Back to Trogir, Croatia for season four

As any of you would be aware, the Summer Amy is for Sale. To put that in perspective, it has been advertised on a yacht sales web site at very little cost to place the ad. The site was recommended last season by a couple who used the same web site mid season and sold their boat to the first comer at the asking price... Now that's a result!


Sale through a broker means 10% to the broker... a bit rich me thinks but when we really really want to sell, we may take that option. So for now, I am happy to say I am back on board on the hard getting her ready for another adventure.

Thankfully they had moved her from the center of attention to somewhere a little more discreet. I still have a panoramic view of the marina life but I am less visible. She was filthy on the outside but much as I left her on the inside. 

Early this morning I got the bike down and went for a little sticky beak and to my great surprise discovered a short cut to the Trogir town centre. Everything in or near the marina is priced to hurt so this was no mean discovery and it put grocery shopping and lunch firmly on the agenda.

The markets were in full swing and the tourist season is already in top gear. After shopping I searched for a nice restaurant away from the water front for what I would have thought were obvious reasons but was swiftly reminded of the bland Croatian attitude to service at three separate stops. I won't go into detail but they may has well simply have told me to piss off it was that bad. Then to totally confound I did end up on the waterfront with all the tourists and the welcome, the food the service and the price will have me back there a few more times. Go figure?

One thing that was different from when we sailed in here and managed to jag a birth on the waterfront when Greg and Wendy Fraser were with us last year was that we would have been laughed at today. The big boats not only filled the entire length of the quay, they were rafted up three and four deep.

Now before we get into the season ahead I'd selfishly like to reflect on what we have been up to while the Summer Amy endured a European winter at Baotic Marina, Trogir, Croatia.

Our annual trip to Big White was cold. It averaged 20 degrees below the whole time, but the snow was brilliant from an Australian's point of view and having purchased new boots after a good 12 years in the old one and for the first time had them professionally fitted. I then test drove three recommended sets of skis before making that purchase, I have to say I have never enjoyed my skiing quite as much. Who knew?

We then flew to Maui to join, Greg and Wendy Fraser for 10 days of Hawaiian hospitality. Laid back as all get out, it was like dropping into the 60's underlined by a night at Fleetwoods. 
This is a pub owned by Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac fame who just happened to have his band performing and Sal being Sal managed to get tickets for this intimate banger of a night!



Not exactly a typical Hawaiian shot but the helicopter ride was a highlight as you can tell! You can see Hawaai reflected in the sunnies right?

We were home for Christmas for the first time forever and spent some time at our place on South Stradbroke Island before attending the Blues Fest at Byron Bay. 

Then its all about our kids... 

Carrey-Leigh lives the life of a working mum rasing two beautiful boys and, she turned 40 today... Not sure how she's feeling about that, its a big one to contemplate, and not just for her! .....I have a daughter who is 40....

Sorry Carrey, it's all about me remember. 

In case you're wondering, this is Zane and Aiden

Jarrad is earning an international reputation for the quality of his tattoo art and is currently on a European tour, he was a guests artist in Barcelona, Spain then headed to Italy, then Denmark where he worked for a year, Berlin and home.

Jack has now become a lynch pin at Reckon running the team primarily dealing with the sales of our online and cloud products against fearsome competition with bottomless pockets yet somehow making amazing headway.

Mark is plugging away at Uni but sounds like its all going to plan. 

His sky diving exploits have blown us away having won the rooky team national championships he has just been invited to join the Australian Big Way sequential skydiving record doing a '32 way' making three points (formations)... whatever the hell that means? Just sounds like awesone fun with lots of like minded individuals.

That's Mark with the purple shute bag, the person above them is one of two cameramen. This is one of three formations they have to perform as many times as possible in 35 seconds. The most difficult bit is staying at the same height as eachother. The slightest mistake in aerodynamics and they find themselves either above or below and therefore out of the group.

William is the soccer kid. He was selected in the 'super six indoor futsal team' to represent his school. They won the inter schools cup, his outdoor team looking really good too. Quite the swimmer too with a 2nd in freestyle, 3rd in breatsstroke and the relay team clocked a 4th.

For his birthday Mark bought him a session in the wind tunnel so I guess that means we'll have two of them keeping us awake at night!









Summer won the school and the inter schools cross country.

She then took 1st in the school freestyle, breaststroke and the relay. That got her a spot in the interschools team at ASISSA where the relay tean made the regionals.

They are both doing great at school although Summer enjoys academics a little more than her soccer crazy, gaming obsessed brother.

A fantastic life is all we ask them to aim for... So far, so good.

Now, back to the boat...

At the end of the last sailing season we agreed that it was no longer for the kids. Way too difficult keeping them interested and frankly it was all becoming a little same old, same old for Sal and I. 

We have half heartedly put the boat on the market but one thing is clear, she must be moved out of Croatia. It is very expensive to leave a boat here and so I the plan is to get her to Sicily.

We could just sail south through waters I have already sailed in order to check out at Cavtat, the southern most port of Croatia, and then pop over to Sicily, but given I have some mates joining me, we may as well make it interesting. 

So. The plan is to head north and having had another look at what there is to see, we would need six months to do it any justice at all but that would be pushing the brownie points into negative and irretrievable territory. 

I am booked to fly home on the 11th August which I'm sure you'll agree is a massive effort on Sal's part but by then the boat will need to be comfortably ensconced on the hard at Seragusa Marina and that ensconcing takes a few days.

I am still on the hard in Trogir, she doesn't go into the water until the 29th June as I need to go to London for some exciting Reckon stuff in between. We sail on the 30th. That gives us a maximum of five weeks to cover the rest of Croatia, Slovenia, Venice and then the 500 nautical mile schlepp south to Sicily. Ordinarily that will have taken four to five months for the Wilkinsons!

You may also appreciate that getting back to the boat this time has not been easy. I don't mean physically, but emotionally. At this point I am normally getting the boat ready for the arrival of my family but they are not coming. The boat is choc full of amazing memory triggers like bicycles, soccer balls, nurf guns, fluffy toys, Motenegran wine, coffee pods, coconut milk and stuff to make yummy Asian dishes I have no idea how to use? 

Today I had to make a list of provisions required. That has never been my job. So as much as it's great to get away, I do miss them all terribly and the adventure we are about to embark upon can never really be shared, something I know I will always regret.

And so I'll finish by thanking Sal for taking on the dual task of the house and kids whilst, (in your eyes) I gallivant around the Adriatic with my mates. Well it won't be that easy without my soul mate and my little ones, that is becoming clear. 

The Summer Amy is for Sale :-(

In case you're wondering, this is Olu Deniz - Southern Turkey

Our kids have reached the school age where it is difficult to justify pulling them out for 5 months at a time, even if the education they get while travelling surpasses what they'd ever hope to get at school.

So for those who have read this blog and feel they may like to take it from here, or do it all again, here is your opportunity.

Don't hesitate, just do it!

The sale details can be found at . http://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1403361/

Thank you so much for reading the blog. There have been 48,802 page views as I type which has made it all so worthwhile. 

If the Summer Amy does not sell, we will simply do shorter trips while the kids are on their breaks. After all there is so much left to see and if we do, then the blog will continue.

Thanks again,
Greg

Phantom readers

Since we left the Summer Amy on the Hard in Croatia this year there have been over 10,000 page views in the United States?

I'd love to know who you are and why you are reading it, but most of all I'd like to thank you for reading it. It makes it all the more worthwhile writing it given it was primarily only done for my family's benefit.

Thanks,

Greg, Sally and the kids.

Baotic Marina - Trigor. Wintering the Summer Amy - The last post

We called on the way in to Baotic and were directed to a good spot only 100 meters from the facilities. We were quickly followed by that southerly.

One night on the boat, the next two before Sal flew home in an amazing apartment overlooking the marina. Brand new, super luxuries, we were the first to use it.

A schmick marina, 'the hard' where they put boats when they take them out of the water is pristine, a little like airside at the airport. A large area of flat, clean concrete, nothing lying about or out of place. It was hard to imagine where they would put us with me still living on the boat.

A special restaurant had to be found for our final dinner which was to be accompanied by a bottle of Henchke's Hill of Grace 2008.

Don Dino's in Trogir was chosen via Trip Adviser and on arrival we asked if it would be ok to drink our own wine. No problem and it was duly decantered at our table.

The last two seasons we have always tried to drink our special bottle with steak and it has always been disappointing, the steak that is. Croatian lamb had proved its worth on many occasions, so lamb it was. An outstanding success.

Frantic last minute packing. I have no idea how we got it all in nor where all this 'stuff' came from but Sal and the kids were fully loaded by the time the took off.

Tuesday the 4th clocked around and we were ready. Sal and the kids in a taxi, me one more night on the boat in the water before she got hauled out.

So far, the only crane capable of taking the Summer Amy out of the water is a 200 ton travel lift. She only weighs 6 ton but its her width that makes that necessary.

I went into reception on Wednesday the 5th and asked what time the haul out was scheduled for. She made a call and pointed to a small fixed crane not far from where we were standing. I explained that it was a catamaran, that the crane she was indicating was not going to do the job.

"See the guy at the crane in the red cap, he's waiting for you now."

I wondered over, they were hauling a smaller motor yacht out at the time. Mr Red Cap asked me to have my boat alongside in thirty minutes. "This crane?" I asked. "Why not?" was his response, "This thing can haul Lagoon 450's" which are a touch larger the ours.

Ok. Luckily there was no wind because it seemed I was going to move the boat short handed. ie; on my todd. Thirty minutes and the boat was alongside. They loosened the outside shrouds (the cables that hold up the mast) so they didn't catch on the upper superstructure, swung the crane with huge belts sliding beneath the boat and into place.

Then up and out, a trailer ready to move her into her winter spot.

The man with the Gurney was on hand to blast the bum clean. I'm not sure what brand of anti fowl they used in Lavrio before she went into the water this season but it was untouched looking like it's about to go back in.

When I asked the guy where they were going to put it, I really didn't believe him. I'd be living aboard, cooking, cleaning, scrubbing, spraying. Music so I could hear it wherever I am on the boat. "Are you serious?"

To explain. This planned spot is the entrance quay to the marina. It is ten paces from the Gloribar pub, twenty paces from the Yacht Club swimming pool and club house. Fifty paces to reception and the ablution facilities... In other words, Piccadilly bloody Circus.

Luckily she was set much higher up than usual so I can see all around but those on the ground cannot see in. (I just measured it because I'm a dick but the deck is 3.5 meters up - then another 2 meters to the water)

I do need to be a little mindful getting on and off though. It's freaky.







Well that is it folks. This is the final post for 2016. It has been a blast and so unlike season 2015 which was so unlike season 2014. As I'm sure you've contemplated, it is not all beer and skittles but there has not been a single moment when I've thought, I'd rather be at work.

From Athens to the Cyclades and through the Corinth Canal. Revisiting fave spots like Gaios and Kalami Bay before Albania, Montenegro and Southern Croatia. Over 1000 nautical miles, 46 stops, 110 hours per engine and way more motoring than sailing this year.

Just over 19,000 page views of this blog. Thank you all for making the task worthwhile. Bye!

Supetar - the final stop before we really must go.

I thought I'd drop a map in to give you an idea of our Croatian playground so far. We have now 'done' these islands, so next season we can head north without feeling we've missed something, although of course we will have missed heaps.

Supetar is on the northern shores of Brac, we arrived at 3:10pm on Thursday the 29th and there was only one spot in the harbour we were interested in. 

It was just the way it was shaped and open to the north that nagged. Mr Wavey Arms indicated where we should moor.... probably the worst spot on the wall. I waved back and indicated I was not happy and pointed to where we would be happy and he simply obliged. I'll say that again... He simply obliged! That never happens. These guys wear a uniform you know. We ended up alongside just out of the way of any wash from the frequent ferries. 

Kids on skate boards, jobs piling up for the folks, more in our minds than in reality so we hired a car and asked what was worth seeing. 

Beaches were off the menu, it was too cold. A visit to the Olive Oil museum? Ho hum... it was on the way to the must do lunch venue, Konoba Kopacina so why not. 

It was worth the visit. Olive oil was very hard yakka back in the day and the museum owner is a descendant of the people who used this very equipment. A snack and welcome drink before we got going, it is 15 Kuna per head but only if we thought it was worth it.

The olives are poured into the wooden shoot on the left. It has a small hole at the bottom so that as this very heavy stone wheel is pushed around it crushes the olives that role out of the hole into its path and the paste drops into the stone trough.

The paste is then shoved into these circular hemp netting bags, placed one on top of the other and squashed in this ancient Italian press. One again requiring an enormous amount of strength and endurance. When the pressing was happening, they worked in shifts and slept on platforms above.

That oil is known as the first press or cold press and it went to the priest and the teacher, both held in similar esteem back then.

Water is boiled in this purpose built stove. The hot water is then poured over the netting bags which helps to release the remaining oil known as second or hot press and is for the rest of the population.

The oil and water separate in the vat. The oil, being lighter than water floats and is scooped into goat or sheep skins like this one for transportation by donkey. 

The water, a scarce commodity on Brac is released via a stopper and simply runs out into the veggie garden.

End of lesson folks. Cherry Brandy was produced with home made cake or fresh bread to dip into cold pressed olive oil. We were happy to donate, the guide was so engaged it felt as if we were his very first visitors.... he'd been at it every day for months.

Then lunch at Kanoba Kopacina, famous for their lamb on a spit. Our favourite. A lovely spot high in the hills, an inside table in the warm September sun right next to the kitchen where everything is cooked over coals. 

Lamb on a spit with roasted vegetables and house red. Bliss. 

After they'd eaten the kids found a cozy spot inside with wifi while Sal and I really enjoyed a sumptuous long lunch.

Home. Nanna nap. Woke at 8:00pm still stuffed, fed the kids and watched a movie. The kids to bed by 10:30 but having had such a great nap we were wide awake so we watched another movie. At 1:00am we decided to take a walk... as you do. Not a soul anywhere as if the whole place had been abandoned. Eerie.

After half an hour or so we were returning to the boat when we noticed the boat parked behind us had started its motors, crew members pacing the quay?  Waiting for somebody at 1:30am?Drug deal going down?

We ensconced in the shadows of the car hire park to observe. An ambulance turned up. 

This boat was about to take a patient across to Split at this time of night. Old, young, injury, heart attack? We speculated.

The patient finally emerged from the Ambulance and so many tubes. 'Old man, heart attack' was our selection. Accompanied by an elderly lady with suitcase and shopping bags. Sally swears they covered his face but I didn't see that. The boat left very slowly and headed out. 

Exciting place is Supetar but the next day we really amped it up. Yes, the semi submerged submarine! 

You now know we are flat out of imagination. We'd seen so many of these in the Adriatic and would not be seen dead in one, but there it was, we'd not tried it and the kids might like it... and what the hell else is there to do here?

Descend the stairway into the hull which has large underwater windows. There were swarms of small fish as we entered and then realised they were being fed bits of bread from above...






Once we got going it was a moonscape. We counted seven tires, innumerable sea slugs, two jelly fish and nothing else at all. As Will's body language reveals, it was utterly riveting.

That's it family, we're done here. We contacted Baotic Marina to see if we could arrive a day early and miss the looming southerly. They obliged and so at 11:40 on Saturday the 1st October we embarked on the final voyage for 2016

Milna on Brac and thoughts of home....

It was the 28th September. We had chosen Baotic Marina in Togir to winter the boat. Torgir is just up the road from Split and where we were in Primosten is just a few miles north of there. So do we go north a little more and check out some recommended spots, or do we go south and do a better job of Brac. It is the third largest island in Croatia and all we'd seen was Bol and Slatni Rat the beach but it never really feels right to back track.

The trump was the wind. Things were predicted to be good until a couple of days before we were due to get back in Togir. Then a strong southerly was predicted so it would be better to be pushed north by the southerly than bash into it from the north.

At 1:20 on the 28th September, we headed south toward Milna on Brac, a place recommended by Jake and Danni and once again, a good pick.

We got placed in a great spot and the quay was ideal for skate boarding...

Have I ever told you that the job I least enjoy is getting the kid's bikes off and on to the boat. Awkward, heavy and lots of moving parts in a small space....

Warm September sunshine.

Sal popped off for a wonder, the kids for a skate and I forget what I got up to, but whatever it was, I'm sure we all enjoyed the mini break.

The kids returned with news of a supermarket, the garbage bins and a cool Wifi Cafe. Sal with; "everything is closed but will open shortly and, I have found dinner." We did then get hustled at the boat for another restaurant that also sounded good, but Sal stuck with her pick.

Sundown. Time for a promenade.

First stop was literally a 'hole in the wall' winery.... (Do you think we have a problem?) It's ancient, tiny and its harvest time. You can see the wine and skins fermenting in the open barrels, The aroma small is the place and it is all done here by people who really look the part. The taster is poured from the vat. Your choice of wine purchase is poured from the vat.

Olive oil? Right where it is made, scooped from the stone trough into your choice of bottle size.

All it was missing the table, chairs and savory plate to suit the wine but we cannot have it all all the time now can we?

Dinner was awesome. We will never know how good the other place would have been but this one would have been hard to beat.

Strange, but from what we'd heard, we were not expecting great food in Croatia. Well talk about dropping my guard, can't get enough of it.

Milna is looking a little forgotten. Even though we're at the end of the season it was more than that. We discussed staying a couple of nights but get somewhere bigger where we could hire a car and check out the rest of the island was the decision.

We've come to recognise that it's like that at this stage. The end of the season is only days away, treading water, don't want to end it but thoughts of home and all that entails beckon.

Hard to stay in the present.

Unless your a kid....

Primosten - Fond farewell and time running out

Everywhere we go in Croatia the ports are jacked, the towns are ancient modern, the place is spotless and it is expensive. Hard to get used to that bit. Primosten is no different although we did jag a wall mooring once again, the Marinero (new name for guy who works the marina) even over turned a 'Reserved' sign so we could moor.... We pleaded for a spot for the McAuliffe's but to no avail, they arrived a little later and had to be content with a buoy out in the bay which meant their dingy had to come down.....again.

Dannie found the place to eat that night and if I remember rightly, the kids got pizza and a movie while their parents went to the Mediterrani. Great pick for a restaurant, another, all be it more sedate night with our new yachting buddy's. We assume Jake was relieved he only had his family to get to bed by dingy.

There was a dingy incident however, the girls did decide to take the dingy for a spin, got half way around to the beach and the engine conked. They did manage to get it going again but it was now a long way from home... No worries, Jake will fix it! "you coming Greg?"

Only a couple of things about this spot I've not come across...

An amazing cemetery with amazing views,

bronze sculptures which I liked, shame about the lighting.

and waterside benches that are solar powered recharge stations.

Otherwise a couple more shots of the town itself although you might find yourself thinking..."haven't I seen that shot before...?"

























The McAuliffe's brought breakfast in the morning, Jake having promised to show us how to make perfect poached eggs. They also arrived with armfuls of fresh bread and pastries. Yumm and guys.

The eggs were indeed perfect and the secret.....? Well I can keep those.

By 11:00 they were gone, four very sad kids still getting the hang of saying goodbye.