Primosten

Primosten, in Italian Capocesto, is located in the area of theSibenik archipelago. The place is less frequented than the rest of northern Dalmatia, probably because most sailors prefer to visit the famous Kornati archipelago. In fact, the small town of Primosten, population 2,500, is regarded as the starting point from the mainland for those who want to visit the Kornati National Park.

Primosten seen from the sea has a rare beauty, the town is centered on a round peninsula, which used to be an island, but later an artificial isthmus was created. The peninsula used to be a fishing village in the past, today it is a fairly important tourist center, which has become so because of the characteristic arrangement of houses clinging to the peninsula and because of the production of Babic red wine, approaching the coast it is possible to notice the numerous vine cultivations.

Primosten turns out to be easily visible from the sea, the conspicuous point of the town is the church of St. George, which was built at the highest point when the locality was still an island, the Venetian fortification walls erected in the 17th century during the battles with the Turkish empire are also visible.

The port of Primosten consists of a pier where you can find water about 4 mt deep and the nearby quay with water only 1.5 mt deep. Although in the Adriatic the phenomenon of high and low tide occurs quite weakly there are different oscillations along the Croatian coast and it is good to be cautious when a few centimeters below the keel can make a difference. In Dubrovnick (Dubrovnik) the average oscillation is 35 centimeters but going up to Koper (Koper) it is up to a meter. High and low tides come around about every six hours, which is a fairly short time and can be less than the time you decide to stay at anchor or moor.

Numerous buoys are available immediately off the dock. Entry into the ports is well signposted and unobstructed but services are limited and for what is offered prices are significantly higher than the rest of Croatia. Services are absolutely basic apart from a fair selection of restaurants.

Boats devoted to recreation are not allowed to stop in the eastern part reserved for fishing boats and service boats. In high season there is some traffic because there are numerous agencies that organize boat trips to the Kornati islands. Primosten has preserved the medieval village buildings very well and has not been affected by new construction. Boats of a certain size tend to prefer to moor in the nearby new Kremik Marina.

For those who prefer to drop anchor , the small bay of Primosten offers an excellent stopping point. By positioning itself to the south, it is possible to stay away from ports traffic and enjoy the proximity of pine trees. The bay also offers good depths for anchoring, natural protection from all winds, the center of the town is not far away, and parking is free.