Until last year, George and Trish owned "Gratitude," Berkeley East's slightly older fraternal twin. Gratitude was cast from the same mold as BE, the Hylas 54-foot raised salon, but she was a bit different. That's the beauty of Hylas Yachts, you get the benefits of the classic, proven, Hylas hull, but you can customize it in your own unique style.






We first met George and Trish about nine years ago when BE and Gratitude shared the same marina in Charleston, SC. Then we discovered that they lived just down the road from us in Charlotte. Over the years, we have shared many meals while trying to solve every possible boating challenge known to man.






When they decided to join us on Berkeley East in Croatia, we were a bit concerned that putting two Hylas captains, and two Hylas admirals, on just one Hylas yacht, would be one Hylas captain and one Hylas admiral too many. But what could have been individuals vying for control, turned out to be a cohesive team working together.






Our voyage began in Zadar, Croatia and culminated in Venice, Italy. It was a lot of water to cover in just eight days, but we knew that old salts like George and Trish would be up to the challenge. And they got the whole gamut of conditions, as we explored cities, towns, and islands, anchored, moored and docked, sailed and motored, in rain and sun. They were excellent guests, crew, and backup captain and admiral. Fun, adventurous friends with superb boat skills, who also cooked and cleaned! What more could we ask for?






ZADAR

Zadar is the oldest continuously inhabited, and fifth largest city in Croatia. Present-day Zadar serves as a historical center of the region, as well as a hub for super yachts like Berkeley East.


















MOLET

Croatia has over 1,000 islands and no boating holiday here would be complete without some time in beautiful, quiet anchorages for swimming and cooking.









UNIJE

A long day of motoring took us to a nice little cove on the island of Unije. While one of the larger islands in the Adriatic Sea, Unije only has 85 inhabitants and none of them were anywhere to be seen.





We turned North as we passed the lighthouse of Porer cliff which marks the southern cape of the Istrian peninsula. Built in 1833 it still has a permanent lighthouse crew and also has two apartments to rent.



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PULA

Pula is one of Croatia's most authentic cities known for its impressive Roman ruins and lush coastline. The roman amphitheater constructed between 27 BC - 68 AD is used for gladiator shows and concerts. Unlike other local destinations, Pula has a thriving life apart from tourism. It is a vital shipbuilding complex, and has been an administrative center since ancient Roman times.












VELIKI BRIJUN

Veliki Brijun is the largest island in the Brijuni Islands archipelago and part of the Brijuni National Park. The island is perhaps best known as the luxurious summer residence of Josip Broz Tito, where for 30 years, he entertained foreign ministers, dignitaries and heads of state. We parked Berkeley East at the dock, and jumped in a golf cart to drove around the island.













ROVINJ
Rovinj is one of the quaintest towns in Croatia, with pastel-painted houses clustered together on steep winding streets and topped by a Venetian bell tower. We felt like we were in Italy, especially when we discovered we had arrived at the start of a wine festival.














VENICE

The long haul to Italy began with great wind for sailing and ended in a torrential downpour just in time for docking. But the reward was worth the effort, as a beautiful rainbow led the way to several days of sunshine in Venice.