This page will help you reading and understanding Croatian nautical maps.

Geodetic Datum

The Croatian Hydrographical Institute uses Hermanskogel datum (Bessel’s Ellipsoid). It can be altered to WGS – 84 via the SATELLITE DERIVED POSITIONS which are clearly marked on its maps.

Lighthouses

As all sailors know, characteristics of lighthouses and light beacons are marked on the nautical maps as follows:

A B (C) Ds Em FM

A describes the colour, B indicates the rhythm. C, when applicable, gives you the number of groups in a cycle. D is the cycle time in seconds, E indicates the height of the light above sea-level in meters (m). F, finally, indicates the visibility of the light in nautical miles (M). For colours and rhythms, the following codes are used on Croatian nautical maps.

A – Colour

AbbreviationEnglish Abbreviation Croatian
WWhite=BBijelo
RRed=CCrveno
GGreen=ZZeleno
YYellow=ŽŽuto

B – Rhythm

AbbreviationEnglishAbbreviationCroatian
FFixed=SStalno
FlFlash=BlBljeskovi
Q FlQuick Flash=B BlBrzi Bljeskovi
S FlShort Flash=K BlKratki Bljeskovi
L FlLong Flash=D BlDugi Bljeskovi
IsoIsophase=IzoIzofase
OccOcculting=PkPrekide

If a lighthouse shows the abbreviation POT in a marked area, it means POTAMJENO. It is the Croatian word for ‘not visible’.

What does it say? Expressions on Croatian nautical maps

Below you find the full list from the Croatian Hydrographical Institute. Although I gave maximum effort to be complete and accurate, I cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of this list.

CroatianEnglish
A
ANAvvissi ai Naviganti ‘Notice to Mariners’ in Italian (see also OZP)
B
BBijeliWhite
BlBljesakFlash
C
C, cCrveno, crvenaRed
cbcrveno-bijeloRed – White
crcrnoBlack
cr ž crno-žuto Black – Yellow
cr ž crcrno-žuto-crno Black – Yellow – Black
D
DopDopunaAddition
E
EIstokEast
EFElenco dei Fari ‘List of Lights’ in Italian
H
HHIHrvatski Hidrografski Institut Croatian Hydrografical Institute
HR, hrhridRock, Cliff
HRMHrvatska Ratna Mornarica Croatian Navy
J
JJezeroLake
K
kkamenStone / rock (seabed)
KKratkiShort
kabkabelCable
korKoraljCoral (seabed)
KANKanalChannel, sea strait
L
LLukaHarbour
L.pl.Lučki plan Harbour map
M
M, mmuljMud (seabed)
MKMale KarteSmall map
N
NSjever, SjeverniNorth
NarNarančastoOrange
NESjeveroistokNortheast
NGNautički Godišnjak Nautical Almanac
NWSjeverozapadNorthwest
O
O, OiOtok, Otoci Island, Islands
ORPObalna RadiopostajaCoastal Radio Station
OZPOglas Za Pomorc‘Notice to Mariners’ – the well-known monthly corrections and additions to the nautical maps
P
ppijesakSand (seabed)
(P)prethodni ispravakPreliminary correction
Plplutača Buoy
Pkprekid, prekidnoPause
Pličpličina, plićakSandbank, shoal
PmPromjenljivoChanging / variable
PolPoluotokPeninsula
POTPotamnjenoNot visible
pribpribližna pozicija Estimated position
pvPlavoBlue
R
RCKružni Radiofar
RGRadiogoniometrijska PostajaDirection finder
RNSRadionavigacijska SlužbaRadio Navigation Service
RORadio OglasRadiomessage
RSRadioslužbaRadio Service
S
Sjug, južniSouth
ssekundaSecond
sektsektorSector
SEjugoistokSoutheast
sjsjajClarity
SV, svsvetiHoly, Saint
Svj plsvjetleća plutačaLight Beacon, Light Buoy
strstranicaPage, Side
SWjugozapadSouthwest
Š
ššljunakPebbles (seabed)
škškoljkeMussels, shells
T
(T)privremeni ispravakTemporary Correction
ttrava(on map) Seagrass (seabed)
ttona(in text) Tonne (weight)
točtočkaPoint
U
U, uuvalaBay, bight
V
VVeliki, VeliLarge
VertVertikalanVertical
VidVidljivostVisibility
VKVrlo KratkiVery Short
W
WZapad, zapadniWest
WkPodrtina(on map) Shipwreck
Z
ZZelenoGreen
Ž
ŽžutoYellow
ž cržuto-crnoYellow – Black
ž cr žžuto-crno-žutoYellow – Black – Yellow