Bourgas, Bulgaria

N42°28.99 E027°28.94
(June 2009)
We called Port Bourgas on ch 16 an hour before we arrived and were advised by the friendly traffic control to head for berth 6 in the central harbour to check in. To get there head for the red and white lighthouse on the end of the breakwater (Bourgas Yacht Club visitors moorings are inside the end of this breakwater), then head towards the building with the clock tower (it’s the train station) in the middle of the basin. The traffic control guy gave us directions on the radio and an official was waiting for us at the quay. (There is actually a number 6 on the electronic chart.) Two other officials arrived after 5 minutes; they looked at our passports, asked for two copies of a crew list with the boat’s stamp on them (plus a statement on the back of one to say we didn’t have any stowaways onboard) and a copy of our SSR document. We showed them Flossie’s passport with her rabies vaccination details but they were only really interested in whether she was a good sailor and in taking her photo on their mobile phone. This all took about 10 minutes and then we went back to the yacht club moorings. We were told to give them half an hour to complete their formalities back at the office before going in to town.

The yacht club moorings are bow/stern to with yellow pick up buoys on a hefty rope, with a loop through which you put your own rope. We were on the north wall just below the new club building. We would recommend to anyone berthing here that the cabin where they sleep should be away from the wall because the design of the quay means there’s a lot of slapping and splashing noise. Also make sure you’re pulled well off the wall. There’s water but we’re not sure about electric – a local had an electric cable going to his boat but there’s no sign of anything for visitors to plug in to. The club seems to be very laid back and quiet. There’s one ‘bathroom’ with three showers (no curtains) in the clubhouse. Fees 8 Euro a night/50 Euro for 10 days.

The yacht club is in the dockyard and it’s a dry and dusty 15-minute walk to the gate out of the yard. At the gate you must pass through the passport control building and show your passports to the officials, if they ask, and the same on the way back in.

The bus station is just outside the dockyard gate on the left before the train station. We got the bus to Nessebar (5 Leva each way, takes about 1 hour, bus times are regular), Sozopol (4 Leva each way, takes under an hour, bus times regular) and Varna (12 Leva each way, takes about 2 hours, bus times regular)..

Bourgas town: for the shopping area turn right after the bus station and you’re heading for the main pedestrianised street (Aleksandrovska). For Tourist Information: go along Aleksandrovska street, past the municipality building (square building with big columns in the entrance) and about two turnings on the left you’ll see the TI flags outside their building. For the Europa supermarket and the covered market in front of it: from Aleksandrovska street, turn left at the municipality building, cross the main road and keep walking. Take the second right after the Bosch shop and it’s down there on the left.

We had to take our passports and another copy of the crew list to the Passport Control and Immigration office half an hour before we wanted to check out. A Customs guy came to collect the crew list and to get us to complete and stamp another form (stating we didn’t have any cargo).