Well here we are, after a somewhat hectic end to the term and some fond farewells, we have eventually made it out to the boat in sunny Dubrovnik. We spent a very comfortable night in a hotel at Gatwick and then managed to find a way to get all 9 bags onto the aeroplane! A taxi ride to the marina (driver took the long route to boost his fare?) and Ma Belle Hélène looking great after her lift, scrub, polish and some new rudder bearings.
The first day was spent trying to unpack, restocking the boat with water, Bacardi and beer, and paying Pero for the work. We were delighted that his bill was significantly less than the original quote but the marina stung us for an extra lift to replace the rudder bearings – Oh well, you can’t win them all!
The weather is beautiful and it is incredibly hot (40 degrees in the shade!). We spent the next day doing a few jobs, J replaced the bowthruster switch and the repaired mainsail was put back on the mast ready for action. The dinghy has sprung another leak but that appears to be an easy fix.
Thursday and the forecast looking good for our first trip out for almost a year. After the problems getting the boat on her mooring last summer, we managed a very smooth exit from the marina just before lunch. Not a lot of wind so a pleasant potter down the coast under the walls of Dubrovnik, to the beautiful town of Cavtat. We anchored in the main bay only to be told by a very pleasant port manager that we would need to pay 240 Kuna to stay the night – we politely declined and moved around the headland to another bay close to a very busy beach.
We launched the leaky dinghy and mounted the outboard which was very stubborn and took over half an hour, and considerable effort, to get started. Eventually J beat it into submission and we pottered into the port for a well earned beer.
An evening spent swimming and resting followed by an early night – we were still incredibly weary!
And then just after 10 pm, the disco on the beach started! Tom would have loved the music, but us oldies had just about had enough of it by 3 am when the revellers finally finished! What is it about our choice of anchorage? Never mind, Helen reminds me that we still have 427 days to go before our (renewable!) travel insurance runs out! Plenty of time to rest up!
A quick swim in the morning and we left for Lokrum, another favourite island anchorage just off the old town of Dubrovnik.
Another lovely day, and a much quieter night at anchor!
After a great night’s sleep, we went ashore for some bread, water etc. only to find that it hadn’t been delivered from the mainland yet. Oh well, managed to find a comfortable spot for a coffee and some serious people watching.
After a lazy morning, we moved to another great anchorage on the island of Sipan.
Some more cultured music for the evening with a lone guitarist in a local hotel, serenading the crews aboard their yachts.
Another sortie ashore in the morning and after a quick check of the forecast, we decided to make our way back to the marina before some stormy weather hit the area.
And we just about made it ……
Half a mile from the marina, in the river, strong squalls hit us and we only just managed to get the boat onto it’s mooring bow to – thank goodness for the new bowthruster switch!
Anyway, all is well and we now await the arrival of our friends later today.
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