We get out of Sesula early in the day, stop at an off lying Island for a swim and a chance for me to regain my dignity having last night done a "going out to dinner fully clothed miss of the rubber ducky thing" much to the raucous amusement of a crew that is now going to have to suffer for their lack of respect big-time! All my clothes are now on the line. Never mind if they do not understand that clothes can be washed every now and again and who says one can not be wearing them at the time!

A lovely sail through the day to anchor behind a small island in the bay of Stari which is just an easy 11 mile sail into Trogir for the next day. Four other Yachts shared the large bay with us and we all enjoyed watching the sun set and the moon rise on a magical summer night with just a gentle ripple on the water to make it shimmer magically and a gentle breeze to cool the evening off just a tad.



30 June we sail into Trogir on a rising breeze that turned into a boisterous wind by the time we reached the ACI Marina wherein we were booked for a couple of days. We were surprised whilst on the way to come across a floating oilrig, it was not working and looked to us as if it was in for maintenance at Trogir, you know, grease, oil change, drive belt check, that sort of thing.
First up and before entering the marina we found the fuel jetty and topped up our diesel tank. By now Jenny and Phil had become serious sailors and it was no trouble refuelling or getting into our designated mooring without any incident or loss of composure. Jenny, whose job it is to worry about things like the washing, organised for the laundry to be picked up and taken away for that purpose.





Phil and I took the opportunity in the flat water of the marina to sew up a batten pocket on the main that had frayed its stitching and was threatening to lose the batten.

31 July and it is a bus ride for Phil, Jenny and I into Split to check out the big lights. Well the trip on the local bus was quite a trick getting there but nothing like the slow and uncomfortable return trip. We will not be doing that trip again and not just because of the bus ride but also due to us being a bit disappointed in the city of Split. In the evening we all go out for tea with heavy hearts as tomorrow at 05:15 Jenny is to leave us for New Zealand and back to work.


01 August. Having said our goodbyes to Jenny, Phil and I set about having breakfast and provisioning the boat for the imminent arrival of David and Elizabeth Hicks and Laurie and Jill Cleland.



From the Left: Lauri and Jill Cleland, Ted, Elizabeth Hicks and Phil Clemow. (David out of sight taking the photo)

With new Crew safely on board and all provisioned we sail, with a deep reef in the main and 30 knot winds, back to the bay 11 miles north-east of Trogir on the start of our cruise to the outer Islands of Central Croatia.

02 August. We west along the coast calling in at Rogoznica just for a look seeing as it was there before pointing the bow seaward and sailing out to the Island of Zirje (13 miles) stopping at sea on the way for a swim before anchoring in a lovely small rocky little bay for lunch,





more swimming and an afternoon nap while David, Lauri and Phil explore some nearby abandoned fortifications.

In the evening we sail on to Otok Kakan where we drop our anchor for the night along with about 80 other yachts. A little boat came around and the driver showed us his authority, telling us this was his bay as he had bought the concession.

Cost us 250 Kuna to enjoy his bay on our own anchor! While I must say that although I can understand the need to make tourism pay, I find this system very off-putting and have decided to avoid such anchorages in the future wherever possible.

03 August Sail into Vodice, on the mainland, to pick up fresh bread and veggies. I drop all the crew ashore at the ferry wharf and then just lay off out in the harbour and wait for the pickup call. 12:00 all on board and the helm passed to Phil for the day as we set a course now for the National Park of the outer Island of Otok Kornet.



We arrive around 14:00 and drop anchor for another swim and lunch. Half and hour later comes a boat asking us to pay to be in the National Park. We pick up our anchor and move on, after all we have already paid a ruddy cruising tax to be here.





We motor another twelve miles amongst the islands admiring the old castles and signs of ancient civilizations and discuss the thoughts that go through our heads while the motor quietly drums away pushing us effortlessly at 6 knots.








With darkness falling and expecting a full moon we drop anchor in a quiet bay hidden by a pretty little island and spend a wonderful night there.



HAPPY HOUR.. Yipee!!

Followed by Dinner

04 August 06:00 we motor quietly from our mooring and head North East again to a very tight little pass between Otok Kornet and Ougi Otok. Sails up now we sail another 13 miles to the Island of Rava for yet another lunch and swim stop.
After lunch we hoist sails again and keep travelling North West until we come to a lovely little bay called Dumboka with an abandoned defence tunnel.







No other visitors but a small fishing vessel to this little settlement so we pull alongside the town wharf with a depth of 4 metres under us.



A charter yacht arrived right at nightfall and went stern to.

Here we stay the night being included in all of the chats from the local people who called at the wharf and from whom we learned that the deep bunkers that we had seen were all built in the 1980s in anticipation of the Yugoslav wars.



05 August We enjoyed our night in Dumboka immensely before moving off at dawn to a nearby town to top up once again with fresh bread and other bits and pieces.



Quick discussion as to destinations and future cruising and the decision was struck to turn around and find another way back East again through the islands.







We sail all day in perfect sailing conditions, chasing yachts and being chased by others. All were having a great time as we weaved in and out of bays and around rocky outcrops, all the while in good company. 25 miles East and we put into an anchorage on the island of Zut.







Dinner at the Taverna on Zut
There is an ACI Marina there but we chose to tie up to one of the taverna piers and stay there for the night enjoying another taverna meal. We consider that although the straight line for the day was 25 miles we had actually sailed 36 with all the tacking to windward.
06 August Sail from Zut back to the mainland and an anchorage in the Murter Canal East of the drawbridge. Magnificent night with only the sound of a disco boat to disturb the peace. The peace that is before the snoring chorus from the crew below set in for the night.

07 August Early in the morning we put into the town at Murter by the canal and all went ashore for supplies.



Laurie, Jill and Phil got trapped on the wrong side of the drawbridge road and had to wait for it to close.



Jill thought she had found a spare couple of wheels , could come in real handy for bringing the dingy up on the beach? ... or perhaps not.
It was a very pretty small town with really good supplies of fresh vegetables and anything else we needed. We left about 10:30 and sail to a small gap between two little islands off the town of Maslinica a run of some 36 miles with the good part being doing 25 miles of it averaging 10 knots under spinnaker. Smiles all around during happy hour as we recalled passing dozens of yachts whilst we on the other hand were passed by none. Well, maybe by one!





What a great day for a wee sail!.


08 August We sailed from Maslinica back out to Vis which Island and tied up in the town basin at midday.
There was a bit of a fetch into the mooring area which meant that someone had to stay with Elixir at all times to ensure that no damage was sustained by bumping





09 August Around Vis to the town of Komiza so that Laurie, Jill and Phil could take a trip out to the blue caves. David, Elizabeth and I enjoyed a quiet day on the boat venturing ashore to have a swim at a nearby little swimming beach. Crew returned from the blue caves saturated from their speed boat ride. We all went out for Pizza and ice cream before retiring for the night. We had to spend a bit of time explaining gently to our Italian neighbour that if he wished to wash his boat it was not a good idea to splash his water all over us while we had our rums in the cockpit. He got the message which was unmistakable in Kiwi! Hey I said gently not politely!
10 August
We drop our moorings mid morning and head south then east around Vis to stop for lunch at Budikovak islet in a small group of scattered islands before taking on the bigger seas again with a very boisterous 10 mile sail across to Tarsce which is a sheltered bay just 4 miles from Hvar where we spent the night being amused by the many boats arriving for shelter and the antics of their crews trying to get their anchors to bite.

11 August we move into Hvar to once again face the chaos that is apparently the norm here in this the prime sailing and holiday Mecca of the Croatian Islands. Private boats and charter vessels all vying to get close in to let off or pick up crews. We opted to stick with anchoring off and ferrying all ashore in the rubber ducky while I stayed on board for fender duty due to the proximity of other boats and the wild wash being caused by the many ferries and super yachts.









All the team had a great day ashore highlighted by a climb up to the ancient castle with its massive fortifications overlooking the harbour. I used my time alone to read up on the history of the town and its run-ins with Pirates and the Turks along with invading Venetian armies and of course the Romans. Life must have been tough in those days for the ordinary Joe citizen.
We returned to Tarsce for the night before enjoying a light sail over to Milna and a sheltered night in nearby bay after refuelling.



13 August saw us sail across to Split on the mainland and for Laurie, Jill, David and Elizabeth to go ashore to check out the famous Split Palace. Phil and I took the opportunity to sail around the bays some 8 miles to replenish our Gas supplies which were getting very low indeed and we did not want to face the possibility of going without hot food.
After picking up our shore party again we set off to the western end of the Island of Solata. Seeing as it was to be Laurie and Jill's last night at sea with us we all wanted to have a meal ashore at the Taverna there that Jenny, Phil and I had enjoyed so much two weeks earlier.








This time it was Laurie that went for a swim on falling into the water from the shore and not me. Unfortunately he had their camera, complete with a memory stick with their total holiday snaps, in his pocket at the time. We fished him out, no worse for wear I might say, and immediately washed the memory stick in freshwater. Thankfully none of the photos were lost but I am afraid Jill's camera is now a piece of junk and I suspect Laurie's shares on the home front may be in need of a bit of a bit of TLC.

14 August and wish a very fond farewell to Laurie and Jill as they head off to the airport for the start of their long journey back to New Plymouth in New Zealand. These two have been wonderful to have as crew and they will be sorely missed by all.



On the other hand we welcome aboard my son Chris with Marsha, his beautiful bride to be from Moscow. Chris and Masha have come to help me to sail back to Greece with David, Elizabeth and Phil to be dropped off in Dubrovnik on the way past.


David on Korcula sitting on Marco Polo's chair, which I think is well appropriate for such an accomplished seaman.

I am forever grateful for David and Elizabeth deciding to change their flight plans from leaving from Split to now leave from Dubrovnik purely to help us to sail the boat back through the Islands.