All PostWe’re underway! Breakfast together in the dining room. Arrived at our first swim stop after about 90 minutes of sailing to a cove area along the Croatian coast. Just about everyone was off the boat and in the water – some with the Styrofoam noodles, others with inner tubes, paddle boards and some just swimming or floating – including me, having gotten my “sea legs” tuned up earlier. I was one of the last ones in the water, but I did dive in off the back of the boat after seeing a few others – mostly men – do it. If they can do it, I can. Got to stay competitive! (Thankfully, I do know my limits). Once again, I just stayed afloat in the salty water. Didn’t need a floating device, got some exercise swimming. The water temp was wonderful – no acclimating needed. All good, and fun.
I must admit that the idea of “swimming stops and snorkeling” is generally not especially appealing to me – not like it was when I was younger. But I found these to be exhilarating and soothing at the same time. Sometimes you just have to get past the barriers you put up for yourself and dive in.
After swimming we changed, had our lunch on the boat, and headed out to taste the Ston oysters and mussels right out of the Bay of Mali Ston. These oysters have won prizes as the top oysters in the world, and they are delicious. Farmed and cultivated in the bay of Mali Ston (just north of Dubrovnik) with its brackish water, at this tasting they are taken right out the water, shucked and served with a lemon wedge and a flowing local white wine and a side of steamed mussels. Scrumptious! (That is, if you like raw oysters).
Now we head back to the marina for a short explore around the tiny town of Slano, then onto the boat again, with time to kill before the Captain’s dinner. The weather is fantastic, the water is a comfortable temperature, the boat ride is great with fantastic views. It’s early to judge this but there is a bit too much “downtime” between activities for me, because I tend to be on the go when I travel and not one to want hours of sunbathing or pure relaxation. But I’m keeping an open mind and going with the flow. Maybe I need to slow it down and just enjoy the ride.
