S/YJane & Darcy

Not much going on during this passage

With the new crew onboard it was time to check out from Croatia and sail to Montenegro. This passage includes a spectacular pilotage out of the Dubrovnik creek. Then comes a very boring 30 M leg along a monotonous coast. Finally, there’s the pilotage in the scenic and meandering bay of Kotor. The Check out from Croatia is easy and well organised. Customs, Police, and Harbormaster are located in the Gruz harbor, housed in the same building (42°39.506’N 18°5.155’E) with a big, yellow Q sign on the facade.

You can dock alongside at the customs dock with help from the employees. A facilitator chaperons you through the process. The police warns you about what you can and cannot do after checking out. You need to pass the Daksa islet on the STBD side. Also, make sure you pass outside the Zdrijelo islets. Avoid the small channel that separates them from the Petka head. Do not navigate between Okrum islet or Cavtatski Otomi and the mainland. Should you need to find refuge or go back to the mainland, contact the harbormaster first to declare your necessity.

After you pass the Zdijel small archipelago, there is not much to do or to see. This continues until you get to the entrance of the Kotor bay, past Cape Ostra. The coast is mostly barren with few sparse houses. A high carsick mountain chain serves as the backdrop. It separates Croatia from Montenegro. The narrow strip of coastline remains Croatia until Cape Ostra. You can sense the clear distinction between these two countries. One is a EU member, the other is not. You can almost feel the echoes of the conflict that they fought in 91/92.

The entrance to the bay of Kotor is spectacular. One fortress guards each side. The island of Mamula sits in the middle of the channel. Mamula Island Hotel is a luxury hotel. It is located inside the 19th century fort Mamula. The hotel promises unforgettable stays surrounded by sea.

The trip from the entrance of the bay to Porto Montenegro (Tivat) is approximately 6 M long. If you are arriving late in the afternoon, you should check in at Zelenika Luka. It’s better to do this sooner rather than later. If you arrive in Tivat after 5 pm, customs and the harbormaster might be closed. You would then have to spend the night at the customs dock. Checking in Zelenika is easy, just pay attention to the dock. Large black rubber fenders either a rusty metal support are a threat to your topsides.

The check-in process is simple and straightforward, harbormaster, customs and police officers are nice and friendly. The whole place is incredibly quiet and populated by a huge colony of cats.

Before entering the bay of Tivat we pass near marina Portonovi, huge yachts, probably Russian owned are anchored there. once in the bay there is an increasing traffic of small motorboats, all quite oblivious of COLREG.

From Marina Portonovi the last leg of approx 4 miles takes us to the huge Marina Montenegro development. Outside the breakwater dock is the Golden Odyssey, a 124m long yacht. It is the harbinger of a fleet of maxi yachts. These yachts have their home in this Russian-funded marina.

When you dock in Porto Montenegro you find yourself surrounded by large yachts, maneuvering can be tight.

Download here the waypoints for this trip – Warning, never use waypoints for navigation without previously validating them on your plotter.

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Passage Notes

Beginning the passage in Gruz Luka, at the customs dock, be fin a 330˚ course for approx 0.5M, until you leave at the STBD beam the Kantafig head beacon, then head 300˚ to pass the Daksa islet, until you have its light to the port beam, then head 270˚ for a short (0.3 M) leg and then approximately 1.3 M on a 200˚ course, until you have the Greben islet at your port beam. It is now time to head 127˚ for the longest leg, approx 27 M, until you have the cape Ostra LH (TR FL(2) W 10S 15M AIS) at your port beam, and you enter the kotorska mouth passing between Cape Ostra and Mamula island LH (TR FL W 3S 6M). Head N until you have the Cape Kabala Black/White beacon (BW BN FL G 5S 6M) to your STBD beam, then head towards the Zelenika customs dock, on a 038˚ course for approx 3 M. After checking in, follow the channel E/SE to the Tivat Bay, and cross it eastwards for approx. 4 M until Marina Montenegro – Beacon (W BN FL W 3S 7M).

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Haiku of the day

Harbor of splendor
White sails kiss the sapphire sea
Luxury afloat