TROGIR, CROATIA – Here we go, yet another season of Mediterranean cruising! With an extra suitcase full of parts and other boat toys, I again made the long journey from San Francisco to Croatia, this time with a pit stop in Oslo, Norway. As amazing as several weeks of summer sailing sounds, I cringe at the idea of spending the next several days in the hot boatyard, getting Geja out of winter hibernation mode.
(Friday, July 13) Woke up in Oslo this morning at 4am for my 7am flight to Split (scored an exit row window seat somehow upon check-in). Flying along with the Croatian coast below, I can
name all of the major islands, having navigated most of them by sea. The clear water, visible from high above, just teases one with anticipation. As with my transatlantic flights from a few days ago, there was little fuss in getting an oversize piece of cabin luggage on board, namely a one-meter long box containing Geja’s new portside window.
Thanks to spending a few days in Norway on the way from San Francisco to Croatia, the jet lag has mostly worn off. First stop as always is Trogir Hostel, my home
for the first few nights, where the super friendly staff gave me their usual warm welcome. Finally made my way to the boatyard by midday to find Geja floating in the water as planned (she spends the offseason out of the water, and had just been “splashed” for my arrival).
The great unknown at the beginning of each sailing season is finding out which of the agreed-upon winter projects that the boatyard has actually completed. Despite minimal communication during the offseason, much of the tasks had been done. This allowed me to get started right away with mountain sails, electronics, sun covers, and more.
The truly scary thing is to try out the various gadgets and systems to make sure that nothing has broken over the winter, a likely occurrence given the wet and salty air.
After trying out the fridge, toilet, stereo, autopilot, and more, how ecstatic I was that everything still works.
(Saturday, July 14) It’s a scorching hot day. I kept going on the to-do list – how can there me so much to do on a little, simple 36-foot sailboat? Decided to have Velcro added to the indoor cushions so they won’t fly around during rough seas. Little things like this can be done at very reasonable prices here. Continued working until dark, at which point I headed back to the hostel with a slice of pizza and a cold beer in hand. A few minutes’ walk over the bridge
brings one to the riva, where The Yacht Week had its flotilla of 61 sailboats moored for the night. That’s 600 young sailors hanging out, just starting their week of partying in the Adriatic. I was tired and content with a cold beer, just watching as they got their groove on.
(Sunday, July 15) Ouch, was yesterday’s high really 36C, and this morning’s low 26C? This is some of the hottest weather I’ve experienced in The Med. My body pours with sweat
all day long while working on boatyard projects. Seems like I can’t keep up regardless of matter how much water I drink. Despite the heat, I’ve had a really productive 2.5 days so far, and am starting to delve into less critical projects.
(Monday, July 16) I originally planned for this week to be Leg One of the summer cruise, though I intentionally left it open in case lingering responsibilities back home in San Francisco would hold me up. According to my schedule, Leg Two should begin in Hvar this coming weekend, which luckily is just a long day’s sail away. These extra lay days are giving me the rare opportunity to take on non-crucial projects, such as going through Geja’s ample supply of old spare parts, tools, and other knickknacks. I went through lockers and bins that had hardly been touched since I bought Geja in 2008, happily making several trips to the dumpster.
(Tuesday, July 17) The bora is my friend these days. The dry offshore bora winds are a common occurrence throughout the year here, and always bring a drop in temperature
and humidity. How nice not to drip with sweat all day! It’s looking more and more like I’ll be here for the week, taking on various small projects before my Leg Two crew arrives on Saturday. There were two English sisters that were interested in sailing with me out to Hvar, Leg Two’s official starting point, but in the end it just seemed better to stay put.
(Wednesday, July 18) I’m getting to know every plumbing and electric store in Trogir while putting some kilometers on one of the onboard folding bikes, the one with the better brakes. Still knocking out the odd boat project. I finally installed the new window in the salon – what an improvement it is to replace the old surface-mount plexiglass with a factory replacement from Mark Plastics.
Tonight I finally indulged a bit in some summer vacation life. I found that a fellow Californian had moved into the hostel, so I joined her and a few other travelers for dinner and drinks in town.
(Thursday, July 19) 6.03, as in kuna per dollar. That’s the farthest that my dollars have gone since my Geja adventures began four years ago. It sure makes paying the final yard bill less painful.
Tonight I met my old friend Jackie. Born in Trogir, but raised in Las Vegas of all places, Jackie and I always connect when I’m around. She lives near Split these days,
so I hopped on the bus and joined her for dinner at Fifé, my old hangout from previous stays in Split. Much of the staff there has remained the same throughout the years, though the waiter Ivan, that I know the best, now works the day shift. After dinner, with Jackie in heels and work attire, we went to the soccer stadium to see local team Hajduk annihilate Latvia. What an experience to be among such passionate fans. The stands behind the northern goal, where the police are afraid to enter, light up with flares and
small bonfires with every local goal. The seats are nasty and dirty, but it’s a great experience. Half way through the game, I bump into Ivan the waiter, a completely random meeting in a far-off land.
(Friday, July 20) Final full day of preparations before my crew arrives tomorrow. I’m now anchored out, having cleared out of the service dock for another boat. Boarding Geja is no longer walk on, walk off. Now it’s a dinghy ride away, albeit a short one. And retrieving my bags from the hostel by dinghy is far more
fun. Gotta minimize the heavy lifting in this heat.
(Saturday, July 21) It’s time to get going! I’ve moved aboard and mostly unpacked, the fridge full of food and drinks. But after a week of stable weather and insane heat, Leg Two looks like it’s going to start with some nasty weather.