Lučice (Brač) – Rogoznica (Frapa Marina)

The sun wakes me up at dawn, and I quietly leave the cabin to sit on the deck. Everything is wet from the morning dew. I sit down on the foredeck. Birds are singing, the pine trees are smelling, the water is like a mirror. There are no other sounds than the natural sounds. Life does not get much better than this. The sea water temperature is 18.5 degrees Celsius. Probably an effect of the late Spring that we had all over Europe. It does not really invite for a swim. After breakfast we leave the bay around 09:30 CET. The south easterly wind (Jugo) is back again, and we sail in a north westerly direction with a speed of 5 knots. Our objective for today is Rogoznica, to be used as a first stop on our way to the Kornati islands. Around 11:00 CET the wind disappears. This usually means a change of wind direction, but not this time. After half an hour the wind starts blowing again from the south, growing slowly (as Jugo should) from 7 to 15 knots. At around 14:30 CET we meet our first dolphins. A couple of miles from Rat Ploča a group of five dolphins appears to keep us company. We get the cameras out and start filming / clicking, hoping that you press the button at the exact moment that they appear above water. Around 16:30 CET we sail into Rogoznica bay. We moor along one of the piers of Marina Frapa. Time for a shower, which (together with some electricity and fresh water) is the only reason to enter a harbour every now and then. That evening we find a restaurant in Rogoznica where they still bake their pizza in a genuine wood oven – Restaurant Fortuna. They prove to us again that this is the only way to prepare a genuine pizza. Recommended!

Split – Lučice (Brač)

Our crew has a late flight from Zagreb, and arrives in the harbour at 19:00 CET. By that time, all the shopping is finished, the paperwork done, and water tanks and batteries are filled up to the maximum: we are ready for departure. We decide to sail despite the late hour – the true holiday feeling does not start in Split Marina… Outside the harbour we hoist the mainsail and unroll the genua, still a bit ill at ease on a boat that we have not sailed before. There is some late Jugo wind blowing, approximately 10 knots, which dies down around 20:30 CET. Around that time it starts getting dark as well. We drop the sails and motor our way south. After Splitska Vrata (the channel between Brač and Šolta) we head east. Around 22:00 CET we carefully motor into Lučice bay, where a number of yachts has already found a buoy. We pick up a free mooring and still have a first glass of wine to celebrate the start of the journey.

Lastovo v.v. 2005 Route

Eén van onze kortere trips, maar absoluut een van de mooiere. Deze keer hebben we een week gezeild, vanuit de thuisbasis Split. Het schip was een Bénéteau Oceanis 311 en de volledige route vind je hieronder. Een week met prachtig weer. Iedere dag ruim boven de 30 graden, en slechts één (gedeeltelijk) bewolkte dag. Een week ook met prachtige wind. Iedere dag een goede zeilwind van meestal rond de 15 knopen, veelal uit NW richting (Tramontana).

ACI Palmižana – Split

Today is ‘back to Split’ day, still 25 nautical miles. It is obvious that all charters have to be in harbour tomorrow morning: Sailing yachts are appearing from all directions towards Splitska Vrata. The water is busier than we saw anywhere this week. With some light Jugo winds in our back, we slowly move through the Pakleni Kanal between Hvar and the Pakleni Otoci towards Rt Pelegrin (the most western tip of Hvar). There, we turn sharp north towards Splitska Vrata. Meanwhile, the wind changes to north-westerly directions (Tramontana again). By the time we reach Splitska Vrata, there is a stiff breeze. We turn towards Milna to gas up. Thanks to the great winds this week, we only used 10 litres of diesel. We anchor for a couple of hours in one of the small bays just off Milna. One more swim, one more time enjoying the Adriatic sunshine. The water is clear, the sun is strong, and my beer is cold – what else do you want from life? Around 17:00 we lift anchor and hoist the sails. Our course is 0 degrees, due north towards Split. In the end, the wind leaves us half an hour before we reach Split, so we have to motor the last few miles.

Kremena (Lastovo) – ACI Palmižana

A strong Bura wakes me up at 06:00. Although this bay is well-sheltered, the swell is very uncomfortable. This is caused by water being ‘pushed’ between the islands of Lastovo and Prežba. Around 08:00, the rest of the crew is awake as well, and we make a go for it. Not too bad, given that we have to make it back to the mainland before the weekend. With over 20 knots of wind, and boat speed reaching 7.5 knots, we race towards Korčula (course 330), until…. At 09:00 the wind dies down completely. That is the Adriatic as I know it, always ready to throw another surprise at you! For one hour, our boat speed ranges from 1 to 2 knots, until (just after 10:00) a light north-westerly wind arrives. Tramontana did not let us down this year. After passing Korčula again, wind speed is well over 20 knots again. We would not like to risk another night without sleep, so we do not moor in Hvar. Instead, we go to ACI Marina Palmižana. A cute, small, and very quiet harbour. Proper showers for the first time this week. And some extra fun is added when our German neighbour oversteps his dinghy, landing himself in the water. In the evening, we have a great dinner at the Restaurant Meneghello.

Hvar – Kremena (Lastovo)

Een ambitieus dagje vandaag. Bij het controleren van het weerbericht zie ik een gunstige windverwachting. De wind begint ook vroeger op de dag te waaien. Normaliter is dat pas rond de middag, nu waait het om 10 uur ’s ochtends al. We besluiten om te proberen Lastovo te gaan halen, ruim 30 zeemijl. Geen van allen zijn we er ooit geweest. Het is het meest afgelegen eiland. Rond 10:30 gooien we los en varen de haven uit. Direct buitengaats gaan de zeilen omhoog en kiezen we koers 150 graden (ZO), om deze vervolgens niet meer los te laten. Na een aantal uren passeren we het eiland Korčula, met een mooi uitzicht op Vela Luka. De baai Tri Luke is de reserve-overnachtingsplaats, maar de wind blijft goed en dus varen we door. Susač en Lastovo zijn al duidelijk zichtbaar aan de horizon. De ZW-wind neemt aardig toe tot zo’n 22 knopen, en de snelheid dus ook. 6,5 tot 7,5 knopen, niet slecht voor een Clipper 311. Je merkt dat we een aardig eindje de open zee op gaan, er staat een stevige deining. Gelukkig geen bemanningsleden met zeeziekte. Rond 19.00 gaan de zeilen naar beneden. Tussen de eilandjes Bratin en Vlašnik door varen we Luka Velji Lago binnen. Een grote baai aan de westkant van Lastovo, feitelijk gelegen tussen Lastovo en Prežba. Er zijn meerdere voor de hand liggende ankerplaatsen. Ubli, Jurjeva Luka en dan is er ook nog een hotel met een kleine kade. Wij kiezen ervoor om voor anker te gaan in Kremena, een baai direct om de hoek, omgeven door (’s avonds heerlijk geurende) pijnbomen. Bij het binnenvaren een verrassing. We kijken tegen een tunnelingang aan, die na een meter of 10 is dichtgemetseld. Net als Vis is van Lastovo bekend dat het eiland in het verleden een belangrijke Joegoslavische legerbasis was. Vermoedelijk kijken we hier tegen een bergplaats van een marineschip of een deel van een onderzeebootbasis aan. De donkere tunnelingang maakt de baai wel een spookachtige plaats om te overnachten. Gelukkig wordt dat ruimschoots gecompenseerd door de sterrenhemel. Vanwege het ontbreken van kunstlicht straalt de Melkweg ons ’s nachts tegemoet. Dat mis ik toch echt in Nederland.

Vinogradisce (Sveti Klement) – Hvar

Taking it easy today. There are clouds, and the weather-forecast talks of rain showers. The clouds diminish, and the showers don’t show up at all. But it is time for a visit to the Zoo. In other words: we would like to moor along the Riva (quay) in Hvar again. We will regret that later, though. Around 02:00 the next morning, some still-awake visitors and locals start throwing a party on the quay. This because of a general lack of pubs that are still open at this time of the night (at least in pre-season. Three guitars and a drum. Continuing until 06:00 AM. We hebben trouwens goed gegeten bij Restaurant Luna.

Vis – Vinogradisce (Sveti Klement)

No wind during the morning. We haven’t got a clue where we are heading, but we do know that we want to leave the harbour. In the end we motor towards Sveti Klement, one of the Pakleni Otoci. However, the wind starts building up! Again, that solid north-westerly, 15 – 20 knots! So it’s sailing time again. We try and find dolphins between Vis, Šolta and Hvar. Unfortunately, we do not find them this year. Late afternoon, we sail back to Sveti Klement and anchor in Palmižana Cove.

Lučice – Vis

Again a strong south-westerly today. It is a slow wake-up morning. We swim a bit, and leave the bay after a late breakfast around 11:00. Vis or Komiža, that’s the question… Given the weather-forecast (constant westerly winds during the night), Komiža is not the best possible place. The harbour is not that well-protected, and especially westerly and south-westerly winds can create heavy swell here. So Vis becomes our destination for today.

Split – Lučice (Brač)

Around 16:00 we leave Split harbour. Great wind, so hoisting the sails is the first thing to do. It always takes a few minutes to sort out a boat that you have not sailed before. We set sail for Splitska Vrata, the channel between Brač and Šolta. That is the point where my holiday really begins. With wind coming from the NW (Tramontana), around 15 knots, we make good progress. After clearing Splitska Vrata, we head due east. Our destination for today is Lučice, a cove on the southern side of Brač. Upon entering the bay around 19:00, we are surprised by the strong smell of the pine trees. We pick a mooring, and prepare our first meal (and open our first beer…).