Croatia
Grad Vis

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    • Day 7

      Castaway - auf der kroatischen Insel Vis

      March 14 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

      Nach München, Ljubljana und Split sehnten wir uns nach etwas Ruhe... Es ging auf die kroatische Insel: Vis (klein und abgeschottet vom Festland)

      Die Fahrt mit der Fähre war günstig und in Vis angekommen hieß es erstmal Essensvorräte besorgen im wahrscheinlich kleinsten Supermarkt der Welt mit je 70l Rucksäcken.
      Als Unterkunft hatten wir uns eine verlassene Bucht ungefähr 2h zu Fuß entfernt ausgesucht, zu der wir anschließend bei knallender Sonne hinlaufen durften. In den 2h Laufzeit kamen uns 2 Autos entgegen und in der Bucht angekommen wurde uns schnell bewusst, dass "verlassen" fast eine Untertreibung wäre.

      Wir schlugen unser Zelt auf dem Dach eines verlassenen Hauses auf (weil der ganze Strand von Steinen und Müll bedeckt war) und machten Feuer. Am nächsten Morgen hieß es BADEN!!! (extrem gute Temperatur eigentlich und strahlend klares Wasser). Danach ging es auf eine 2,5h Wanderung zu einer verlassenen Höhle die wir auf eigene Faust durchquerten (irgendwann mussten wir aber wegen Fledermäusen abbrechen). Den Abend ließen wir wieder mit einem Feuer ausklingen, zuvor hatten wir Stockbrot mit selbst gepflücktem Rosmarin und Salbei vorbereitet - etwas trocken ohne irgendwas dazu aber trotzdem lecker.

      Die Zeit auf der Insel war super toll und erholsam. Das Wetter war perfekt - strahlende Sonne und angenehme Temperaturen und die Bucht war wirklich paradiesisch...
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    • Day 8

      50 Seemeilen geschafft !

      September 28, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

      5h - der Wecker heult durch die Koje. Es ist noch Stock dunkel in unserer kleinen Bucht. Ruth und ich stehen auf, bewundern kurz die Sternen im klaren Himmel und starten den Motor. Kurz darauf legen wir los.
      Durch die Nacht, zuerst unter Motor und später unter Genua. Es ist ruhig und wunderschön. Den wenigen Fischerboote weichen wir aus. Wir gleiten zwischen den beiden Inseln Otok Zirje und Otok Kaprije. Wir müssen aufpassen, es hat ein paar untiefen und Felsen, diese sind aber gut kennzeichnet mit Leuchtsignale.

      So langsam wird es heller und die Sonne geht auf. Die letzten Fischkutter gehen langsam in die Häfen. In der Nacht haben sie noch ausgesehen wir die zahlreichen Pistenfahrzeuge mit hellen Scheinwerfer in einem Skigebiet, nur hat auf dem flachen Meer.

      Der Wind wird so langsam stärker und dreht etwas gehen Südwesten. Wir passen den Kurs an, fahren aber einen Umweg. Ziel ist eigentlich die Insel Hvar, da wir entschieden haben auf die blaue und grüne Grotte der Insel Vis zu verzichten. Nun führt uns unser Kurs trotzdem nach Vis. Der Wind ist eben so wie er ist... da kann man nichts tun. Aufkreuzend mit etwas unangenehmen Wellen und einer Kreuzsee wird die Seefestigkeit der Crew geprüft und etwas ans Limit gebracht. Eine gute Gelegenheit für mich das Cockpit wieder mal zu schrubben 😬😉.

      Alle sind froh, als wir nach 50 (!) Seemeilen am Dorfquai von Kut auf Vis anlegen. Das kleine Dörfchen sie toll aus, fast kitschig und herausgeputzt.
      Die Crew nutzt den Landgang zum baden, spazieren, duschen, Glace essen und ich schlafe an Deck einfach ein 😴.

      Wir ziehen für die Nacht die Boje zum Steg vor und fahren nochmal raus, aber nur für ein paar Minuten.
      Schon wieder sind wir festgemacht, jetzt gibt es Spaghetti Carbonara an Bord, später vielleicht noch ein Eis an Land, wenn wir noch Energie und Lust haben.

      Alle sind hier wohlauf, und wir geniessen die Ferien 😊☀️👍.
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    • Day 137

      Die Insel Vis

      March 23, 2023 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

      Am Donnerstag fanden wir uns auf der „Dubrovnik“ mit der Insel „Vis“ als Ziel wieder.
      Mit gut 2,5 Stunden Fahrzeit war es schon fast wie eine kleine, kurze Kreuzfahrt, die wir auf Deck in der Sonne in vollen Zügen genossen, auch wenn der Wind sich wieder bemerkbar machte. Im Hafen angekommen stärkten wir uns erst im Schatten der hohen Palmen, ehe wir fast das komplette Ufer in beide Richtungen abliefen und in den Genuss eines weiteren malerischen und leeren Ortes kamen. Nach gut zwei Stunden Aufenthalt ging es dann schon wieder zurück. Auf der Rückfahrt genehmigten wir uns kostengünstige Getränke und verbrachten die Zeit auch unter Deck, wo es aber tropische Temperaturen hatte, die uns schnell wieder die frische Seeluft wertschätzen ließen. Wie immer waren wir von den Abläufen auf der Fähre fasziniert und waren dieses Mal früh genug da, um das Hinunterlassen der Luke erleben zu können.Read more

    • Day 7

      Isola di Vis

      August 12, 2023 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

      Al mattino presto ci lasciamo alle spalle la baia in cui sconsigliamo di ancorare e partiamo per Vis (Lissa) in cui arriviamo alle 12:30 (gavitello 56€). Navigazione con vento di traverso/lasco che ci consente di utilizzare il gennaker per quasi tutto il tempo. Gelato super costoso e centro carino, da visitare. Ospitiamo due amici la notte dopo una cena a Villa Rustica. Tutto molto molto buono e davvero a buon prezzo (risotto al nero o scampi a €13 e la porzione abbondante. Un po’ seri i camerieri e lenti ma cibo ottimo) nottata tranquilla al gavitello davanti una zona a traffico limitato. Acqua molto bella.Read more

    • Day 24

      Sailing Again! ⛵ Vis, Croatia

      August 3, 2023 in Croatia ⋅ 🌬 82 °F

      The wind was up to ~15-20 kts for most of the day and we made the most of it, sailing several long tacks at 10-12 knots with a partially reefed main, then we sailed just the jib while waiting for other boats to get rafted up.

      The sailing was superb. This More 55 really does well near the wind and while it wallows a bit with a following sea, it was still surprisingly comfortable with 12 people in the cockpit.

      I'm sure we could have squeezed a few knots more with some moving of human ballast and trimming of sails.... Perhaps someday.

      To me the best part was getting people involved. Most of the crew is new to sailing and was showing trepidation about sailing fast... And by the end I feel that most were having a good time (or at least smiling sometimes).

      We arrived to Vis in the afternoon, played in the water for a while, then napped up for the evening's dinner and final DJ party at Ft. George. The dinner was beautiful, on the quay with stone buildings glowing in the sunset. The fort was visually spectacular and moderately crowded, a private party again but with an obvious drop in attendance. It seems I am not the only one who has used up his party-quota for the week. The dj was my least favorite. Maybe I'd feel differently if I were less exhausted.

      I'd like to explore Vis some more but am glad to have had the chance to really sail again. It may impact the direction of the rest of my travel, we shall see.
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    • Day 13

      Ride around the Island of Vis, Croatia

      October 17, 2022 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

      After a hearty lunch, updating this blog, and lounging on the back deck, we met for Bill’s afternoon Route Talk and decided a ride around Vis would be worth it. It did not disappoint! We pedaled 19.4 miles, climbed 2077 feet and coasted down steep hills with Russell and Karla. We thought we had returned to Vis and then realized we still had to climb another canyon and descend into the next port. Great road, beautiful views!
      We still had some time before 6pm “All Aboard” at 6pm so we rode half a mile past the ship to a place where many fellow riders were swimming in the sea. The cool water felt so good (for a few minutes anyway.)
      Back on board, it was time to put Blue back in the box. We are so grateful to have had safe rides without any bike trouble. Thanks again to our bike guru, Bill, for putting together such a stellar bike. We received many compliments on what a few called the Silver Bullet.
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    • Day 15

      Vis

      June 24, 2020 in Croatia

      Awoke to 2m depth and anchor sitting almost twisted. Decided to leave and go see blue cave. A professional sight seeing experience now: 70 kuna each. 5 minute. Bruce gave us a wonderful trip. Left just in time - glad we went early. Decided not to stay on vis for night and get to Pakleni as we needed to re gas fridge on Milna. Good sailing avg 5kn. Will return to Uvala Tarsce.Read more

    • Day 14

      Vis

      June 23, 2020 in Croatia

      Left Uvala Rada early to head to Vis. Sad to leave. Kev worked the anchor and there was insufficient communication around the task completed while I was heading us to land. Kev had to rescue. Stressful moment. Motor to Vis a nightmare. Day cleared up. Vis marina too noisy and no WiFi to headed to little bay with submarine bunker around corner to shelter and spend night.Read more

    • Day 196

      Port Vis-ions

      May 11, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

      Corinth had a colony in Sicily, Syracuse, whose tyrannical ruler Dionysius the Elder, founded his own colony Issa in the 4th century BCE to control shipping in the Adriatic Sea. Issa then established its own colonies, such as Aspálathos, (Split,) Epidauros (Stobreč), and Tragurion (Trogir). It was an independent polis until the 1st century BCE when it was conquered by the Roman Empire which had no use for it.
      "Issa" may have meant "spas" in Illyrian or maybe it was just the Pelasgian word for "island". Who cares?
      The well protected harbour of Vis, (the town,) lies in the Bay of Saint George (Uvala Svetog Jurja.)
      I had a quick snack by the old Roman theatre, now buried under a monestary, (closed of course,) then sped off to my next workaway.
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    • Day 206

      Some advis

      May 21, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

      As one might expect Vis - the island farthest from the Croatian mainland and only 60 kms from Italy - was inhabited in Neolithic times.
      The Greek tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius the Elder, founded the colony Issa on the island in 4 BCE in order to control shipping in the Adriatic. "Issa" is thought to have meant "spas" in Illyrian. As it prospered it became an independent polis, founding its own colonies, notably Aspálathos (modern Split), Epidauros (Stobreč), and Tragurion (Trogir). until eventually it became an "oppidum civium Romanorum" in 47 BCE.
      Until 1797, the island was under the rule of the Republic of Venice, remnants of this are traceable in the dialect of Komiža, (the second town on Vis situated on the West side,) as well as various buildings. In fact Italian was the official language and the island was called Lissa, until it came under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1814, returning to Italy after WWI before being traded to the kingdom of Yugoslavia as part of the 1920 Treaty of Rapallo.
      During most of these times, the unconsulted islanders cultivated every square inch of the land for grapes, especially its own, vugava, a white varietal that makes a jolly nice sundowner. Stone terraces, abandoned since WWII, can be seen on every slope and large piles of surplus rocks are found at the end of every wall.
      Italians had control and built extensive bunkers all over the place at the start of WWII until Josip Broz Tito and his partisan broz took it over. One of the few tourist sites on the island is "Tito's cave", though it is more of a small cavern than a cave and nobody here thinks Tito ever visited it. Evelyn Waugh was an early tourist in July 1944, popping in with one Randolph Churchill as part of the British military mission to Yugoslavia and airbnbing with Joe. They crash landed on their return to Bari, but Boeing deny all culpability.
      Of course, Yugoslavia got it back in the end as nobody else wanted it and most of the islanders hopped it - to America mainly. They had a military base cut off from foreign visitors from the 1950s right up until 1989. As far as we could discover wandering through the hulks it was mainly a training and R&R camp - nothing particularly secret exept for the fact that Communists were enjoying themselves in the same way as Westerners.
      The benfit from all this is that the island has been spared the overdevelopment of its shoreline and the growing number of visitrs come precisely because of that. Unfortunately, the Croatian government gave permission for "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" to be filmed here a year ago which has drawn too many of the Wrong Sort to come over in skinfulls of alcohol and the mistaken impression that they can sing like Abba. The ferry ride can be excruciating.
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