Split to Vinisce
PAMARZI
Wed 24 Jun 2015 07:28
matters domestic and commercial.
Harry, one of our regular taxi drivers pulled up at Meadscroft at 04.30 on
Wednesday (17th June) to take us to Manchester airport for our 06.40 flight
back to Split. By 11.30 we were back aboard Pamarzi. She was lurching and
tugging at her mooring lines in a strong wind and a heavy chop but she was
fine and had been safe during our absence. I had done a belt and braces job
before we left her with two big bow lines tensioned up on the windlass,
doubled up stern lines with compensators and stern spring lines. But it was
not a particularly comfortable day or night for two tired sailors. We got
what jobs we could done and retired early to sleep fitfully, disturbed by
the constant tugging and lurching and unremitting slosh and gurgle of the
waves against the pontoon and our transom. With hindsight we should have
moved into the forward guest cabin but it was full of the crew covers for
the seating (stripped off ready for laundering) amongst other stuff and
frankly we were too tired to start shifting it all.
Still tired we went about our jobs the next day in the continuing wind and
chop a bit robotically deciding to treat ourselves to a meal at the Zrno
Soli restaurant at the marina that evening which despite its reasonable
prices seems to be quite a haunt for local celebrities, footballers, models
and such. A bit like Alderley Edge I guess! Anyway the food and service were
excellent and the scene was amusing as occasionally, and particularly when
one statuesque beauty walked in, the entire restaurant stopped eating and
talking to ogle their idol. Chores done, next day we headed off by water
taxi to Split old town. A fascinating and charming place, centuries of
building on top the basement floor of a vast Roman palace built for
Diocletian around 289 AD. Medieval builders simply dropped bits of the
palace into the basement (which raised the first floor of the palace from
sea level and matched all the rooms above) as they redeveloped leaving an
old town on top of a very old palace. Much of the basement area has been
excavated and is in such good condition that parts are used as as a shopping
area for those seeking jewellery and art works. We dined midst the medieval
arches and turrets listening to the echoing harmonies of Croatian Klapper
singing reverberating from the ancient stone walls.
A couple more days of preparation and provisioning followed and on Monday
morning I settled our mooring fees and we cast off, waving good bye to the
man and wife crew of a beautiful eighty foot Hoek designed classic sloop who
have been our neighbours over the weekend and headed for the fuel dock. Our
one thousand four hundred litre tanks full we sailed northward in light airs
and found good anchorage in the pleasant Uvala Vinisce a small lightly
developed bay with a few restaurants and fishing families homes.
43.29.136n 016.06.977e