MORE TAX - Croatia

(28th June 2010)
We've just returned to Croatia from Venice. When we checked in we were told we would have to pay a tax. We produced our valid cruising permit (vignette) and explained that when we originally checked in the Harbour Master said we could leave Croatia and return again as many times as we liked - every day 365 times if we wanted. This, the official informed us, was a new regulation (about 2-3 weeks old). The tax is a 'sojourn' fee because we have beds on the boat and are staying as a type of temporary resident. Previously the tax was added to marina charges. They have presumably worked out that they can collect more revenue by charging it as a lump sum on entry.

The tax varies depending on how long you are staying in Croatia and what length your boat is but for us the charges are as follows:

12-15 metres
8 days 300 kuna
15 days 400 kuna
30 days 600 kuna about ?85
90 days 750 kuna

If you know the cost before visiting a country you can decide whether you want to go or not but, having paid 1,765 Kuna on entry, being charged another 600 Kuna felt like a smack in the teeth.

Rovinj

N45°04.21 E013°38.00
(June 2010)
Very pleasant town – old and new. We had NW wind so the anchorage was a bit bouncy but we put up with it because we knew the wind was decreasing. Good holding. Nice park on the shoreline from the anchorage. Mini market at the marina but a better stocked one in the town (same name). Fruit and veg market in the old town.

We checked out of Croatia from here. Had to take Sandpiper to the customs quay. The Police are in the pinkie/orangey building at the end of the quay on the right. ***They are there 24 hours a day and to check out we only needed a stamp from them. The Harbour Master’s office is around the corner and up the stairs. Their opening hours sign (which is upstairs so you can’t see it from outside the building) indicates that they only work office type hours but we didn’t try to go there outside these hours anyway.

***When we returned from Venice and checked back in here the Harbourmaster said that what the Police told us about only needing to see them on check out was wrong!

This is where we were charged the Sojourn Tax. See previous entry: ‘Extra Tax’.

Pula

N44°52.66 E013°50.65
(June 2010)
Good holding. Smelly - sewage pong. Charged for anchoring (96HNK/£11/?13). Only stayed one night! Pula is a great town - old and new. Chandleries near the marina. Tourist information in the old town (in the forum square where the Temple of Augustus is). Very good produce market (from Tourist Information: carry on through the pedestrianised Old Town as far as you can go - you'll go under an arch, cross the main road and just a bit further on the market square is ahead) with a supermarket nearby (underground level).

Soline (U. Kanalic), Near Veruda

N44°49.86 E013°51.51
(June 2010)
CAUTION: RISK OF THEFT. Whilst we were here, our friends woke one morning to discover that their dinghy had been stolen. The outboard was locked on to the dinghy but the thieves managed to remove it and then dumped the dinghy at the shore minus an oar. The bung for the drain in the rigid floor had also been removed.

We'll always treat this anchorage with extra caution because of the theft, which is a shame because otherwise it would have been very good. It's very popular but big so a lot of boats can fit in. The holding and protection are very good. We landed at the small pontoons at the head of the inlet. From here there are several walks. To the left, once you land, and up through the housing to the main road is a mini market. We got a bus from outside the mini market to Pula (15HNK per person each way/about ?2, roughly hourly, just before the hour). We also hired a car from Europe Car near Veruda Marina (HNK380/about ?50) and toured the Istria area for the day. A man in a boat comes around the anchorage selling fruit and veg.

Filled up with diesel at Veruda Marina (7.65HNK currently £.88/?1.03 litre) Their fuel berth is easily accessible and is on the starboard side as you approach the marina.

Liski, Losinj

N44°35.50 E014°23.01
(June 2010)
And another good sail. Still heading north so just stopped overnight and didn't go ashore (except to walk Flossie around the shoreline). Good holding and shelter in southerly winds. Not much there - possibly a restaurant in the corner.

Luka Jazi, Molat

N44°13.24 E014°52.74
Another good sail to get here. Good holding and protection in southerly wind. Path/road ashore looked like it crossed to the village but didn't explore it a lot because there were 'No Dogs' signs on it. There's an inhabited property ashore with a closed up bit that looks like it could be a shop or restaurant in the high season perhaps.

Sali, Dugi Otok
Pit stop only. We anchored just outside the harbour and dinghied ashore for provisions. (Thanks D&G for the taxi ride). Well stocked mini-market and small fruit & veg stall in the street.

Pinizelic, Zut

N43°53.13 E015°15.53
(June 2010)
Had an excellent sail amongst the islands to get here. Anchor went in well, quiet/remote anchorage with just a couple of fishing cottages ashore and nothing else.

Rogoznica

N43°31.88 E015°58.29
(June 2010)
Anchored to the east of the causeway. Anchoring here might be a bit restricted as suitable depths are in a narrow area close in around the edge and there’s also a ‘no anchorage’ area to avoid (a cable probably, well marked with upside down anchors). The bottom sounded rocky where we were. Another time we would investigate anchoring at the top of the inlet if we were planning to stop a while. Didn’t go ashore again – still heading north. Could see a mini market at the causeway.

On our way back down, in July, we anchored off the beach before the causeway bay. The holding was better here.

U. Luka, Loviste

N43°01.77 E017°01.57
(June 2010)
Holding good. We didn't go ashore as we were making as much north as possible with southerly winds. Seemed like a popular anchorage - bet it'll be very busy in July and August. Could see restaurants ashore.

Luka Polace, Mljet National Park

(June 2010)
N42°47.50 E017°22.64
Anchored and tied back. Nice! All visitors to the National Park pay an entrance fee (HNK90 per person/?13). A launch collects the fees from yachts. The ticket includes a mini bus and ferry ride to the lakes (Malo Jezero and Velikho Jezero) and former monastery (closed). Get the bus from the wooden cabin by the castle ruin. Hold on to your Park tickets as they are valid all season should you return to the anchorage. Mini markets ashore.

There are several trails to walk on Mljet but the one we walked (from the anchorage to Govedari) was a bit overgrown - probably because it was quite early in the season. Snakes on the path but the locals tell us they're harmless.

Slano

N42°46.42 E017°53.00
(May 2010)
Anchored and tied back outside the little church in the corner of Banja. Deep water comes up suddenly at the edge. Lovely little spot but the wind got up so we moved to free anchor at the head of the inlet.

N42°47.16 E017°53.15
At the head of inlet. Quite deep but good holding. No anchoring charge collected. Mini market in the village (just off the front). Lovely walks all around the inlet. This area was badly hit during the 1991-92 conflict and we met a few people who had been coming here for several years and spoke about how it was flattened.

Bus to Dubrovnik (19HNK per person each way - about £2.30/?2.70). Takes about an hour. From the bus station walk back the way you came to the Old Town but go along the road that runs parallel with the one the bus comes in on (it's a bit quieter). About a 20-30 minute walk. We visited War Photo Limited exhibition in the Old Town (signposted, entry 30HNK/?4) and walked the city walls (70HNK/?10).

Lopud

N42°41.49 E017°56.25
(May 2010)
Only stopped here for a quick visit. The holding seemed good (the anchor went in well and mud came up when we lifted it). An attractive place. Walked Flossie in the little exotic gardens.

Cavtat, Croatia

N42°35.11 E018°13.25
(May 2010)
You check in at Cavtat between 1 April and 30 October. We’ve read about people being fined for skipping a check in place so it’s advisable, if you’re coming from the south, to check in at Cavtat rather than Dubrovnik, during the season. Anyway, Dubrovnik is supposedly busy and takes ages.

The customs berth is on the portside of the town harbour and its marked with a big yellow sign with a black ‘Q’. Once on the shore, facing the cafes, it’s left for the Port Police (about 100 yards, set back a bit from the road but I don’t remember seeing a sign) and right for the Harbour Master (200 yards, at the end of the row of cafes, there’s a Croatian flag outside). We arrived around 7am and officials started appearing at about 8am. Checking in was easy (the Harbour Master is very friendly) if you discount the parting with 1,740 Kuna (1 Kuna is currently equivalent to about 12p so that’s about £210/€240) for the vignette (fees cover: safety of navigation, light dues, info chart, Govt admin). The vignette lasts a year regardless of the number of times you leave Croatia and re-enter. You have to pay in cash – either Euro or Kuna (there is an ATM in the town - further along from the HM office and bear left). You have to leave the Customs berth immediately after checking in. They charge 50% of the town mooring fees if you anchor in the harbour (didn’t bother to find out how much that was) but it’s free to anchor on the other side of the little peninsula and its easy to get to town from there.

We really liked Cavtat, it’s a charming little holiday town. There’s a small but well stocked mini market opposite the bank, a bakers on the same side as the bank and a fruit and veg stall just before the bakers. The walks around the peninsula and the headland are very pleasant.

You can get a bus from here to Dubrovnik (fare 12HNK/£1.45).

More of the Aegean

(September and October 2008)

From our route across the Aegean, east to west. (Poros, Kithnos and Simi have 2010 entries)

Korfos N37°45.80 E023°07.79
Quiet and very pleasant. Holding OK but it was quite calm when we were there so we didn’t really test it. Small to med grocery shop in the east of the bay. Several tavernas had moorings with electricity and water.

Aigina N37°44.50 E023°25.74
We only went here because we thought it might be possible to leave the boat and get a ferry to Athens but the conditions made us change our mind. There is an anchorage outside the harbour but the holding is not the best. It’s a sand and weed bottom and it’s quite hard to get well into the sand properly. There is lots and lots of ferry and other traffic wash as the harbour is extremely busy. It is possible to go into the harbour and med moor at the wall but it is very crowded and everything bounces around like crazy with the wash. The town is very popular and consequently loud, although in its favour it is quite a pleasant town despite being geared towards the Athens ‘townies’. To get to the large supermarket from the anchorage – once you land turn right and go along the front, turn left after the playing field.

N. Kea
Ay Nikolaou, Vourkari N37°40.05 E024°19.56
Holding OK in the anchorage at the head of the bay. Also a harbour wall but lots of Athens racers in when we were there. Convenience shop only. Nice walks.
Korissa – town in south of bay just a mile from Nikolaou.
Anchored off beach in SE corner. Holding OK. Wifi on board. Medium sized but well stocked ‘AB’ supermarket (from the anchorage it’s to the left of the front). Nice bakers on front. For fuel station carry on to left of town and it’s signposted. I preferred Korissa to Vourkari.

Siros
Finikas N37°23.29 E024°52.92 and N37°23.74 E024°52.68
When we first arrived we anchored by the unfinished pontoons but then moved to anchor outside the harbour. Visitors also tied back to the outside wall of the harbour. Free wifi, nice bakers, good holding and shelter. Bus to Ermoupolis (great UNESCO town) €3.20 return. Bus stop by the cash point machine on the corner.

Mikonos
O. Ornos N37°25.19 E025°19.43
Medium sized supermarket, baker, butcher, greengrocer. Wifi. Bus to Mikonos town (€2.80 return, ticket machine ashore) only takes about 20 minutes. No water tap. Holding was fine once you were in.

Korfos N37°23.72 E025°15.39
We also anchored here, on the opposite side to Ornos. It’s quite handy having the anchorages on both sides for the wind shifts. The beach is a rubbish tip (because of the prevailing wind) but the holding and shelter were good.

We walked from town to Mikonos New Harbour (Mikonos marina??!) to check it out (you cant go in to the old harbour) but it was the pits. It’s a long, dusty walk from the town and you have to dodge the heavy traffic. When you get to the marina it’s bleak, unfinished and uninviting. We much preferred the anchorages.

Panormos N37°27.75 E025°22.56
Isolated and barren but to be fair we only spent the night there and then went back to Korfos as it seemed too remote and we had friends visiting us.

Delos N37°23.72 E025°15.39
Anchored and went ashore by dinghy to visit the ruins and museum. Not a place to stay overnight but OK for a visit. Can land your dinghy where the tripper boats come in – they were pleasant and accommodating. Liked the walk to the top of the hill within the grounds of the ruins – lovely views.

O. Roussa, Dhenoussa N37°07.46 E025°49.22
Good holding in sand. Remote and very quiet. There were houses ashore but the whole place was shut up.

Levitha N36°59.92 E026°26.80
We anchored in the western arm of the bay and we had the whole spot to ourselves – quiet and isolated again. Just an overnight stop for us. You can also use the mooring bouys in the eastern arm of the bay (possibly a small charge). Said to be very safe in a blow.

O. Vathi, on W side of Pserimos N36°56.14 E027°09.13
On the way we called in to the fuel quay on the entrance to Kalimnos but there was no-one around and so we couldn’t fill up. The anchorage at Pserimos was yet another quiet, isolated, over night stop.

Poros

Ormos Vidhi
N37°31.14 E023°24.35
(May 2010)

Another overnight stop only. Good holding and shelter. We visited here in 2008 when we were coming the other way. Here’s our note from then:

(September 2008)
There are several good places to stop around Poros

O. Vidhi (North Cove) N37°31.10 E023°24.02
Excellent holding, very peaceful. Nothing there although we did land and take Flossie on a nice walk.

Poros Town N37°30.07 E023°26.69 (4 miles from Vidhi)
We anchored opposite the south of the town. Good holding. The town is charming although its quite touristy and busy. Couple of small/med supermarkets. There are also moorings in town with electricity and water.

Russian Bay N37°31.06 E023°26.07 (just 1.5 from town)
Anchored in bay for a swim. Good holding. Café on the beach.