Mediterranean Adventure & Beyond - Croatia to the Virgin Islands

There's nothing quite like approaching a new town at dawn from the sea. First of all, you're so bloody grateful to see land again, hell, grateful just to be alive! This is a famous tourist place, & I can see why. The old captain was right, Mahon is not to be missed. Impressive cliffs, deep inlet & the palm trees & condos remind me of Florida's intra-coastal waterway. Some Sat. morning sailboats greet us at it's entrance, followed by a flotilla of Optimist dinghys tethered together & being towed by a Zodiac. We pass little coves filled with moored sailboats & as we pull into the fuel dock we have to spin a few circles to avoid ramming into a kayak race. More kids jousting for position, a couple capsizing, & lots of cajoling & cackling. I love this family oriented place. We just miss the marina office closing, so we dock ourselves & try to figure out how to pass through the locked dock gate. Some older guys come marching down the dock carrying a plywood dinghy & we both think, "there's no way they're all going fishing together in THAT thing." Turns out they were setting a course for their America's Cup remote control model boat racing. There's racing for all ages here! We ask about the office being closed & one of them replies, "So, it's free then!" Terrific. Only how to get in & out? We discuss the merits of a short dinghy ride, but then think we have to worry about the dingy. Instead we rig a lanyard on the handle of the gate. What a larcenous bunch we've become.
I can see why this is a favourite summer resort, it's charming, & the people are so friendly, even in winter. Too bad we have to leave Mon. morning before dawn. Before the marina office opens, heh, heh, heh. As it turns out, the sea had other plans, after beating our brains out in the waves against the wind, we turn around, 10 miles into our 100 mile crossing to Mallorca. Our jib halyard also snapped, another reason to turn around. Luckily the sail was still wrapped around the stay. So here we are, nonchalantly sailing back into the marina, pretending we are just arriving. Pretty clever, eh? This time we were greeted by the manager. He gives us the full treatment, & I'm waiting for Serge's guilt or big mouth to give us away. He keeps it together. The bathrooms & showers are in a portable again, but the ladies room does not lock, it doesn't even close properly, there is a "modesty" fence with ivy but the steps up to the bathroom put you in full view of a busy road. And it's cold. I have to be careful how I bend down to dry my legs, or there may be a major accident. Later, to get an internet connection when the office is closed, we pile into the men's room w/our electronic devices, only to discover that there are quite a few boaters in the marina, they all have to use the ladies. HA, maybe someone will complain about the lack of privacy.
Getting & staying connected has been a major problem. We find the store for another 3g card for the iPad, only Serge has forgotten his passport again, a recurring theme. When we start back to get it, I ask him, "Where's the computer?" He gives me this blank look, & figures he put it down at the 3g store. Holy shite, we tear back to the store, uphill several blocks on cobblestones, the terrible consequences running through our heads. He looks on the floor, it's GONE! Some grampa is taking pictures of some customers w/the people behind the counter, it feels like we're interrupting a family gathering, but when we ask about the computer, the clerk points to it on a counter, WHEW! What a bunch of honest folks here, in fact, maybe they are all related.

We had a terrific dinner at a waterfront restaurant, with amazing choices like, "Stuffed foie crocante of hazelnuts landfill of "ointment","Sirloin of veal w/soft cream of potato violet, air of his bones, and truffle" or "Broad beans & peas w/false ink of trumpet of death" You get feckin' Irish poetry on the menu! Not to mention caramel of scum for dessert! Too bad there was no room for the Eatable Gin Tonic.