What a Difference a Day Makes

From Hvar to Korcula

Last night, after having put the lost key episode behind us by drowning our sorrows on the sundeck with a nice white wine and a couple of friendly Canadians, we decided to dine at the closest fish restaurant, which happened to be just off our boat's gangplank. Although all these islands are supposed to have the best fish in Croatia, it is very expensive, up there with Swiss prices ($800 per kilo). Anyway, we managed to have a very nice meal, sans expensive fish. 

The new day dawned bright and sunny, and even though the ride was not going to be difficult, I was offered an e-bike for the day. Once our bikes were off the boat, Ray suddenly remembered the safe place that he had put the elusive key - in the tool pocket on the bike. The day could not get any better.  Note: when Ray says that he has put something in a safe place, it usually means he has lost it forever.

We enjoyed a ride along the coast to a sandy beach where we had time for a swim, before returning to the boat and moving to another old town for the night. The boat stopped in the middle of the bay, so that we could enjoy a longer swim from the boat, and also wait for other similar boats to dock, so that we could be the last in and the first to get away in the morning. There can be nine or ten boats tied next to each other, so that you have to walk through all of the boats to reach the dock.

During our stop for swimming, which was to be for 30mins, one of our iron man riders from the Tampon group decided he would swim to the shore and back. Probably about 3kms, across the shipping lanes. He didn't tell anyone and he got lost. When he was not back at the time to depart, we waited another 30 mins before moving the boat to look for him. After another 15 mins looking, we finally found him alive, but everyone was ready to kill him. 

Eventually we were the ninth boat to dock in Korcula, a beautiful old town, built at sea level, originally ca300bc, but the current buildings were erected between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. We managed to find a cheapish restaurant in an alley way that led down to the sea. Ray was not feeling well, coming down with a cold, to which several other fellow travellers had also succumbed. So we didn't have cocktails at the top of the fortress, where you have to climb a ladder to reach the bar, and where the drinks are hauled up in buckets. Pity.

Above the town of Korcula as we rode out.

 

Brenda joined a number of Tampans as early riders, although she switched to an e-bike on account of one of them being sick with a bad head cold. I was starting to feel quite sick myself, but stuck at the task.

The grey limestone hills are a constant presence every day of our ride, on every island.

A typical dockside scene on just about every island we visited, Stone buildings, cafes with umbrellas. I think things are just about to get a whole lot busier as the rest of the crew arrive.

Petar Hectorovic was the owner of the house in the background and made a name for himself in the 14th century, by not being a blood thirsty killer.

More of the house (and village) that Petar built

Simple churhes on these islands

A big climb today, but also a brilliant downhill into port.

More downhill scenes

Tampans recovering after an arduous climb

Our swim stop today was really beautiful, in between a few islands in crystal waters as usual.

Islands rising out of the sea everywhere. Apparently, croatia has over 1200 islands alnd the Adriatic coast. The tour company we travelled with (Sail Croatia) runs quite a few different tours stating and finishing in different places and each tour visits a different combination of islands. There are so many to choose from.

That's not a blue light, but the natural colour of the water. It's magic in port on nights like these.