Croatia express
With days to make it to Split, we had to sail at a high pace to make it to our destination. Since we were in a Marina, we had to get some laundry done, provision the boat, fill with water, etc and the day before was very tiring clearing out of one country and into another along with sailing many hours. It was 1:30pm before we left and we knew our first day would be a short sail.
We went to Okuklje where we were able to moor at a privately held quay. The restaurants will put in mooring lines and put advertising so you know who to thank for their generosity. We were beside a floatila (a chartered group of sailboats who are guided to various destinations on their holiday but sail their own boats). The floatilla vacationers were a very friendly, more mature, racous group who had clearly bonded on their week away. They were taking turns hosting drinks on the quay and one couple asked Sheila many questions about our life since they were planning to do the same in a couple years.
In the evening we wandered over to Maestral (the restaurant associated with our quay) and were delighted to have one of our more memorable meals. The view over the harbor was magical, the food a delight and aside from Sheila being stung by a wasp, couldn’t have been a better evening. Given Theo’s allergies we agreed it was better one of us got it rather than him at least.
The sail from Okuklje to a bay in Loviste was fun. We had strong gusts and were able to sail much of it, eventually reefing the main (decreasing the size of the main sail so it doesn’t capture so much wind). There were many kite surfers and windsurfers enjoying the strong winds. We anchored in a bay that evening resetting our anchor once after we dragged when the wind shifted. A bit of a restless night but overall OK.
We saw the wind forecast and decided we’d leave very early the next day with a goal to get to Split since Ian and Frances were to be on the dock mid afternoon. Departing at 5:30 am, Sheila helped get things set and then went below to sleep. The kids were also in bed. I wasn’t that concerned but it turns out we were in for a rough ride.
We’ve learned not to trust the forecasts – typically they seem to underforecast the wind speed and are a gauge, not a prescription. Leaving the shelter of the bay, the wind was up. Since I was alone and it was already a gusting high teens, low 20s I decided to keep under engine until I made it around the Island. We knew it would be the highest wind in that area so I figured I’d go conservative.
The wind grew quickly to plus 30 knots and shortly after the waves kicked up. It was directly in front of me and I wanted to stay heading into the wind. At 30 knots, the dingy lashed on the bow of the boat started to get air underneath it and was hovering above the deck during strong gusts. I knew I was facing gale winds. It came up very fast. Expecting it to be done before long based on the forecast I perservered and considered some sheltering bays we could go to if required. Waves were now past the 2 meter mark which was pitching the boat (at 2 meters we feel it). The wind continued to increase and the seas were getting confused (waves from more than one direction).
There is a scale we have as a reference (Beaufort Scale) which was created by admiral Beaufort (1700s?) which to this day is a very helpful tool to judge wind strength based on observed sea conditions. I was clearly in a near gale, Beaufort 7, where the sea heaps up, waves break white foam which is blown in streaks. I was watching our gauge which has been suspect since we left but it confirmed what I was experiencing…and the wind speed was inching up. Gusts were coming in the 30 knot range and then 40 knot range within minutes. Clearly this was not going to pass. I saw a ferry approaching and made way so I could pass some distance from it. The dingy was now a sail and rarely touching the deck. I was wondering insanely how much it was going to cost to replace it and how much damage it would do flying off the boat as I knew the lines where I had secured the dingy were not strong enough to endure this wind for long. Quickly I was seeing Beaufort 9 which is 41-47 knots, a strong gale. I was thinking I really should have a sea anchor to hang off the back of the boat and keep the boat into the wind during storms. I focused on keeping the boat directed into the wind, keeping the dingy from flying, and how I could turn back through the waves and return to the bay we’d started from since it would be the most navigable of all potential shelters I saw on the chart. The gauge now showed stupid numbers well beyond 50 knots and I wasn’t sure how confident I could be in its accuracy so focused more on the sea state.
The speed at which the storm blew up meant I hadn’t woken Sheila and now I couldn’t leave the helm. Billy (remember Albania?) had said the Med was a good place because we’d see it all and I was starting to understand the comment better.
Passing a ferry the people on deck watched the sailboat plunge dramatically into the waves as spray washed over me. The ferry went past as I neared the point on the island where it should be the worst (two channels converging) and made for the distant shore scanning the charts to see where I could potentially come in. About this time, Sheila surfaced to see what was happening. I was glad she was more rested and could help. Securing her tether, she went up front to tie down the dingy. As the boat roller-coastered on the waves she finished the tie down and came back to the cockpit, salt sprayed and satisfied.
The winds were holding in the 30s with gusts into 40s and low 50s at this point but the seas were confused so it was a rough ride. She then worked with me to find potential ports or bays. We judged we were too far from the bay and would need something closer. We were essentially in a very wide channel between islands and the mainland with towns right on the water. The towns didn’t appear to offer much shelter and we figured we would be better away from the hard sides of the channel. Land is definitely hard if we can’t move the boat around well – some of these harbours are very small. Sheila suggested going toward one shore in the hopes that at least one wind source might be eliminated and therefore waves would be more likely consistent in one direction. Great idea and it worked. We had a ride but not as rough.
We gauge we use to track windspeed decided it had enough of this tempermental wind and completely kacked out. We could no longer read our wind speed. I thought at first it had blown off but it was still physically attached. From that point onwards we used the Beaufort scale (observation of the sea) and our wind vane.
Having now hit our new normal, about this time we saw a grey haze over the pass between mainland and Island. It was difficult to tell what it was at first but turns out it was smoke from the coastal forest fires. We could smell the smoke shortly thereafter and we learned in Split the seriousness of the issue for the coast.
We together worked the boat, looked for potential places to go should things worsen again and rode the waves and endured the spray. The worst had passed but we were continually soaked by salty waves as we continued the the journey.
By this time the windsurfers and kite surfers were out in force and we passed through packs of them as we made our way. Other sailboats by this time were out enjoying the winds as well.
Salt covered our clothes, all exposed skin, glasses (which I cleaned continually), hair….but the wind continued 20 to 30 knots all the way to Split so there really wasn’t a lot of downtime. The AIC Marina in Split is a very cramped little marina and we were coming in with 20+knots of wind – thankfully no swell. That was a fitting end to the long journey. We docked with some minor confusion but overall it was fine. We were greeted on the dock by Ian and Francis looking salt encrusted, harried, and tired and wanting not much more than a shower and a beer. I’ve certainly gained a new respect for the sea and we’ve discussed some more safety practices we can use in the future to manage more intense situation.
Kevin
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