Hotel in Fethiye, Turkey
HOTEL IN FETHIYE, TURKEY
Lord Mayor's Show 2016
LORD MAYORS SHOW. SATURDAY 12TH NOVEMBER 2016
Motorboating in Mallorca
Motorboating in Mallorca
HPO Cape Town - KEITH TURNER
HPO Cape Town
Homewards bound: The Commodore's Blog from Croatia
Above: Leaving Korcula
Well, I said on my last blog we were hoping for more wind. And that is just what we got! By popular request ( in fact our Corinthian friends) it was agreed we should do an informal race - no handicaps, plus the new Little Ship rule developed in the Channel Islands cruise for racing in no wind (switch on the engine!...). So we set off beating Eastwards in light airs . Seven or eight long tacks later at around 2knots we had just got round the point, to find the wind had backed round to the south west and died, as we set off south westwards to Lastovo. So the rule (and engine) was engaged! We arrived last, but were adjudged the winners as the boat that must have sailed longest!
Croatia: Departures and Arrivals in Trogir
It wasn’t possible to be part of the Croatia Rally unfortunately because of the need to be in Cambridge where my wife, Carol has been selected to exhibit at The Cambridge Printmakers while it is on. The next best thing was to have a charter holiday the week before. Although the Bora tried to spoil it, it ended in fine style as The Commodore was arriving under spinnaker in the Spirit of Osprey in Trogir. He was being joined by others in the flotilla as we were packing up in the neighbouring Marina.
We had chosen to sail north in an Allures 45 which is an interesting boat with aluminium hull and swinging keel as well as the refinements of bow thruster, electric winch and other electronic gismos. Below is a picture of us in Maslinica, a delightful harbour about 10 NM from the even more fascinating Trogir.
Korcula 2: The Commodore's Blog from Croatia
I forgot to say that the "Maresca" traditional sword fight dance we were due to see on Monday evening was mysteriously cancelled - as Michael Unsworth said, this is Dalmatia! But the pontoon party produced more than enough bonhomie to see us through our mild disappointment!
But yesterday, Tuesday, certainly did not disappoint. After a relaxed morning, I strolled down to the Lesic Dimitri for a coffee with Michael Unsworth. There I met a demand to bring my pipes - I had piped to announce the start of the pontoon party, just as the helpful waiter from Lesic Dimitri arrived with the wine and was captivated/astonished. The word had obviously been passed on!
Korcula 1: The Commodore's Blog from Croatia
Well, what a wonderful two days we have had. The passage from Hvar to Korcula was made without the assistance of wind - except for half an hour as we approached the Korcuka Channel. We got the spinnaker up again, only to find the wind dropping. We actually made 3 knots with the same amount of wind, but it soon dropped away. We had to get to Kircula in time to arrange the pontoon party so it was engine back in and down to Korcula at 5.8 knots. I never cease to marvel at the old town of Korcula; what could possibly be more attractive, on a sunny day with the brick-red roofs, the honeyed, weathered old towers and the spire of St Mark's Cathedral (a dead give-away as to its Venetian origins) rising majestically on top of the town hill. We got there by
The Fleet musters in Trogir: The Commodore's Blog from Croatia
Yesterday was a busy day for all the Little Shippers taking part in the Historic Croatia Rally. A few had arrived on Friday - including Paul Banks and Moira (who very ably assisted me with the Rally preparations) who came onboard for drinks and a quick update. Tim and Ann Bizzey appeared at 11am on Saturday having not eaten for about eighteen hours, to be followed by our other participants (save one absent through illness) all with broad smiles, but mostly also with bags under the eyes! Tiredness was quickly overcome and the efficient Dalmatia Charters briefers got going with the hand overs of our six charter sailing yachts (Steve Midgley was picking up his motor yacht in Split) . The boats easily met expectations. Meanwhile, the crew of "the Dream" (of Osprey that is) went off on various forays.
Spinnaker run to Trogir: The Commodore's Blog from Croatia
I last reported our stay in the Marina at Marina - the small town at the western, opposite, end of the sound of Trogir from that wonderful medieval UNESCO Heritage city. So on Thursday, with the weather much improved - save for the absence of any wind at all! - we motored the ten-odd nautical miles in two hours and tied up, after fuelling, in one of the Dalmatia Charter berths in ACI Trogir Marina and met up again with Ivica Buble the owner, now an old acquaintance. The outboard was collected for repair as promised. Basha Vucic, Mark's wife, joined us to make up our full crew of four and we all went into old Trogir town to lunch at one of my favourite restaurants, the Kamerlengo. Wonderful, and there was enough left over to take away to provide the basis for Basha's excellent supper supplemented by the victualling trip she and Nark made in the afternoon.