Day 114 – 26th August, Wednesday. Makarska South through Bosnia!

We decided to head off today and find another coastal camping area to do yet more snorkelling since the water is so calm and crystal without a strand of seaweed in sight. We consulted the map and discovered that there is a stretch of Bosnian road to go through before we get to Dubrovnik, where we hope to board a ferry to Igoumenitsa in Greece. Fingers crossed we have all the necessary paperwork to get us through the border and out the other side.

Day 113 – 25th August, Tuesday. Makarska.

Snorkelled pretty much all day from the beach. Plenty of sea urchins, small stripy fish, sea cucumbers and algae eaters.

Day 112 – 24th August, Monday. Biograd to Makarska.

We had to be out of the campsite early so spent the day driving from Biograd to Makarska via the Krka River (another national park), the Split ferry terminal (where the info desk told us no available ferries until Saturday) and the Cettina River near Kucice (where we toyed with the idea of going rafting but couldn’t find the booking office!). Eventually settled at a campsite on the beach south of Matarksa - shattered.

Day 111 – 23rd August, Sunday. Boat trip to the Kornati Islands.

We boarded the ‘Argonaut’ at 8:30am. The tourist guy who had sold us the trip told us breakfast would be included, so I was eager to get going and get fed, particularly as Ant had already had his breakfast before we left. We were set to travel around 300 or so islands, including those of the Kornati National Park, stopping twice throughout the day for free time to swim, snorkel and walk etc. We set off about 20 minutes later and cruised south down the coast to the sounds of tinkling Croatian music from the Captain’s speakers. Breakfast arrived in the form of a huge doorstep cheese and ham sandwich, but not before we were given a biscuit and a small shot of a homemade alcoholic appetiser (yes, for breakfast!!!!). It smelt like pure alcohol and reminded me of a time in Peru when I had collapsed due to altitude sickness and woke to the tour guide slapping neat alcohol on my face… so I decided to dunk the biscuit in and try it rather than take a sip. I’m glad I did, I think it stripped a couple of layers from my tongue and the inside of my mouth. Thankfully it had evaporated into vapours before it reached my throat.
Lunch was cooked on board; fried fish and pork with cabbage salad (we think), red wine, white wine and water. Simple, but very nice. Not an expensive day out (about £45 for the two of us, all food and wine included), but a long day and much of it spent on the boat looking out at the islands (which although beautiful and occasionally dotted with naked people, they do all look very similar after a while). Many other faster boats passed us and I guess they had longer at each stop than we did, but all in all a worthwhile trip.

Day 110 – 22nd August, Saturday. Biograd, Croatia.

We moved to another campsite in the town of Biograd so that we could walk to the dock to catch the boat trip in the morning. We figured Bee would be safer in a campsite than in a car park on the seafront; although theft doesn’t seem to be a problem here in Croatia at all. I spent the afternoon on a very crowded beach whilst Ant took the wiser, and less stressful, move of sitting by the van in the shade.