2:50 PM
Aboard the White Pearl
We're underway again on our "free sail" day. I like the little village of Lumbarda that we just left, with its lazy dogs, lazy markets, and tree lined streets...and showers! Joe's shorts blew off the clothesline when the wind picked up overnight, so he spent a couple of hours this morning in the dingy with a snorkel mask. Unsuccessful with that effort, he took a pissed-off walk around the harbor and came back with a pair of dripping wet swim trunks that he said had washed up on the beach shore opposite our dock.
We learned a great phrase last night: sve ili niste (svay ee-lee neeshta), meaning "all or nothing".
After leaving the cozy marina, and then motoring around the point to view the old city of Korcula, we are now blowing past the town of Orebic on the Peljesac peninsula. There is a hulking barren rock mountain rising directly behind Orebic like an elephant sneaking up on an ant. Josip, our technician, noted that this is a popular climbing destination and many meet an unfortunate end attempting to summit.
Korcula from the sea
weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!
Prior to casting off this morning, we hired a taxi bus to drive us ~10 minutes to the old city for a stroll. Korcula the island is very pretty - rolling hills covered with grape vines and olive trees are sectioned off by short stone walls. The walled city of Korcula is also nice. Joe and I split from the group and checked out the gelato stand and a shaded tree-lined plaza that is situated between the outer walls of the city and the rocky shoreline. The water surrounding Korcula is ridiculously clear, as in all other places around here, and there are stone stairs leading down to the rocks below the city's wall that looked like a great place to sunbath had I not already been burnt. We stared at the eyeballs of today's catch on ice in the display coolers in front of the restaurants. That must be a thing - checking out the dead fish on ice - because everyone was doing it. Fat palm trees are positioned in front a grand stone staircase leading up through the front gates of the city.
a church (naked gargoyles not shown)
We decided to do a group meal this evening and I mistakenly volunteered to make dessert. I bought some plain cookies, something that looked like cream cheese, something that looked like whipped cream, dark chocolate, and cherries. Hopefully I can find something to do with these ingredients that won't make people gag.
11:00 PM
Trstenik, Croatia
The seas were getting pretty rough and the winds died, so we powered up the engines to keep up with the swells. Our destination was the ex-ferry port of Trstenik, a one-row fishing village that people see
The seas were getting pretty rough and the winds died, so we powered up the engines to keep up with the swells. Our destination was the ex-ferry port of Trstenik, a one-row fishing village that people seemed to have forgotten since the ferry moved to the next village north several years ago. We tried to anchor in a tiny cove just beyond the town, but the swells were a little too high for everyone's comfort after a queasy day out on the rollers. It's a shame because it was a completely vacant cove with a sandy bottom and turquoise water that would have made for great swimming and late evening star gazing. Instead, we motored back around the point into the glassy calm waters of the harbor, protected by a massive stone and concrete breakwall that used to dock the ferry. Now, our two small sailboats are tied alongside and dwarfed by the giant sea wall.
our private ferry dock (cats not shown)
As I mentioned earlier, the original plan was to cook this evening, but after a short stroll down the village's one street, it was clear that we should eat in the town's one restaurant. They had an open pit grill beachside. Long rustic wooden tables were set with fine linen and glassware, and there was an ancient fat palm in the center of the patio, cutting through the reed canopy. This turned out to be the best meal I've had on this vacation so far. I ordered the vegetable risotto and Joe, the grilled fish and veggies. The waiter dramatically led him to the display case so he could select which of today's catch he'd like to have grilled. We shared a liter of the house red that was served in a fun decanter. The appetizer of fresh, spongy bread, cheese, and olives was exceptional. The company wasn't bad either. We dined with Mona, Dunes, as well as Dunes' fellow Seattle sailing buds - Cathrine, Chris, Tracy, and Daryl. The grilled fish was delicious- accompanied by grilled zucchini and red pepper.
The town has some really old trees, some of them I'm told are over six hundred years old and still intact. I believe it - the silver trunks on some of those beasts must be in excess of 48" diameter. I have no idea what they are. The leaves are thick and small- shiny green on one side and soft and silvery on the flip.
Behind the town is a sharp v-shaped valley. Either side of the slope are covered with grape vines clinging to the 60 degree slope. I don't know how the soil is not sliding down the hill because unlike most others, this slope is not terraced.
After dinner, we did get to view the stars from the end of the old ferry dock, as well as fisherman from teh restaurant dumping bags of frozen mystery bait into the water to catch eels, or else they were full of it and were just dumping the remains of today's leftovers.
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