POREC

POREC (45° 14'N; 13° 36'E), town (pop. 7,585 in 1991) and harbour, protected from S by a small peninsula and islet of Sveti Nikola.

Approach: Porec can be identified from a distance by a castle, the ruins of a tower and the camp site on the islet of Sveti Nikola. By the belfry with turret in the town, by a red cylindrical tower (white and red sector lights) on Barbaran cliff and a white concrete tower with green cupola (green light) on the head of the breakwater (islet of Sveti Nikola).

Vessels approaching from the N should take care to avoid the Meja shoal about one mile NNW of the harbour, the middle is marked by a black spar with two red bands topped by two black spheres. At night this shoal is covered by the red sector of the light on Barbaran cliff. About 0.5M from the Meja shoal care should be taken to avoid the Pical shoal (depth 2.4m). Vessels should keep well over to the west of the alignment of Rt point and Busuja point until abreast of Pical point. After that course can be shaped for the harbour. Vessels approaching from the south should take care to avoid the Bekarija shoal about 0.3M south of the islet of Sveti Nikola and marked with a black spar with two red bands and topped by two black spheres. There are underwater pipes and cables between the shore and Sveti Nikola.

There are four approaches to the harbour; the safest being the channel between Barbaran cliff and the head of the north breakwater on Sveti Nikola islet. At night this channel is in the white sector (62° to 153°) of the light on Barbaran.

Mooring: The harbour is protected from NE and to some extent from SW and NW. Winds from S and NW create high waves. The sirocco here is more frequent than the bora wich blows very strongly, especially in autumn. In summer during the sirocco SW squalls may be experienced and these cause high waves in the harbour. Strong sea currents may make maneuvring difficult in the harbour. Yachts drawing up to 5m can moor at the quay in front of the Rivijera Hotel and those drawing up to 4m at the pier which also serves coastal and excursion boats and for customs. There is anchorage in the middle of the harbour but it is not recommended as there is no good holding bottom. If strong SW or W winds blow the best anchorage is below the NE shore of Sveti Nikola islet.

Porec harbour is a permanent port of entry; customs, harbour master's branch office, post office, several hotels and hotel settlements, banks, hospital, medical services, chemist's. It is the seat of the motonautical club and Zubatac Fishing Club.

Facilities: Water hydrants in the E part of the harbour (depth 3m) and on the foreshore, fuel pumps on the waterfront in front of shops. The duty-free shop sells charts and nautical publications. Other supplies may be bought from the town shops.

Small repairs to hull and engine available.

Annual events: art exhibitions and summer art festivals.

Sights: Ruins of temples of Neptune and Mars (1/2 C), Roman street layout, Eufrazijeva bazilika (Basilica of St Euphrasius, 6 C, baptistery, atrium, Maur oratory, mosaics, ciborium), canon's house (1251), Sv Franjo church (St Francis, 13 C, collection), Two Saints' House (12 C, Romanesque/Gothic, exhibition hall), the Sincic mansion (17 C, Porec Regional Museum). On the isle of Sveti Nikola (half a mile from the harbour): remains of an Illyrian building (3 C B.C.), lighthouse (1409, oldest lighthouse on the eastern Adriatic). Beram (Sv Martin church, 1431, 19 C additions, frescoes, Sv Marija na Skrilinah church, frescoes from 1474; Vladimir Gortan's monument) 27km. Pazin (1214 C castle, Pazin National Museum; Sv Nikola church, 1266, additions in 1441 and in 18 C, frescoes, church museum; Franciscan church 146377) 32km. Sv Petar u Sumi (13 C church and monastery, reconstructions in 1459, 1731, 1773, cloister) 42km. Lovrec (church, 911 C; loggia, medieval town walls) 17km.