Sailing with the Treleavens

The Island of Vis is 25 nms from Hvar Island and only 70nmiles from the coast of Italy. Vis port is very cute and if you have the time while cruising, it is well worth a visit but be sure to check the weather forecast. Sirocco and tramontana winds lash this rugged coastline and you could find yourselves staying a few more days than expected. Tourism is new to this island and they are very welcoming. Once an out of bounds Military Island, it is a place where grape vines have been growing for 2000 years, submarine caves everywhere and a blue grotto.

Entering the port of Vis you pass the Cemetery and Monastery commanding the peninsular. Tying stern too a long town wall we moor right outside the centre with cafes, internet and market at the end of our passerelle (gang plank).

Hiring a green convertible VW, racing enthusiast Bob Fraser at the wheel, we circumnavigate the island. Grapes are being harvested now, from vines that haven't changed in time. We call into a basic vineyard and get to know the family. The two elders are already comatose, as the young ones tend to the crushing. Some of the Svilicic Family went to Australia to make wine, others stayed, its very tough conditions here. Leaving with their Viska Vugava white wine, we have to say it is the best white we have drunk in Croatia.

The scenery is stony, wild and very steep, with many coves, so we decide to see more by boat. The blue grotto on the island of Bisevo has a window of two hours in which to see the best light reflected from the sun. An early start, we sail to the west side. Too deep to anchor we take it in turns in the dinghy to pass through the small opening. The grotto is huge and the colours spectacular. Whilst waiting our turn to enter, the coast guard and Police came along side and check our papers. This is a first for us in 4 years. They were very courteous and went on to the next yacht.

On the south side of Vis, is a beautiful clean cove called Stiniva, we
snorkel between white cliffs and actually wonder if it's real, and it's so peaceful. Then sail on to the century old fishing village of Komiza for the night. Actually we have been here before. Two years ago on our way south from Venice to Brindisi we called in here with Pip and Geoff Lavis and Kevin Horne.

Original stone waterside houses reflect history of Stone Age, Illyrians, Greeks and Romans, all having passed through here over the ages. The biggest legacy as in the rest of Croatia is the influence of the Venetians but this island in particular has a strong Italian feel. Wind direction has us sailing back to Hvar and anchoring in the bay on the south side of the island of Klement. Over turquoise clear water, we take in the last beautiful days of summer.

Slowly moving up the coast, taking in more beautiful bays, we are now in Biograd at Marina Kornati as a guest of our friend Milan Sangulin. Soon after we docked, the press where everywhere, but no it isn't us its Russell Coutts. In town with his new RC 44 one design racing yacht, he is match racing the Croatia team in a few weeks time. After a great catch up we invite him on board and he left with my book 'Letters from the Med'.

Marina Kornati is fast becoming known as an excellent race venue, especially the 20 identical 42 foot race boats owned by Robert Lang which are in action all season.

Sails washed, ropes moused, upholstery laundered and all those boring things, we still have the weekend to enjoy. As The Kornati Islands are close and the weather fine, we head out to Dugi Otak and the inland salty lake with a magnificent walk along the high white cliffs over looking the Kornati Islands. Taking us by surprise was a snake.

De-Commissioning Cadiz in Marina Kornati Biograd where facilities are first class, all staff speak several languages, a self serve laundromat and sail repairer a short distance away.  For her winter stay Cadiz will be high and dry in Marina Dalmacija 12nm north of here. Our 2006 season is over, 2300 nm sailed, passing through 6 countries, it has been a wonderful year.

Out here we have learned to appreciate nature and especially the night sky and all that is around us.

In the night sky is Venus almost close enough to reach. My best friend is the moon, especially when crossing the ocean at night. But my best memory is the meteorite that entered the earth's atmosphere, burst into a million pieces and disappeared.

Thankyou to all who shared it with us and thankyou all for reading this and hope you enjoyed the continuing dream.

Next year we are undecided as to whether to go west or east.

West to Spain for the Americas Cup in June, July and France for the Rugby World Cup in October?

Or east, to sail the northern Greek Islands, onto Istanbul and into the Black Sea?

Or maybe after four years it is time to take a break. Decisions,
decisions!!!!!!

Cheers for 2006

Korcula jutting out into the Adriatic is on a peninsular surrounded by a fort. The old town inside is of stone with red roofs, complete with churches with spires. The huge lime stone mountains on the main land engulf this scene making this the most photographed place from the air I have seen.

The weather forecast isn't looking good, but with a southerly wind coming and our destination is north, we take the opportunity to run with it. Spinnaker flying, gybing three times, (excellent crew work from Janey and myself) flat seas, we sail passed the island of Hvar very quickly. 35nm in four hours; it's getting dark as we arrive. With no shelter in Hvar harbour we sail onto a small island to find good anchorage for the night. Or so we thought! Law of averages, when its pitch black and blowing hard you have to move. We face the wrong way due to a strong current between the islands
hitting another yacht and we all have to get up to relocate. Janey and I are now up and down all night pressing the anchor button. I must admit though, this is the first time for us this season.

Suddenly the islands loose all their charm as we are in for more bad
weather. Rain, thunder, lightning, I dream of a day in bed reading. With Split only 20nm away, Janey and I are kicked out of bed, let's go. Reefed down and no visibility we venture out of the bay into the canal.

Janey reminds us of the movie 'The Perfect Storm' where two backpackers nervously go along for the ride and the old man says "isn't this fun!"

Split Harbour and we are very excited to at least be picking up anchor windlass parts. No more arms being wrenched out of their sockets as I free run the anchor chain through my hands to stopping the bloody thing as I drop it. Ian goes ashore to collect the parts and wouldn't you know it, a huge storm blows through. Janey and I are on board, 40 knot winds, boats dragging around us and my head planning what to do if!!!!

The harbour turns from a beautiful blue to shit brown, but we don't move, someone is looking after me. Our day has not ended as we venture ashore to visit Diocletian's Palace. The Roman Emperor Diocletian, noted for his persecution of the early Christians, built the palace in AD 295 as his summer residence. It is among the best preserved monuments of Roman building heritage in the world. After having a meal ashore we return to the dock and an upside down dinghy with outboard completely under water. Oh no, Ian has
to row out to the yacht in head winds and blood pressure rising. This stops us in our tracks and Sunday is not a good day to get anything fixed. Ian, the frustrated mechanic, pulls everything apart drains every hole and you want believe it, but the Mercury, twice been upside down, has been going ever since.

Trogir is where we are to meet up with friends Bob and Sue Fraser who are coming on board for a week and Andrew Cochrane for two days. The wind, continual thunder and lightning are with us for a few days but we anchor off Trogir as it's very nice to just stay put while we wait for our guests. Janey leaves us after a superb lunch of scampi bouzarra and lobster at Restaurant Amor, a local secret, just outside Trogir. This is our best meal to date and the local bouzarra sauce was too die for. We have this year had some very good meals ashore and have also enjoyed the local wines.

Trogir is an island attached to the mainland by a bridge with a small canal that is very useful for us to get to the markets by dinghy. With its Gothic Style Church, narrow cobble lanes and forts you can very easily get lost in time.

All provisioned, sun comes out, guest arrive our cruising continues. I go to get the anchor up, talking of anchor we where still one part short so I am no better off, it won't work. The wire connections are corroded but this is quickly fixed. A serene bay for the night and next morning a loo is blocked. Ian in his element, loves fixing things, with shit around his ears theirs not a lot of detail required about the next few hours but the neighbouring boat was fascinated with the boys playing with thick pipes off the end of the transom. He wanted to know if Aussies were full of shit.

We discovered that the problem was a calcium type matter built up in the pipes and wasn't actually caused by what went down them.

Beautiful Hvar and the perfect day, we walk to the castle, drink at the Hotel Bar on the promenade and just take it all in. We have noticed a lot of Australian back packers here this year and were very annoyed to wake up in the morning to find our Aussie flag has been souvenired. We had replaced it this year with a beautiful hand stitched one and are know back to our faded model. National flags are compulsory on yachts and it is bloody annoying that they have no respect.

Another very good sea food meal at Hannibal's Restaurant in Hvar and Andrews's short trip has ended. Back swimming again, it seems clearer than ever after all that rain and then sail out to the island of Vis. The outer most island of Croatia.
 

With a chill in the air, the days are still hot but the evenings are getting cooler, we are now visiting the last country for this year, Croatia. Our port of entry is Cavtat, a gem of a town near the airport where we are to pick up daughter Janey. A permit to cruise for one year is now $400.00 for our size boat. We have no problem with this but we do have a problem when we anchor outside the old port of Dubrovnik and they want $50 for the privilege of a couple of hours.

Coming on board for the day is Trevor Richards from Yacht Grot, Fremantle, and his partner Marilyn. We spend a beautiful day on the island of Lokrum just off the medieval fortified walls of Dubrovnik which has to be the finest in Europe. Waiting to pick up their charter yacht, they have rented an apartment over looking Dubrovnik with its Romanesque, Gothic to Renaissance and Baroque architecture. Trevor remarks 'he has died and gone to heaven' it is such a beautiful sight.

After the usual supermarket shop, lunch of fried squid and mussels in the Gundulic Square, we head north to the pine forested islands and blue clear seas. This is our fourth cruise along these islands and as there are 1000 islands with only 50 inhabited we are sure to find somewhere we haven't been.

Its two years since our visit to the island of Sipan and it is surprising to see how Sipanska Luka has developed into a stylish port with very welcoming cafes, bars and restaurants, and all the cats from last time have disappeared.

Restaurant Kod Marka has been recommended but we are disappointed to find that bookings are essential so stay an extra day. When booking you give your preference and are served a set meal of only local fresh fish and vegetables. It is the best meal we have ever had in Croatia. Marka, the owner, shows us a book of top Adriatic restaurants he has featured in for the last 4 years, "A Gourmet Cruise -the Adriatic Good Food Pilot" and we now have a guide to follow for good eating.

During the night a light Bora blows through but next day with local
tomatoes, figs and apples from the village market under a 400 year old tree, we swim then move on to Ston where the salt works from Roman times are still operating.

Mljet national park with its narrow inlets resembles lakes that make this area a very safe anchorage.  Out to the east, 23 nm away is back to nature Lastovo which has only been open to the public in the last few years, as it was a strategic military base. The island, with a fertile plateau, is surrounded by very clear water and a stone town that came out of the 1500s. It is a peaceful holiday destination just developing and a great place for yachts with many sheltered anchorages.

Zaklpoatica port is an ideal anchorage for a night with a natural island for a break water. Lobster is still in abundance around the island as Ian selects two from the underwater cage at Restaurant Triton on the wharf. It's delicious, fresh but expensive. Tonight the restaurant is full and pulled up outside are NZer's Tony and Andrea Trubuhovich, Rick and Karen Woodroffe, and Brian Ward and Gaye Manson on their chartered Lagoon 440 catamaran. We may fly an Aussie flag but the Kiwi's still love a drink together.

The weather looks good for a crossing (10 knots if you are lucky) back to Korcula and spend a very calm night in the bay off a 14th century Franciscan Monastery and who should pull in the next morning… the NZer's! Rick had just bought 2.5 kilos of piper from a local fisherman, something he had been looking for the whole trip. You make your luck here; since fresh fish is hard to find, if you spot a fisherman returning to port make a beeline straight for him. Thanks to Rick, breakfast for all of us was delicious.

Korcula town is still as beautiful as ever. This year there are more yachts than previous years and the marina is full to the max including the outside wall. Luckily there is a very sheltered bay around the corner where we can commute by dinghy.

Oh yes, I did smell a rat! Thankfully it was easy to find.