Happy Easter with love

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!