Split day one
15 September 2017
Split is a big city and home to another Game of Thrones set. The marina we chose to stay in was an ACI. ACI marinas are all that is right and wrong with boating in Croatia.
They are clean and well run they have everything you could want in a marina helpful staff well maintained docks, laundry service, bathrooms, really nice showers,grocery store, restaurant,
and all manor of skilled tradesmen If you want it chances are they could supply it or know someone who can. But they are very expensive (160 eu for one night for Ice Bear) they cater to
the charter companies which means if you by some miracle could actually get a slip on a weekend you would pay even more. I would guess at least 100 boats return get cleaned and leave the
dock on vacation every weekend from every ACI in Croatia the activity at the docks must be insane. One harbour master said he was told there were as many as 20 thousand charter boats exploring Croatia at any one time.
Knowing all this we still chose to tie at the ACI in Split and we don't regret it. We needed to do three things for the boat here and until we went to the reception building to check
in we really didn't have an idea of how we were going to do all of them. While checking in we were reading all the flyers and brochures on the tables and walls. Some talked about tours of the palace. Some about the services in the area one in particular caught our attention... bring us your propane tank and we will fill it, boat job # 1 complete. We had asked for directions to the taxi
because the chandlery with the anchor wasn't at the marina when suddenly out of nowhere a guy showed up and said you need a ride? We explained what we were doing and he seemed to have no issues
helping with the 33 kg anchor quest and said 200 kn return ($40 can) sold. Off we went it was almost 20 minutes to the store we spent probably another 20 min shopping and sorting the anchor paperwork. Wow it looked so big on the floor all wrapped in bubble wrap and sales slips. The look on our drivers face when he saw the anchor was priceless. You know its a big thing when you arrive and they send two guys to the store room to retrieve it. The anchor took up his whole trunk at his request we tied it down so there was no chance it could move. When we arrived back at the marina we carefully removed it from his car into a wagon. With much thanking a tip and shaking of hands we dragged it back to Ice Bear tied a line to in and pulled it over the passerelle ( draw bridge ). We were
afraid that the weight of the anchor combined with one of us would fold the passerelle in half. Once secured on the boat we had a nap, job # 2 done. That evening we set off for the palace but
not before talking to some guys at the dock about job # 3 a new bow roller for the anchor. Our old one wasnt round anymore. They didnt have one big enough for us but they knew a guy in the marina
that had a lathe and he would be at the dock early tomorrow. hmm fingers crossed for # 3. At marina reception there was a boat that for 50 kn would take you right to downtown Split but we chose
to walk it didnt look that far. We walked past some race boats and a fleet of dingy sailors returning from a day of training. Judging by the signs several building sported with the names and dates
of wins at international competitions they took racing seriously. We walked past several yacht brokers and then onto the promenade. There were really big boats tied to one side and restaurants and
lots of bench seats along the other. In the promenade itself there were plaques placed in the stone. Each plaque had the name, date and location of the summer olympics that a Croatian won a medal
in an aquatic sport. It was really kewl to see. After about a fifteen minute walk we came to the old roman town outside the palace. The small streets were lined with restaurants and shops. In the middle of the main walking street was the place where the mornings fish market was held. I have no idea how they do it but it didn't smell like fish. We continued to walk through the small streets until omg a Tea shop the first one I had seen since leaving home. hmhmhm kn later my tea choices were greatly improved upon woohoo no more yellow label Tetley for awhile. To celebrate this wonderful find we stopped for dinner We had a pizza with a big dollop of sour cream on top. You know it was really good, however when we declined the offer of ketchup and mustard they looked at us as if we were a little odd. We spent the rest or the evening walking around the outside of the palace looking at the stalls of local gift and made in taiwan trinkets. Emmet even had his picture taken with a statue of Grgur Ninski the Bishop that is responsible for the bible being read in the Croatian language. They say that rubbing his foot brings good luck. Who doesn't need more good luck?