Betina 2012 · Page 3

We already had a boat berth in the harbour, so we were quickly able to register the boat, launch it and make the first little trip. After the first outing, we saw to our amazement that our favourite spot right by the slipway was free. We quickly threw our things into the motorhome and moved.

Finally the first beach day, and our destination was of course the sandy bay near Murter. First we quickly refuelled the boat and then hurried to the bay. Well, "hurried" – many boaters had the same idea, so we had a little wait of an hour.

But then off to our favourite bay. We spent the whole day in the sun, sleeping, reading and swimming. Simply wonderful. As we have been coming to this campsite for several years, you get to know lots of people over the years, and so the boat tour group keeps getting bigger.

First observation: strangely, the evenings keep getting longer and the nights shorter :-)

In the afternoon our stomachs started rumbling and crying out for food, so we jumped into the boats and headed for Vrgada (about 12 km across the sea) and a little konoba serving delicious scampi. Most chose this tasty platter, and I went for something typically Croatian (frankfurters with chips and ketchup) :-D

Every morning we meet (the men from Wolfsburg and I) in Jezera for "men's coffee". From around 6.30 a.m. the first ones arrive, and we discuss the day: where we can go or what we can do. Today's destination was Pašman and a little bay for snorkelling. 10.30 a.m. meeting point at Plitka Vala harbour, and off we went. It's about 30 km from Murter to the bay. As boat speeds have been checked very strictly since this year (sometimes by helicopter), we increasingly went out of the island groups and across the open sea.

A little note on the rules on the water: there is a speed limit for all boats less than 300 metres from land – on both sides. Within 100 metres of land, only 5 knots, and so on.

As many channels between the islands are less than 600 metres wide, you have to go slowly here. In previous years this was also checked, but not with such great emphasis (helicopters and speedboats).

The sea was relatively calm, so we reached our destination very quickly. Our first snorkelling trip, and we were able to admire Croatia's wonderful underwater world. Then came the bora, meaning wind from the land. As it was rather unpleasant, we left the boat in the harbour, got on the scooter and went on a trip over land. Our first destination was Biograd and its lovely little lanes. Biograd lies between Murter and Zadar, about 35 km from our campsite. Especially when it's oppressively humid, the shady little lanes invite you to stroll and wander.

On the way back we made a short stop in Pirovac for an ice cream.

As every year, the Boote-Forum meetup takes place on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. in the Mali Luka bay. That day there were 9 of us. There was lots of talking, eating and of course drinking. We rounded off the evening with a barbecue together. The next day was devoted to preparing for our first overnight trip by boat: refuelling the boat, filling up the water for the shower, bringing bedding onto the boat and so on.

At 8.10 a.m. we set off with 3 boats for Dugi Otok. The route took us past Vrgada and Pašman, always heading north. As it was a bit windy, we chose the route along the inner side of Dugi Otok.

After about 95 km we reached the northernmost tip of the long island and went round the little cape onto the open sea, heading for a sunken wreck. A few kilometres off the coast we reached the wreck, but as the waves were already very high, we didn't go snorkelling – but postponed isn't abandoned...

For the night we headed for the "Caribbean bay" of Dugi Otok. The shape of the bay is reminiscent of an atoll, and it is very sheltered. We quickly found a restaurant with a jetty for the night, booked a table for 7 p.m. and went for a swim. After our swim we moored the boats at the jetty for the night (free if you eat at the restaurant).

The food is excellent and highly recommendable. The prices are normal and not inflated, and the toilets are very clean. On the menu we discovered the speciality: sea urchins. Our brave eaters were given a free tasting plate and were allowed to try these delicacies. No, we didn't try them – eating animals that are still moving isn't really our thing :-(

The sunset from the boat is simply glorious. After a lovely evening, our first night on the boat began – and what can I say, it wasn't great. We do have a cabin for 2 people, a toilet and a washbasin, but the mosquitoes were a nightmare. We couldn't get to sleep until 2.30 a.m., and at 5.30 a.m. my wife already said the night was over and I'd had enough sleep. At 7 a.m. we slowly set off towards Murter, with a short refuelling stop in Sali.

Behind the petrol station we were able to moor our boats in the harbour and have breakfast in the nearby restaurant: eggs with bacon, bread rolls, jam, honey, butter, coffee and orange juice, with doughnuts for dessert. Price per person 60 kuna (about 8 euros). Once our hunger was satisfied, next stop: a swimming bay and some rest – holidays are very tiring, after all.

There are also big inflatable boats with plenty of engine power.

Sunday morning: the sun was blazing, a light breeze – great boating weather. Our destination was the freshwater lake below the Krka waterfalls. After a wonderful trip through the Šibenik channel, we reached the lake, which had noticeably warmed up in the meantime. As we had reserved a table with Soran in Raslina for 1.30 p.m. (it has become a tradition), after a quick swim we set off again and stopped at Stara Raslina. As always, the food was simply superb.

After a hearty lunch, we quickly went back to the lake for a swim. On the way back through the channel we got to watch a bungee jumper. On the way back we were accompanied by 2 dolphins, which swam alongside our boat for several kilometres.

And the sun says good night. We used the next 4 days for snorkelling, swimming and relaxing, as temperatures were always over 40 degrees. Then the weather wasn't so nice – warm but very windy. So we spontaneously drove to Šibenik by car to go shopping. Šibenik with its many little lanes is simply beautiful. Little hidden shops invite you to explore and discover. Shopping success for the men = NOTHING; shopping success for the women = 7 pairs of shoes.

In the afternoon the restaurant in Raslina was our destination again. Because of the enormous heat, more fires could be seen in our area too. At the freshwater lake in Raslina we watched several firefighting planes refilling.

The next day there was a sailing regatta in Jezera. From the balcony of our friends' holiday flat we had a view over the whole harbour. If it had been a Formula 1 race instead of a regatta, and we had been in Monaco instead of Jezera, these would have been the most expensive seats.

Evening settles over the harbour.

At 5 a.m. we were woken by a quiet, unfamiliar sound. My wife got up, looked out of the window and saw it: rain. It rained softly and kept getting heavier. But the rain was over as quickly as it had started, so the private "street party" with punch and barbecue on the campsite could go ahead.

As always, even the best time comes to an end, and it was time to say goodbye for a few months.