Mljet & Korcula

With our first Croatian guests heading on to the Netherlands for the next leg of their European jaunt, the sun came out, and the wind dropped for a few days and with new guests, Damain and Helen on board we put some miles under our belt and headed towards north west Mljet to catch up with Calyxa and Antigoni who were ahead of us. The sail started out nicely enough, but by 3pm and with reefs in the main and head sails we were beating into 28 knots of wind and a steep sea, so we sought refuge for the night in a lovely sheltered anchorage before pressing on at dawn. Snorkeling at dusk, there were heaps of fish and I even got inked by a large squid! Lucky me.

Arriving in the flat calm and beautiful national park anchorage of Luka Polace in the early morning was wonderful. We spent two days hanging out, drinking beers, cycling and swimming. It is a magical spot and from a yachting perspective, just perfect, as the anchorage is a large lagoon protected from wind and swell on all sides with a nice sandy bottom providing great holding.

Next stop was Korcula town and we arrived at the anchorage of Badija just before sunset, after a perfect sail into 15knots of wind and flat seas. Having just anchored, we were watching a beautiful sunset when we were disturbed by a port authority boat demanding a 100 Kuna fee for anchoring….not on a wharf, not on a mooring buoy but using our own anchor! Nowhere else in the world have we been charged for anchoring. Heather was not at all happy being charged to anchor – but again, in Croatia, you seem to have to pay for everything. Still, it was an idyllic spot the holding was good, the wine cold and the water crystal clear. Ashore there were green pine forests right down to the shore and deer’s roaming around the grounds of a monastery.

Beautiful is probably the best way to sum up Korcula town. Located on a promontory overlooking the Pelijeski Kanal it is exposed to the elements and the small NW facing town quay is very exposed to the swell. There was a spot free so we lined up, dropped anchor and backed on to the wharf. The harbour master took our lines and secured them. We asked to stay the night but it was booked up (another difference to Greece – where you can’t book town quays) for the night and we could only stay an hour. We headed around to the only other place near Korcula town to anchor – Uvula Luka. This was a busy anchorage, but we found a spot and once again we were charged to use our own anchor, this time 150kuna…this was becoming a theme. However, Korcula town is a must see spot, great bars and restaurants and lively nightlife.

There is no doubt that the quality of the restaurants and the food they serve in Croatia is superb – way better than Greece and, I think much better than the other parts of the med we have travelled – so if you’re a foodie, it’s certainly a place to put on your bucket list.