The Catamaran Adventures of Noel and Ceu

Life on Board Life Part 2

Current Location: Seget Donji, Trogir, Croatia
Current Position: 43 31 N 016 13.57 E Click to view map.
Distance sailed since last post: 62 nautical miles. View the map of our voyage track here

Hello! I’m Heidi, Noel’s mum and, together with my husband, Elmer, we are spending a week as guests of Noel & Ceu on board their luxurious catamaran. Elmer’s marquetry picture features on their salon table.

We are having a wonderful time. The boats is moored in the bay opposite the village of Seget Donji, close to Trogir, on the coast of Croatia. This is the fourth year that we have visited Noel and Ceu on their nautical home, every year a different place on the Mediterranean coast.

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But this time we are not in a marina, and we are not sleeping on board because of problems climbing up on beds etc due to diminished mobility and agility.

So our hosts have booked a well-furnished spacious apartment in the village, a few hundred meters from the beach. This is a large balcony overlooked by a colourful bougainvillea bush. The owners of the apartment regale us with tomatoes, plum, melons and other produce from their garden.

After breakfast on the terrace, Noel and Ceu pick us up, take us for a swim on the beach, and then in the dinghy to Life Part 2 at anchor.

We are getting quite nimble in getting in and out of the dinghy and on and off the yacht. With some help from Ceu and Noel – pulling and pushing us on board (me, especially).

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The day is spent cruising between the numerous islands – mostly uninhabited scrubland or forest, with remnants of ancient terraced cultivations. We stop for a swim from the boat, in transparent aquamarine water at +/-27 deg. C. The Med is very salty and there are few fish or other marine life to be seen when snorkeling. But there is plenty of seafood, fish, calamari etc, at the restaurants!

Back on board we wash off the salt with a lovely fresh water shower.

Of course, we must not forget to mention, the ‘heavenly’ meals prepared for us by Ceu. This lady is a whirlwind of activity. She is the embodiment of ‘multitasking’ – in addition to cooking and cleaning, she is the ideal ship mate. One day, Noel wanted to replace a wind vane at the top of the mast and Ceu had to winch him up and down. This is a task which takes considerable skill and physical strength. It also takes courage and skill for Noel to work in a sling at the top of a 60ft high mast.

DSCN7124-640(One day Heidi did make some German dessert: delicious schwentken knodel with the plums from the apartment’s garden. She doesn’t even know I took the picture!)

 

One day we rented a car and drove to see the UNESCO famous Krka Falls water garden. Even after our life-time of travels we have never seen anything as impressive as this series of step-wise waterfalls for which this park is renowned:

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One day we rented a car and drove to see the UNESCO famous Krka Falls water garden. Even after our life-time of travels we have never seen anything as impressive as this series of step-wise waterfalls for which this park is renowned.

The weather has been very changeable – apparently quite different from what a Croatian summer should offer. Some days it was hot and sunny. Other days cloudy and windy. We have had some spectacular thunderstorms at night – where we were dry and cozy in our apartment.

We really appreciate everything Noel and Ceu have done for us. Sometimes we are difficult guests, for which we apologize. Although we are respectively 85 and 82 years old, we look forward to more wonderful maritime holidays. We have always been boat people, since we owned a cruiser for the Dutch canals for five summers.

We sign off with many thanks and good wishes for future sailing adventures,

– Mum and Dad

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3 Responses to “Life on Board Life Part 2”

  • heidi swanson:

    Let us know whether you receive this comment. Mitzi and family are looking forward to their sailing experience. thanks again for everything.

  • Jessica:

    Photos look amazing! Glad you guys had a good time in Croatia!!

    And yes, mommy is certainly a multi-tasker, awesome cook and most helpful ship mate… I still cant believe she can winch him up that long mast! that is some serious strength! go mommy go.
    LOVE YOU GUYS
    xoxox,
    Honeydew#2

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