April 19, 2020 - A visit to the Hvar ferry terminal to see how it functions in the Corona Era in the latest TCN report on Croatia's premier island under lockdown.

The birthplace of quarantine has bee accredited to Dubrovnik in some quarters, after the Republic of Ragusa, as it was then called, introduced the isolation strategy to nearby islands back in 1377 - more information in Croatia Self-Isolating Since 1377: Dubrovnik, the Birthplace of Quarantine.

So where better to sit out the current corona threat than on a Dalmatian island?

I have been back on Hvar for over a month now, ever since the announcement was made that schools were closing. I have been very strict in my self-isolation (the only things were I break the social distancing guidelines are my laptop and immediate self-isolation unit of my immediate family), and I only ventured out with a press pass to engage with island three days ago (apart from covering the Za Krizen procession from distance). 

The Hvar police have kindly given me a press permit, allowing me to travel around the island to document the realities of the island under lockdown, for which many thanks. I am not free to leave the island myself, since I am registered with the police in Varazdin, and only people with island IDs can apply for special permits to use the ferry. This is an excellent precaution, as it stopped any mainlanders wanting to self-isolate on the island and potentially bring the virus to the island. 

So what actually happens at the Hvar ferry, and who is using it? How strict are the controls?

I have made three trips to the main Hvar ferry terminal in Stari Grad in recent days, to meet the day ferry, which arrives at 10:30 and the evening ferry which docks at 20:30. It is a completely different experience to normal, as one would expect. I thought it would be better to show the realities by video report, which you can find below - shot and edited by Miranda Milicic Bradbury. 

I also enquired after shooting who was using the ferry. In addition to supplies and emergency services, islanders who are going to Split with a permit include pregnant women and oncology patients going for treatment and checkups. 

The whole system is extremely well-organised, and I certainly feel much safer and reassured, having witness everything first hand. Many thanks to those working so hard to keep us safe. 

In this series, you can also see more about the realities of the island of Hvar in the Corona Era:

Hvar Supermarkets in the Corona Era: How are Supplies?

A 3 Video Tour of the Stari Grad Lockdown on the island of Hvar