Time to Split?

Michael, Megan's son is coming to visit us on the 1st of July, arriving at Split airport. So rather than making determined miles westward, we are puddling around Split at the moment. We'd left Hvar and sailed across to Brac, one of the largest islands in the central Adriatic. We found a lovely secluded anchorage in Uvula Lucica.

Pavlov snuggled into Uvula Lucica

The path to Milna.

Another view of the anchorage, two lines to shore

On the chart, it was less than two nautical miles into Milna, a port town on Brac. So like on Hvar, we thought we could walk into the town. We needed supplies as we'd been on anchor for a while now. We tried to memorise a path based on peering at Google Earth, then we set off.

The port of Milna, on Brac

The inner harbour of Milna

The long road back home

We made it, and Milna was an interesting and genuine town, but the hike back seemed much longer with full packs. Then we got lucky and managed to hitch a ride.  Next stop was the small island of Drvenik, north of Trogir.  We saw an empty pier but instead choose an empty buoy that didn't seem to belong to any fee-charging organisation. Later that night, we were glad we'd chosen the buoy as half the boats on the pier dragged in the middle of the night and there was mayhem in the bay with boats unable to re-anchor all night.

Pav on the buoy in Drvenik

Heroic Croatian statuary from Communist times

Drvenik harbour

We noticed in Drvenik that Pavlov's alternator was ailing, and started to make enquires about where we might get it repaired. Luckily, we met Peter, a German who had kept his boat in Croatia for many years. He recommended the marina in Kremik, which had good service facilities. We took his advice and headed up to Luka Pela, the bay the marina is situated in.

The snug little bay at Kremik Marina

Amazingly, when the mechanic came to look at the alternator, the ignition switch for the engine failed and it could not be started. How lucky that the switch failed in a marina with an electrical mechanic in attendance! If it failed anywhere else, we would have had big problems. So, oil changed, boat being looked after, we dragged the bikes out to explore. Kremik is close to Primostin, so we braved the Jugo wind which was blowing about 35 knots, and headed there on the main highway.

Primostin town

Lovely creeks around the town

That's a Jugo blowing about 35 knots

Now, I've been on a bit of a rant about the impact of tourism on local culture. This effect seems much stronger in Croatia than in Greece. At least in Greece, we felt we had some contact with a foreign culture. Greeks still lived in their villages, fished and had some kinds of industry. Here in Croatia, the 'pretty towns' along the coast, like Primosten, Dubrovnik, Hvar town and many others, become like empty husks. Because they are so beautiful and photogenic, rents and property values must rise, making the towns uninhabitable for local people. So the only things that survive are restaurants design to cater to wealthy tourists, and 'grockle shops' full of the same pap that is sold everywhere in the world. The heart and soul of the town withers up, it loses its purpose and significance as a community centre, and the town becomes just another commodity to service the tourist trade.

Main square, Primosten

Esplanade, Primosten

Bathing beach, Primosten

Laneway through tourist apartments.

So, Primosten was just like that. Beautiful but empty of soul and purpose. We sat in a cafe, felt sorry for the poor bastards at anchor in the very exposed harbour with the Jugo wind blowing 35 knots, and smug that Pavlov was safe in a marina and that we'd invested our very limited marina funds wisely. Then it was back on the bikes, getting lost and climbing a ridiculously high hill to realize we were on the wrong road, and finally returning to Kremik. We spent another night to escape the weather and to revel in long showers and shore power. This morning, we off, to move closer to Split. Michael arrives in 5 days, so its still not time to split!

That's Hvar for you

We were anchored in a delightful cove on the south coast of the island of Klement, but we kind of got over the too idyllic coves with the sudden influx of charters and naturalists. Yes, many of these small islands off the coast of Hvar are designated as clothes-optional places. I just want to know what universal conspiracy seems to guarantee that any naturalist that I see is big, hairy and German??

Port of Hvar, Hvar.

Pavlov 'stealing' a mooring buoy.

Anyway, we had a need to buy food, and so we upped anchor and dropped into the main town on Hvar, surprisingly called Hvar. Now, in these main ports, tying up at the dock is prohibitively expensive (around 36 Kuna per metre, or around AUD$90 for the night), and the mooring buoys are almost as expensive. But we'd learned from our mate Vic who is also careful with his pennies, that the 'port authorities' only come along to collect fees in the late afternoon. So we snagged a mooring buoy in Hvar (this is a very busy harbour with no room to swing at anchor) and ducked into town.

Old church in Hvar

Town square in Hvar

A busy little harbour 

Dramatic expanses of marble make up the main square

Venetian church entrance

We had a good poke around Hvar. These towns have a surprising mix of architecture from early Greek remains, Roman, Venetian, Slav and British add-ons. The Venetian architecture is the most stunning with detailed portico's and stone-carvings adorning the buildings. After a few hours and a good shop, we had to flee the scene and drop our lines before the 'Port Authority' could bag us.

The restaurant at Vela Garska

Not a bad outlook....

.... so we had to enjoy lunch there.

So we headed up to a secluded anchorage just north of Hvar town called Vela Garska. This safe little nook boasted just one small restaurant, no other dwellings. So we spent the night and went to check out the restaurant the next day. After another somewhat rolly night, we found out that the weather was going to turn and we needed to find a more protected anchorage. We headed to Zukova on the north coast of Hvar.

Tucked in at the end of a small cove in Zukova

View to the north

Isolated fishing hut

Pavlov with lines to shore, the only inhabitant

A little piece of fisher-man's found art.

Zukova was a real find. Very sheltered from the strong sirocco we were expecting, we could tuck right into the bank with dual lines to shore. The water was crystal clear, the rock ledges around the bay were made for sun-bathing and diving, and the vegetation was luxurious and fragrant. We could hear bird-calls ringing through the valley. This anchorage definitely rates as a Snuggle Pot.

Megan at the start of the trail

On the path to Stari Grad

An ignominious sight in the village of Rudina

Backyard garden in Rudina on the way to Stari Grad

The road that led ever onwards.

A quick look at Google Earth confirmed our hunch that we should be able to walk from our secluded (and free) anchorage into Stari Grad, a very old town on the north coast of Hvar. We could see a path leading out of the bay, and Google Earth indicated that this went through the village of Rudina, from whence a road could be taken to Stari Grad. We checked the distances, and it was only about 3 nautical miles, should be a piece of cake!! The next morning we set off. Hmm, that 3 miles seemed to go forever, but eventually, we got to the village and set off along the road for Stari Grad.

Port of Stari Grad

Stari Grad houses

A small square

An Italian palace

The town hall is a Venetian building

The port is a long narrow inlet.

Stari Grad was a wonderful and exhilarating place. It was a very old town, inhabited before Greek settlement, but it had been colonised by just about every-one so it had some exquisite architectural details. It also had a very 'artistic' feel, with lots of real art galleries (rather than tourist pap malls), stately homes of poets and statesmen, and a surprising lack of tourists and grockle.

A small pond outside the poet's house

The poet, Petar Hektorovic, discoursing with Megan

Early church building

I just love towns where cars do not dominate!

Updated gargoyle

Some totemic art in Stari Grad

Insectile inspiration

However, we'd expended all our energy getting to Stari Grad and wandering around its delightful streets. The reality then hit us that now we had to make the hike back, and the hill between us and Pavlov was formidable indeed. Well, when the shit hits the fan, we Pavlovians just hunker down and do the business, and so it was. We finally got back to Pavlov, after a hike of around 12 km, with aching ankles, knees, hips and an assortment of other gripes. It had been worth it!

Lovely village of Rudina, the return home

Pavlov waiting patiently for us

Megan, hot at the end of the trail

Pavvie and Spit waiting to bring us home