We left Kotor, Montenegro on the 11th of June as the cruise ships began to queue up outside the old town.  Our route out of Kotor Bay took us past an old fortification that has been turned into a luxury hotel, accessible only by water or air.
The sea was a bit rough as we reached open water so we headed for Lustica Bay Marina in the hope of a comfortable night. Others had the same plan and there was no room at the inn so we made do with a nearby anchorage by the fishing village of Bigova.

The map above shows our anchorage by Bigova in relation to the Bay of Kotor. Below is a very crude indication of our voyage so far.  It is created from each time I manually registered our location on noforeignland.com.

Julia and Jozefina wanted to sleep on deck that night but the gathering storm clouds suddenly turned into a torrential downpour forcing them to retreat back inside.

After a still night on anchor the morning brought favourable downwind conditions so we set off again. Budva was our next destination with another fortified old town and lots of interesting beaches.

We anchored beside Budva harbour and took the dinghy into the marina.  After a bit of a struggle finding somewhere to tie up we then created a scene as Theodore slipped between the dinghy and the harbour wall, falling into the water.

The old town is very small so by finding a spot for lunch and paying to visit the citadel with it's library and model ships, we had the town pretty much covered.  We'd promised the kids a sandy beach so we moved Dragonfly across the bay to a tiny well protected cove where we could spent the night.

Theodore is a very enthusiastic drone pilot.

After a good beach afternoon with lots of swimming, puzzling and a lovely sunset we settled down for the night in our private anchorage.

The following morning we crossed over the bay again to anchor beside Sveti Stefan island.  We were disappointed to discover the island is private and open only to guests of the hotel that operates there in July and August.  Heavy cast iron gates opened occasionally as one or two people discreetly slipped through while we observed enviously.

We spent a pleasant few hours on the pebble beach watching Dragonfly roll around on anchor while I wondered how we were going to get back onboard safely and lift the outboard off the tender in the swell.  Luckily we managed just fine but it's best to mentally prepare for problems!

Two hours motor sailing downwind brought us to Bar Marina at about 4pm on the 13th of June.  The shore power point being well out of reach was not a great start but the friendly staff and a great hotel pool close by quickly made up for it.

The Princess Hotel has been a life saver for the last couple of days. The kids were desperate to swim in the filthy sea next to the marina but luckily, for a small fee we have an indoor and outdoor pool on our doorstep.  We even stayed for supper based on the inexplicable 5 out of 5 rating for the restaurant on Google.  A few meals later and I've realised online reviews here are not a reliable indicator of quality.

On the 14th Julia flew to Warsaw for a couple of nights to be at the funeral of our very dear friend.  She took Theodore with her so Jozefina and I had a day to ourselves before the week began and with it preparations to travel through Albania.  There was much to do including mechanical and electrical repairs, refuelling and restocking, admin and passage planning. Plus a lot of laundry and cleaning. However today was Sunday and apart from cleaning, little progress could be made.

After a brief but very pleasant night in the Mljet National Park we set our course for Dubrovnik where we would officially depart Croatia.  Our first stop was the fuel jetty where our delicate mooring turned a bit hectic, the reason for which differs depending on who you ask, so enough said about that..

Unfortunately on the way into Dubrovnik harbour Zefi and Theo spotted an inflatable assault course so that became a non-negotiable excursion.  We took an overpriced 5 minute Uber from the marina to a grotty beach beside a campsite where this thing was.  With very well managed expectations we actually had a fantastic half hour running, jumping, slipping and splatting until we were completely worn out.  With that out of the way the children relented and let us choose the place for supper.

On the morning of the 10th we awoke early to check out of Croatia.  We had been reading up on the process for a few days and the more we learned the more nervous we became.  It seemed inevitable we would be fined like everyone else for some unforeseen glitch in our paperwork.  After leaving the marina we radioed ahead and received permission to moor at the customs quay at 7am, I then set off with every document I had to find the harbour master, passport control and customs office.  To my surprise all went very smoothly. The customs officer was a little confused why an Irish citizen with a Polish family owned a UK registered yacht with EU VAT paid but he got over it and we were instructed to leave Croatia immediately.. so we did.

That wrapped up exactly a month sailing and exploring Croatian waters. We absolutely loved everything minute of it -the crystal clear water, the plentiful sheltered bays, the sailor friendly vibe etc..  We were forewarned of the outrageous costs so that didn't spoil our fun and the nightmare bureaucracy that we read so much about somehow passed us by!  It was a little bit emotional lowering our Croatia courtesy flag as we entered Montenegrin waters and raised our yellow quarantine flag.

We made landfall at Zelenika on the customs quay four hours after departing Croatia.  Once again I left Julia and the children on the boat and set off clutching my papers.  The check in process required a couple of different officials and offices but once again went smoothly and we were legally cruising Montenegrin waters half an hour later.

With the formalities out of the way we made the UNESCO listed fortified town of Kotor our first port of call.  After trying to contact the marina through various means we discovered just turning up was the most efficient method.  Within a couple of hours motoring through spectacular fjord like valleys we moored and stepped off Dragonfly directly in front of the main gate to the old town.

We explored almost every street of the old town. We saw many cats and even endured the unremarkable Cat Museum before locating a wonderful seafood restaurant and then retiring, exhausted, to our boat.

In the morning Julia hiked up the fortified wall to the very top -about 1500 steps. The photos look like drone pics!  There were three cruise ships docking which we took a a sign it was time to leave.

After a night anchored close to Pučišća we set off further south on the 7th of June. We rounded the Eastern tip of Hvar as the waves began to pick up.  Our intended rest stop of Uvala Križica looked a bit rough so we entered the sheltered cove of Lovište.  We anchored in just 4m of beautiful turquoise water at around 2pm and decided that was enough waves for the day.

The bow thruster has been playing up a bit so I took the opportunity to investigate the problem.  Initially I emptied the bow locker of all it's fenders and fuel tanks before discovering the thruster is under the forward cabin bed! Having had issues with solenoids on our electric landrover I recognised the fault but held back from a quick fix with sand paper as the prospect of a welded closed thruster solenoid in a marina is scary. I added it to my to-fix list.  The following morning we set out into a calmer sea. p.s. the pic pic below is a close up of the offending solenoid contacter.

As we passed the strait between Korčula and the mainland my mind was drifting and remembered our friend Georgie had a villa in Croatia -I dug up an email for 6 years ago and found to my amazement we were sailing past her house at that very moment! Such a strange coincidence.  I believe it's in the middle of the photo.

As we passed Korčula we noticed a tiny island with a private pontoon. We discovered it was a restaurant called Moro Beach, we changed course to take a closer look.  There was no answer on the phone so we decided to anchor at the nearby island of Majsan for a swim and further investigation.

While swimming the restaurant called back and said they had plenty of space if we wanted lunch. So we picked up our anchor and moved onto one of their mooring buoys. 

Morrow Beach turned out to be a memorable stop with fantastic food, scenery and a beach full of beautiful stones that kept Jozefina and Theodore happy for hours.  Eventually we had to drag ourselves away to carry on our passage south. Our destination was the National Park of Mljet.

We arrived in the evening and anchored in deep water with a short line to the shore.

The next morning was perfectly still so I few the drone over our pristine anchorage before preparing to leave for Dubrovnik where we would check out of Croatia.

On the 4th of June, after a day of thunderstorms we had a beautiful calm evening.  We set out to explore our surroundings so we took the dinghy ashore and climbed the nearby hill.

By good fortune we had anchored beside The Wall of Ostrica - a well preserved medieval fortification.  There was a well maintained path, with signs along the way informing us of the history, diverse local flora and fauna as we climbed to a viewing point overlooking our anchorage.  The reasons for the wall's existence were quite confusing so instead of pretending to understand, I'll offer a link to someone who does.

The storm had passed but left some dramatic skies.  We stayed put that evening and planned to continue south the next morning.
In this pic below, Zefi looks so alike Julia at the same age! (according to her childhood photos I'd seen).

We chose the next place to drop our anchor based on the forecast but I think most people were there because it is famous and goes by the name 'Blue Lagoon'.  This is probably due to the stunning satellite photos that they use to sell excursions, in reality it's as beautiful as any number of bays we've seen but the sheer quantity of human traffic makes it an excellent people watching spot.  Theodore and I had a wonderful time watching some terrible anchoring while Julia and Zefi ventured out on a SUP excursion.

Eventually almost everyone goes home and the bay is quiet.

We awoke to a quiet bay but before long the excursion boats began to arrive. We set our course for split, checked the weather, lifted our anchor and within seconds another boat had claimed our spot.

With the help of the Navily app we found an ideal anchorage from which to explore Split. We also had an excellent recommendation from Anthony to check out the Meštrović Gallery, housing works of Ivan Meštrović, the Croatian sculptor, architect, writer and his grandfather-in-law.  I was very inspired by the blend of home, studio and gallery that he created! (Link to the Museum) ​

Jozefina's obsession with cats is not fading as I hoped it might..

We had a few hours to explore Split but only the energy to scratch the surface.  That day Julia had received some sad, though expected news of a very close loved one so we tried as best we could to keep cheerful in front of the children while our thoughts were quite the other.

The morning of the 6th of June comprised an unremarkable Uber ride to get our cooking gas tanks refilled.  While we waited we visited a nearby supermarket and nearly bought more than we could carry so had to do separate trips in the dinghy.

Back onboard, with no wind to sail, Julia conducted a musical French lesson as we neared our next destination.  We were heading for the little town of Pučišća on the island of Brač but pulled in for a swim stop at a little cove along the way.

At about 5:30pm we arrived at Pučišća and chose to anchor close to the town rather than moor at the town quay - A decision I slightly regretted as the quay was almost empty and we would've enjoyed seeing Dragonfly in such a picturesque setting. The town is rumoured to be one of the prettiest is Europe -perhaps it is but there is tough competition.

The children spent a happy hour 'helping' a local catch fish to feed the town cats.

The morning of the 7th of June was calm and windless as we motored out of the bay and headed on south.

The next morning Julia led a yoga session as we made our approach to the Krka national park and the impressive fortifications guarding the estuary.

We had a pulse raising moment as a police boat, siren blaring raced towards us. Thankfully it sped on past, leaving us and others flailing around in it's huge wake.

We were making our approach to Šibenik Bridge when there was scream from below deck.  Zefi had managed to close a door with Theodore's thumb in the hinge.  The poor boy was in agony and the thumb looked well crushed.  Having had a similar incidence with Zefi that required surgery last year we were taking no changes so swung the boat around and headed to the town of ​Šibenik that we had just passed.

We tied up on the town quay and Julia took Theodore in a taxi to find a doctor.  She was turned away from a walk in clinic then failed to find anyone willing to help at the hospital. I was busy calling around private clinics and also failed to find help.  Deciding that his wound wasn't life threatening and seeing that he wasn't really that bothered by it we decided to give up and press on.

Our track as we approach the bridge again -hoping nothing goes wrong this time.

Passing under the bridge was exciting. I think our mast is 17m high, the bridge is 27m, yet it still looks like you are going to make contact as you approach!

We motored up the river, across a lake, up more river, under another bridge and reached the pretty little town of Skradin. This is as far as you can go before taking the Krka park ferry another 30 minutes under a low bridge and up to the falls.  We were ushered into a berth at the ACI marina -the most expensive so far at 175 Euro for the night!

Theodore with the mornings' drama well behind him!

We woke early on Tuesday the 2nd of June to catch the first ferry up the river to the national park.  The ferry was almost empty and we had the park to ourselves.

The waterfalls -Slapovi Krke did not disappoint! 
With its travertine waterfalls the Krka River is a natural phenomenon.
Travertine is a common feature of the surface waters of the Dinaric karst; only the most extraordinary travertine creates significant layers, which build the waterfalls seen on the Krka River.

Close to the falls is The Jaruga Hydroelectric Power Plant.  It was built  in 1895 and started operating just two days after Tesla’s hydroelectric plant at Niagara Falls

The park's clear water was brimming with life -the longer you look the more you see. The frogs vary in colour but give their presence away with their loud croaking.  The green pond turtle was a rarer spot by Julia and the children found the snake swimming in the marina.

After a memorable morning exploring the waterfalls we hopped on the ferry back down to the marina. By 2pm we had slipped our mooring and were making our way back down the river.  Thunderstorms were forecast for the following day so we needed to find a safe anchorage to weather potential gusts of 47 knots.

We found a shallow bay protected from most angles and set the anchor with plenty of chain for the night.  The next morning, safe and snug inside Dragonfly we hunkered down with a film, food and some admin to ride out the storm.  The wind peaked at 32 knots which is exciting but nothing to worry about. The rain was also dramatic but soon pasted, leaving a calm evening.

The 30th of May was our last day with Magda, Michaeł, Basia and Tadzio onboard.  They were flying from Zadar airport at 6am the following day so we booked a berth in Zadar Marina.  Having read reviews I was prepared for the ridiculously tight manoeuvring required safely tie up inside the marina.

The Zadar rowing ferry, locally known as the Barkajoli, is a traditional 800-year-old boatman service connecting Zadar's mainland to the Old Town peninsula.  Our crossing was wavy and quite crowded.

We survived the ferry crossing and set out to find the 'Monument to the Sun' and the Sea Organ.  The first of which is solar powered and doesn't actually do anything until after dark. The sea organ however was putting on quite a performance as the water was rough and the waves confused.  The sea water motion draws air through large resonating chambers creating haunting but beautiful sounds.

Then there was a formation fly-by to celebrate our safe arrival (and Statehood day which marks the creation in 1990 of the first modern multi-party Croatian Parliament).

We returned to Dragonfly that evening and said goodbye to our friends as they had a 4am taxi the next morning (that didn't show up!) and would let themselves out without waking us.  Zefi and Theodore were sad to rise and find Basia and Tadzio gone the next morning -they loved having more children on the boat -as did we.

The marina helped to arrange for a diver (named Marino) to come the next morning and attach a new anode. The boat next door was in luck as they had just dropped some sunglasses overboard which he retrieved from seven metres down.

Crossing on the ferry the next day we chatted to the French owner of Spiip, a Swan 88 whose mast towered over the other boats in the marina.  We came across a small market as we made our way to the Museum of Ancient Glass -a fascinating museum with real glass blowing and sculpting demonstrations every day of the week ..except today. 

One of the curiosities of this town is the Sphynx of Zadar. Julia discovered it on a morning jog but sadly the children and myself will have to visit again to see it.
​
The Sphinx of Zadar is a mysterious, 20th-century concrete sculpture located in Zadar, Croatia, recognized as the largest sphinx in Europe. Measuring approximately 5 meters long and 3 meters high, it sits within the seaside grounds of Villa Attilia in the Brodarica neighborhood.

On the 27th of May we awoke to a mirror like anchorage after a calm night on a mooring buoy.  We had a short journey of less than 2 hours to Molum Marina, close to Zadar. Here we would collect Julia's cousin Magda, her husband Michaeł and their two children Basai and Tadzio.

The islands answer to dustbin lorries.

We spotted dolphins close to Zadar but they didn't stop to play.  We chose Molum Marina  as it was close to the airport and had good reviews being a brand new marina.  On Google maps it was not even constructed yet.  The marina is so new that it does not yet have a fuel dock or laundry facilities -the two things we really needed!

We had 24 hours at the marina before our friends arrived so arranged for a laundrette in the nearby town to collect our laundry.  The little town surrounding the marina has very little going on -a campsite, artificial beach and a few mediocre restaurants. As soon as they arrived we left.

This little bay was our destination for the first evening. It was Michaeł's birthday so we opened some bubbles, then ventured ashore to a tavern with a reservation for eight people..

While we waited for our food the children pulled an urchin from the sea to examine. They also found spider crab shells and other treasures.

On day two of Magda and Michaeł's visit we set sail north with a few destinations in mind but allowed the wind to decide for us.  We hoped to reach Sakarun Beach but it was a stretch too far and instead we found ourselves on the northern tip of Ugljan Island.

After a bit of motoring we were able to beat our way into the wind, tacking along the western edge of Ugljan Island towards our anchorage for the night.  Plaža Junžna Luka turned out to be an ideal stop over.  The water was crystal clear and the beach was strewn with rocks breaking through the surface.  The children spent a few happy hours catching tiny fish and creating an aquarium in a water bottle.

The evening was spent fishing, chatting and wine tasting for Julia's mum's upcoming party.

Another perfectly still morning..

Theodore enjoying Julia's pancakes.

On the 30th of May we carried on around the tip of the island and anchored in a tiny bay for lunch opposite Zadar, thus completing a near circumnavigation of Ugljan.  The chart suggested we were anchoring in less than a metre of water -which would've been a problem. In reality it was 8m and sandy with room to swing.

While swimming around Dragonfly I noticed her anode was missing.  We paid a diver to clean the hull and replace the anode back in Ragusa two months ago so I was surprised to see the screws in place and the anode removed!  This could lead to very expensive damage if gone unnoticed.

I have spares onboard but will need a diver again to clean the prop and fit it.

From our lunchtime swim stop it was 30 mins across the channel to Zadar.

It was the 24th of May when we set sail from Vis and headed north towards the mainland.  We were en route to collect our first guests of the trip -Julia's cousin Magda and family from Zadar in four days time.  A comfortable crossing of about three hours brought us to a narrow and protected bay close to Ražanj.  We anchored and secured some lines to the rocks.  It was a beautiful calm evening so we sent up the drone for a better view.

The next day we made further progress towards our destination.  We were still without detailed charts as we had sailed beyond our downloaded area and had spent the night away from mobile reception.  We were now sailing amongst small islands and shallow waters so had to be wary.

As the traffic on the water built up we also restored our chart plotter resolution and navigated to a shallow protected bay for the night.  The 'Bikini Beach Bar' was the only feature on the landscape so we ventured across the lagoon in our tender to investigate.

The following day after 'school' we set off again -this time with ideal conditions and only a short distance to cover.  It was a rare pleasure to tack back and forth, weaving between the islands -until now every stretch has been on a single tack.

Our destination that evening was a sheltered bay on the eastern side of Otok Žut.  After failing to anchor a couple of times on the rocky seabed we took and mooring buoy and with it were obliged to dine at Restaurant Trabakul.  A lovely spot where the children were entertained by many stray cats begging for scraps.

We reached the Island of Vis on the 20th of May.  There were strong northwesterlies on the crossing so we hauled close to the wind, then motored head on as we approached the island.  We chose a tiny bay named Milna to seek refuge from the gusts.  There was space for just us as we dropped our anchor in shallow water and put out 30 metres of chain.

This screenshot of our anchor alarm shows a night spent comfortably in position but at about 9am we began swinging towards the shallows so we made a quick exit.

We had been reminded that family friends the Macgregors had a home on the island so I pinged Keith an email asking for tips and recommendations.  He responded with a list of top destinations around the island but that we would miss them by just a few days.  He put us in touch with their friends the Stancombs, who kindly offered to scoop us up if our timing overlapped.

On our second day we were still sheltering from the wind and happened upon a picture perfect bay just past the small village of Rukavac.  Today was our only chance to take up the Stancomb's offer of hospitality before they left the island for a week.  The town of Vis was only fifteen minutes away but with more strong gusts forecast we were anxious about leaving Dragonfly alone on anchor.  We decided first to walk to the nearby village and maybe go on from there by taxi.

Theodore hiked in the midday heat in his wetsuit!

As often happens with Jozefina and Theodore, one short walk took forever. Every bug and butterfly stops them in their tracks and has to be examined!  We followed signs to a restaurant, praying it would be open as the sun beat down.  We were in luck.

After a sweltering hike back, the kids cooled off as we prepared to batten down the hatches for the forecast gusts of 30 knots.. which eventually never showed up.

On our second morning on Vis we motored a few bays along to take a mooring buoy at Stiniva Beach.  I couldn't handle seeing James Bond sing so never saw the beach in Mamma Mia but clearly a lot of people did. There was a constant stream of day trip boats coming in and out of the deep bay to see this famous beach.

Around mid-afternoon we decided to push on around the southwestern tip of Vis with the intention of anchoring close to Komiža.  The blue track on the chart plotter screen above shows the moment we rounded the headland into large waves and 30 knot gusts forcing us to beat a hasty retreat!  We returned to our mooring buoy and had Stiniva bay all to ourselves for the night.

On the 23rd of May we finally made it to Vis town and moored up stern-to in the town centre.  Having been on anchor for almost a week it was a relief to be back in civilisation.  We found Vis to be clean, calm and welcoming. After a quick lunch at the nearest restaurant we set off to explore. 

​The island of Vis has a fascinating and layered history, having been ruled at different times by the Greeks, Romans, Venetians, Austrians, Italians, and later Yugoslavia. Founded as the ancient Greek colony of Issa in the 4th century BC, Vis is one of the oldest urban settlements on the Adriatic. Venetian influence is instantly visible in the island’s stone architecture and narrow streets, while the local Croatian dialect still carries traces of Venetian linguistic roots.

During the Yugoslav era, Vis was closed to foreign visitors for decades and served as a military base for the Yugoslav Navy. This period of isolation helped preserve the island’s character and protected it from the tourism we've seen elsewhere along the Dalmatian coast.

We found the Macgregor and the Stancomb houses -without their owners in residence. Such a shame! We will ensure our return route brings us back to Vis.

Convenient victualling at the shop opposite the quay and then on to a recommended restaurant a few steps away where every ingredient is sourced from the island.

Zefi unamused-bouche!

We discovered why everyone on Vis is so cheerful -the local wine is 16%!

In the morning we caught (but lost) a fish for this hungry cat. We then slipped our lines and headed over to the fuel dock.  We didn't like the look of the skinny pontoon so decided we could survive without topping up the tanks. After motoring out of the harbour we let the wind decide our angle of attack as we headed towards Zadar.  At this point we discovered we had sailed beyond the charts loaded on the plotter.  It would take me a day or so to work out how to extend our coverage and until then we navigated the old fashioned way -by Iphone!

Between the 15-17th of May we found ourselves briefly back in Warsaw so I took the opportunity to order a few bits and pieces for Zefi and Dor. Amongst the monkey bars and hammock was this little speedboat -received on the condition he'll be good for a year.

We had a hassle free flight to Dubrovnik where we stayed the night in a little hotel close to the ferry.  We caught he 8am catamaran back to Korcula -keen to get Dragonfly out of the overpriced marina we left her in.  While we were away Nickola the mechanic had been working through a list of jobs.  He carried out an engine service but couldn't solve the ongoing alarm buzzer.  He lubricated our steering and rudder, replaced our gas hose and tried his best to get the water maker going.  Sadly our dreams of remote desalination will have to wait until we are closer to a main dealer, though to be honest we can probably survive without it.  He also purchased a new dinghy for us so we said goodbye to our old one and gifted it to the local children's sailing school.

We spent some time walking the streets of Korcula and visited the town museum, this allowed Nickola a chance to finish the jobs.  Then we hopped onboard and motored a couple of inlets to the West of the town to a bay apparently called 'Tony'.  It was a relief to be on anchor again and a chance for Theodore to test out his boat.

We had a calm, quiet night and were the only boat on anchor in the bay.  The next day we set off without an exact destination but with the intention to cover some ground.  In two weeks we will have Julia's cousin Magda and her family onboard and need to collect them for Zadar airport further North.  The winds brought us to a little island just South of Hvar called Šćedro.

We arrived slightly weather beaten to a tiny sheltered bay with two yachts already moored.  We managed to squeeze in between them and successfully carried out our first line to shore mooring in living memory with an audience looking on.  Despite missing the sandy patch, our anchor and line held fine as gust of 20 knots bothered the bay.

We discovered that hammocks and wind don't mix but as soon as the breeze died down it was put to the test.

Julia's natural history lessons involved urchins and star fish.

Otok Šćedro turned out to be a slice of paradise and the most beautiful bay we've anchored in so far.  We all swam in the crystal clear water and the children 'dug for gemstones' in the loose stoney banks.

We had the bay all to ourselves in the morning so I took the opportunity to dust off my old drone and view the scene from above.

We hiked across the island to see the northern side. Julia and I used to hike a lot but as is often the case now, we were followed by two moaning, complaining children which detracted slightly from the experience.  We found refreshment (luckily) at the lovely Amfora restaurant.  Best of all the owner gave us a lift back to Dragonfly -saving us a long hot hike with heavy kids on our shoulders!

Back to our shiny new tender and a bay filling quickly with boats. After a smooth operation releasing our line and anchor without any shouting we were away!