The sun awakened most of us and the crew started moving around getting something to eat. Our next destination was Vis, another island about 15 nautical miles away. Royalty pulled out as we were awakening.
We completed our breakfast and it was time to get underway. After a near grounding (we were very close to the bottom), we eased through a narrow cut and back into the Adriatic. The wind was fresh and we put the boat into the wind and got the main unfurled. Next we pulled out the genoa and we were sailing and sailing well. We tweaked the trim of the sails a little and one of our crew took the helm. She was having a ball! We hit 7.5 knots of speed and were really flying.
After about 4 hours we had approached the island. We looked for the opening to the harbor and checked the chart and the chartplotter to make sure we were in the right area to enter the harbor. We got the sails furled and started our approach to the harbor. One good thing about the Adriatic Sea is that the water is quite deep and the islands are well marked.
We eased into the harbor area and spotted the place we wanted to dock. They do Mediterranean mooring here which is stern to the quay and the bow pointed out. There are no pilings to delineate the spaces. I told the crewmember that was at the helm to do it. She was a little skeptical and declined.
I had done Med mooring in Greece in 2003, but had not had to do it since. In Greece, we deployed the anchor off the bow about 50 feet away from the quay and then backed down to the quay. Here in Croatia, that was not necessary. They had what they called "lazy lines" which are attached to the quay but are led forward to the bow. They are attached to the sea floor to secure the bow.
Where we were going to pull in was not acceptable to the dockhands and we were directed to a particular space. He communicated that we did not need to deploy the anchor and to just back in. All fenders were put in place and the process was begun. Fortunately, the boat had bowthrusters and that made coming in a lot easier. We got to the quay and secured the stern lines. We were then told how to work the "lazy line". That done we sort of settled back to relax a few moments. We are really "shoehorned" into this place as another boat began their move in to our starboard side.
The quay in Vis
I left to go to the Harbormaster's office. I had to take the paperwork that was given to me at the charter office. I took the documents to the office and they gave me instructions about the bathhouse and gave me two magnetic keycards.
I returned to the boat and Royalty was beginning their move to dock on the quay about five boats down from our position. Our crew had dispersed to explore the village. I saw one of our club members, Carroll Green, who was a crewmember on Royalty. We talked for a while and then we went our different ways. I returned to the boat and relaxed for a short period.
I went back up to Royalty to meet the rest of their crew. Captain Rob informed me that he was having problems with his mainsail. He said that Sunsail had made arrangements for a technician to come to the boat and remedy the problem. Carroll said he saw us approaching them and then we just zoomed on by. While there I had some snacks and eventually returned to the boat. I was told that everyone was at a little restaurant getting a bite to eat. I went to the bistro and joined the rest of our crew. Food and drink abounded. We came to a consensus that we would invite the crew of Royalty to join us later for wine and cheese. The crew then dispersed to shop for goodies for our guests.
The crew of Mediterrane
Enjoying food and libations in Vis
Carroll and Dolly
The crew returned just as the crew from Royalty was arriving. Another of our club members, Paula White, was a member of the crew of Royalty. We all mingled for an hour or so and then dispersed. We had gotten an offer from a young woman to eat at a very attractive restaurant. It had begun to rain a little later and everyone scrambled for raingear. I had to borrow a parka from Paula because I had left my poncho in the baggage I had left at the charter office.
We were told that the restaurant was very close. We started walking and it seemed like a lot further that we had been told, especially in a driving rain. We took shelter in another restaurant during the downpour. A short walk later, we were at a very picturesque restaurant overlooking a part of the harbor. It was still raining!
The food was delicious and we all ate hearty. It was our crew and one member of the crew of Royalty. We had great food, fellowship and libations. The rain abated and finally stopped and we left after thoroughly satisfying our hunger.
The quay was still busy. People were walking and shops were open for business. We went back to the boat to settle in. Oh, there was one scary incident where a crewmember left her purse with her passport in it at the restaurant. They returned and it was there and they retrieved it. Whew!!! All is well. We sat around for a while and then everyone turned in listening to some Europeans' club songs being sung by the crew of the boat next to us.
No comments:
Post a Comment