STARIGRAD

STARIGRAD (44° 17.7'N; 15° 26.4'E), village (pop. 1,159 in 1991) and small harbour on the NE coast of the southernmost part of Velebitski kanal.

Approach: Landmarks: the round red tower with a column and gallery (red light) on the head of the breakwater, the church of Sv Juraj (St George) and the multi-storey Alan hotel.

When approaching from SE, care should be taken of the shoals, reefs and rocks extending some 500m offshore; the S rim of the shoal is marked by a black and yellow buoy surmounted by two black cones points downwards. A shallow reef bank stretches between the buoy and the coast.

Mooring: The harbour is exposed to the bora; the sirocco is moderate but causes waves; the westerlies blow in the summer and are strong and dangerous. Smaller vessels can moor on the E end of the breakwater (depth 2-4 m). In calm weather moor along both sides of the breakwater. The anchorage offshore is exposed to the bora and is not safe.

Warning: Mooring along the damaged E pier is prohibited.

Facilities: Harbour master's branch office, post office, chemist's, medical service, a hotel, travel agency, several shops and restaurants, camp site.

Provisions and water in the village, fuel at the petrol station on the Adriatic highway (1km SE).

Sights: Veca kula (a tower dating probably from the time of Turkish attacks in 1617 C), Sv Petar church (Pre-Romanesque, 10 C), next to it the ruins of the necropolis with 20 medieval tombstones, two pre-historic cairns at the entrance to Velika Paklenica. The Velika Paklenica National Park, a karst valley stretching for 10km in the S part of the Velebit mountain range, situated between 450-metre high hills. The cave Manita Pec, the Borisov Dom mountain lodge (550 m), starting point for climbing the peaks of Velebit.