We were anchored by ourselves in the bay and watched the charter boats come in and out of the nearby marina. Korčula has a walled medieval “old town” similar to the one in Dubrovnik, but smaller. Legend suggests it was the birth place of Marco Polo, but others say he was born in Venice, Italy.
We took a taxi into the Old town (98 Kuna each way, ~$16 USD) for a look around. There are several churches within the walls including St. Mark’s Cathedral built during the 15th century.
At the top of St. Mark’s is a bell tower that can be reached by climbing a very steep and narrow set of stairs. We paid our 25 Kuna/pp and started up (we needed the exercise). The view at the top was magnificent…
This region is also known for wine. The more famous white version is called Grk and only found in sandy soils close to Korčula and another white called Pošip. The main red wine is Plavac Mali. Since we knew nothing about Croatian wine, we decided to take a “walking wine tour”. A quick internet search connected us with John from Korčula Explorer and we booked a wine tour the same afternoon (they offer beer and food tours as well!). We dinghied over to the dock and met John and Stephen and off we went up the hill (side note – turns out Stephen lives in Ft. Collins – what are the odds!). Less than a mile away from our boat we stopped at the family owned Vitis winery (most wineries are family owned and passed from one generation to the next).
We tasted a “young” Grk and an “older” Grk, the Plavac Mali, and something a bit stronger. The “young” Grk tasted more like a Pinot Grigio and the “older” Grk resembles a Chardonnay. Plavac Mali was similar to a Pinot Noir. From Vitis, we moved to the Popić winery and tried another Grk, a Rose, and another Plavac Mali along with Croatian meats and cheese. All of it was fabulous and the setting was idyllic. Now I at least I have some idea what I’m ordering when choosing a wine for dinner…
Lumbarda was great, but it was time to move on, so we sailed to the northwest end of the island to a small anchorage called Uvala Sveti Ivan and stayed 2 nights. Our first night brought some entertainment from a local boat full of what sounded like HS musicians. The audience in the anchorage showed their appreciation!
It has been unusually warm in Croatia. Back in France, we were freezing and now we’re sweltering…. 91 inside our cabin one day last week.… and the solar panels don’t generate enough electricity to run the air conditioner more than 1 or 2 hours, so without a breeze, it’s definitely uncomfortable. So off we went to Otak Vis in search of cooler air and a little more breeze!
We found a great spot at Luka Rogačić – home to a communist era submarine pen!
This drone video shows how we tucked ourselves up in the front of the bay and the wind swooped down across the low hills and provided us with some welcome relief.
Two nights there and it was on to Otok Sveti Klement in the Pakleni Islands, near Hvar. These islands are most known for the loud disco bars that play music all night. We anchored on the southern end of Luka Soline bay, far enough from the loud music, and took a line ashore to make sure we didn’t wash up on the rocks if the wind switched directions.
The whole process takes about 25 minutes, so we sped up this video to save you some time!
We were greeted by bleating goats who seemed eager for company (or maybe food, because they were very skinny).
That evening we dinghied across the bay to the Paradiso restaurant at the top of the hill with a fabulous view!
The Croatia vs. Spain match was on TV and Croatia was down 3-2 until they scored in the 86th minute to send it into overtime! We had finished dinner and went next door to watch for a bit. I could so easily identify with their nervous tension and exuberance. Croatia was no match for Spain in overtime, but it was fun to watch. People who love sports speak a universal language that crosses so many cultural and language barriers!
Now we’re headed to Marina Kastela in Split – home to many of the charter boat fleets, wonderful grocery stores, a chandlery, and more. A few more days and Anthony’s brother and family arrive from London (7/5) for a bit. It will be great to have some guests … and for me….someone who is eager to sail!
Until next time….
Love your posts Janice! I just stumbled upon your link somehow on my phone! Amazing you two are “out there” again and will follow your incredible adventures! Happy 4th of July!
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, we can’t believe we’re “out here again” either! Aren’t we lucky! 😉
So wonderful to catch up with your adventures. We miss you in Ladies League! I got to see your son for a night when Davis was back In town with us for a week. I missed him too. He seems really happy and doing well. So excited to read about you two living your best life out there! Much love! Dina
I’m missing you guys too! We’ve been gone more than 3 months already. Maybe I can sneak in a round of golf when I get back. After bobbing around on the ocean for all this time, walking a golf course sounds fabulous!
Great post! Do you guys know how to reach Evan Haug? 3T.
Funny you should mention 3T. We knew they were trying to get here and they did, so we’re on our way (as I’m writing this) to meet them in Kobas Bay. What are the odds!?