Brac Island
From Skipper2Skipper
| Where Am I? | |
|---|---|
| Mediterranean -> Croatia | |
Contents |
Latest Information
General
Brač (Latin Bratzis, Italian Brazza) is an island in the Adriatic Sea within Croatia, with an area of 396 km², making it the third largest island in the Adriatic, and thus the largest in Dalmatia. Its tallest peak, Vidova Gora, or Mount St. Vid, stands at 778 m, making it the highest island point in the Adriatic. The island has a population of 13,000, living in numerous little towns, ranging from the 'main town' Supetar, with more than 3,500 inhabitants, to Novo Selo, where only a dozen people live.
Other towns and villages on the island include Supetar, Bol, Škrip (the oldest village, from preroman times), Pučišća, Splitska, Postira, Nerežišće, Donji Humac, Milna, Mirca, Gornji Humac, Dol, Sutivan, Sumartin, Praznica, Murvica, Povlja, Dračevica, Ložišća and many more.
The economy of Brač is based mostly on tourism, but fishing and agriculture (especially wine and olives) are very important too, as is its precious white stone (which was used in building Diocletian's Palace in Split, and is built into the White House in Washington, DC, too). Historically, Brač was famous for goats; even Pliny comments that from the island of Brattia (the Latin name for the island) comes excellent cheese, wine and olive oil.
Approaches
SUTIVAN (43° 23'N; 16° 29'E), village (pop. 641 in 1991) and small harbour on the N coast of the island of Brac. Approach: Landmarks include the round red iron tower with a column exhibiting a red light at the head of the breakwater and the belfry in the little wood on the right side of the entrance.
SUPETAR
(43° 23'N; 16° 33'E), town (pop. 2,568 in 1991) and harbour on the N coast of Brac. Approach: Landmarks include a red metal tower with a column exhibiting a red light situated on the head of the outer breakwater protecting the landing-place of the car-ferry, a green square tower with a column exhibiting a green light situated on the head of the inner (old) breakwater; the belfry in the town and the mausoleum surmonted by a white cupola on the small, low-lying, wooded peninsula W of the town.
SPLITSKA
(43° 23'N; 16° 36'E), village (pop. 252 in 1991) in the cove of Zastup on the N coast of the island of Brac. Approach: Landmarks include the red tower exhibiting a red light situated on the E entrance point and the belfry.
POSTIRA (43° 23'N; 16° 38'E), village (pop. 1,287 in 1991) and small harbour on the N coast of the island of Brac. Approach: The square masonry tower with a red cupola exhibiting a red light situated on the breakwater and the belfry in the town are conspicuous.
PUCISCA
(43° 22'N; 16° 44'E), village (pop. 1,706 in 1991) and harbour at the end of a deep cove on the N coast of the island Brac and bearing the same name. Approach: Landmarks: the square masonry tower with a balcony (white light), Sv Nikola chapel (St Nicholas) on the W entrance point and the white scars of stone-quarries on the hillside E of the entrance.
POVLJA
(43° 20'N; 16° 50'E), village (pop. 393 in 1991) and wide cove on the NE coast of the island Brac. Approach: Landmarks include a square masonry tower (white light) situated on the E entrance point and the nearby Sv Ante chapel (St Anthony). Owing to shoal water the above E entrance point should be given a berth of at least 200 m.
SUMARTIN
(43° 17'N; 16° 53'E), village (pop. 618 in 1991) and small harbour in the E arm of the cove of the same name in the E coast of Brac.
Approach: Landmarks include Selca village (pop. 1,093 in 1991) above Sumartin, the square masonry tower with a cupola exhibiting a white light on the E entrance point and the red iron tower exhibiting a red light on the breakwater head.
BOL
(43° 16'N; 16° 40'E), village (pop. 1,478 in 1991) and small harbour on the S coast of Brac. Major tourist resort on the island. Approach: The belfry of the monastery E of the town is prominent. Landmarks further include the grey building of the monastery, the square masonry tower with a green cupola exhibiting a green light situated on the head of the breakwater. If approach is effected from the W, care should be taken to avoid the shoal water extending off Dugi rat, point usvally referred to as Zlatni rat (Golden point) in tourist literature.
MILNA
(43° 20'N; 16° 27'N), village (pop. 875 in 1991) at the head of the cove of the same in the W coast of Brac.
Approach: Landmarks: the white square stone tower exhibiting a red light on Bijaka point, the white metal tower with a column exhibiting a green light on the islet of Mrduja and the belfry at the head of the cove.
Weather
Average air temperatures in January range between 4.9°C (Praznice) and 7.2 °C (Sutivan), and in July between 22.9 °C (Nerezisca, elevation 360 m) and 24.7 °C (Sutivan). Rainfall occurs mostly in the winter months. The annual rainfall in Praznice reaches 1,450 mm and in Sutivan about 830 mm. The climate on the island is mostly moderated by winds, i.e. the sirocco and the bora (the so-called "vruljska" bora between Pucisca and Povlja).The landward breeze occurs quite often in the summer months, especially along the north-western coast.
Marinas and Anchorages
MILNA Marina
43° 20'N; 16° 27'N R - 21405 Milna. Tel: 00 385 21 636 306 Fax: 00 385 21 636 272 VHF canal 17.
It is situated at the end of the SE inlet, opposite the village (depth 2.5 6.0 m).
Capacity: 270 sea-berths alongside the E and SW shore and at the 4 floating fingers; dry-berths for 30 vessels; electricity, telephone and water hook-ups.
The marina operates the year round.
Facilities
- reception office;
- restaurant;
- snack-bar;
- shop and dutyfree shop
- laundry, toilets and showers with hot water;
- rental of sports equipment (excursions by sailing boats can be arranged);
- fuel at the petrol station.
Crane (10 t) and slipway. Maintenance and repairs in the boatyard. Safe-keeping of yachts during the winter season. Storage of yachting equipment.
SUTIVAN
(43° 23'N; 16° 29'E)
The small harbour affords shelter from all winds except the bora. With northerlies end north-westerlies an unpleasant swell creeps into the harbour. A high northerly wind (tramontana) can make it dangerous. Only yachts of small draught can moor in the harbour (depths 1.33 m). A good anchorage, but only in settled summer weather is situated in front of the small harbour (depths 2030 m).
Sights: Early Christian church (6 C), the mansion of the Marjanovic family (1777), the residence of the families NataliBozicevic (1505) and Definis (early 19 C, art collection); summer residence of the poet Jerolim Kavanjin (built about 1700); old windmill by the sea.
Facilities
- Post office and medical service;
- Food supplies and water.
BOL
(43° 16'N; 16° 40'E)
The harbour is protected from all winds except southwesterlies, which are apt to raise a heavy sea; the bora is strongly felt entering the harbour in gusts from different directions. Yachts drawing up to 2m can lie alongside the breakwater. Its W side is reserved for local passenger lines.
Facilities
- Post office;
- medical service and chemist's;
- Large wine cellar and sardine salting plant;
- Food provisions and water;
- Fuel from the petrol station on the waterfront.
Sights: Roman finds (water reservoir); Early Christian sarcophagi; stone fragments with old Croatian interlaced patterns in Sv Ivan church (St John, 11 C). In the harbour the Jelicic Palace (15 C), the citadel (Kastel, 17 C), Gospa od Karmela church (Our Lady of Carmel, built in the Renaissance period, reconstructed in Baroque style in 1785). E of the town a Dominican monastery (collection of objects of cultural and artistic value) with Sv Dominik church (St Dominic), after 1475, paintings of the Venetian school, coffered ceiling with paintings by Tripo Kukolja about 1710); Modern Art Gallery Branko Deskovic; Murvica (above the town a deserted hermitage and Dragonjina spilja, a cave with fig ures carved in stone). Concerts and Ribarske fraje, fishermen's festivity in the summer months.
