With the gale warning still current for the N Adriatic, and forecasted thunderstorms and stronger winds for our central region, we decided to motor over to the small island of Palmezana 2 km directly south of Hvar, and check into the ACI Marina there for a peaceful night or two.  If we wish to revisit Hvar, they run regular water taxis from there at 50 kunar return.

The marina is a summer set up, I guess developed to handle the overspill from Hvar.  Its got one fixed jetty, and two floating pontoons and I guess a capacity of maybe 300 yachts.

A fabulous location, tucked into what was a natural harbour, surrounded by woods, with rocky areas one can swim off close by.  In fact waters so clean and clear lots chose to swim off their boats in the marina. 

The ACI mob obviously take care of this place, ensuring not just the marina but also the island walkways and waters are kept relatively spotless.  The island has shaded walkways through the trees and plenty of secluded swimming spots if you choose to go au natural.  A couple of bars and restaurants in the marina, and a couple more across in a south facing bay maybe 500 metres walk away, small but good toilets, laundry, and a mini mart complete the scene. 

The marina gets very busy and both evenings we stayed, we saw late arriving yachts being waved away.  Not sure if one can ‘reserve’ a berth but if you think you’ll arrive late and want to stop, maybe worth trying.  Tel 021 744995.

If you arrive and get stuck with no space, we saw some yachts dropping anchors almost within the harbour area, and taking long lines back onto the southern shore.  It is maybe 8 metres deep at the waters edge so one can go in backwards.

We’ve had a relaxing two days with good weather here.  It only changed late last night and we heard of some other local outcomes only this morning.

At around 2200 we were relaxing in the cockpit watching a thunderstorm arrive over the mainland.  One can see it sitting in ones cockpits from the marina.  An entertaining light show, with flashes forked and sheet lightening over the mainland mountains, and no thunder to be heard from where we were.  Accordingly, we reckoned it was all a long way away.  Seas in the marina were still as, it was balmy and humid, and most other yotties here, we were lounging around still in bathers.

The storm was the leading edge of the cold front already forecasted, arriving over the mainland from the northern Adriatic.  But it also brought some unexpected wind to Palmezana, which came upon us literally out of the blue!

We felt first a cold puff from the NE, then heard a slowly building howl through the trees, and whilst rushing forward to drop our big front cover – the wind and rain hit like a train.  We’ve got a lot of windage with tall rig and freeboard etc, and didn’t think our big front cover would help – and I’m glad we got it down.

In doing so we got soaked to the skin (well me bathers really were the only clothes we had on) but it was very chilly rain!

As we stashed the cover below and began sorting extra fenders, the gusts from the front hit us again and again.  A torrential downpour travelling at 45+ knots was lashing the marina and causing some consternation.

Lots of bashing and crashing as the strong gusts hit, with both the boats and the floating pontoons starting to heave about.  I’d suspect those yachts tucked further in towards the north-west end of the marina / bay would have been more protected than we were, but our end of the pontoon was definitely getting a bit wet. 

The wind pressure had all the yachts heeling over under bare poles, and all our bows being pressured significantly to go sideways with the wind despite the bow lines previously being tied off tightly.  We were lucky, as having the new u-beaut long gangway, we’d tied off maybe 8 foot off the pontoon.  It meant our transom never came close to touching the pontoon, but not so for most others.  The boat downwind next to us who were tied only a foot or so off, had their boat ramming the pontoon with its transom, big time. 

Fortunate or not, they did not see all this, as all the Skandiwegian crew were ashore somewhere.  But its bow was shoved maybe 45 degrees to one side, and the pressure on the rig meant it rocked around like crazy.  Bottles and wine glasses, presumably left on the cockpit table when they went ashore, were rolling about and littering her cockpit floor with broken glass.  Trouble was, she’d lurch downwind, fetch up with squeal of stretching ropes, bash and crash, and rebound upwind and into our side.

I’m afraid there was not much we could do to help her other than jam more fenders between us – and staggering about half naked in cold rain was not much fun - adjusting fenders continually to best ward off any damage from the other boat upwind as well.  But the Skandiwegians braved the twisting pontoon and pouring rain to get back on board and sort it themselves, and just about everyone on the pontoon helped each other out to try and make all the yachts more secure.

The front and its rain went through after 30 minutes, and whilst it remained gusty until dawn, it never got back up to the 40+ knots we had when it first hit.

But I did awake 0630 Thursday to a radio Mayday, and found the sun back up and winds beginning to abate.  A chill in the air for the first time since we left in April. 

It’s the first time in Europe we’ve got involved in a Mayday message – and its strange how the repetition drilled in on the SSB Radio Course proved its value. 

Seemed no-one was responding to the Mayday call so I had to complete a Mayday relay which fortunately was picked up by Spit Radio.  They then in turn took over control, and dealt with it from there. 

A 44’ Lagoon Catamaran named ‘Marete’, was sitting on the rocks of Borovac Island, less that one mile east of our marina. 

Her skipper acknowledged he was not in danger of sinking and had no injuries on board, but he said it was not only his yacht stuck there, but another catamaran also. 

Suspect they may have dragged during the night and maybe clashed with chains this morning when leaving??  Who knows.  But Split Radio co-ordinated to get a Maritime Rescue Boat from Hvar at sea inside 15 minutes, and we can only hope they saved both boats from sinking.  What a way to end a vacation, eh?  Very sad.

So drama over, and the upsides of the rain is Swagman has never looked so clean.

We’ve decided to now sail the 11 miles northward to secure an anchoring  spot at Olive Oyles favourite Croatian bay – Bobovisce - on the west end of Brac Island, and move onward to Split (supposed party place) in the next 48 hours.

Cheers

JOHN