As we approach Korcula, incredible vistas surround Aisling on all sides. The steep mountains, cerulean water, church spires and an old walled town with turrets at the corners make this arrival unforgettable. Unfortunately, we are too preoccupied with piloting the boat into the anchorage to take any photos, and the shots we get later from the dinghy just don't do it justice. The fact is, it's probably difficult for any camera to capture such a majestic panorama. The vistas are just too large.
We anchor in Uvala Luka ½ mile east of the town, then wonder if the small islet at our stern might be a little too close for comfort. Our anchor is well dug-in and we seem to have enough swing room, but Rick launches the dinghy to check out the depths and dives on the anchor just in case. All is well, so we go ashore to explore the town.
The old town of Korcula has an impressive town gate and a typical warren of steep narrow streets. St. Mark's cathedral (which we find closed on our first visit) has a Tintoretto painting as an altarpiece and two sculptures by the famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic. Some say the town is the birthplace of Marco Polo, and although this is disputed, the local merchants certainly make good use of Marco Polo's name! Because of the numerous touristy stalls, the experience of walking through Korcula's old town is not as magical as looking at it from a distance, but it's a nice place to spend a few hours. It's fun to watch a Croatian wedding party walking through the streets carrying a big Croatian flag, and we even find a tiny T Mobile store (that also seems to sell washing machines- what an odd combination!) where the clerk speaks perfect English and is able to sort out all our internet problems. Buying bread and a few groceries, I find it puzzling that all the clerks seem to say "Voila" when they pass me my change, but then realize that they are saying "Hvala"! (thank you).
Eventually, we find a little café overlooking the marina (Bistro Dida) and order a Croatian beer with a snack of prosciutto, anchovies and cheese. We wonder if the waiter will be surly, as our guidebooks have led us to expect, but nothing could be further from the truth. He is friendly and funny and offers us a second beer for free. When we decline, he tells us the offer will still hold if we want to come back later in the evening to watch the Euro 2012 match between England and Italy. (We should have taken him up on it!)
We spend another day in Uvala Luka and return to Korcula's old town to see St. Mark's cathedral. The Tintoretto painting is a bit of a disappointment, dark and gloomy, as is the entire cathedral, perhaps because restoration work in underway and much of the exterior is cloaked in netting. That evening, a boat comes through the anchorage and charges us a 150 kuna ($30) anchoring fee, which is good only until 5 p.m. the following day. We have pretty much run out of things to do in Korcula, so will be moving on anyway. I am keen to go to Mljet park, but Rick would prefer to go north.
When we leave the Uvala Luka the next morning, Rick suggests that we pass by the anchorage at the nearby islet of Badija. I am still hoping to go to Mljet, but the anchorage at Badija looks so pleasant that he doesn't have much difficulty convincing me to stay. Onshore is an abandoned 15th century monastery that had been expropriated from the Franciscans by the Yugoslavian government in 1952. (It has since been returned to the Franciscans and a restoration project is underway.)
The island is currently a park and water sports centre, with a 4 km trail circling the island. We immediately change into our running gear and have a lovely run along the water, stopping periodically to take photos of the views and the small deer that inhabit the island.
We stay for another two days, swimming in the clear water, exploring the trails onshore, enjoying the sounds of the bells from the monastery's campanile, sampling the ice cream in the park's small café and cooking simple meals on the barbecue at night. On our last afternoon, we are on our way back to the boat when we notice an open door at the monastery. Having just read
Deep Blue's Blog where our friends Chris and Sandra described being shown the inside of the monastery by a caretaker, we decide to try the same thing. The caretaker, Angelico, is clearly proud of the site and seems happy to show us around. Although he speaks no English, he does speak German, and tells us that his "vater's bruder" lives in Hamilton Ontario. He is also able to make us understand that in five days, someone named Father Josep will come to say mass in the small chapel. Everything is in readiness. We are impressed by the graceful cloisters and the unusual sculpture inside the sanctuary. It's a great end to our visit.
We could easily stay another three days, or three weeks, but Hvar beckons. We're off to get a small glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous!
Cruisers notes:
Korcula is pronounced "Korchula" (there's a little half circle over the c)
The small cove to the east of Korcula town is Uvala Luka and we anchored beside the small islet in 30' of hard packed sand and weed.Good holding. 150 kuna per night anchoring fee but no one came around to collect it the first night. It's about ½ mile to Korcula town from Uvala Luka. We tied our dinghy in the small harbour south of the old town. The grocery store is right there as well (the brown bread is delicious). There is a T-Mobile store as well as a VIP store for your internet needs. Laundry (full service) is in the north part of the town near Kapela Blagovijesti. There is also an ACI marina in Korcula.
Fuel seems to be available in the second bay east of Korcula (we passed by but did not stop). This bay is bounded on the east by the island of Badija where we anchored off the monastery in 25' of hard packed sand with good holding. You must go to Korcula for supplies and it is about 1 and ¼ miles from there.