island Unije
vognisca bay
Croatia - your sailing destination
At the anchor
Information about the anchorage
Visited in the Summer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022
Unije – Vognisca bay is very good anchorage in all winds except S. Even than, it is not critical, just unpleasant. We were there ones, in very strong Jugo and it was still not too bad. 50m of chain and no problem. Anchor is holding well in the sand bottom at 8-12m. No buoy field.
In the season, there is a boat with bread, cheese, fruit and vegetables coming every morning. Little bit costly but you have to pay for convenience. Water is clear. No obvious rubbish to be seen on the shore or in the water. Nice place to spend a few days. If you know how and when, you can even catch some fish.
There are 2 more bays next to Vognisca. Closest is Potkljuni and other one is Maracol. If you are ready to pay for buoy about 30€/night (dependig of the size of your boat), it might be good option. Specially Maracol which is well protected and 20min walk to the village. We prefer to anchor in Vognisca and come to Maracol next morning just for couple of hours to go for a walk, coffee and shopping to the village. Normally, someone will come to check and collect money only after 17:00 and we always leave before 14:00. Maybe we are just lucky. Don’t take this as granted.
Around the island
About Unije
Unije has the most western position of islands from Cres-Lošinj group. Carst and limestone formed it. Grass and reed vegetation more typical for Istria then Kvarner , hosted endemic kind of birds called Illyrian Chiopa and grey falcon. Humankind settled there in the bronze time. Three remains of Illyrian tribes settlements are still visible on three hills of the island. Liburni tribes used to live there, known as pirates. But it seems that even antic Greeks used to live there before Illyrians, because the symbol of Uroboros (serpent biting its own tail) was found – symbol of life which exist and changes in the cycle. From the ancient Roman time there are remains of Villa Rustica. At that time island was full of olive trees.
Croatians inhibited Unije in the middle age – in the house No 194 a stone piece written in Glagolitic letters is kept and tells about the life there in early and late middle age.
Last few centuries only one small village exists on Unije and has the same name as the island. Not so many habitants lived there, in 1921. there were 783 locals living in Unije village, and that was maximum. Since 2011 only 88 habitants have been living there in 47 houses. But there are 292 houses all together, most of them transformed into houses with apartments for rent.
Parochial church with three bells laid on the ground, small school, post office, bakery, one minimarket and konoba “kod Joze” dominate the village without water supply and waste water system. Small airport for sport planes is in use.
