Cavtat is a pretty town and a convenient clearance port, coming from the south or from Italy.
We arrived here in very strong katabatic head winds after a long overnight from Brindisi.
Howard [ Just Imagine ] 04-Oct-2009
Uvala Tiha (Anchorage)
Dragging onto the rocks at midnight.
We were very happy with our decision to move here from Cavtat harbour and we appeared to be holding well in about 7m with our 20Kg Bruce anchor.
Around midnight we woke up and found ourselves on the rocks, on the seawall, after the wind had shifted and strengthened.
I tried all my normal techniques of powering forward, cranking the wheel hard to port and starboard, trying to wiggle the boat free, the same way we had come onto the rocks. The situation did not look good, and it looked like we were going to be there for a long time, until we could get help in the morning. We had no fuel for the dinghy and could never have rowed an anchor out in that wind.
Finally, in desperation, and against my better logic, I tried powering hard astern, which was actually taking us closer to the shore, but the boat miraculously started moving backwards and we were free.
The Bruce was covered with a ball of weed, so we tried anchoring with the CQR, with the same bad results. We finally gave up and decided to head slowly up the coast to Dubrovnik and up the Kolomac to arrive at the marina at daybreak.
Howard [ Just Imagine ] 04-Oct-2009
Port Authority (Formalities)
Upon arrival in Croatia you must go directly to the port authority without any delay. You can be fined for anchoring along the way. Since there were many boats waiting to check in we had no option but to anchor in the head of the bay and wait for space at the customs dock.
You must bring the boat to the customs dock at the northern end of the harbour wall. You can anchor bow or stern to or go alongside, depending on how many other boats are there.
It took a few hours for a space to clear on the customs dock, but we finally got in. The obnoxious dock man told me that the first hour of anchoring was free. Anything more than 1 hour one had to pay for a whole day (about Kn100 - $20).
The Port Authority office is between the 4th and 5th last palm tree, before the souvenir shop, as you walk south from the dock.
This is where you pay your money and are issued your "Vignette" cruising permit which is valid for 1 year. You can get Kunas from the Bankomat futher down the road. We paid about 1100Kn (~$220) for 10m.
You should then proceed to the police at the northern end of the dock beyond the customs dock to get passports stamped.
Howard [ Just Imagine ] 04-Oct-2009
Customs Dock (Formalities)
Police (Formalities)
Bankomat (ATM)
Cavtat Harbour (Anchorage)
On arrival, there were many boats waiting to clear in, so we had no choice but to anchor near the head of the bay in deep water.
I tried to row ashore to check in, but was told by an obnoxious dock man that the boat must go on the customs dock to clear in, and besides we had been there longer than one hour and he would have to charge me about Kn100 ($40) to anchor for the whole day. He said I should come and see him after I have cleared in and reanchored.
After moving the boat to the dock and clearing in, we came back to the anchorage, for a while, until the wind blew up and the deep water holding did not instill confidence. So we left, and went around the corner to Uvala Tiha. So we did not have to pay the dock man.
Uvala Tiha initially looked like a much better anchorage and we appeared to hold OK in about 7 meters, until we dragged around midnight.
Howard [ Just Imagine ] 04-Oct-2009