No Saabs at the sea

The long awaited vacation is finally coming. There is a long overdue and urgent need for a week to bring the work and life into the right balance again. Together with a wish for refreshing my yachting skills, next weeks expectations are set. I'll spend it with a couple of friends on a charter yacht in Croatia.

My Saab will have a break for the week. Six people and two cars. To pack three adults for a week in a convertible is possible, but far from to be comfortable for an eight hour drive. A combi fits much better, so my company XC70 has to do the trip. I will miss my Saab.

This will be our Hanse 470, for me the longest boat ever rented. Also it should be a very good quality and well equipped boat. Let's see. A fair price in the late season made it attractive.

Marine weather forecasts as well as the standard ones are saying the same - a start with rain showers and later great conditions. The satellite images are showing the closest weather front 400 km to the north. In Croatia it sometimes happens, that the rain is at the land only while on the sea rules a great weather. The reason are the mountains along the coast. We've seen it in the past and I hope it will be the case again. It creates beautiful sunsets.

Wishful thinking, yes ... even while being rather relaxed yachting gurus, the plan B for more windy conditions is to make a ride with the boat. To go pretty straight against the wind and make the water sparkle. Our journey will start close to Split, heading southeast around probably the nicest and magic island of Hvar, continue south to the island Vis and back. To stay overnight on anchor away from crowded places until the water supply holds is the plan. Everything with a big respect to the sea.

There will be quiet on Saabism for a while. Most probably ...