Novigrad Sea

Novigrad Sea.,^[3][4][5] or Novegradi Sea,^[4][5][6] or Novigradi Sea^[7][8] (in Croatian Novigradsko more) is an inland sea at the end of the Velebit Channel, in northern Dalmatia, Croatia. It is located east of the city of Zadar.

View of the Novegradi Sea from the Novsko Ždrilo channel.

Novigrad Sea
Novigradsko more
Location	Zadar County
Coordinates	44.2°N 15.533333°E / 44.2; 15.533333
Type	Sea
Part of	Adriatic Sea
Primary inflows	Zrmanja
Basin countries	Croatia
Max. length	11 km (6.8 mi)[1]
Max. width	4.5 km (2.8 mi)[2]
Surface area	28.65 km2 (11.06 sq mi)[1][2]
Average depth	28 m (92 ft)[1]
Max. depth	37 m (121 ft)[2]
Shore length1	29.7 km (18.5 mi)
Location
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Geography

At the end of the Velebit Channel one enters the Novegradi Sea through the narrow Novsko Ždrilo channel, which opens in front of the village of Maslenica^[9] (Maslenica). The other villages overlooking the shores of the bay are Posedarje to the northwest; Novigrad to the south; and Meka Draga to the southeast; while the territory of the bay is divided among the municipalities of Posedarje, Jasenice, Novigrad, and Obrovac. The main inflow is the Zrmanja river which, after passing through Obrovac, flows into the eastern part of the bay, while to the west the small Bašćica river^[4] (Bašćica) flows in.

The inlet has an area of 28.65 km²,^[1][2] measures 11 km^[1] by 4.5 km;^[1][2] its average depth is 28 m,^[1] with a maximum depth of 37 m.^[2] Small bays line the coast: Maslenica Bay (uvala Maslenica), Zališće Bay^[9] (uvala Zališće), between Maslenica and the Zrmanja estuary; Dumićina Bay^[9] (uvala Dumićina), Pomišalj, and Kozjak, to the southeast, near Mala Draga; the port of Novigrad (luka Novigrad), which extends into the mainland like an inverted S and whose entrance is marked by a small lighthouse;^[10] Ladina Bay^[9] (uvala Ladina) to the south; Žabokrek Bay south of Posedarje; Donja Draga Bay^[8] (Donja draga) and Gornja draga west of Ždrijac Point^[11][9] or Sadrillo^[7][8] (rt Ždrijac) which marks the exit of the Novsko Ždrilo channel and is indicated by a lighthouse^[12][13]

In the southeastern part of the Novegradi Sea, the Karinsko Ždrilo channel^[14][4][15] or Karin Strait^[8] (Karinsko Ždrilo) leads to another inland inlet: the Karin Sea (Karinsko more).

The western part of the bay with Sveti Duh and Mali Školj

Islands

• Sveti Duh (Sveti Duh), at the western end of the bay.
• Mali Školj^[16] (Mali Školj), a rounded islet between Sveti Duh and the port of Posedarje, 130 m^[13] away 44°11′31″N 15°28′24″E.
• Veli Školj^[17] (Veli Školj), a rounded islet southeast of Posedarje, about 230 m^[13] from the coast 44°12′32″N 15°29′07″E.
• Hrid Zališće [it], southeast of the Novsko Ždrilo channel.
• Hrid Jazina^[17][18][8] (hrid Jazina), an islet adjacent to the coast near Maslenica, southeast of Ždrijac Point, shown in old maps and now semi-submerged^[19] 44°12′54″N 15°33′11″E.
• Hrid Gajina, a small elongated islet adjacent to the southern coast, near Štambača Point, north of Novigrad. It is only 50 m from the coast 44°11′32″N 15°33′27″E.