Into the Islands

Our first port of call after leaving our refuge, Zaton in the Dubrovnik area was Ston. Ston is an old walled city up a long canal. In the 12th century, its salt production accounted for a third of the income of the Republic of Dubrovnik. To protect this valuable commodity, they walled the town, fortified the salt works and eventually built a wall across the peninsula from Velika Ston to Mali Ston.

Pavlov on the dock in Ston

Main street in Ston

View of Ston village from the walls

View of the town and ajoining salt works

We met up with Mady and Tony from Ripple Effect in Ston. After a wander across the peninsula, Tony and I decided to walk back along the city walls. Its the first real outing I've taken my newly reconstructed ankle on, and it held up okay.

Mady and Tony at Mali Ston

First steps along the city wall

Its quite a hike along this wall!

Tony say's 'Its all downhill from here!'

Decent into Veliki Ston

After detouring through Slano, we had a lunch stop at Luka Sipan, a sheltered bay in the third of the Elaphine Islands.

Pav on the dock at Luka Sipan, Megan in sun armour.

Sipan warehouse

Delightful port of Sipan

Local colours

Shaded dock-side park

Town, palm and sea.

After a delightful stroll around the harbour of Luka Sipan, we decided to head out to Mljet, a much larger island further off the southern Adriatic coast. Our first port of call was Saplunara on the southern end of the island.

The solitary cafe at Saplunara

Pav out at anchor

No shops or schools, just one solitary cafe!

Preparing for the summer season

After two peaceful nights on the hook in the sheltered inlet of Saplunara, we headed up the coast of Mljet to Prozura. This was another absolute grockle free zone, and we anchored out in complete comfort and security.

Cute cottage on an islet just off Prozura

Secluded anchorage at Prozura

We are really enjoying Mljet. The water is crystal clear, there is not the crowds of tourists and day-trippers. The bird life is abundent and you can see all the fish swimming, even down to 10m.  The northern end of the island is a national park and is a very special place. Its so spectacular that it deserves a blog all on its own. So we'll see you next in Polace!

Decidedly Delicious Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is beautiful. It may be the set for much of the 'Game of Thrones' but it is really the Throne of all games in real life. We had already sailed past the city, but we needed to rejuvenate Pavlov and had booked a berth for one night at the expensive ACI Marina just outside Dubrovnik on the river Dubrovačka. After installing 4 new batteries and re-gassing the fridge, we had a free afternoon before having to vacate the marina. We caught the bus into the old city and just wandered around.

Pavlov living the life of luxury in ACI Marina, Dubrovnik

Water cistern from above, on the city walls

Sculpture outside city gates

Sea kayaking around the city walls

Architectural flourish on the city gate

We are moving from the ancient world of Greece and Turkey, with their ruins from Greek and Roman times, to the mediaeval world. The cities and architecture show a new level of sophistication and detail that surpasses that of the classical world. Kotor and Momemvasia were previous examples that we had visited, but Dubrovnik surpassed these in terms of its architectural beauty and the sophistication of its social structure, revealed by the city details.

Vege garden Dubrovnik style

Small cove just outside the old town

Main street of Dubrovnik

Town hall 

Architectural detail

We visited the obligatory church, well at least I did. Megan is over churches, and her more militant atheism overwhelms her waning desire.

Dubrovnik cathederal

Cathedral interior

Church decoration

Baroque Organ

Marble sculpture

Time was running out, so we returned to Gruz where the marina is located. We found a lovely restaurant further up the river for a late lunch, then left the marina to find a near-by anchorage in Zaton.

Peaceful restaurant up the river from the marina

The Dubrovnik river

Swans serenaded our lunch

Leafy garden

The dock in Zaton

Pavlov braving the Bora

We were anchored in Zaton Veliki, or 'Large Zaton'.

We were at anchor in Zaton, but there was a Bora on the way. Given that we had dragged onto the beach during the last Bora we'd experienced in Montenegro, we decided to go onto the dock. Luckily, some hefty Polish lads helped tighten our laid mooring lines. It was just enough to hold us off the dock during the 30 + knots of wind during the Bora. The first day, we just stuck our heads between our legs and hoped, but the wind abated enough on the second day for another trip into Dubrovnik. Mady (of 'Ripple Effect' fame) had told us we'd missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by not walking the city walls of Dubrovnik. Of course, being Croatia, we had to pay for this privilege and the 100 Kuna (About AUD $20) had put us off.  This time, we hitch-hiked into Gruz and caught the bus into the old town.

Gun port framing the city walls 

Megan on the wall

Walls encircle the town of Dubrovnik

View from the wall

The walk around the walls is about 2 kilometres and is absolutely spectacular. The views over the terracotta roofs and the sea-glimpses were unforgettable. Even though Dubrovnik's only function now is tourism and the place swarms with them, the majesty and beauty of the city was not overwhelmed by grockle.

Dubrovnik's small boat harbour

Cafe's cling to the cliffs

Loved the texture of all the terracotta tiles 

Panorama shot looking south

View over the old town

Sea-side view of the walls.

Space is at a premium

Lone sentry box

We checked out the old port in Dubrovnik. We'd poked Pavlov's nose in on our sea-way fly-by,  but it was so busy and congested, we didn't dare enter.

A stylish vaporetto

The old port in Dubrovnik

The Admiral on the dock

Architectural features.

Croatia is famed for its islands, so it was time for us to leave the mainland behind, and head out to bluer pastures. Till then, cowboy!