25 May 2023 - Saplunara, Mljet

Onwards, ever onwards.  We spent the morning on preparations, taking advantage of being in a large town probably for the last time until we reach Italy. Then, suitably restocked, it was time to slip our lines and head northwest.

Once we were clear of the entrance to Dubrovnik’s port, we were able to get the sails up and have good wind to tack towards our destination. It seems like a long time since we have been able to do this and it was an enormous pleasure.

After a while we started to see heavy clouds building over the land, and what looked like rain. This was then confirmed by the mountains disappearing from view behind the cloud and rain, and repeated flashes of lightning in the sky.  This makes you think a bit as we have a 24 metre metal post sticking up into the air!  We were not too far from our destination and were not keen to get wet, so the sails came down and we scurried the last couple of miles under motor.  We had a few spots before we were in and attached to a buoy, but fortunately the more persistent rain came after all of the on-deck jobs were completed.


We are in a beautiful bay at the southern end of Mljet, where there are several restaurants, all with their own mooring buoys.  We had been recommended to one in particular, but when we phoned them they told us that they will only open for the season on the first of June. We ate in one of the others, and were transported to and from by the restaurant’s boat, manned by the young guy who had helped us pick up the mooring buoy. He said he was on duty 8 hours a day to spot boats coming in, help them onto a buoy and get them to the restaurant.  Not a bad summer holiday job.

Miles today          20

Miles in 2023     533

Steve (& Tricia)

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