Bora

Last Sunday and Monday I was very ready to leave for Piran. Even worse, I actually set my alarm clock. Inmediately after waking up I heard a strong wind in the rig. It was beautiful sunny weather, but with strong winds. Force 7 with gusts of 8. Bora is a very local phenomenon, it is cold air, that rises behind the Alps to all of a sudden fall over the ridge. Of course I had read about this phenomenon, but I now realize it really happens during lovely sunny days. So I immediately changed my plans. Plan B. There is a bus connection to Piran. So I put on my "tourist" shoes en left towards Piran, Izola and Portoroz.

Piran

Upon arrival in Piran, I was very happy that I had not sailed to Piran. All the yachts and boats in the small harbour were rocking about. As you can see in the picture of Piran the waves on the right are mucht higher than the relatively quite area near the harbour (leftside of the picture). The next picture shows the force of the waves upon hitting the shore. This detail picture was taken just to right of the church. Giant waves!!!

Currently I'm still bearthed in Koper. As soon as I have received a very important letter from home, I will leave directly toward Croatia. I'm a bit sceptical to state when this wil be. In the mean while I am enjoying the sun, eating breakfast on deck, and just sleeping in.



This is why I'm cruising the Med

 

Panic in the restrooms

Since my arrival in Koper, construction workers have been renovating the restroom and shower facilities. They had started with the women's facilities. No problem what so ever, just stick a couple of pieces of paper on the doors and male restooms are now suitable for women. The Marina Staff was not very happy with this situation, but it was temporary, and what can you do? This morning the situation changed...... A little after 8 in the morning, a very reasonable time when you are on sabbatical leave, I walked to the restroom facilities to take a long shower. The constuction workers had taken a head start on breaking down the male facilities, even though the women's facilities were not finished jet!!!
With my hair in the very trendy "out of bed look" I walked over the the Marina Staff to ask were I could take a shower. Then there was panic. The Marina Staff put in every effort to solve the situation as quickly as possible. The construction workers were supposed to wait with the male showers untill the women's showers were finished. They only needed to finish a few small things, mount the doors, heat the water and.... Everything would be ready in 5 minutes the Marina Staff insured me, but the construction workers had to do the job. Looking at the constuction workers and their bodylanguage, I was pretty sure it would take quite some time longer. So I decided to walk back to the Madame Curie, to wait al little and enjoy breakfast in the mean time. The Marina staff was very busy, but the construction workers just continued with their job. Behind the very quickly installed door, and my towel on a piece of clean carpet, specifically put there for my clothes a had a wonderfull shower. During my shower the door to the shower area was kept closed, and all constuction work in the area were stopped. When I walked back to my boat the construction started again in the shower area.

Arrival in Koper

After a very stressful period the last couple of weeks I have finally arrived in Koper. Lovely weather, sunny, blue skies, en no wind. Madame Curie had no problems what so ever during transportation. This afternoon I have finished a few chores, and did a brave attempt to reorganise my boat. Because my hectic departure I had just thrown all my stuff on board. Hopefully the mast will be stepped tomorrow, and after that a few essentiel finishing touches and then.......finally a couple of nights of decent sleeping hours. And then my sabbatical can really start.


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