REVIEW

Part of a developing series centred on the eastern Mediterranean, this is an immediately attractive pilot book covering the Dalmatian coast and islands from Zadar in the north to Dubrovnik in the south. Throughout, it gives the feeling of knowledgeable friends introducing one to an area that they love.

The introductory chapter covers all the essentials: how to get there by land, sea or air; the legal requirements; meteorology; everyday living and shopping; an introduction to the language (with a glossary at the back of the pilot); repair and maintenance addresses, and much more.

The next eight chapters divide the coast up logically. The chartlets which lead one into each chapter would benefit from the addition of latitude and longitude – the harbour charts show a waypoint, but it is sometimes difficult to relate them to the bigger picture. If one were on board the charts would obviously be to hand but, whilst planning at home, finding the way around could be made easier. Similarly, the index is so comprehensive that every mention of a name is included, and places such as Zadar have up to 21 page numbers listed. It would be helpful if the main reference were to be in bold.

The pilot is very much ‘of today’, with comparatively little history but an unusual amount of time-sensitive information, such as favourite restaurants. A card is included to request updates from the publishers – one wonders whether they should have also requested feedback, as keeping so much detail up to date will be very demanding, even if the authors stay in the area.

The chartlets generally provide satisfactory detail with key points such as fuel, harbourmaster, ferry berths, showers, restaurants etc shown, and aerial photographs are included where available. However the change of sea colour from light to dark blue does seem a bit random, even being inconsistent within individual charts. On page 242, for example, the change appears to fall at 20m in the eastern estuary, at 25m in Luka Gruz and at 10m south of Pt Grjiliste.

As a whole proof-reading seems good, but there is the odd east/west reversal. The photograph on page 225 shows St Mary’s Islet in Veliko Jezero, which is at the west end of Mljet, not east. Similarly, on page 59, the bay of Muline lies at the northwest end of the southwest coast of Ugljan. These are small niggles, but perhaps more questionable is the mention on page 241 of a possible small-boat anchorage upstream of ACI Marina Dubrovnik – there is normally a mud bank immediately above the entrance to the lift-out channel. However there is a good summer anchorage in approximately 6m over mud downstream of the marina, which is not mentioned.

Overall, the Croatia Cruising Companion provides an attractive introduction to the most visited part of this coast. It could probably act as a ‘stand-alone’ for a charterer or an owner paying a fleeting visit, possibly supported by 777 Harbours and Anchorages (Karl H Beständig, translated by Anna & Rod Bailey. Published by MagnaMare – www.magnamare.com – 3rd English edition due April 2008). However an owner bringing his own yacht to the area would probably want to invest in the slightly more expensive Adriatic Pilot (Trevor & Dinah Thompson. Published by Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson Ltd. 5th edition due July 2008) as this covers the whole of the Adriatic coast from Albania anti-clockwise round to Brindisi, including Montenegro, all of Croatia, Slovenia, Trieste and Venice. If the funds stretch why not have all three, as each has some aspects missed by the others?

JFS