Hitting the Frog and Toad

Suddenly, we’ve realised that it’s only 6 weeks until launch time.  Yes, time to hit the road again for another year of Time Out.  This year, our basic float plan is to swan about the Adriatic.  Did you know in times gone by, a black swan was a sailor's symbol of infinity, or the unknown.  It was thought of as kind of fantastical creature.  (Didn’t they have rather a menagerie of fantastical creatures in Ancient Greece?).  So I guess it’s just as well they didn’t sail up the Swan River (in WA) then.  Anyway, I digress.  Essentially our Float Plan is to catch up on those places we missed last year by being overly ambitious.  Thus we have come up with a “Loop of the Adriatic” for 2015.


From Wiki

 Stage 1: Cyclades by Ferry (1 week - May)

Having zoomed through the Aegean to give the Meltemi a miss last year, we (actually “The Cook & Bottle-Washer”) decided we should spend a week travelling by ferry from Athens to visit Santorini and Crete.  It would be remiss to leave Greece without visiting famous Knossos.  Think Minoans, Minotaur, Hercules and a little bit about Shirley Valentine. ; )   Hee hee hee!

Stage 2: Splash – Preveza; Greece to Croatia (2 weeks - May)

Daring to believe that WJ3 will NOT need repairs and perhaps the teensiest bit of maintenance this year, we plan to make Croatia soonest.  That should give us a good month or so floating round this interesting coastline, all the while dodging expensive marinas, large fleets of charterers and huge holiday camps of naturists. (Bribie, take note of possibilities!)  We shall report back. 

Stage 3: Croatia to Italy (5 weeks - June)

After all the swanning around in Croatia, we’ll take off for a week or two in Venice for a little intellectual stimulation (if we can manage it) and then take a slow-ish trip down Italy’s east coast calling in at a few marinas and docks.  The quest is two-fold - historic landmarks and Italian food.  Let’s hope the weather is kind, sunny and tranquil. 

Stage 4: Italy to Montenegro & Albania (3 weeks - July)

By now the Italians in their designer everything (including yachts) will be haunting Montenegro’s coastline.  This is the start of the silly season and rocketing prices, so we’ll dally for a week (if we’re socially acceptable) and then hit the road for another brief stopover in Albania to clear out of the EU’s fiscal clutches. 

Stage 5: Albania to Greece – Haulout (4 weeks - August)

August will see us getting ready to haul out – somewhere!  Not sure if we’ll return to Preveza or try to scamper on for a wet berth in Sicily. (Now that’s really living dangerously!).  As we have flights booked from Preveza though, I’m guessing the decision’s already been made.  I suspect GS & those sneaky donkeys have been working on a little plan together…. 

The Ride of the Valkyrs (1909) by John Charles Dollman (from Wiki)
The Valkries were also known to be Swan Maidens

Stage 6: Land Legs - Scandinavia (5 weeks – August - September)

The chances of us living long enough to ever “see it all” are diminishing by the year.  For this logical and very sane reason (not to mention those big North Seas – have you seen Trawler Men??) we are taking a land tour.  We’ve decided to SKI – not on long skinny planks wrecking elderly knees but rather reducing certain persons’ inheritance.  Hope they’re not reading this.  Anyway, our swan-song should be fun; 36 long days of togetherness and suitcase living, all in a cold climate.  Hmmm!

Brave Visitors: 

Keep in touch by email if you’d like to catch up with us.  GS will endeavour to keep WJ3’s Map and Tracker updated regularly so that you can see exactly where we are.  We will try to fit in with your plans but are sadly & strictly “regulated” by our 90 day visa.  This means we can’t wait anywhere for too long, or indeed change this itinerary too drastically.  Notes on what to bring (and what not to bring) can be found here on the updated Visitors Guide.  BYO black swan….