Cavtat
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| Cavtat Port of Entry
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 The harbour of Cavtat |
The picturesque town and harbour of Cavtat is situated just under six miles SE of Dubrovnik in Croatia and is the last recognized harbour heading south before the border with Montenegro. The main harbour lies on the W side of a prominent headland, Rt Sveti Rok, with a secondary harbour in the bay of Tiha on the E side of the headland. Shelter in the main harbour is good in S and E winds, but poor in NW and W winds, when Tiha offers better protection. Visiting yachts go stern/bows-to the quay in Cavtat or on the pontoons in Tiha or anchor off in either harbour wherever there is space.
Charts
See Southern Dalmatia.
Weather
See Croatia.
Passages
See Croatia.
Islands
Only small islets.
Communication
Add here VHF channel for the coastguard, harbor masters. etc.
Also see World Cruiser's Nets.
There are numerous unlit hazards to be avoided in the approach to Cavtat and a night approach is not recommended. Approaching from the S, the islet of 
Mrkan [[Cavtat#Mrkan|Mrkan]] 42°34.522'N, 018°11.659'E should be left well to port, avoiding the rocky ledge extending for nearly half a mile off its SE tip. The wooded cape of 
Rt Sustjepan [[Cavtat#Rt Sustjepan|Rt Sustjepan]] 42°34.992'N, 018°12.455'E at the SW side of Cavtat should be given a clearance of at least half a mile in the approach from S as there is a rocky ledge 100 metres off its W side.
In the approach from the N, the islet of Supetar [[Cavtat#Supetar|Supetar]] 42°35.690'N, 018°12.133'E should be left well to port as there is a dangerous rock awash 500 metres SE of it, roughly halfway between the islet and the headland of Rt Svet Rok. Closer in, the beacon and light of Pl. Seka Velika [[Cavtat#Pl. Seka Velika|Pl. Seka Velika]] 42°35.167'N, 018°12.271'E (painted black and red with two spherical topmarks) should be left 50 metres to port. It is important not to stray too close into the headland of Rt Sveti Rok as there are shallows extending for over 200 metres to the W of it.
Entrance
Cavtat is a port of entry/exit for Croatia with a customs office. For details see Entrance: Croatia.
You must moor on the fenced-off section of quay, marked with a large 'Q' sign in black on yellow, to check in or out. Even if you have spent the night on the quay a few metres along, you must move to check out. At less busy periods, it may be possible to go alongside, but considerate skippers do an anchor moor as space is so limited.
First, one has to visit the harbourmaster's office, which is on the waterfront 100 metres S of the customs quay, to complete a four-part crew list form and pay for a cruising permit (vignette) and the sojourn tax for the intended length of your stay. The crew list is checked and stamped and receipts issued for the vignette and sojourn tax. Next, one takes three copies of the completed crew list (the harbourmaster keeps one) together with your passports to the combined police and customs office. This is up a flight of stairs 50 metres up the street leading N from the customs quay on the right-hand side and is clearly signed. The police and customs check the passports and other documents and each keep a copy of the crew list, handing you back the original. Then, you are legal.
Berthing
Cavtat town quay
{In the main harbour of Cavtat, moor stern/bows-to the quay on the NE side of the bay, using your anchor, wherever there is space.
Note: The S section is reserved for the tripper boats.
Depths on the quay here are 3.0 - 4.0 metres (although you will be dropping your anchor in closer to 8-10 metres). Shelter in the main harbour is good in S and E winds, but poor in NW and W winds. In strong winds from this direction, it is probably untenable. If winds from this quarter are expected, the inlet of Tiha on the other side of the headland of Rt Sveti Rok offers better protection, although some swell still enters.
Marinas & Yacht Clubs
None.
Anchorages
Tiha
In Cavtat, it is possible to anchor off at the SW end of the harbour in 8.0 – 10 metres, although space can be tight in view of the numerous moorings and other anchored yachts. The holding is good in mud and shelter as for the town quay.
In Tiha, there is little space for visiting yachts in the tiny harbour and it is usually necessary to anchor off in the centre of the bay in 5.0 - 6.0 metres. The holding is good in mud and weed (once the anchor is through) but the shelter less so if there is more N than W in the wind. The anchorage here is often subject to strong thermal winds from NE during the night and you should ensure your anchor is well set. If they become too strong for comfort, the anchorages off the tiny harbour of Ljuta a mile NNE or, better still, off Srebreno three miles NNW usually offer better shelter.Amenities
| Facilities | |
|---|---|
| Water | N/A (Not Available) |
| Electricity | N/A |
| Toilets | N/A |
| Showers | N/A |
| Laundry | N/A |
| Garbage | None |
| Supplies | |
| Fuel | N/A |
| Bottled gas | None |
| Chandlers | None |
| Services | |
| Repairs | N/A |
| Internet | WiFi in most of the cafes in both Cavtat and Tiha |
| Mobile connectivity | Is there mobile telephone signal such as G4, G3, GPRS on the island? How strong is the signal? Are there any blind spots? |
| Vehicle rentals | N/A |
Provisioning
In Cavtat and Tiha [[Cavtat#In Cavtat and Tiha|In Cavtat and Tiha]] Supermarket and other provisions shops.
Eating out
- On the waterfront
-
[[Cavtat# | ]] Restaurants and café/bars.
- In Tiha
- [[Cavtat# | ]] More Restaurants and café/bars.
Transportation
- Buses to Dubrovnik. The number 10 goes from Tiha to Dubrovnik every half an hour from 0900.
- Passenger ferries to Dubrovnik. There are several different little boats going to and from Dubrovnik through the day and early evening, although there seems to be no regular scheduled service.
- Cavtat is very close to the airport and is under the flight path. Taxis cost 100 kunas fixed price. The taxi stops by the bus station. If you have bags that you cannot carry, there may be a little electric truck that will take your bags to the yacht for 50 kunas.
Tourism
Cavtat is a popular destination for day-trippers from Dubrovnik and the waterfront is consequently packed with fish restaurants catering for this trade. Tourist attractions include the 16th century Rector’s Palace, the diminutive baroque church of St Nicholas next door, the monastery of Our Lady of the Snow and a gallery dedicated to Cavtat’s most famous son, the modernist painter Vlaho Bukovac.
Friends
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
- Antonio works with the harbour master. He can arrange things like laundry. Telephone:09928 28355.
Forums
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
Links
For other useful websites, see Croatia.
References
See Croatia.
Comments
We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.
Verified by
Date of member's last visit to Cavtat and this page's details validated:
- May 2013 --Zebahdy of London
- June 2014 --Athene of Lymington
| This is a usable page of the cruising guide. However, please contribute if you can to help it grow further. Click on Comments to add your personal notes on this page or to discuss its contents. Alternatively, if you feel confident to edit the page, click on the edit tab at the top and enter your changes directly. |
 Contributors to this page |
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Names: Haiqu, Athene of Lymington |
