The motley crew, Croatia 2004 - 2:25 PM, Aug. 21, 2005

Postcard taken by a guy at Skradin marina, who makes his living immortalising the manoeuvres of charter crews attempting to berth. Good commercial trick - you get your own photo in the middle. Fortunately, he took the photo just before we screwed up!

After our « no mod cons » experience in 2003, realised that with a bigger crew, could get more boat for the same price per head, so spent much of the autumn/ winter planning episode 2. The project finally crystallised as 2 weeks on a Sun Odyssey 34,2 out of Primosten, with a crew comprised of 3 old friends and Popeye’s sister. Combined age of crew -  325. Combined experience of crew – minimal. Y was our best bet, he actually owns a Sigma 30 (and has been known to sail it), L had learned to swim specially for such an opportunity, his wife A has apparently taken part in several shipwrecks in her younger days, and sister-in-law P never gets seasick. This must be the origin of the term “motley crew”.

Turned up at our charter base to take possession of our 3 cabin cheapie, only to learn that it had been put up for sale, hence no longer on the charter market, and would we mind accepting a Bavaria 50 in lieu? 5 cabins, 2 heads, bowthruster…catalogue charter price 3 times what we had paid for the SO. Mumbled a bit about higher marina fees, broken autohelm, but took it anyway. Forecabin came in very handy for storing everyone’s spare luggage (except mine of course).

Without attempting to rewrite a 2 week log, highlights (or lowlights) include:

·       visit to Skradin waterfalls ( impressive, and worth a longer hiking stay),

·       several appalling crew manoeuvres ( nasty scratch leaving Sibenik port),

·       Bilges full of water, broken bilge pump, resulting in call out of charter base manager, Eddy, who fixed most of it, but had to bypass the water heater, which had caused the problem.

·        Having to shower in marinas where “save  hot water “ posters were displayed – strange as none of us had a hot water experience.

·       Several wonderful anchorages, very calm out of season, with good local food and wine just a short dinghy ride away.

·       No fish. Popeye tried, but to no avail – having studied the local fishermen, conclude that there are fish in the Adriatic, but you have to know where to go, and be able to fish in Croatian.

·       Lack of volunteers for washing up. Skipper exempt due to important role (but he uses the same excuse at home?) Down to me + sis-in law, accompanied by Phil Collins on the CD. Popeye filmed it – looked like “grannies behaving badly”

·       Not making it to the blue grotto on Bisevo. Maybe next time

·       Not making it to the island of Hvar, millionaire’s playground, home to the jet set. Maybe never

·       Taking our time – this was a holiday after all, not a race. Persuading Popeye that flapping along at 2 knots was not an insult, we didn’t have a bus to catch

·       The delights of heads (even without holding tank) furling sails, self-tailing winches (all my overlap problems resolved), electric windlass, spray hood (useful for getting head down for a quick nap), and all the other stuff on a fully equipped charter boat.

·       Sunstroke- see spray hood nap. Cover nape of neck in future

·       Provisioning – calculate the maximum amount of daily booze consumption, add a margin of 50%, and find yourself trekking off with rucksack to re-stock.

Conclusion after 2 weeks cruising - still more to see and do. Start planning episode 3 as soon as we get back.