Pogana – baia a sud di Cres

Pogana is a small village of 50 inhabitants south of the island of Cres (Cres) overlooking Jadriscica Bay. The bay is recommended for anchorage for those who are leaving the Kvarner area and heading south toward central Dalmatia. The bay is an adequate shelter from the bura that can blow very strong in this area and at the same time the bay has an easy entrance, a good holding bottom and is very wide. In case of strong bura the most exposed part of the island of Cres is the eastern part which is identified by the steep cliffs and which for these very reasons is sparsely inhabited, so if you find yourself sailing along the east coast of Cres and a north-easterly wind begins to rise, it is advisable to continue to Pogana and take shelter there. In case of sirocco, on the other hand, it is to be avoided.

Also in the eastern part of the island are 2 nature reserves where the griffon vulture, a bird of prey with a wingspan of more than 2 meters, finds a home. These birds tend to build nests on steep cliffs and thus find an ideal habitat in this area. In October, the mating season, it is easy to see two specimens flying in the sky side by side.

For those coming from the west, on the other hand, passage between the island of Cres and the island of Losinj is only possible during the opening hours of the bridge (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). The channel is 3 meters deep and only 12 meters wide so there is a precedence system: boats coming from the south pass first, maximum speed allowed 5 knots. Access from the north is signaled with red flashing light 1.5 seconds. Although the western part of the island is much more lush and inhabited once you pass the channel, Pogana is still a good choice for anchoring since the bays along the way are smaller or have some impediments such as in Kaldonta where anchoring is no longer possible due to a fish farm and in Martinscica where you have to be very careful of the shallows and shallow depths in some parts of the bay.

There are about 20 or so buoys in the bay, all of which can be paid for; some are located in front of the Baldarin campground where there is also a restaurant and a refueling station. The depth varies from 4 to 2 meters, do not stay too long inside the bay. At night on the Pogana pier there is a glittering green light, 2 meters depth only at the head of the pier.