Sailing in Croatia? Best you know your winds, Levant, the Easterly wind that can stir the Adriatic.
Levant or Levante is a Mediterranean wind that blows from the East; when it blows through the Strait of Gibraltar it is called the Viento de Levante or the Levanter (Wikipedia). See footage of gale force levanter below.
Now, when I say that this wind has potential to stir the Adriatic, it almost goes without saying right? I mean, any wind that blows strong can cause a mess of the sea and sailors should be aware to pay attention of any weather conditions.
Well, Levant won’t often reach gale-force strength, unlike its friend Bura but Levant does mean lower temperatures which typically brings cloud, rainfall and storms. So, if you know it is on its way then you can plan your sailing itinerary to be in a safe harbour and somewhere that might offer rainy day activities.
When Bura blows it either blows from the Velebit in the North or from Mosor and Biokovo in the South. In Southern Dalmatia, Bura blows strongest from Klis (near Split) or from Vruja – a small bay which lies between Biokovo and Mosor.
When Bura blows from Vruja it fans out across the Brač channel, in this instance Bura seems to hit us from the East, so locals say it is Levanter Bura, Bura from the East – and this you definitely want to beware of.
Happy sailing in Croatia!
