SUMMARY After a leisurely breakfast we pulled out of our cove and sailed for the big island of Hvar. We anchored for lunch and swimming at an island across the channel from Hvar town and then we taken over for the evening in the dinghy. Hiking, happy hour, and a good dinner on the main square before being taken by water taxi back to the Cool Change. - Karen
DETAIL
Not much scheduled for today. We’re supposed to take our longest sail/motor of the trip. We’ll end up just across from the popular Croatian city of Hvar. We’re OK that we’re relocating because the sky is gray and it’s raining.
Of corse we have our coffee and a big breakfast. Matko tries to mix things up every day and today’s surprise is breakfast sandwiches prepared in the panini maker. It’s different but I’m not sure if it is a crowd favorite.
Later in the morning we cast off from drizzly Korčula and head out. We motor for a while and then the guys put up the main sail and the spinnaker. We happily see blue sky off in the distance and sail for quite a while in that direction. It’s believable that today’s the longest transit of our trip. The payoff at the end is being again in sunshine. Good job, guys.
We’re just off the island of Marinkovac which is what the harbor of Hvar looks out upon. Hvar is a popular cruise ship destination. Last summer when Karen and I were cruising the Greek Island, finally, our itinerary took us to Hvar. While there we saw these gorgeous coves and heard about all of these charter boats and that’s how we ended up here. On our way in today we see the cruise ship that brought us here last year. What are the odds?
The guys drop anchor and then Matko swims to the shore, Tarzan-style, with one of the boat’s tie lines across his chest. It’s not the favorite part of this assignments, especially early in the season when the water is really cold. Today it’s OK. On shore we’re told there are hiking paths and visitors to Hvar pay a water taxi to get them out here. We see them hiking and scampering over the rocks to swim.
We have lunch, of course. We start with prosciutto and cheeses followed by fish with pea purée and roasted vegetables. It’s tasty. We putter around the ship and some people go swimming, but before long there’s talk of going ashore to explore Hvar. Jure ferries us over in the launch. It’s Karen and myself, Ron and Nancy, and we have Matko tagging along to pick up some groceries. It’s a bit of a rough ride with the inflatable motor launch slapping the water as we cross the wakes of so many boats. Matko jokes with us that if you have kidney stones at the start of the crossing they’ll be pulverized to nothing by the time you get to Hvar. Ah maritime humor.
Ashore we walk along the waterfront with scores of other tourists. There are lots of boats dropping off or picking up passengers. The cruise ship has its meeting point for their tenders. There’s a lot of walking and looking around, but not a lot being accomplished.
We find ourselves in the grocery store, going up and down the aisles seeing what they have. We’re not in the market for anything, but it’s fun. They have plenty of wine and alcohol, including strawberry flavored vodka. The target audience for that can be seen everywhere. Groups of young men or young women are in there, shopping for the big party they’ll be having in their room tonight. They’re on a tight budget and pink flavored vodka may be just what the bartender ordered.
We see more of the town, climbing stairs and walking down narrow alleys. We brush off the call of the barkers at the bars and restaurants. At the top of town, just below the big fort, we walk along a major, narrow road, looking down on the bay. We’re trying to get steps. The local plants intrigue us and we converse with a homeowner over a big fruiting plant, trying to figure out the name. It was a Jujube bush and we were free to try one of the ripe fruit. The lady said they made grappa with it.
Back closer to the center of town we find a table at an open, airy bar and split a bottle of pink wine with Ron and Nancy. We arrange to meet the rest of the group at an Italian restaurant back closer to the water front. The first couple of ATMs we find look sketchy and want too large of an exchange fee for our blood. We find one outside an actual bank and get more of the cash we’ll need to tip Jure and Matko.
Dinner’s good: pizza, Caesar salad, more wine. A water taxi takes us back to our boat. It’s a little drizzly and we have to point out to the water taxi driver which boat is ours. Yikes. On board we’re offered a nightcap and try to see how many constellations we can identify. Not an exceptionally exciting day, but fun and relaxing.
Photos
Rain, time to move on!
Breakfast! Lots of fresh fruit, as always, and today's surprise: sandwiches
Sails are up and there's blue sky on the horizon
Karen looking for things of interest. Jure says he hasn't seen a dolphin in the area since June.
The Azamara Pursuit. Karen and I were on it, in this city, last year! That's when we decided a group boat charter to Croatia should be in our future.
Just off the island of Marinkovac, looking at Hvar look at us.
To secure the boat chef/bartender Matko has to swim the line to attach to a rock. He puts it over his head and has it come down across his chest, Tarzan-style, as he swims towards shore.
On the bridge the backup camera lets us see Mike securing the rope on the boat end of things. Just like in a modern car.
Yummy fish with grilled vegetables and pea purée for lunch. Yum.
Headed to Hvar. Matko intimates that the hard slapping of the launch on the water can fix kidney stones. We are not in a position to test his theory.
The church on the main square of Hvar, facing the port.
In the grocery store. Lots of pretty fruits and vegetables.
A view of the port and a tower from our walk
Signs we didn't understand. "No playing Jenga" and "No rocking your clothes washer"??
A prolific mystery fruit. Jujube. Used here to make Grappa at home.
Wine at wine-o'clock
Walking back from finding a reasonable ATM
Dinner with the whole group
The fort above Hvar from our water taxi headed back towards our boat (maybe)
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