5 Montenegro Sailing Truths No One Tells You
5 Montenegro Sailing Truths No One Tells You
Those calm bays you see on Instagram? Not fake, but not the whole story either. Montenegro's coast isn't as sterile as the internet makes it look it's got more layers, sometimes it's stubborn as hell, but if you give it time, it surprises you. Here's what I learned after untying the ropes for the first time:
1. Weather changes bay to bay, sometimes hour to hour
Kotor Bay can be flat as glass while the open Adriatic goes mental. Last year we left Tivat, boats heading to Budva got cancelled, we just sailed through like nothing happened. You need to check forecasts for each bay separately. Teaches you patience whether you like it or not.
2. Anchoring here is serious business
Montenegro's protective of its coastline, sometimes annoyingly so. Especially around the old towns, mooring zones are controlled. In Perast, I anchored in the wrong spot and some guy rowed out to tell me to move. Pissed me off at first. Then I saw how clear the water stayed and got it.
3. The best swimming spots don't look like beaches
Some coves have no beach at all, just sheer limestone cliffs dropping straight down. You can only get there by boat. No music, no crowds, just silence and 10 meters of depth. Found one between Herceg Novi and Kotor that I still think about. Way better than any postcard.
4. Food dictates your schedule, not the other way around
Lunch takes three hours, dinner starts at 10 PM, nobody apologizes. First day I was like "I'm sticking to my route," by day three I'd given up. Once you stop fighting their rhythm, everything gets easier. We had fish at a konoba in Kotor, stayed till midnight, slept in the next morning. That's the right way.
5. Late September is perfect
Sea's still warm, bays are empty again, harvest season's starting onshore. August crowds are gone, everyone's more relaxed. Went last year on September 25th boat rental was cheaper and we found spots everywhere. Felt like the whole country had loosened up a bit.
This coast doesn't perform. It waits. Rush through and you get nothing, slow down and you find plenty.