Dubrovnik flight delayed, arrived 7.00 pm and changed money at Airport (Bank open till 9.00). Euromarine minibus collected us and took us to Marina (€120 for 11 passengers). Drive to Marina took 25 minutes. Did boat check with Euromarine staff and provisioned up at Marina Supermarket (also open till 9.00 pm). Ate at the Marina restaurant as it was a bit late for going into Dubrovnik. Food quite good and nice ambience beside pool and river.
Martin checked under boat (mask and snorkel) and found two dings on keel which he reported to Euromarine before we left marina at 8.00 am. Ate breakfast while motoring out. Uncomfortable southerly swell caused some seasickness after a few hours (Note: Travel sickness pills a good idea for first day at sea). Martin and Saundra unaffected but everyone else suffered to some degree. Reached Polace at northern end of Mljet at 2.30 pm. Elena lll had trouble in turning off her engine and Eugene got help from Euromarine by mobile phone (and local handyman waiter). A docking boat hit jetty at speed taking ‘jaws bite’ out of her prow. Gave us all a bit of fright. After passable lunch at Ogigija restaurant (free mooring) we decided to stay on overnight and we visited the Mljet National Park and St Mary’s Island. Ate dinner at Ogigija restaurant again. England beaten 2-1 in injury time in Euro 2004 by France.
Left Polace at 9.15 am taking northern shortcut channel (quite narrow). Arrived Korcula Town at 12.30. Lunched on board at ferry berth where we got a fine of €3 for illegal parking (€14 if we wanted a receipt). Left hurriedly at 2.15 into 25 knots and choppy sea right on the nose. Deck watch got pretty wet while others snoozed below. Arrived Scedro Island at 5.30 and anchored in lovely bay – stern tied to trees on shore. Girls got their jollies from German Adonis who swam to shore and tied his boat to trees minus his swimming trunks. Grill Rato looked best restaurant (of 3) but booked out. Water taxi collected us from boat for Codive restaurant. Great fish menu, pork not bad either. Got bitten by mossies (Note: Always use mossie spray just before dusk). Joined in singsong with Austrian crew in restaurant and gave dazzling display of Riverdance finale.
Left Scedro at 9.30. No wind so we motored on to Hvar town (pronounced Hwarr). Linked up again with Eugene and Elaine lll having made radio contact on Ch 16. Lovely town and well worth a visit, especially the town fort at the summit of the Island. Lazy line mooring at quay wall (€30 charge) Martin visited health centre and local doctor to have his infected eye seen to. Barry befriended owner of Macondo restaurant whose girlfriend is living in Ireland and booked us in for dinner. Fish very good but pricey. (Most expensive meal of holiday) Very noisy during night, especially Austrian brass band with brass necks (Marina at St Klement opposite might be better option if you like your sleep ( Note: Don’t forget your ear plugs.)
Left Hvar at 7.40 am. Pulled in for lunch (90 minutes) on boat at Prigradica on Korcula Island. Arrived Korcula marina at 3.30. Already pretty full and chockablock by 5.00. Cold showers and first pizza dinner followed by early night. (Everyone, including Barry, knackered) Marina charge pretty saucy at €50.
Left Korcula at 8.40. Windy (up to 26 knots) and choppy sea for 3 to 4 hours followed by perfect sailing weather. School of dolphins swam across our bow. Enjoyed pleasant lunch at sea. Arrived at Slano on mainland at 4.15. Anchor and stern tie up at quay wall. Pleasant little town badly damaged in war during 90s. Everyone had swim in murky enough water at beach (Note: Beware of black sea urchins) Excellent meal in Kolarin restaurant, the only one in town. Had a few drinks afterwards and lads watched football match.
Left Slano at 9.00. Ice cream stop at Lopud Island. Had to depart quickly as, again, we were illegally parked. (Only way to visit Lopud without hassle is to drop anchor in the bay). Anchored in Sunj Bay on south of Lopud and went in by dinghy to the sandy beach (which turned out to be half nudist). Martin finally got his Nescafe coffee at the beach café and Barry got to show off his bare bum (not a pretty sight !). Geronimos off bow of the boat. Sailed and motored on to Dubrovnik harbour to view the walls and the town, then back to the marina where we refuelled the boat (€40). Excellent facilities at the marina; 2 restaurants, swimming pool, supermarket and showers. Boat checked out as ok by Euromarine. Got bus (1A or 1B) from marina gate into town where we ate at Restaurant Terrace, also called Kanoba Posset (across the road from Pile Gate). Met Eugene and the gang in the town for a few drinks and got bus back at 12.15 to marina. Party time for some people, bedtime for others.
Had to be off the boat by 9.00 (Euromarine very punctual). Got bus into Dubrovnik again and walked the walls (2 hours). Lunch in city centre and returned to swimming pool at marina. Euromarine minibus took us to the airport at 5.00. Flight home uneventful and we were back in Dublin airport for 10.30 pm. (on schedule)
Aine Sheehan
27th June 2004
Meusli / breakfast cereal (hard to get anything edible in the shops that doesn’t taste like uncooked porridge)
Mosquito deterrent and antihistamine lotion (Not a lot of mossies in June but even one can do damage).
Plenty of CDs
A few battery-operated fans (Nights can be very hot in cabins)
Mask, snorkel and rubber shoes for swimming (when clambering up on sharp rocks)
Wool – if you are used to using tell-tales on the stays
Irish flag for stern (to avoid people thinking you are English)
Ear plugs (to drown out other people’s late night parties/snoring on berths)
Clothes pegs.
Deck of Cards
Masking tape or duck tape.
Travel sickness pills (especially for first day at sea)
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