Making our way north in Croatia back in September, 2009, we stopped in the island of Mali Losing and spent the night tied to the quayside Riva surrounded by a charming and picturesque harbor-front town. We feared it would be absolutely 'heaving' with tourists in the peak summer period but, to our delight, it was not. We had a peaceful and 'no charge' evening with a stroll through town and a light cockpit supper while occasionally chatting with folks who were curious about the American flag ... had we really sailed all the way from the USA? (Piece of cake!) Had we been sailing all our lives? (Not yet!)

Amongst the passersby were two most charming and engaging retired Genovese men, Ennio and Enzo. After chatting a bit, we invited them aboard for a short glass of our very best Croatian wine which, truth be told, was not very good. Most diplomatically, upon hearing our plans to winter in Monfalcone, they quickly suggested that we go to the nearby Collio region to taste Italy's "very good wine!" But more importantly, they asserted, our Monfalcone visit must include finding their dear friend Pietro. "It will be easy", they said, "His boat 'Twenty-One' is the biggest in town!" Well, one month later, will pulled into our berth at Nautec Mare and there, against the seawall, was the imposing "Twenty-One".

Now, flash forward to this May, and we are delighted to get to know Pietro, known as Pierro to his friends, and he has heard about the Americani from his friend Ennio when they were both home in Recco. Dinner aboard Sangaris, coffee aboard Twenty-One and lots of helpful advice with boatyard chores during the days quickly established an easy and delightful new friendship with Pierro. That was enhanced a few weeks later when his wife Laura joined him and we got to know her over a scrumptious dinner from her gourmet galley on Twenty One.

A fascinating hobby, or perhaps, passion of Pierro's is that he loves to restore wooden boats, of which he has several - Twenty One being a 1970's vintage wooden yacht of some 64 feet! He gave us a tour of another, smaller classic called, "Mala Istranka" that was in the water nearby. It originated as a lifeboat on former Yugoslavia President Marshal Tito's 384 foot yacht Galeb. Pierro was able to obtain it (I'm sure there's a story there, too) and he has lovingly restored and redesigned it over many years such this very seaworthy, but utilitarian 25-foot life boat is now a "proper cabin yacht", as Pierro puts it. The re-launching took place in Recco amidst crowds of family and friends just ten years ago. And what a perfect little yacht she is!