You might wonder how we choose our spots to stay for the night. Like this glorious cove, Tri Luka on the Kocula Island region, where we cooked a yummy dinner of chicken and rice. (A much needed break from fish, fish and more fish.)

Our evening destinations are quite fluid, and guided by Captain James’ intuition, which almost always finds us the perfect spot.

On the charts the black anchors represent anchorages, and the pink sailboats represent marinas, where there is usually mooring and restaurants and groceries.

Of course he takes into account the weather and prevailing winds, making sure we tuck into a cove or harbor that’s well protected and safe. And as he said yesterday, the safest and coziest harbors are usually the most beautiful and interesting. Its true.

We often swing into a cove or harbor and say nah, not feelin’ it, then find an ideal spot a little further on.

Here in the Croatian islands there are three ways to secure the boat for the night: docking, mooring or anchoring.

Last night, at Tri Luka, we anchored. We drop 3-4 times the length of chain for the depth. Here the depth is about 10 meters and we dropped 40 meters of chain. We also look for a sandy sea floor.

We have a windlass anchor that is electric and goes up and down with a remote control switch. I’m the one who lowers and raises the anchor, and since I’ve done it hundreds of times now over the past 2 years it is the one aspect of sailing in which I’ve become competent. (Let’s just say my knots still need a lot of work, and I’m only slightly helpful with the sails.)

Docking is a whole different scene here. In the US we dock in slips or side tie along a dock, with the dock separating the boats. Not so in Croatia and most of Europe.

Here we back the boat in to a slot and tie it off at the back and to a line that we grab from under the water at the bow, There is usually a strapping young man on the dock to whom we throw the line, and who guides us to secure the boat in this tight spot with boats lined up side to side. We always hope for good neighbors.

Finally mooring involves grabbing a mooring ball with a boat hook from the bow (while the captain maneuvers the boat as close as possible) then pulling it up to grab the mooring line. This line is tied to the boat with the other end usually attached to a big chunk of concrete that sits on the bottom of the harbor.

Sometimes you pay for mooring – other times, like our last stop on Hvar, they are owned by a restaurant and to moor you must eat there for dinner.

On Hvar we ate at Konoba Arsenol, a lovely spot overlooking the cove. The restaurant owner with her daughter and little dog greet the boats as they arrive to make plans for dinner, and then serves dinner later that evening.

Regardless of how we secure the boat, what matters most is having safe harbor. And for that I can count on my husband, always.