July 24th to August 6th

The next morning (July 24th) we had coffee on Icarus and then we had a mass
exodus to the town of Marina and into the Agana marina to hide from the Bora
(strong winds) that was coming. (the marina was about $35 per night
including water and electric, but the best deal was less than $300 for a
month and the wash was $3 per load)  There were about five American boats
the first day and then another 5 American and British boats came the next
day. Soooooo DOCK PARTY to celebrate the Bora!!!  The next day was a
festival and we had dinner and dancing right across from our boats.
Everyone got up to dance, even Rudy!!!!

The next day we cleaned the boat and did errands and then we invited
Dionysus (Sharon and John) and Soleil Sans Fins (Bill and Jean) to play
dominoes.  They enjoyed learning the game and the next day we taught Bonnie,
David (Icarus) and their son-in-law how to play.  A few hours later, Sharon,
John, Bill and Jean wanted to play again and we played a game and a half.4
more hours!!!   We all went out for pizza and to listen to the band.

The next morning, Rudy and I were seeing dots before our eyes.. we had to
stay away from dominoes for a day to rest them!!!  The Bora finally blew
out.soooooo DOCK PARTY to celebrate!! We invited the people from a mega
yacht to join us. The owners and the captain came to join us. Do you get the
feeling that it doesn't take too much to get cruisers to have a party of any
kind!!!  We are not complaining!!!

July 30th, we left Marina and went to Bobovisce on Brac.  It was a quiet
village in a valley.  The water was deep so we took a mooring for about $7.
We had a drink on the rooftop of a restaurant and got to our boat before it
rained.  The next day, as we were traveling to Stari Grad, the heavens
opened up again with thunder and lightning which came as close as half a
mile!!!  We stopped at Dugi Rat to get some shelter from the lightning and
then went across the bay to Stari Grad.  We anchored in the harbor, great
holding but a little tight far in, had dinner on board and ice cream in the
town.

The next morning August 1st, Jaclyn called with FANTASTIC news.  Her boy
friend Jason Long asked Jaclyn to marry him!!!  He left a note telling her
to meet him on the beach and lit the way with candles to a heart drawn in
the sand ringed by candles.  He was sitting there waiting for her.  He wrote
a poem and read it to her and then asked her to marry him!!!! Those
Californians do it right!! (except he was born in Minnesota!!)  Rudy and I
are thrilled and feel we are gaining a son not losing a daughter!!

After I announced the happy news on the cruisers net, we were off to the
island of Vis. We were the only boat anchored there for a while, but within
one hour eight more showed up and they all wanted to anchor on our anchor
line.  Rudy stood on the bow like a Roman warrior protecting our anchor and
boat from the predators.usually people that charter for a week once a year
do not have a clue!!!  They see our boat and know with all our "stuff" on
deck, we are liveaboards and think we know where the "only" good spot to
anchor is!!!  We draw these people like magnets!!!  Many times they are so
close to us, we can see into the cabins down below and can see what they are
eating, etc.  Rudy doesn't mind when there is a pretty naked woman on board,
but I have seen enough naked men in the past several months to last a
lifetime, believe me it is no big deal!!!

August 2nd found us traveling to four different areas before we stopped for
the night.  The first stop, Uvula Prihonja on Korcula had no swing room and
we would have to tie to the land from the stern.  The second, Uvula Lovisce
on Scedro, was a small area, busy and tight which meant tying to land again.
The third, Uvula Manastir, was the same as above.  We could tie to land, but
feel it is too much trouble for an overnight stop.  So we ended up in Kneza,
Korcula.  It was quiet, clear water, but poor holding.  Since there was no
wind, we stayed.  There were only two other sailboats in a very large bay.
We felt like the only ones there and so we went for a swim anatural!!  In
Rome do as the natives!!!

August 3rd, we went to Luka Polace on the island of Mljet.  Later that night
a dinghy pulled up next to us to collect 55kn per person to stay on several
of the bays on Mljet.    The next day we traveled to Dubrovnik and anchored
in the river just past the Dubrovnik marina.  Watch for low water!! There we
rafted next to Glenlyon and had delicious hamburgers (the best since the
states!!) and the banana nut bread I made that day.  After we were over-run
with mosquitoes, we went down below to play dominoes.  The fresh water in
the river was extremely cold coming directly from the mountains.  Rudy went
for a swim and after becoming a pretty shade of blue, got out of the water
to warm up!!  We are now at Cavtat on the south side of Dubrovnik waiting
for Ken (Rudy's brother) and his wife Chris who will be arriving tonight
(August 6th).