The story of the shortest boat line in Croatia

For Croatian islands, boats and ships are (sometimes) their only connection to the world. The shortest boat line in Croatia is just 320 meters long. That’s the distance between Brodarica, a small settlement in Sibenik and island Krapanj which was once the most densely populated island in Croatia.

Every day, for 50 years, the two coasts are connected by the Spuzvar boat. It takes only three minutes for Spuzvar to get to the island and vice versa. In the wintertime, it travels more than 15 times a day, and in the summer the number of trips is doubled thanks to tourists. 

Since its first sailing in 1972, the Spuzvar boat handles only the Krapanj-Brodarica route. The mainland and the island, often described as straight as a plank, are separated by just 320 meters.

A testament to the sponge diving tradition

For the islanders, Spuzvar is the apple of their eye. They were the ones who gave the boat the name Spuzvar which derives from the word spužva (sponge).
As Roko Tanfara, the owner of the Museum of sponge diving and a souvenir shop on Krapanj, said for HRT: – It’s because of Krapanj’s long tradition of sponge diving. 

An interesting fact is also that the boat was designed to be wind-proof.
-Krapanj is very special. Here you can feel even the slightest breeze, but for Spuzvar, the winds are not a problem. – said Spuzvar’s captain Renato Jaram.
The captain’s house is located just a short walk from the boat. – My home’s just five minutes away, something people can only wish for, he boasted.

The boat is a sailing chronicler of island life.
Joso Mucic, a crew member, said – in a year, Spuzvar transports around 70-80 thousand passengers. In the summer months from 15 to 20 thousand people!

The islanders and Spuzvar have a strong connection – in good and bad times.
A local woman, Dragica Curavic, said – We could ask for a ride even at midnight, god forbid if there would be a need.
Neither the bura or jugo can harm Spuzvar, and the days when Spuzvar didn’t depart are few. 

Island problems

However, lots of things need to be done for the islanders. Dalibor Garma, president of the Local committee Krapanj, said for HRT that the island is in need of jobs and investments into young people. This is a problem typical for Croatian islands. 

– Krapanj has a hotel, around 50 apartments, and a good climate. But our main problem is a lack of jobs for the young ones. If you invest in them, you invest in the future. Another problem is a lack of physicians. The Ambulance was renovated four years ago, but since COVID-19 started, the doctor doesn’t have time for us, said Garma.

He also added that the tourist season could last more than 100 days if the port could be renovated in order to accommodate a larger fleet.