On Sunday we got up early and got going out of Korčula in order to try to make it to Dubrovnik. The trip down was incredibly beautiful. The city of Korčula is situated on Korčula island adjacent to the mainland which lies in the shadow of a granite mountain similar to Yosemite's half dome. As we travelled south, to the west was Mljet which is an island that is a national park. Very lush and wooded. To the east was the peninsula of Peljesac from where many of the fine Croatian wines come.
Robert estimated it could be a 10 hour voyage. As it was, it took about 8 hours of motoring since the winds were coming from the south, the direction we needed to travel. It took another hour to decide where to moor for the night. We finally ended up in another expensive ACI marina as the weather report said possible thunder storms and rain.
This particular marina is packed with boats and getting in was very tight with just a foot to spare on either side. Robert, with the assistance of Larry and Marilyn on the starboard side, got us backed into the space that the marina staff ponted out barely missing several boats in the process. It was a real nail biter! Mooring is my least favorite part of sailing. It is 10 minutes of high anxiety and adrenaline rush. For those who know me well, you know I can't even watch a suspenseful movie!
We cooked dinner enroute so by the time we were tied up, we could crack open a well deserved beer and dish up lentil stew. It was too late to go anywhere so stayed in and played cards before and early bedtime.
Got up early and headed into the walled "old city" part of Dubrovnik built in the 10th century. It was awesome. It is constructed on a hill on the edge of the water overlooking the Adriatic. There are cathedrals, museums, lots of shops, restaurants, private residences and rentals, etc.. We went through a history museum and several cathedrals, learned about Adriatic corral, shopped and ate until we nearly dropped. We climbed hundreds of stairs, took an arial gondola to the top of Mt Srd from which you get a view of all of Dubrovnik as well as the islands nearby. It was just an incredible day. The people are all so nice and most speak English.
There were remnants of the 1991-1992 war when Serbia bombed the city. It is unbelievable to me that anyone would try to destroy this historic treasure. And, it is a real credit to the Croatian people that they have restored many of the areas to their original form using the same stones that were used centuries ago.
Tomorrow we set sail for Šipan, which is just up the coast a little distance so not much time on the water tomorrow. The good news is that the rain moved though last night and so we have a forecast of sunny weather for the remainder of the trip!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Mediterranean mooring
I have to jump in here and say something about Mediterranean mooring, which is what we have all had to learn. It can be quite tricky and each marina is a little different, the winds, other boats, etc.
Parking this huge boat is a real challenge. It is called Mediterranean mooring. Im sure there is a you tube on it You have to back into the mooring dock, throw a stern line to the guy on the dock, he threads it through a ring then sends it back to tie to the boat cleat. While this is happening, he is picking up a line in the water that is attached to an anchor at the bow of the boat. Someone on the boat uses a hook to grab the line, follows it all the way to the front of the boat and pulls hard to secure the boat's front end and keep the stern away from the mooring wall. This is repeated on both sides of the boat. Whoever is controlling the boat has to keep it from hitting the dock or pulling away too far. It all happens very fast and we are done in less than 10 min. Today we had to park next to a big yacht with the owner on board making sure we didn't hit his boat. We have fenders out plus a roving fender to place as the need arises. My body is sore from sailing! We've had a few scary moments but are getting much better at it. Got a line caught in the prop one afternoon but it was easily dislodged thanks to Larry going under the boat to untangle it. Whew. I'm having trouble uploading pics to the blog using pics from my phone.
Donna
Parking this huge boat is a real challenge. It is called Mediterranean mooring. Im sure there is a you tube on it You have to back into the mooring dock, throw a stern line to the guy on the dock, he threads it through a ring then sends it back to tie to the boat cleat. While this is happening, he is picking up a line in the water that is attached to an anchor at the bow of the boat. Someone on the boat uses a hook to grab the line, follows it all the way to the front of the boat and pulls hard to secure the boat's front end and keep the stern away from the mooring wall. This is repeated on both sides of the boat. Whoever is controlling the boat has to keep it from hitting the dock or pulling away too far. It all happens very fast and we are done in less than 10 min. Today we had to park next to a big yacht with the owner on board making sure we didn't hit his boat. We have fenders out plus a roving fender to place as the need arises. My body is sore from sailing! We've had a few scary moments but are getting much better at it. Got a line caught in the prop one afternoon but it was easily dislodged thanks to Larry going under the boat to untangle it. Whew. I'm having trouble uploading pics to the blog using pics from my phone.
Donna
Cinco de Maya in Croatia does Not translate
Left harbor at 0830 with calm seas and a mild depression settling in. Forecast is for patchy fog and visibility down to < 1 km. Our radar is working perfectly and all hands on deck watching we're fine. The hope today is to make it to at least Sobra on Mljet but any safe anchorage will be fine. Ideally, Šipan will be our next anchorage.
We pulled into Korčula Harbor at 1800. Yes we failed miserably in our target destination but still had fun sailing. The wind was right ahead of us and we wound up motoring to mooring for the night. The sight across the harbor is beautiful. ACI Marina? ... Well, it's an ACI Marina. Even if we have to motor there, we're leaving early and headed for Dubrovnik.
We pulled into Korčula Harbor at 1800. Yes we failed miserably in our target destination but still had fun sailing. The wind was right ahead of us and we wound up motoring to mooring for the night. The sight across the harbor is beautiful. ACI Marina? ... Well, it's an ACI Marina. Even if we have to motor there, we're leaving early and headed for Dubrovnik.
Friday, May 4, 2012
May 5, 2012 Vis Harbor to Korčula
Left Vis Harbor after fueling up. Danina drank 107 liters of Euro diesel at a cost of 1081 kuna total. No oil is being consumed by our twin Volvo engines. We're motoring on our way to Korčula late (1200) but we fixed dingy oars and put length flags on our anchor rode. We only have 52 meters of rode which seems anemic.
Soon as we clear the light Stončica, we'll be on a course of 110 to Zaljev Vela Luka. Should take about 5 hrs.
1430 Securité weather alert for the north, central and southern Adriatic; Depression settling in; fog tonight and early morning; visibility < 1 km.
Soon as we clear the light Stončica, we'll be on a course of 110 to Zaljev Vela Luka. Should take about 5 hrs.
1430 Securité weather alert for the north, central and southern Adriatic; Depression settling in; fog tonight and early morning; visibility < 1 km.
May 4, 2012 Beševo and back to Vis Harbor
Blue cave was all it was cracked up to be. Getting there not a piece of cake. We sailed a great deal to get there with winds over 20 knots. We found the entrance to the cave but, being the lemmings that we were, we waited for some Aussies to try it first. We had to anchor Danina and take the dingy by row into the cave entrance. Larry stayed on board having been seasick most of the day and we were unsure of the hook's grab on what was typically an unknown seabed. Good thing. The boat started to drift.
On board our dingy, it was quite tough to paddle against what seemed to be a developing Bora. Marilyn as usual seemed most adept at paddling but the oars were attached incorrectly and we had diminished leverage on the oars. The solution was to disconnect and reattach the oars in their correct position. The knurled nob on one oar was missing. What a cluster. When you checkout a charter boat it is hard to find all the issues that might lurk below the surface till it comes time to need or use something.
We took a bunch of pix and R's Minolta finally ran out of memory in the cave. We did not bring Liz's camera into this less that seemingly, totally safe environment. D and M got a bunch of pix to follow. Out friends the Aussies, who, BTW, motored their dingy out to Danina thinking she was adrift with no one at the helm, grabbed on to our dingy and pulled us back to our boat. What a day. But it was not over.
Our plan was to harbor in Komiža on Vis for the night. R thought that since we did not need food or supplies we could save mooring fees and just drop anchor at a cove off the southern coast such as Rukavac. It was then, on our way that the wind began to shift northerly and over 30 knots. R's greatest concern before even leaving on this trip was the dreaded Bora. And here we were half way between the two major harbors and one unknown. Rukavac. The harbor was not where it showed on the chart but when we found it it provided no shelter from the wind. Our anchor seems undersized and will not hold in whatever the sea bottom is composed of. It does not feel safe to stay and does not feel safe to leave. We leave and head east to Vis harbor.
Our passage thru the southeast part of the island is a mind field of rocks and shoals. D's at the helm, M and L are at the lookout and R's glued to the Nav table as we attempt to navigate these treacherous shoals that we cannot breakout of into open sea. The good news is that the monster wind is blowing from the north and we're on the lee side of the island. The bad news is that the wind is still steady over 20 with gusts to about 28 knots and it's getting late in the day.
We finally round the east side and see the light at Rt Stončica. We're almost home free. There's still the 4 point mooring with winds blowing. The day before the crew had a discussion about the elements of good team dynamics. Today we put them into practice. And, without a word from anyone, everyone just doing their own job and not worrying about anyone else, our landing was perfect. We secured our lines, had some great local 2006 red wine and another great dinner by M and D of salad and spaghetti. No cards tonight. Everyone was in bed by 2100. Tomorrow: Korčula.
On board our dingy, it was quite tough to paddle against what seemed to be a developing Bora. Marilyn as usual seemed most adept at paddling but the oars were attached incorrectly and we had diminished leverage on the oars. The solution was to disconnect and reattach the oars in their correct position. The knurled nob on one oar was missing. What a cluster. When you checkout a charter boat it is hard to find all the issues that might lurk below the surface till it comes time to need or use something.
We took a bunch of pix and R's Minolta finally ran out of memory in the cave. We did not bring Liz's camera into this less that seemingly, totally safe environment. D and M got a bunch of pix to follow. Out friends the Aussies, who, BTW, motored their dingy out to Danina thinking she was adrift with no one at the helm, grabbed on to our dingy and pulled us back to our boat. What a day. But it was not over.
Our plan was to harbor in Komiža on Vis for the night. R thought that since we did not need food or supplies we could save mooring fees and just drop anchor at a cove off the southern coast such as Rukavac. It was then, on our way that the wind began to shift northerly and over 30 knots. R's greatest concern before even leaving on this trip was the dreaded Bora. And here we were half way between the two major harbors and one unknown. Rukavac. The harbor was not where it showed on the chart but when we found it it provided no shelter from the wind. Our anchor seems undersized and will not hold in whatever the sea bottom is composed of. It does not feel safe to stay and does not feel safe to leave. We leave and head east to Vis harbor.
Our passage thru the southeast part of the island is a mind field of rocks and shoals. D's at the helm, M and L are at the lookout and R's glued to the Nav table as we attempt to navigate these treacherous shoals that we cannot breakout of into open sea. The good news is that the monster wind is blowing from the north and we're on the lee side of the island. The bad news is that the wind is still steady over 20 with gusts to about 28 knots and it's getting late in the day.
We finally round the east side and see the light at Rt Stončica. We're almost home free. There's still the 4 point mooring with winds blowing. The day before the crew had a discussion about the elements of good team dynamics. Today we put them into practice. And, without a word from anyone, everyone just doing their own job and not worrying about anyone else, our landing was perfect. We secured our lines, had some great local 2006 red wine and another great dinner by M and D of salad and spaghetti. No cards tonight. Everyone was in bed by 2100. Tomorrow: Korčula.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Hvar to Vis
Wednesday, May 2:
As great as Stari Grad was, mooring fee was exorbitant: 564 kuna. Two nights earlier was 165.
Our plan was to go to Korčula today but we decided we are at this point closest to Vis and Biševo. The attraction here aside from putting us the farthest out into the Adriatic, is the cave on Beševo. This island is situated just SSW of Vis. Ideally, we will enter the cave by non motorized dingy at about noon. The following day. We will not make it there by that time today which is the time of day when the light and colors are most spectacular.
We made it to Vis at about 1600, way ahead of schedule. We had a nice breeze in the beginning and end of the trip. We had about 20 + knots of westerly wind (Lebic). We hadn't planned on it but we did another 4 point landing in Vis Harbor. This was still not perfect with the starboard stern line got fouled in the starboard propeller. Larry to the rescue: while R ran off to take a some kind of tranquilizer, Larry uncoiled the mooring line. We need more practice but the gods were with us on this attempt too.; no one got hurt and the boat is still In one piece.
This is another beautiful village. It was also once a military base for Tito of Yugoslavia's army. Tomorrow the Blue Cave of Beševo.
As great as Stari Grad was, mooring fee was exorbitant: 564 kuna. Two nights earlier was 165.
Our plan was to go to Korčula today but we decided we are at this point closest to Vis and Biševo. The attraction here aside from putting us the farthest out into the Adriatic, is the cave on Beševo. This island is situated just SSW of Vis. Ideally, we will enter the cave by non motorized dingy at about noon. The following day. We will not make it there by that time today which is the time of day when the light and colors are most spectacular.
We made it to Vis at about 1600, way ahead of schedule. We had a nice breeze in the beginning and end of the trip. We had about 20 + knots of westerly wind (Lebic). We hadn't planned on it but we did another 4 point landing in Vis Harbor. This was still not perfect with the starboard stern line got fouled in the starboard propeller. Larry to the rescue: while R ran off to take a some kind of tranquilizer, Larry uncoiled the mooring line. We need more practice but the gods were with us on this attempt too.; no one got hurt and the boat is still In one piece.
This is another beautiful village. It was also once a military base for Tito of Yugoslavia's army. Tomorrow the Blue Cave of Beševo.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Spent Saturday morning touring the town of Split. visited the Diocletian Palace and green market. Could have spent entire day in the palace but had to pu Danina. Finally met Inga who I dealt with in email along with Marija and lijiana for many months. Also met Melita going to the boat and Hrvoysê. Toni helped mostly with checkin. Went out to dinner and spent a good deal of night awake listening to a concert in the marina. Croats are total party animals.
MLD went shopping for provisions. R finished prep to shove off which finally happened at 1240. Wind was too light to sail; we motored most of the day on a course ESE around the east end of Brac to the harbor/town of Sumartin. We tied up at the pier across from the ferry stop, paid 165 kn for the night with water and electricity. M and D made a great meal of local baby asparagus and garbanzo bean casserole. Tomorrow we go to island of Hvar.
Monday left Brac about 1045 and "motored" most of the way along the northern coast of Hvar to its NE end and into the entrance to Stari Grad. D and M made another great dinners this time garbanzo bean casserole. Winds were light particularly in the morning. Westerly picked up mid afternoon but wrong direction to help us much toward our destination. Pulled into a small cove named Tiha and will spend the night till tomorrow and go into town. Barometric @ 76.3 and dropping. Forecast for tomorrow is sunny but expecting after that sun with temps starting to cool down.
We haven't seen many other boats. A lot like sailing on Puget Sound. There aren't many navigational aids either. Using GPS but still mostly paper charts and pencil. Nav table too small for using parallel rulers so using protractors with small charts and liking it a lot. Just not much detail like NOAA charts and where b = white and c = red and z = green. It's taking some getting used to.
The sails were delivered the day before we got there and they were not completely rigged properly but Larry and I figured it out and corrected it. Winch handle broke today and we need to get it replaced tomorrow. Mostly we need to get Larry's phone working tomorrow. We also need to get a weather update. Watching the skies and barometer is great but this area can be a bit scary with the winds, cyclones and water spouts that can develop.
May Day 2012, Tuesday
Sitting down to lunch of salad and Veggie Risotto. Beer was Ožujsko and maybe not as good as Pan but good. Rented a little car to go touring of Hvar Town and Stari Grad environs.
MLD went shopping for provisions. R finished prep to shove off which finally happened at 1240. Wind was too light to sail; we motored most of the day on a course ESE around the east end of Brac to the harbor/town of Sumartin. We tied up at the pier across from the ferry stop, paid 165 kn for the night with water and electricity. M and D made a great meal of local baby asparagus and garbanzo bean casserole. Tomorrow we go to island of Hvar.
Monday left Brac about 1045 and "motored" most of the way along the northern coast of Hvar to its NE end and into the entrance to Stari Grad. D and M made another great dinners this time garbanzo bean casserole. Winds were light particularly in the morning. Westerly picked up mid afternoon but wrong direction to help us much toward our destination. Pulled into a small cove named Tiha and will spend the night till tomorrow and go into town. Barometric @ 76.3 and dropping. Forecast for tomorrow is sunny but expecting after that sun with temps starting to cool down.
We haven't seen many other boats. A lot like sailing on Puget Sound. There aren't many navigational aids either. Using GPS but still mostly paper charts and pencil. Nav table too small for using parallel rulers so using protractors with small charts and liking it a lot. Just not much detail like NOAA charts and where b = white and c = red and z = green. It's taking some getting used to.
The sails were delivered the day before we got there and they were not completely rigged properly but Larry and I figured it out and corrected it. Winch handle broke today and we need to get it replaced tomorrow. Mostly we need to get Larry's phone working tomorrow. We also need to get a weather update. Watching the skies and barometer is great but this area can be a bit scary with the winds, cyclones and water spouts that can develop.
May Day 2012, Tuesday
Sitting down to lunch of salad and Veggie Risotto. Beer was Ožujsko and maybe not as good as Pan but good. Rented a little car to go touring of Hvar Town and Stari Grad environs.
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