TOGETHER IN CROATIA AGAIN

After her Mum’s funeral Diane returned to Croatia on 24 July and next day we left Cavtat to start cruising northwards towards Split, where we would meet our friends Frank and Marie.
Our first stop was the stunning anchorage of Sipanska Luka on Sipan Island, where the picturesque village has many old and rustic buildings from Venetian times.

Envoy in Sipanska Luka

 A fine old mansion at Sipanske Luka

Rustic old buildings still in use in Sipanske Luka

 

Locals enjoying BBQ'd fish at Sipanske Luka

Next day we cruised to a quiet bay called Prapratna, on the mainland, where there are a few beach houses and a large camping ground with tents and caravans – in fact almost identical to New Zealand style. Here the beach was pristine as every morning it was raked over and any litter removed.
We used the water maker to top up our supplies from the crystal clear water – with two of us aboard we find that using it for about 5 hours once a week keeps us supplied. Envoy uses more water than most boats with our fresh water flushing of toilets and washing machine (most boats get their laundry done ashore, which is very expensive.)
Prapatna beach

Prapatna camping ground

After four days we arrived back at Lumbarda on Korcula Island – where we were before heading back to New Zealand. Lumbarda is a very ancient settlement dating to the 4th century BC, but sadly there’s no sign of its history nowadays, although it’s a laid-back and nice enough place with free sheltered anchoring all around, and easy access to Korcula town.

Fisherman cleaning fish at Lumbarda

We cruised along the north coats of Korcula directly into a 20 knot north-westerly with 1.5 to 2 metre waves. Once again we were surprised at the ferocity of these relatively small waves, and at 1,570 rpm we were only able to make 4.5 to 5 knots. When we reached the western end of the island and turned to go around the other side, with the wind and seas on Envoy’s stern our speed immediately increased to 6.5 to 7 knots, and we were able to reduce revs to a more normal 1400 and maintain over 6 knots.
That night found Envoy anchored at Tri Luke (meaning three bays) – a great anchorage on Korcula’s SW coast.
As we moved further north we found more yachts, and some of the anchorages more crowded. Just a mile off the SW coast of Hvar Island is the Pakleni Island group consisting of about seven very indented islands, providing many sheltered anchorages. We anchored for one night in Tarsce, which wasn’t over-crowded. I got up about 0500 to check all was OK in the light breeze and found that every boat in the bay was lying correctly to the wind except Envoy which for some reason had drifted upwind and was about to touch a yacht stern-to-stern. I gently prodded the yacht away with the blunt end of a boathook, and waited for a while until Envoy behaved herself and lay correctly with the wind.
We spent two nights anchored off Bobovisce on Brac Island. The village is stunning here but there’s a lot of wasps around – both ashore and on the boat at anchor. So far we’ve found wasps quite prolific around Croatia – much more so than anywhere else, and the Adriatic Pilot mentions that too. On 3 August we went into the Marina Kastela, just out of Split, and named after the nearby small 16th century Gomilica Castle on the water’s edge, which has been continuously inhabited since it was built.
TECHNICAL – nothing to report and apart from general cosmetic maintenance I’ve only changed the generator’s oil after 150 hours running.
ENVOY LOG (to 3/8/13) – Nights aboard and cruised 807 miles for 155 engine hours.