Hvar

We (Barb, Hew and Grahame), arrived at Stari Grad about lunchtime and asked if we could park on the quay for a couple of hours to look around and have lunch. the harbour guys said no problem and no charge – a nice surprise. This was a lovely town both for the harbour, buildings and peacefulness.

As we set off we came to the house of a famous local poet Petar Hektorović’s Tvrdalj who built it throughout his life. The house for him and his friends had the same importance for him as his literary work. The fish ponds were connected directly to the sea and a local stream so the water was brackish – very clever. The fish pond also had a dovecot over it as well.

We departed Stari Grad after lunch and headed for Brac. The wind was northerly 20kt directly on the nose with a rising sea, so we decided to go to any bay that we could reach on the western side without tacking. then I noticed that I had marked one on the chart for the Monastery in Luka Brac. Arrived two yachts were already there and one had the whole of the head of the bay!. The other was anchored and tied back stern to the north so we decided to anchor the opposite. We got a good spot and had a calm night despite wind raging outside the bay for several hours.

Brac

Arrived in Brac at Milna harbour and cruised into the town for a look then out again to find a nice bay. Met a local chap as he checked his anchor was clear and he told us it was his favourite port.

We departed Stari Grad after lunch and headed for Brac. The wind was northerly 20kt directly on the nose with a rising sea, so we decided to go to any bay that we could reach on the western side without tacking. then I noticed that I had marked one on the chart for the Monastery in Luka Brac. Arrived two yachts were already there and one had the whole of the head of the bay!. The other was anchored and tied back stern to the north so we decided to anchor the opposite, found a good spot and had a calm night despite wind raging outside the bay for several hours.

The Blaca Monastery and Hermitage were erected in the karst caves of Vidova Gora on the south of Brac Island. Two monks started Blaca in 1551 by acquiring more land around the monastery and cultivating olive oil and vineyards. The monks traded the monastery’s products to passing sailing ships and the monastery flourished in the 18^th Century. The second golden age of the hermitage was the beginning of the 19^th Century when defence walls and a fort were built as well as other additions like the New House and the Peasant House and the water supply was regulated. the monastery holds a collection of Glagolitic scripts and other religious items plus a collection of clocks and the third most powerful telescope in Croatia. The last monk father Niko Milicevic Jr., a well-known astronomer, died in 1963.

Departed the bay heading for a long sailing day up the coast. As per normal the wind faded and it was a motor sail. A few hours later the wind freshened and the day turned cold and grey. Just when we were thinking of snorkeling on a wreck!! Gave that a miss and went into Rogoznica.

Rogonznica & the Dragons Eye

We were making our way north and estimating that we did not have much time if we wanted to have a good look around Sibenik. We were also going to have a look at the town and harbour of Rogoznica as a possible drop off and pick up point for Split. Since Split is so busy in summer alternatives are much cheaper. We had heard there was a good marina here and wanted to view that and the harbour. We discovered that generally, the harbour was uninspiring, and the Frapa Marina was lovely but expensive €260. There was a hotel as well and several shops. I finally got myself some rock hopping shoes – after all this time in bare feet. the boys checked out the chandlers and decided it was no good.

We then found a lovely little bay over the hill from the marina and anchored there among the day boats and a few other yachts. A great spot. In the morning we walked over the hill to look at the marina and find the “dragons eye”. This is a sinkhole and a brilliant swimming area. Access to the sea is below sea level and the water has been known to get covered in algae growth during the summer. But it is a lovely spot and great to swim in sheltered from the wind. Also, great rock jumping – a national pastime here.

Next stop Sibenik

Water polo was set up on the foreshore and a car-free promenade along the foreshore every evening with only permitted delivery vehicles during the day. Auckland could learn a lot!

Sarges last dinner was on the waterfront watching Waterpolo.

Sarge departed Saturday morning for Dubrovnik airport and the UK.

Hew and I ate breakfast in town then returned to the yacht and watched the antics of berthing boats all morning. The best viewing since Bonifacio last year …. wrong places and shifted by harbourmaster, hooked anchors, change of places to fit other yachts, and on and on. The harbourmaster’s crew sit in a cafe till they are needed then turn up and seem to rearrange everything. The radio is not used and it is hard to figure out how the yachts/launches are sorted. In the middle of all this, you have canoes, paddle boats and swimmers. Everyone seems relaxed and to wait for everyone else. Swimmers seem to have priority and there is a very big swimming club here – out every morning and evening and just swim across the bay/harbour!!

Matt arrived at lunchtime and was initiated into sailing life with a dive on our mooring to thread an extra rope through the mooring chain we were on just so we could be sure for the next day when we had decided to take a trip to the old town in Dubrovnik.

Later we went to the beach bar for a drink and watched the waiters change deck chairs for bar stools then leap off the ledge for a swim. Good job if you can get it.

Graeme arrived at 9 pm in the middle of a festival which no one seemed to know the reason for but had pirates, painted ladies, fire eaters, belly dancers, African dancers, drummers and stilt walkers – a real mixture.

After walking to the wrong harbour from the taxi we finally found him and we had a great dinner at Buganvile restaurant – $$$ but perfect. The crew are now Barb, Hew, Matt, Graham.

Sunday we went by ferry to Dubrovnik to look at the old town on a guided tour.

Lots of people in town and a very interesting place. some beautiful churches and buildings and all so old, and the fortifications are spectacular. We could easily have spent another couple of days there. I was easy to understand how exposed they were to a sheeling from the hilltop above during the war. Since it was a very hot day and tourist numbers were huge, we decided to return to Cavtat, go for a swim and then move.

Departed Cavtat late afternoon and anchored at Kolocep Is, Uvala Donje Celo. There was a lot of rubbish on the seabed in the Bay so ended up anchoring again trying to avoid as much as possible of old mooring blocks, tyres, pipes!!

Late in the day a small yacht came in and moored right next to us. At around 0400 we got up as stern was slapping and found ourselves very close to the little yacht as the wind was pushing us out but the swell pushing us in. We decided it was easier to leave and motored off in the pre-dawn darkness to the next island -Lopud – and anchored in a lovely bay called Uvala Sunj. Only three yachts were there and one motorboat. We all went to bed and when we woke at 0800 when all the day boats started to arrive.

Mljet

We finally departed at 1100 and headed out for a good sail ending up at Mljet, Luka Saplunara. As we were getting closer a rib came out to encourage us to visit his restaurant called just “MS” and use the moorings so we did. He had come out much further than any other restaurant assistants that we had seen previously. We anchored in the western harbour and MS was just above the middle of the beach in the trees.

The restaurant had a lovely setting, great service and very good food but was pricey compared to others on the island we have been to. Well worth it – we had a lovely evening. I am sorry we did not have some photos of the restaurant site and more of their preserves but here are a couple.

The next day we set off up the coast stopping in the bay just over the peninsula to have a look and it was very pretty and a good but small anchorage.

Then a quick drive past in Okuklje (Maestro) harbour – would definitely go back there. 4 restaurants, dockside berths and moorings. Free berth, electricity, water and internet. Very sheltered.

Polace

We arrived late afternoon. The boys went in to check out the deal for the next day trip to the Park while I took the paddleboard around the bay.

There was a beautiful calm evening until about 2100 when a great electrical storm arrived. It was forecast and we did get a bit of rain but we were tucked in close to the shore and all happy. No visit from the park staff this time???? No idea why.

Next day we got out of bed early to hire bikes ( instead of walking like the time before https://kiwiflyingfish.com/2019/06/mljet/).

Further rain was forecast so we wanted to get the sightseeing finished early.  We cycled around both lakes and the Soline canal. It was a very grey and overcast day so not the same pretty colours as the first time but much cooler. This time there was also a current running through the entry to the Soline Canal under the bridge so Matt and I leapt in and floated downstream at about 5 knots. Great fun.

Cycled back to the harbour and handed the bikes in and had pizza and beer for lunch ashore. It was quite windy but never actually turned to rain again thought they were forecasting more thunderstorms. We decided to have the afternoon relaxing and reading on board. The boys watched the cricket then the tennis and I ended up making biscuits and more muesli. Much cooler than it has been lately and the harbour had many more yachts than the previous trip.

Next day we motored from Polace to – Skrivena Lula for a flying visit to look at the lighthouse and show Graham and Matt the harbour. Decided not to stay and continued up the coast to Uvala Kremena at the western end of Lastovo.

Lastovo

Uvala Kremena is a pretty harbour on Prezba, NW Lastovo. Old derelict buildings all along the northern part of the harbour. The southern corner was very quiet and unpopulated with many remnants of the naval military era including a submarine tunnel and further up the coast a tunnel for a small boat. They could very easily duplicate the Vis military tours in this area if they wanted to and the history would have been interesting. The water was very clear but the submarine tunnel full of rubbish.

Vis

The first stop at the eastern end was Budicovak Island for a swim and lunch.

Next was Uvala Striniva the Mamma Mia beach which we had previously visited with Simon and Liz and this time we managed to get a buoy. Since you cannot even take even a RIB into the cove Matt and Grahme swam in to explore.

Komiza

Komiza was the last stop on Vis with the intention to walk around the town, and maybe go on to Bisevo if the weather was fine the next day. We walked around the town in the evening before dinner and it was very interesting and well signposted. There were many adjustments to older buildings where concrete lintels or complete window or door surrounds had been put in old buildings – often under arches – really rough and ugly and such a pity. Historically a fishing village and still some ruminants of this remain.

The Church of St Nicholas has a great outlook above the town and was full of graves will huge marble tombs.

Evening time and dinner. Live cray pots (with a dead one as well) were tied under the restaurants on the foreshore. Lovely spot for dinner.

Hew was most disappointed that a church devoted to pirates was shut.

The next morning the locals were out checking the moorings – in a boat that looked like one of the Messina swordfish boats.

Hvar

From Komiza it was off to Hvar, the weather was grey and rough. Hvar was full and the forecast was not great so went over to the Palenki Island to have a look and decided to use a buoy bay. Stopped in Vinogradisce. Expensive 510kuna for a mooring with nothing included. 4 restaurants in the bay were all separate. We needed to replace the anchor roller with one Graeme had carried up from NZ with him and it needed to be done when we were on a buoy or marina so boys got to work that was achieved. Hew very pleased.

We all sat down for a relax and cocktails then Matt discovered that the ferry from Hvar to Dubrovnik the next day was full so he had to get out that night to Split and then a ferry the next day to Dubrovnik. We tried to get a boat taxi for Matt but couldn’t at a reasonable price so Hew took him over in the rib. Normally we would not even think twice about taking the rib that far but it is now deflating on the left pontoon on each trip – not good. Anyway succeeded and we said goodbye to Matt. The others returned and we ate dinner on the yacht and packed it in for the night.

Next stop: Stari Grad on Hvar; Luka Blaca on Brac; Rogoznica

Useful links: https://www.noonsite.com/place/croatia/southern-mainland-trogir-and-southwards/cavtat/