Postcard from Nerezine

Nerezine is a small village on the north-eastern coast of the Croatian island of Lošinj, which is separated from the island of Cres to the north by a narrow canal at Osor. Nerezine has a working harbour and a small marina. There is one principal hotel, many holiday apartments, and some restaurants clustered around the village square.

 A footpath from the marina leads westwards past bathing platforms and pebble beaches to Autocamp Rapoča, a small and friendly campsite which looks out across the channel to Cres. The dearer pitches look out directly onto the sea: we’re on the not-so-dear area, but we can see the sea if we stand up! It’s hot and sunny and luckily no pitch is more than a few minutes’ walk from a swim.

 We went for a swim as soon as we arrived. Chas was puzzled by the buzzing sound in his left ear as soon as he dived under – he was still wearing his hearing aid!! ( needed to ensure he never misses a word of Cath’s). It survived amazingly – hooray for the NHS.

 The sea, as ever, is deep and crystal clear. You need swimming shoes for the pebble ‘beaches’ in their small rocky inlets. Cath went for a swim this morning at 8am; we went for a swim before lunch and will probably go for another in late afternoon.

 We reached Cres by ferry from Brestova to Porozina on Tuesday. It’s a turn up, buy your ticket and queue up for the 20 minute trip arrangement – no booking possible. (motorhome +2 pax = 281 Kuna). The road down through Cres to Nerezine is a mixture of modern paved roads with barriers and narrow tracks with sheer unguarded drop-offs. The trick is to get up the hill from the ferry before you meet a German 4X4 towing a cabin cruiser coming the other way!!

 It’s our eighth visit to Croatia (second this year as we had a 7 day island cruise out of Dubrovnik in May). We’ve ticked most of the boxes and now we’re happy just to visit our favourite spots on Cres-Lošinj and Krk. We’re the only Brits on site and the mainly German campers are now leaving, presumably as school and work beckons. We’ll be heading up to Cres and Autocamp Kovačine at the weekend where we hope our favourite pitch might be free.