Flying Fish ArticlesMamber 's Websites - Giatso Balchik, Bulgaria: A Black Sea resort fit for royalty and full of pleasant surprises (9/3/10)
Varna, Bulgaria: Soaking up the energy of a vibrant city (9/5/10)
Sveti Vlas, Burgas Bay, Bulgaria: A quick stop in a Spanish-style resort (9/7/10)
Sozopol, Bulgaria: Saving the best for last (9/8/10)
Tzarevo – 42°10.25'N, 27°51.45'E [GPS WGS84 position verified by 2 people]
Varna – 43°11.51'N, 27°55.27'E [GPS WGS84 position]
Reports
Balchik marina – 43°24.23'N, 28°09.70'E [GPS WGS84 position verified by 2 people]
BourgaTzarevo – 42°10.25'N, 27°51.45'E [GPS WGS84 position verified by 2 people] s - incl Plan (see attachment) – 42°29.00'N, 27°28.00'E [Approximate
Nessebar – 42°39.40'N, 27°43.75'E [GPS WGS84 position verified by 2 people]
Sozopol – 42°25.27'N, 27°41.30'E [GPS WGS84 position verified by 2 people]
Balchik
Port of Entry
Short finger pontoons with water and electricity. Showers are a good walk near the HM office across the road. No wifi but can use Hemingways bar.
George the HM is a gem. Friendly, helpful with excellent english.
Harbour is clean enough to swim in. Bars and restaurants around the harbour are not noisy. a delightful place. Shopping is limited.
Fuel dock in the basin to the west, ask George to arrange.
Bourgas
1) Information Submitted by Andy and Liza Copeland
2) Date 2003
3) Harbour or Area Covered Include Lat & Long Bourgas, Bulgaria (Black Sea) 42°29’N 27°28’E.
4) Suitability and Attraction for Yachts Port of entry. Large commercial harbour, small area for yachts at area called ‘Yacht Club’.
5) Marinas, Berthing or Anchorage Anchor and go stern/bow to, lines to wharf. Stay well out, use dinghy due to surge. Yacht Club (moorage) 12 Euros/3 days.
6) Entry Ports Yes
7) Formal Requirements for Yachts Entering/Departing:
a) from/to same country Very restricted in movement. See guide.
b) from/to abroad All officials’ board - very protracted. Harbour Master holds registration papers until departure.
c) visa requirements Issued on arrival
8) Location/Existence of:
a) harbour master Inner harbour – will board on arrival.
b) customs/immigration Inner harbour – will board on arrival.
c) health authorities Inner harbour – will board on arrival.
d) police Inner harbour – will board on arrival.
9) Control of Foreign Yachts Must obtain permit to cruise locally. Return to Bourgas before proceeding further.
10) Attitude of Officials to Visiting Yachtsmen Correct but protracted.
11) Repair/Hauling Facilities Crane on dock – local boat hauled. No info on repair facilities.
12) Sailing Directions or Charts Turkish charts.
13) Cruising Guide and where Obtainable. Include Phone and/or E-Mail ‘Cruise the Black Sea’ purchased Atakoy Marina, Istanbul.
14) Port Radio Services
15) Weather Forecasts Hard to get – however, Constanta radio (Romania) broadcasts in English on VHF Chs 12 and 73 at 0700, 1300, 1900 Z.
16) Yacht Club(S) Very few local boats. Yacht Club area is freighter dock on N. side harbour entrance.
17) Other Facilities: drinking water On dock – suspect.
fuel By jerry can
gas (propane)/gaz Not known
chandlers
No bank Many shops/market Close to port. Excellent wines, smoked meats and fish, seasonal vegetables. restaurants/hotels Good variety
restaurants. No experience of quality of hotels.
post office/telephones including mobile facilities Yes internet cafes Yes
transport/air services Easy access to local towns and to Sophia by bus or train.
medical facilities/hospital Not known
18) Recommendations or Warnings MUST HAVE RUBBER STAMP FOR YACHT! Harbour Master holds ships documents until you check out for next port of entry, though can get cruising permit to explore locally, but must return to Bourgas to check out. Must go into inner harbour to be checked in, then to ‘Yacht Club’ area. Drop anchor WELL OUT to avoid local’s own permanent moorings. Go stern/bow to, well off the high freighter dock to allow for surge, use dinghy to get to wall – a difficult clamber up. Nearly 1 kilometre to port gates, but then in centre of delightful town. Our favourite spot in Bulgaria, in spite of the difficult mooring arrangements.
Nessebar
A new marina, single pontoon, made inside the eastern old harbour by mooring floating barges as breakwaters. The Nessebar Yacht Club is for local yachts and full. Laid moorings to the pontoon but you get 4 lines, 2 aft and 2 forward. We were so far off we needed the dingy to get ashore. There can be a good surge here. no loos or showers but planned, HM is in a small portacabin to the right. Water and electricity on pontoon included. 50 Lev (11m ) but 10% discount untill facilities complete.
Fascinating old Nessebar town, oodles of history, good archeological museum with finds from Roman times onwards, interesting folk museums. Combined ticket worth it.
the new town has good shopping, Lidl 2.5km.
Sozopol
A full service marina with alongside and tailed moorings, haul out ( by crane) and repair facilities.VHF88 but they rarely answer. Excellent place to leave the boat, well supervised and secure. If long term get an inside berth the outer , alongside berths get some surge and take the brunt in NE winds.
No laundry. Water and electricity to each berth. Free wifi. There is a small chandlery, sailmaker, Gas bottles can be filled. Fuel available by tanker.
40 Lev a night inclusive for 11m in 2014.
Just outside the marina gates to the left is a market with good butchers, fishmongers, off licenses and greengrocers and small supermarket.
Carrefour, Lidl are in Burgas 30 mins by car or can get by bus.
A lovely old town, very picturesque with interesting Roman remains. Good restaurants.
Local boats do anchor in the harbour but there is a Navy presence and I have no idea how tolerant there would be of a foreign vessel.
Tzarevo
Port of Entry. Friendly and helpful officials who speak english.
Quay with tailed mooring lines. Mooring buoys, no charge, also available after check in completed.
Electricity and water on quay, laundry with 2 self service machines, wifi free.
Short walk to good shopping, butchers, greengrocers and restaurants. ATMs. Buses and car hire. Easy to obtain 3G sim cards for phone or iPad.
48 Lev for 11m boat 2014.
Not much english spoken in town but people friendly and patient.
Varna
Port of Entry and a large, busy commercial port.
The Yacht club area was full but there is now a pontoon with tailed moorings in the small basin to the north, on the starboard side, past the control tower. Water and electricity on pontoon, welcoming and friendly. 65Lev a night (11m). The chandlery never opened while we were there. Showers but no laundry.
Disco is noisy, it is a dusty place. Not suitable to leave boat for a long time.
Bus to town. Interesting city with many Roman remains, good museums.
Excellent shopping.