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

Abbreviation	English		Abbreviation	Croatian
W	White	=	B	Bijelo
R	Red	=	C	Crveno
G	Green	=	Z	Zeleno
Y	Yellow	=	Ž	Žuto

B – Rhythm

Abbreviation	English		Abbreviation	Croatian
F	Fixed	=	S	Stalno
Fl	Flash	=	Bl	Bljeskovi
Q Fl	Quick Flash	=	B Bl	Brzi Bljeskovi
S Fl	Short Flash	=	K Bl	Kratki Bljeskovi
L Fl	Long Flash	=	D Bl	Dugi Bljeskovi
Iso	Isophase	=	Izo	Izofase
Occ	Occulting	=	Pk	Prekide

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.

		Croatian	English
	A
AN		Avvissi ai Naviganti	‘Notice to Mariners’ in Italian (see also OZP)
	B
B		Bijeli	White
Bl		Bljesak	Flash
	C
C, c		Crveno, crvena	Red
cb		crveno-bijelo	Red – White
cr		crno	Black
cr ž		crno-žuto	Black – Yellow
cr ž cr		crno-žuto-crno	Black – Yellow – Black
	D
Dop		Dopuna	Addition
	E
E		Istok	East
EF		Elenco dei Fari	‘List of Lights’ in Italian
	H
HHI		Hrvatski Hidrografski Institut	Croatian Hydrografical Institute
HR, hr		hrid	Rock, Cliff
HRM		Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica	Croatian Navy
	J
J		Jezero	Lake
	K
k		kamen	Stone / rock (seabed)
K		Kratki	Short
kab		kabel	Cable
kor		Koralj	Coral (seabed)
KAN		Kanal	Channel, sea strait
	L
L		Luka	Harbour
L.pl.		Lučki plan	Harbour map
	M
M, m		mulj	Mud (seabed)
MK		Male Karte	Small map
	N
N		Sjever, Sjeverni	North
Nar		Narančasto	Orange
NE		Sjeveroistok	Northeast
NG		Nautički Godišnjak	Nautical Almanac
NW		Sjeverozapad	Northwest
	O
O, Oi		Otok, Otoci	Island, Islands
ORP		Obalna Radiopostaja	Coastal Radio Station
OZP		Oglas Za Pomorc	‘Notice to Mariners’ – the well-known monthly corrections and additions to the nautical maps
	P
p		pijesak	Sand (seabed)
(P)		prethodni ispravak	Preliminary correction
Pl		plutača	Buoy
Pk		prekid, prekidno	Pause
Plič		pličina, plićak	Sandbank, shoal
Pm		Promjenljivo	Changing / variable
Pol		Poluotok	Peninsula
POT		Potamnjeno	Not visible
prib		približna pozicija	Estimated position
pv		Plavo	Blue
	R
RC		Kružni Radiofar
RG		Radiogoniometrijska Postaja	Direction finder
RNS		Radionavigacijska Služba	Radio Navigation Service
RO		Radio Oglas	Radiomessage
RS		Radioslužba	Radio Service
	S
S		jug, južni	South
s		sekunda	Second
sekt		sektor	Sector
SE		jugoistok	Southeast
sj		sjaj	Clarity
SV, sv		sveti	Holy, Saint
Svj pl		svjetleća plutača	Light Beacon, Light Buoy
str		stranica	Page, Side
SW		jugozapad	Southwest
	Š
š		šljunak	Pebbles (seabed)
šk		školjke	Mussels, shells
	T
(T)		privremeni ispravak	Temporary Correction
t		trava	(on map) Seagrass (seabed)
t		tona	(in text) Tonne (weight)
toč		točka	Point
	U
U, u		uvala	Bay, bight
	V
V		Veliki, Veli	Large
Vert		Vertikalan	Vertical
Vid		Vidljivost	Visibility
VK		Vrlo Kratki	Very Short
	W
W		Zapad, zapadni	West
Wk		Podrtina	(on map) Shipwreck
	Z
Z		Zeleno	Green
	Ž
Ž		žuto	Yellow
ž cr		žuto-crno	Yellow – Black
ž cr ž		žuto-crno-žuto	Yellow – Black – Yellow