Happy Easter to our dearest family and
friends all over the world! We too are enjoying a looonnng weekend and the beginning
of Spring. No chocolate eggs or bunnies for the first time in a lifetime – mainly due to the fact we haven’t seen any for sale here. Instead exists a far less commercial Easter and a local tradition I
would have looked forward to more in my youth than chocolate. The
gifting of new life – tiny chicks and ducklings bought at the markets and
carried around by children with delight, in little brown boxes emitting a
telltale cheep cheep. My inner child
escaped that day at Split’s markets – I knew it was totally unrealistic – but
desperately wanted to take my own home to the boat. In its place I was kindly gifted the cute yellow fuzz ball above.
Last weekend, two short travelling days brought
us south from Sibenik here to sleepy Milna on the island of Brac (pronounced
Brash). We’ve spent the last seven nights in the sheltered marina and will do so until at
least mid to late next week.
We are berthed alongside another Lagoon 440
catamaran that is proudly flying both the Australian and boxing kangaroo flags.
Along with our own newly hoisted Aussie flag – we’ve been told it’s a rare
sight to see one, let alone two, Aussie boats sailing through these waters.
Frank and Viv are from Gladstone in Queensland, and after lots of research
also bought a Lagoon here in Croatia like dad has done, yet twelve months
earlier. They have lived onboard for the past year, apart from a trip home to
Gladstone to avoid the harsh Europe winter and enjoy the arrival of a new grandchild.
Frank and Viv have spent their lives around boats – building and sailing them –
and have lovingly and expertly customized so many elements of their Lagoon catamaran.
Dad has benefited greatly from their experiences
and over the coming months will take the opportunity to have Frank’s fabricator
(who is based in the northern capital Zagreb) replicate some of his modifications
for fitting on our boat. Along with several shared sunset drinks, dinners,
stories and laughs with them (this boat life is a social affair), Frank and
Viv’s experiences in Croatia will help guide us, until we too become seasoned
cruising yachties.
Milna is another postcard-perfect seaside Mediterranean
village similar to what we’ll encounter all the way up and down the Croatian
coast. The solid stone buildings here are built just above sea level with only
a single-lane roadway between their doorsteps and dozens of little boats bobbing
in the sheltered harbour. On recent full moon high tides, the water laps up
over the outer edge of the roadway. Can’t really get much closer to waterfront
living, except perhaps somewhere like Venice or Bora Bora! It’s a tiny
community where everyone seems to know each other and we often get reserved looks,
as it’s too early for foreigners to begin invading their peaceful off-season existence.
Mike and I witnessed a funeral procession a few days ago, where the casket was
rolled on a decorated silver trolley down the waterfront roadway with what
could have been the entire town’s population falling in behind in a solemn
march to the cemetery.
There are several prime waterfront located,
yet derelict buildings with gorgeous, multi-century old facades perfectly
intact, only with collapsed ceilings or completely void of floors and barely a
few solid internal support beams remaining inside. A renovators’ dream.
We are currently awaiting some original
paperwork from AMSA to arrive by courier to the marina reception – after which time we’ll
head out to start exploring the neighbouring islands before slowly making our
way north to the Croatian port of Rijeka. Dad needs to be present there with Customs
for the opening of his shipping container next month (with trike and our other
personal belongings inside).
In the meantime there always seems to be
plenty to do including measuring and designing a rigging system for lifting and
stowing the 3.1M dingy on the bow, leaving the stern area clear for the trike
on its floats. Some of the fabrication mentioned earlier includes the new trike
davit system, all built in quality, polished stainless steel. Dad and Mike have
just pulled Mike’s new folding bike apart for a freshwater bath and complete
re-grease of every moving part after it spent five nights, fourty foot down on
the seabed after falling in one night in a strong gust of wind. Unfortunately
the bike may become a rust bucket sooner than we'd hoped! Between the bike and me
finishing this post they’ve since repaired the bar fridge which stopped working
(heaven forbid) yesterday. They are a handy pair this duo! The local Raymarine
rep has also been onboard today to reconfigure the VHF radio with its
Australian MMSI satellite identification number and to inspect our Raymarine
integrated navigation system that needs some attention. Never (rarely) a dull
moment.
Until next time, best wishes and please
enjoy an extra few chocolate eggs for us!
