23 July 2012. 12:00 We slip out of Skrivena Luka and sail the five or so miles around to Velji Lago the main port on the Island Otok Lastovo passing varied and abandoned military fortifications which was probably the main reason why this Island was out of bounds to visiting yachts until about 8 years ago.
Sailing amongst the bays in Velji we were surprised to discover a large structure built into the bush and for all the world it would have been a very secure hiding place for a gun boat during the late 1990s civil unrest troubles. Our imaginations worked hard as I recalled all of the books about the struggles undergone in the area long after the second world war.
We decided to take a closer look in the morning.
Meanwhile thunder clouds were gathering and the temperature dropping with rain and little squalls everywhere. We found that the bay with the Gunboat Pen in it looked like a good prospect for the night and along with 6 or 7 other cruisers and yachts we set stern lines ashore and congratulated ourselves for finding such a place to wait for more clement weather. 22:00 and the sky light up with broad flashes and sharp forks of lightning again and the rain came down in buckets. The wind went through 90 degrees so instead of coming from astern and the land it blasted across the two mile bay and hit us side on. I was sitting in the cockpit with some trepidation as to the strength and consequences of that broad side and had just called Phil and Jenny up to retrieve our lines and get out of there when a 45knot vicious blast hit us and our anchor spat the dummy and let go. I hit the motor start button, grabbed the knife and cut our stern lines. Still another blast hit and we were driven back towards the rocky shore, despite full power on, when bang, our rudder came down on a rock but by then we were under way and were moving out into the deeper bay. Horizontal rain coming in vast sheets, black as pitch, winds still 40knts, lightning showing all boats now struggling to get out. Once we were in the deep water of the bay and I had the opportunity to assess damage, I was relieved to find that we had good steering and all seemed to be ok for holding together. There was a large Navy ship in the bay that had dragged its anchor too and it was now manoeuvring to escape to the open sea and was taking up all of the centre and a large area around it to complete its task. All we could see of it was its lights, but from time to time it was lit up in the lightning and we could make out its huge and ominous shape and relative location, too difficult to assess its speed so keeping well clear was the order of the night. This ship caused us twice to make 180 degree turns and retrace our gps track to keep clear, finally it escaped out of the bay with about three big super yachts and left it to us. Considering all the vessels now floundering around in the bay it was a time to keep cool and use everyones' number one eyeballs to locate and identify marks and other yachts. Situations were changing every few seconds with yachts, super yachts and the big ship rapidly changing location so that our radar was of no use to us as to use it would mean losing a set of eyes from the cockpit and I was not about to risk that. Earlier in the day I had taken notice of the main ferry wharf which was out of bounds for yachts but considering the situation and not expecting any ferries around midnight I decided that we would make a 2 mile bee line for that and secure ourselves thereto.
Half an hour later, all totally saturated and no doubt looking very weather bashed with sopping lifejackets and wide eyes showing all their whites we were secure and safe for the night. I lay awake all night worrying about Elixir's rudder.
24 July 2012 Crack of dawn and I was over the side with goggles on to inspect damage. With relief there was some bruising on the very bottom of the rudder and a small crack going up about 10cm near the stern thereof. No great worry and any fear I had of it delaminating or causing steerage problems were put to rest. A small job for a boat builder to fix back in Greece and the end of our cruise. We all had a good breakfast and went to the bay and retrieved our shore lines before putting to sea again. Didn't bother exploring the Gunboat Pen, stuff it, we wanted out of there!.
As we sailed out of this very pretty island with its greenery and blue blue water it was hard to overcome the feeling that but for keeping an anchor watch and being prepared for eventualities Lastovo could well have turned out to be our Last "overture". Lesson number one is not to underestimate the viciousness of the summer storms in these parts, or the way that winds can ever so suddenly change dramatically in direction and strength.
10:00 Lovely 19 mile sail to Vela Luka on Korcula with one reef in the main and also in the genoa. Beautiful day and all was well. It appears that everyone's eyes had returned to normal shape and colour. Tied stern to with tailed moorings to the town pier and attached to power and water. Pizza for tea, one huge seafood pizza and the three of us had a hard job dealing to it due to its size. Return to Elixir to find some scumbag had stolen our Irish Flag including Elixir's flagpole. You will find a bastard anywhere. We had had that Flag with us all the way from Kinsale and are required to fly the national flag of the country in which the vessel is registered. We fly the Silver Fern from our port spreader to signify the nationality of our crew.
Until we get a new Flag we will just have to fly the NZ one from our stern. For a flagpole we are using the old beach umbrella spike as a pole.
25 July 2012 12:00 and we sailed 25 miles to Vis but had to motor the first 10 miles due to lack of a breeze. We all discuss the size of the lighthouses hereabouts. We have seen about half a dozen built on top of two story homes, with homes being so big as to have enough rooms on the upper story to house 30 or 40 people. Beats me! Go to the town pier in Vis with stern lines, power and water. Our Pilot Book explains that this island was home to Neanderthal people up to 20,000 years ago. There is ancient sign everywhere of Roman, Venetian and Greek occupations, we did not notice any Neanderthal people anywhere.. Makes for very interesting walks and studies of architecture and the people themselves with a special kudos to go to the person first to spot a Neanderthal!. The unclaimed prize is still available.
A highlight was an evening walk through the back streets wherein we discovered a menu attached to the wall with a light over it. On closer inspection we found the most delightful of open air restaurants with great service and atmosphere. We all thought at the time that it was the very best restaurant that we have been to but on reflection there is no way that one could rate them as such because each had been unique and often unrepeatable. A few of course we would never want to go to again but these were in the minority.
Jenny being the one in the light blue..
26 July 2012 Cast off to sail to the western most part of the island in order to go on a day trip to the blue caves on Otok Bisevo. A plan that was abandoned due to high winds right on the nose. 180 degree turn as not wanting another windswept night we made for the little group of broken Islands on the west end of Hvar where indeed we found a delightful small bay well protected from the winds to spend the night.
