Diving

The specific quality of the Zadar area lies in the beauty of its archipelago
and its waters, which possess a wealth of walls, reefs and caves, often
teeming with fish, particularly in the geological zone of the outer wall
of the Kornati - a separate geological structure with a rich biological
community named after the outer (western) side of the Kornati belt.
Research has, however, found that it is a part of a single entity which
extends northwards, across Dugi otok. Countless inclines, underwater
crevasses, caves and the exceptional visibility of the submarine world of
this area constitute an attraction of the Adriatic which has still not been
fully realized. It must be pointed out, though, that many locations require
either personal experience or supervision by an experienced guide from
a diving centre, in other words the most attractive locations are often
not suitable for solo diving by beginners. It happens quite frequently that
divers, fresh from a diving course, drawn by the beauty and clarity of
sea, exceed the limit of 20 m of depth, thereby exposing themselves to
unnecessary risks.
Diving within the area of the Telaščica Nature Park and the Kornati
National Park is possible only with special permits, and it is accepted
practice that diving excursions are organized through authorized diving
centres based on the island of Murter and in the area extending from
Biograd to Primošten. Diving locations are generally defined in advance
in order to secure maximum safety during diving. Although the Kornati
National Park is an area abounding with attractive diving locations, the
fact that the entire archipelago, from Zadar to Šibenik, represents an
almost indivisible, compact zone of attractions, prompts many divers
to organize their diving excursions in almost all suitable micro-locations
accompanied by professional guides from the surrounding diving centres
who are completely familiar with the terrain.
This area is not yet sufficiently covered by diving centres, and there still
exist smaller centres, not readily accessible but located in the vicinity of
attractive location, with a limited service capacity and a low growth rate
per annum (islands of Pag and Dugi otok). It is to be expected that this
area will undergo significant development following the completion of
the motorway Zagreb–Dalmatia, which will ensure easier links between
Dalmatia and the continental part of Europe.
There are no large predators in the Adriatic, a fact which places the sea
urchin close to the top of the list of dangerous creatures found in these waters
∆
∆ In locations frequented by divers, fish seem
to be undisturbed in the company of their
odd-looking visitors
Croatian National Tourist Board 25