ADRIATIC ADVENTURE - Alan Murphy (1987) INTRODUCTION In writing this account of our trail-sail to Yugoslavia I have tried to include information and useful advice which will help others in planning a similar trip. Tiger Lily (S217) is well fitted out with many creature comforts including 12 volt electrics - probably essential for a lengthy cruise for 4 people. She has the usual 4 HP Yamaha engine but also carries a 3 person inflatable with 2HP Yamaha. Her four crew are myself (as skipper), Heather (foredeck & anchor crew) and 14 year old daughters Helen (deputy skipper & bow jumper) and Elizabeth (tiller girl & engine starter). On the road we use a 1.8 litre VW Passat for towing Tiger Lily - this proved to entirely adequate and we only had to drop down to second gear occasionally. OUTWARD OVERLAND JOURNEY (August 1st - 5th) SATURDAY - We spent the morning packing, repacking, checking and rechecking before coupling Tiger Lily to the car and setting off for Dover. After stopping for a meal at the Happy Eater and getting a few hours sleep in a nearby lay-by we checked in for the 0100 (BST) ferry to Ostend. We chose the overnight ferry as it was the cheapest and the Ostend route offered the chance of 3-4 hours sleep (we had booked a cabin). SUNDAY - At Ostend the ferry lands you within a few hundred yards of the start of the motorway and there is very little of the town to negotiate. However we landed at 0700 (CET) in heavy drizzle and had to drive very carefully for the first 200 miles. The Belgium, German and Austrian motorways have frequent parking places and service areas - these proved to be very convenient for brewing up coffee and overnight stops. Our first night stop in a German 'Parkplatz' proved to be noisy and we later became more adept at selecting a parkplatz with some form of screening from the motorway. MONDAY - Our second overland day was accompanied by long periods of heavy rain and traffic jams. However both of these had cleared up by the Austrian border and we made good progress through the Tauern and Katschberg tunnels. At Spittal we detoured (12 miles) to look for a camp site but found that they were too crowded and not really suitable places for taking Tiger Lily. Pressing on southward we soon encountered a further traffic jam just north of Villach and at 1955 we called it a day and pulled into a well screened parkplatz. TUESDAY - At 0700 the road was clear and it soon became apparent that the cause of the traffic jam was the road works for the not yet completed Villach by-pass. By next year a new viaduct and tunnel will be built and this traffic bottleneck removed. Because the Wurzen pass is too steep for trailers we detoured via the motorway to Tarvisio in Italy and then via a narrow winding road into Yugoslavia. This road required care but did not contain any excessive gradients and after just 6 miles in Italy we were across the Yugoslav border and heading for Jesenice and Ljubljana. A new tunnel is now being driven through the Karawanken Mountain and perhaps by next year there will be motorway connecting Jesenice to the motorway north of Villach. From Jesenice the road is fairly straightforward onto the Ljubljana motorway and then across the hills into Rijecka. Arriving at Rijecka at 1230 we encountered urban traffic jams but by 1330 we had cleared these and were on the Adriatic Highway, the coastal road south. This, the most difficult part of the journey was 120 miles of twisting hairpin bends with the warm inviting sea appearing over the right edge of every bend in the road. Occasionally second gear was required but fortunately the road was dry and we eventually arrived at Zadar marina at 1900 having covered a distance of 1049 miles from Ostend in three days. It was too late to launch Tiger Lily that evening and we decided to sleep onboard in the marina. There we met the crew of 'Half Dozen', an ETAP 20. We had seen Half Dozen passing by at the Happy Eater at Dover, then near the Belgium-German border and later on south of Bonn. Half Dozen had arrived a few hours earlier and was already in the water. The crew, Allen and Lyn Freeman and 3 daughters normally sail Half Dozen at Rutland and this was his FIRST trail to the sea ' WEDNESDAY - By 0830 Tiger Lily had also been craned into the water and we soon erected the mast (this was done afloat and during a sudden downpour of rain). The paperwork was easily completed and the 'Permit of Navigation' obtained from the Harbour Master. The rest of the day was spent unwinding from the long car journey, looking round Zadar and re-supplying the boat with provisions. SAILING - Part 1. (August 6th - 15th). THURSDAY - Having seen and smelt enough of the raw sewage floating past our boats inside Zadar marina we decided it was now time to seek the cleaner waters offshore. Half Dozen cast their lines at 0930 and Tiger Lily motored out 15 minutes later to start the great adventure. On Tiger Lily the first priority was to clean and sanitise the cockpit. Then we were off beating into a light north westerly. Lunch was spent anchored just off Otok Rivanj. A beautiful downwind sail in the afternoon soon brought us to the quiet overnight anchorage at Uvala Soline, at the north of Otok Iz. Here we discussed the advantages of trailer sailing with Allen over a couple of cans of duty free beer. Meanwhile the children tried out the snorkel and flippers and went off to investigate the sea cucumbers. FRIDAY - The wind had turned southerly giving us a long beat down the east coast of Otok Iz. The trip was broken by a lunch stop at Iz Veli where we made our first attempt at mooring bows to quay, a standard practice in the Mediterranean - luckily it went right first time, however it is wise to rig a bow fender before trying it. At Iz Veli there were limited provisions - petrol was unavailable but water could be bought from the marina. We needed to set a reef for the afternoon beat southeastwards to the bridge which joins Otok Pasman to Otok Uslijan. There was a strong adverse tidal stream in the narrow channel under the bridge and we had to use the motor even though we then had a following wind. We anchored for the night in the little bay to the south of the main channel were we could watch the ferries plying up and down. SATURDAY - Awaking to a day with little wind we decided to use the 2 HP motor mounted on the stern ladder for an hour or so. Here we towed the children behind Tiger Lily using the small washboard as a hydroplane. With the snorkel they could view the bottom slowly passing by at 2 knots. Later a light NW wind appeared giving us a leisurely drift down the Pasmanski Kanal. Anchoring just off Turanj a party was dispatched to take a look ashore. On arriving at Biograd we quickly collected supplies - food, water and petrol before enjoying an evening meal in the marina restaurant. SUNDAY - The planned itinerary now indicated an arduous 3 day trip to the outer Kornati Islands and we decided to "go for it". Half Dozen decided to gently amble down the coast and we agreed to meet up again at Vodice on the 11th. Slipping at 0920 we motored out and set course to round the headland, Rat Borovnjak, at the south end of Otok Pasman. After a short period of sailing in the light north westerly we were forced to revert to the motor to make any progress. By 1600 we had reached the 'best anywhere restaurant' on Otok Katina but found that it was closed on Sunday - what an anticlimax after all that motoring. An hour later we were ready to begin the SE trek down the west coast of Otok Kornat. You can imagine my feelings when we discovered that the wind had now changed to a SE. However the land and seascape soon made up for this disappointment. The islands are mostly barren and deserted, some being just conical humps of rock and others presenting sheer cliffs to the sea. This unusual scenery had a strange beauty all of its own. We finished the day anchored in Uvala Modri Bok a few yards from 'Peregrin', a 38ft. red-ensigned ketch. The evening was spent aboard Peregrin discussing the beauties of both big and little boat cruising in the Mediterranean. MONDAY - The sun rose over the Otok Kornat throwing stark shadows across the bay and the barren offlying islands. After a leisurely breakfast and a shore excursion it was time to weigh anchor and beat out of the bay. Later the wind having dropped we resorted to the motor again. Suddenly a pair of dolphins appeared on the port bow making their way northwards We turned the boat round and were only just quick enough with the camera to get one picture. Lunch at the isolated restaurant on Otok Ravni Zakan was good value and in a superb setting. We did manage about an hours sailing after leaving Ravni Zakan but then the wind disappeared completely. Becalmed in a hot afternoon sun, we used our rather large sail cover as a boom tent to give some shade. Giving up on the reappearance of any wind and after several hours of motoring, we arrived at Uvala Potkucina (Otok Kakan) for the night - another pretty anchorage sheltered by two islets. TUESDAY - We set off fairly early in order to see if breakfast could be obtained at Kaprije, but as the table service seemed to be non-existent we just took a quick look round the village and then motored out. The wind was light enough to allow lunch to be taken whilst anchored in an exposed Position just off the tiny islet of Otok Sokol. The wind reappeared from the west later and we were soon enjoying some real sailing again. A late afternoon stop at Luka Tijascica (Otok Tijat) allowed some further swimming and then it was off to our reunion with Half Dozen at Vodice. They had sailed down the coast enjoying some excellent swimming at Crvena Luka and called in at Jezero reporting it to be a pleasant marina. We on the other hand had consumed 14 litres of petrol in 3 days! The busy waterfront at Vodice was bustling with tourists, packed with trinket stalls and restaurants but despite this, it did possess a pleasant atmosphere and there was a good market close to the quay. WEDNESDAY - Sailing in close company with Half Dozen we entered the Kanal Sv. Ante and stopped for lunch in the sheltered bay, Uvala Capljena. Both boats rafted alongside as the depth contours made it difficult for close separate anchoring. Lunch and swimming having been completed we headed onward towards Sibenik, but just when we were turning to go NW, a thunderstorm appeared producing a NW 5/6 squall. Beating up the Rijeka Krka with a reef set was fun for a time but when it got too heavy we reverted to the motor and continued up to Skradin. THURSDAY - Although we could have used the inflatable with the 2HP engine to take us the 2 miles up to the Krka falls we succumbed to the temptation of using the local water taxi. Everyone has to visit the falls as they are so famous. We were a little disappointed with them - perhaps it was because there were so many tourists about but we did manage a swim and a shower in the fresh water below the falls. After returning down river by taxi we quickly settled the marina fees and sailed off to find a quiet anchorage for the night. The pilot book indicated that Uvala Beretusa at the east side of the lake would be quiet and would suit our purpose, however we were greeted by pop music coming from a shoreside radio. Fortunately this only lasted an hour or so and the local teenagers left us to enjoy the rest of the evening in perfect surroundings. FRIDAY - Eager to get going we weighed anchor before Half Dozen and ghosted across the inland lake in a light following wind. The narrow river gorge however required the motor. Petrol is obtainable on the quay at Sibenik, so the skipper leapt out, can in hand, whilst Helen, the deputy skipper, circled around waiting for the skipper to return. With petrol and skipper back on board we were soon out of the Kanal entrance and setting full sail for an easy reach down the E coast of Otok Zlarin. We had previously arranged to meet a colleague at Primosten on this day. Sure enough when we got there the YCA flotilla fleet was lined up on the quay and my colleague was waiting to see us in. Half Dozen arrived a little later. In the evening we found a delightful restaurant amongst the narrow streets of the town. SATURDAY - The children awoke feeling unwell and we diagnosed this to have been caused by the ice cubes taken the previous evening. The forecast was for SE winds and we knew then that we had quite a gruelling day ahead of us. Leaving early with a reef set we began a boisterous beat into the F5. At lunch tine the seas were getting too large and we resorted to the motor to take us most of the way to Trogir. Arriving at 1830 we only just found a place in the crowded marina, however, we were happy to have made it 'round the corner' thereby completing the first part of our voyage. INTERMISSION (August 16th) SUNDAY - The trailer-sailer concept means that the boat can be recovered at a different place from the launch site and we decided to take full advantage of this in order to see more of the Yugoslav coastline. Previous research had indicated that Trogir would make a good recovery marina. The ancient walled town with its maze of narrow streets had sufficient interest to occupy the crew for a day whilst the skipper took the local bus back to Zadar to collect the car/trailer. This journey is incredibly cheap - just £2.20 for 83 miles. It is very efficient, runs every hour and takes just two and half hours. After leaving Trogir at 0900 and spending 2 hours at Zadar (settling the bill and lunch) both skippers returned with car and trailer by 1545. In the meantime the crew had completed the much needed washing, cleaning, resupplying Tiger Lily and had been on sightseeing trips round the town. Half Dozen now had to return home and next day they recovered the boat and said their farewells to the Adriatic. Allen and Lyn's first ever trail-and-sail was successfully completed when they arrived home a few days later. SAILING - Part 2 (August 17th - 24th) MONDAY - The skipper awoke with a 'tummy' problem and confined himself to bed. Thus Tiger Lily was put under the command of Helen, the deputy skipper. A late start and the presence of headwinds prevented the planned sail to Rogac and Maslinica on Otok Solta. We did however finish the afternoon anchored in a beautiful anchorage on Solta called Uvala Necujam. This was just the place to enjoy a leisurely swim. It was obviously a popular anchorage as we had to squeeze in between several other boats and rig a shore line to prevent swinging round on the anchor. TUESDAY - The skipper was still queasy, and with a light south easterly we only managed the 8 miles to Uvala Bobovisce on Otok Brac. This was another delightful anchorage even though it became crowded later on with a number of motor boats. Again it was not possible to find enough space for a swinging anchorage and we rigged a very long shore line to a convenient power pole. WEDNESDAY - On motoring out we were greeted by a SE3 which was just right for the sail south to Hvar and the Pakleni Islands. For much of this sail we allowed Tiger Lily to steer herself using a piece of shockcord on the tiller and a line rigged to the jib clew. Nearing the islands we saw another UK trailer sailer passing by on a reciprocal course and we gave them a cheery wave. The last stretch had to be completed under engine so as to arrive in time for an afternoon swim on the 'beach' which was over the hill from the Palmizana marina. All the beaches we saw in Yugoslavia consisted of a few hard rocks and were totally devoid of sand - this one was no exception. THURSDAY - An early start (0730) was called for and after motoring over to Hvar town we spent some time exploring the old town. We had considered taking the bus to Vrboska but the crew voted for the long sail round the island. Leaving Hvar at 1125 we motored to the western headland (Rat Pelegrin) and then tried to sail. The absence of any wind dictated a lunch stop at Uvala Parja - yet another delightful spot. By 1430 we were underway again goosewinging nicely in a F3/4 - probably the best sail of the holiday. When the wind died later we started the engine and finally arrived at Vrboska at 1855 - quite a long day. FRIDAY - After spending the morning exploring the pretty town with its two ancient churches we set out at 1110. The forecast had been SE but by lunchtime we were greeted by a NW 5/6 - we should have left earlier. The motor was required to get us back to the Brac-Solta channel as there was no other sensible anchorage to aim for. The evening was spent in Uvala Stipanska (Otok Brac). Here we met a couple who had sailed their Drascombe Lugger from England (via the French canals, Genoa, River Po and Venice). SATURDAY - The morning offered zero wind and so we were forced to motor all the way to Split. Here we found the harbour filthy with raw sewage - the smell could certainly be noticed. We did however take a sightseeing trip round the town and up the tower at Diocletian's palace. The palace was interesting with its narrow streets but we were disappointed with the touristy nature of it and also with the market and shops. As it was almost our last day we decided to splash out on an excellent meal at the ACY restaurant overlooking the sea - a meal worth remembering. SUNDAY - We were glad to leave the dirty harbour waters and get back to the clear Adriatic. A party was sent ashore at Uvala Movarstica to explore but it was the anchor watch who were greeted by a swimmer. He told us that his father owned a Swift 18 and his brother lived close by in the UK - its a small world. Uvala Movarstica was too crowded with hundreds of new holiday homes (the pilot book had said there are a few houses round this bay) and so we moved on to Uvala Duga for lunch. From there it was a gentle afternoon sail round the corner to Uvala Gbldguk which is just 2 miles from Trogir. MONDAY - The last day had come and it was just half an hours motoring from the anchorage to Trogir marina. It didn't take long to pack things away, drop the mast and get Tiger Lily onto its trailer. The marina staff did a very professional job and even got out the high pressure hose to wash away all the growth from underneath. We spent the rest of the day collecting a few souvenirs preparing for the drive home and getting to bed early in the car park outside the marina. RETURN OVERLAND JOURNEY (August 25th - 30th) It was sad to think that the sailing was now over and the adventure would soon end. We planned on taking it easy on the return journey with sightseeing trips to several places of interest - we allowed ourselves five full days for the return from Trogir to Ostend. TUESDAY - The crew were awake before first light and by 0600 we began the long journey back to the UK. The first day proved to be the most difficult with the long coastal highway to Rijecka to be tackled first. When nearing Rijecka we encountered severe thunderstorms and the usual Rijecka urban traffic jams. These were only a prelude to the terrifying climb out of the town against a descending river of surface rain water on the road. After seeking a temporary refuge from the storm in a lorry park we finally reached a camp site at Pivka Jama, close to the Postojna caves. This 'Class 1' camp site proved to be an expensive £17 experience and we resolved to avoid all camp sites from than on. WEDNESDAY - By 0830 we were on the first tour of the day into the world famous Postojna caves. These are one of Yugoslavia's major tourist attractions and consist of a labyrinth of underground passages and chambers with a total length of 14 miles. Although perhaps expensive at £8.50/person they were very interesting and well worth seeing. Exploring deep underground caverns was quite a contrast to sailing on the sea. At 1200 we began the day's journey, proceeding back through Llubijana, Tarvisio and Villach aiming for a parkplatz within one hours drive of Hallein near Salzburg. The place we choose just happened to be above the little Austrian village of Zederhouse and we were able to walk down that evening for a drink in the local 'local'. THURSDAY - After collecting fresh bread from the village store at 0730, we soon arrived at the entrance to the Durrnberg Salt mines. These are up the hill behind Hallein (second gear work I'm afraid). We were in time for the first tour of the day at 0900 and after dressing in the 'white gnome' suits provided we were conducted into the narrow passages of the salt mine. This again proved to be great fun and was both interesting and educational. After crossing the German border we interrupted the homeward journey by extending our lunch break at the Chiemsee parkplatz. Here we spent several hours happily watching the yachts sailing on this splendid inland lake - I think Tiger Lily felt quite left out as she was firmly stuck on her trailer. We dallied too long here as later on about 10 miles north of Munich we were forced by further bad weather to pull in for the night. FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY - The Friday morning proved to be somewhat better with only light drizzle to contend with and we managed to get within a few miles of Bonn. This left only a half days drive to Ostend on the Saturday giving us time for an afternoon nap, a pleasant evening meal in a service area restaurant and a few more hours sleep before catching the 0200 (CET) ferry for Dover. Having booked a cabin we managed some more sleep before our arrival back in the UK at 0530 (BST). Early morning mist and fog, together with the absence of open petrol stations and breakfast cafes gave us minor problems but we arrived home at 0930 leaving the rest of the day to unpack, shower and muse over the memories of a wonderful holiday.