The weather forecast for the next few days is not appealing. One version that we saw had winds of force 11 some miles to the south of us later in the week. Although today is fine and dry there is also a fair amount of rain over the next few days. We anticipate that this forecast will make all of the boats scurry for shelter, and so we decided to make our move early, to ensure that we were somewhere sheltered, and with the possibility of getting ashore for supplies and entertainment. So we have contacted the marina in Pula again, and reserved a space for the coming days. It would be great to stay longer in Rovinj or further north, but there are not sufficiently secure places available. So today we slipped away from the buoy early to hopefully get the best of the breeze.
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| The approach to Pula allows you to pass either side of an island, but the shorter route passes between these pairs of buoys, indicating shallows |
There was little wind in the bay, but once outside we had a very good wind, albeit a little inconsistent in both direction and strength. It kept us on our toes while we sailed, but it was very pleasant and we had another boat ahead to chase, while always makes it more fun.
All too soon, we were arriving back at the entrance to Pula. This, as we have said before is a huge bay with various inlets. It is protected by a very low sea wall. When we have approached it has always been partially underwater, and only identifiable by large blocks in places along its length. two of these seem to indicate a gap in the sea wall which we have seen small boats using, but we will not be trying to go this way.
As we started the couple of miles up towards Pula, we saw another boat behind and had a discussion about whether it was a fishing boat or a naval vessel. Eventually it got close enough for us to make out a gun on the foredeck, and unless they were fishermen planning to shoot the fish, we decided that this was conclusive evidence that it was the navy.
We berthed in Pula and had time to start some of the chores necessary after you have been away from land for a few days.
In the evening, we sat on the foredeck, with our sundowner drinks, while actually watching the sun go down. During this we spotted something appearing out of the water in the harbour. It seemed to be about the size of a human head and it disappeared and reappeared several time. My first thought was that it might be a scuba diver, but its movement and the timing of is reappearances made this seem unlikely. We also discounted the idea that it was a dolphin as its movement and shape were all wrong. Eventually it moved further and further away and we lost sight of it. Later when we returned from our evening gelato run, we chatted with one of the marinaros and told him what we had seen. We said that it looked like a seal, but we did not think that there were seals in the Mediterranean. He said that it was possibly a Mediterranean seal, they do exist but are rare. Our subsequent research on the internet tells us that there are probably less than 700 in the world. There have been sightings in the harbour here before, but they are sufficiently rare for it to make the local newspapers when they are confirmed. We should have got a picture, but think it was too far away and we did not have a camera to hand. If we could have proved what we had seen, we could have become local celebrities!
Miles Today - 27
Miles 2022 – 1209
Steve (and Tricia)
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