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Cruising the Croatia coast, where islands are just a few hours' sail apart and harbors welcome overnight boats, is a breeze for all ages.

Croatia has long ago been discovered. Since Roman times and through the centuries, until and including the present, invaders have flocked to this land with its long and lovely coastline on the Adriatic, for a number of good reasons.

The Europeans seemed to have had Croatia to themselves until the last few years when the rest of the world woke up to it. According to the Croatia Tourist Office (800/829-4416), the United States sent 98,000 visitors to Croatia in 2004, up nearly 50% from the previous year.

The Dalmation coast on the Adriatic, stretching from the Pula peninsula in the north south to Dubrovnik and the Albania border, remains the country's premier attraction largely due to the low-cost carriers that fly directly to Dubrovnik from Rome, Paris and Frankfurt.

Today, in the small medieval towns of Dubrovnik, Korcula, Hvar and Trogir, all on the water, the visitor traffic in mid-summer is a rising tide of those who have already been to St.Tropez, Mikonos, Marrakesh and the Hamptons.

Sailing the Coastline By Private Yacht

For our autumn visit, we chose to sail a part of the southern coastline. Like us, there were more than a quarter of a million foreign tourists registered as "sailors" last year, nearly all during the country's April to September high season. Our party chartered a 47' Beneteau Oceanis from the excellent Sunsail organization based at the Aci Marina in Dubrovnik, and left it in the marina at Kremik, near Trogir, on the eighth day. We did not venture north to the medieval capital city of Zagreb or the scenic Plitvice National Park, both highly recommended and to be found on most Croatian itineraries.

Our multi-generational complement of four ranged from 83-years old downwards. We also took with us a paid skipper, carefully pre-screened for experience, good references, capable English language skills and a depth of knowledge of the history and highlights of the places we planned to visit. This decision also paid off for us in another way -- the modest fee for having a local skipper aboard more than offset the insurance otherwise charged for a bareboat charter.

Skipper Goran proved to be a charming Croatian-born sailor who was most considerate and understanding of the four experienced sailors aboard. He diplomatically blended in and out of the group, aboard and ashore, throughout the week while doing all the "heavy lifting" and taking care of the boat chores along the way.

The many small islands we passed, after leaving Dubrovnik on a bright, warm September afternoon, were picturesque limestone outcrops with bright green vegetation, some pine-clad. These were just a few of the estimated 1,100 islands that are counted all along the Dalmatian coast.

The Joys & Challenges of Mediterranean Sailing

Many of the islands in this area are quite close together and it requires only line-of-sight navigation, for the most part, to sail safely from one to another. The well-equipped Oceanis 473 came with the now ubiquitous GPS as well as local charts. We never had any problems at all in making our way in, around, and between the islands and the mainland. The water is generally very deep close to the islands and, where it is not, the buoy and beacon system shows the way.

The joys of Mediterranean sailing -- typically mooring stern to the quay in tiny villages, running out the gangplank and walking across the dock, literally in many instances, to the nearest restaurant -- do not need to be described to anyone who has been in such places.

These most often family-run restaurants typically have 10 or fewer tables and an abbreviated menu, serving wonderful fresh foods, local fish and vegetables and inexpensive but truly excellent, most drinkable, local wines. Meals are topped off with home-made fruit pies and similar desserts and coffee; all this for less than the price of a modest entrée at any local restaurant at home.