the bora is strong, does it quickly drop below 10 degrees. In the summer months from June to September, a stable high-pressure system usually prevails, which ensures hot, dry summer weather - with air temperatures of 30 degrees and 25 degrees water, shorties or short-sleeved sunbeds are sufficient. Good wind phases on Krk are mainly brought by the bora, a cool wind from the east-northeast that originates in Croatia's mountainous hinterland. When it cools down there, e.g. during thunderstorms or cold spells, the cool and heavy air falls down the slopes to the warm Adriatic Sea. Bura can occur at any time of year and can even reach hurricane force. Pronounced bora phases can last for more than a week, but these mainly occur in the winter months. In summer, there are often shorter wind phases of one to three days, but also the risk of longer periods of calm. The fact that Krk can boast around 40 to 50 per cent gliding winds between October and May is also due to the warm south-easterly wind "Scirocco", also known as "Yugo", which heralds a deterioration in the weather with steadily increasing strength and very warm temperatures. Scirocco often builds up over several days and ends with the onset of rain or thunderstorms - which in turn can be the starting signal for a strong bora!
The bora has a continuous day-night dynamic, blowing most strongly from dusk to dawn. It then eases a little and reaches its weakest intensity between around 12 and 3 pm. The saying goes: "The bora goes to lunch." At the Punat and Baska spots, the Bora is strengthened by the surrounding hills by a few knots. So if a light NE current is blowing from the mountains, you can often have fun here while the northern part of the island is still languishing in the doldrums.
There are no reliable wind statistics - a gliding wind rate of around 40-50 per cent in the winter half-year and 25-30 per cent in the summer are realistic, then it often remains with a light westerly thermal with 5-10 knots.
Wind forecasts under www.windfinder.com , www.windguru.com or www.windy.com
Waves, currents & tides:
In Bora, the spots on Krk offer flat water or moderate chop. It gets wavier with Scirocco, which pushes some swell waves onto the coast from the south-east, which can have the character of surf on good days. The tides do not play a role in the Adriatic.
Surf schools & shops:
Ideally, you should visit Krk with your own equipment, as there are no rental centres or surf shops on the island.
Alternative programme:
Krk also offers many reasons to visit apart from windsurfing. The crystal-clear water is perfect for snorkelling, diving ( e.g. www.dive-center-krk.de ), wakeboarding ( www.wakeboarder.hr ) or SUPing. The Baska Aquarium can also be a nice diversion for families - 20 aquariums show visitors the diversity and richness of species in the Croatian Adriatic. Here you can admire over 400 species of mussels and snails, as well as octopuses, moray eels and even spotted sharks. Krk town with its lovely harbour and chic old town is a tip for strolling, shopping and eating out. The town of Krk is the historical, political, administrative and religious centre of the island. Soline, in the north-east of the island, is known for its pre-Romanesque salt pans. The village of Meline, known for its healing mud, is located between Soline and Čižiće. The aforementioned mud is used to cure gout and bone ailments. Also worth visiting is the Biserujka cave, located 300 metres southwest of the village of Rudine ( www.spilja-biserujka.com.hr/index_deu.html ).
Another tip for families is the semi-submarine Krk, a ship where you can observe the underwater world through a glazed floor. Info under www.semisubmarine-krk.com
Good to know:
- Neoprene shoes are generally a good idea on Croatia's coasts, as the beaches are often rocky and sea urchins can be found! On the other hand, the water here is extremely clear.
- Although Croatia is part of the EU, you pay in Croatian kuna (1 € = 7.4 kuna).
- Drinking and driving is not a trivial offence in Croatia; anyone who has had one slivovic too many and disregards the 0.5 per mille limit will pay at least 400 euros.
1 Punat lagoon
The Punat lagoon is the island's top spot due to its sheltered location. Coming from Krk town on the D102 road towards Punat, you will find several good entry points between the wakeboard facility and the Krk diving centre, where you can enter the water via a pebble beach - the first ten metres are shallow. Opposite the diving centre there is a large free car park (as of 2020) and free access to the water. Bura from the north-east to east-north-east comes sideshore to diagonally onshore from the left and the water remains largely flat with small chop even in strong winds. If the wind comes a little more to the east, it is somewhat weaker for the first 500 metres, but increases in strength in front of the marina as far as the village of Punat, where it comes down over the mountainside as a downdraught. This means absolutely flat water, but also strong gusts. Another spot on the lagoon can be reached via the Krk Golf Club: About 600 metres before the water ski facility, a gravel path on the right leads to a sliding gate labelled "Golfclub Krk". The gate can be opened and the path leads down to the lagoon. The course has open green areas and niches separated by trees, hollies and bushes where you can set up sheltered from the wind. The owner makes the rounds several times a day and charges a fee of five euros per day (as of 2020). In the low season, overnight stays are a matter of negotiation. The entrance is also over pebbles, the bora is somewhat weaker here and there is up to one metre of chop, depending on the wind force. You can windsurf in the lagoon even in southerly gales - the more southerly the wind blows, the better!
2 Plaza Punta Debij
Coming from Punat, first drive towards Stara Baska, at the end of Punat turn right onto a road directly to the spot with parking facilities near the beach (subject to charges in high season) and a few beach bars. It is easy to get into the water via several pebble bays. The wind from the south-east blows diagonally offshore from the left on the shore, but it passes freely after about 200 metres. Scirocco from the SSE is ideal, it can even build up small surf waves that break moderately on the shallows in front and are also manageable for wave beginners. As a general rule: further downwind at Plaza Punta Debij, the waves are slightly higher; if you head further to windward, the waves are increasingly shielded by the headland. The spot also works well, but rarely, when the wind blows from the southwest. It comes in from the left side shore, is amplified by the offshore island of Cres as if in a channel and shovels beautiful swell waves one to two metres high onto the shore during storms.
3 Krk town
There is a spot south of the old town centre of Krk Town that can even offer moderate surf. You'll find it between Jesevac campsite and the fishing harbour, where there are also small pebble bays and green areas for rigging under pine trees. There are also plenty of parking spaces here, at least in the low season! The spot works with winds from the south to south-east (Scirocco), which then blows diagonally onshore from the right. In the winter months in particular, the storms can shovel waves up to two metres high onto the coast, which then break on a shoal, can provide good jumping ramps and are also suitable for riding. Surf experience can't hurt here, as the harbour piers to leeward don't exactly help to relax. With weaker winds from the south, the spot is of course rather moderate and offers bump & jump conditions for freestyle or slalom with light chop, against the backdrop of Krk's old town.
4 Baska
The coastal town in the east of Krk has a fine pebble beach that is almost two kilometres long, slopes gently and is known for its pebbles that have been finely polished by the bora. Many holiday homes, campsites and hotels have been built around this beach, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves - if you want to stay close to the action, this is the place to be. The unique panorama with its offshore islands and the view of the Velebit mountains on the mainland give Baska a great flair. For active holidaymakers, there are plenty of options - from countless water sports activities to a large network of cycling and hiking trails and climbing parks. The best wind direction in Baska is bora from the east-northeast, as the wind then blows freely into the bay and arrives on the beach slightly onshore from the left. Depending on the strength of the wind, there can be anything from light chop to steep wind waves one metre high. With rare winds from the east-southeast, there can even be head-high swells. If the wind comes from the north-east, it gets very gusty as it is then slowed down by a mountain. The best entry point is in the centre of the bay and to the south of the Baska Beach Camping Resort or Hotel Tamaris.
