The fifth day out was an easy day. A slow sail, a stop for a dip in the Adriatic and a light lunch. Plenty of time before docking. A mere three-and-a-half hours from our morning start.

As we sail into the marina of a quiet looking village, the search begins for our slot. We have arrived, yet the name of our docking is not to be found. A call is made to the harbormaster (how did one sail before cell phones?) to find our slip. We are here but the name is not in evidence. No surprise.

We are in the wrong port.

Not only are we in the wrong port, we are on the wrong side of the island. The right side is three hours away. That short sail doubles. It is not so easy to know where you are along the Dalmation coast. With over a thousand islands to choose from, being on the wrong side of one is not a surprise. That little mistake provided the perfect opportunity for sailing into the Croatian gem that is Korćula at the perfect golden hour. I am grateful for nautical miscalculations.

Upon our arrival, the harbor master did not look pleased as he tossed the line. Something wasn’t working so he decided to change locations for what might be an easier slip. Not being a sailor, the new location looked much more difficult to me as he positioned us next to a very small boat, about the size of our dinghy, with very nervous owners aboard. This was a little like a Hummer trying to park next to a Smart Car with the added factor of rocking in the water. After small bumps, several re-tossing of lines and disentanglement from our anxious neighbors, we just fit. With storms again predicted, we were unlikely slip mates. Yet again, small storm, a flash of rain and the small boat escaped unharmed. In a large storm, it would have been smashed between two boats like a fly.

Off the boat for a sunset tour of this beautiful little city, a lovely garden dinner and a little people-watching of the locals–who turned out to be tourists completely absorbed in the World Cup but that’s another story.