The Final Full Day

 June 6, 2025

Breakfast was at 7 am today. The time has been creeping earlier in the last few days, tied to the needs of the port. We had to be off the ship by 8:15 so that it could get out of the way so that Party Ship could leave and disturb another harbour somewhere. 

We rode some 18 km across Solta island to a gorgeous beach in the fishing (and tourist) village of Maslinica. There was a long climb to start, but it wasn’t steep, and, well, I didn’t really even get my heart rate up. The folks on regular bikes enjoyed the workout. Yep. Other than that hill, the ride took us through rolling, stony landscape with many olive groves (they call them “olive woods” here), and we skirted around a number of villages. There wasn’t much traffic, but what there was, was in a huge hurry to get somewhere. I’ve learned to leave a big gap between me and the next person in front, because I figure if a crazy driver was passing on a curve and encountered a vehicle coming the other way, they’d mow down a few cyclists rather than risk a head-on collision. I give them space to pull back into their own lane. 

E-bikers wait at the top of the hill for the real cyclists

At Maslinica, some people chose to swim, while others of us had coffee at a beach café. We have learned to order it extra hot, meaning almost warm. But delicious. I did get my toes wet, stepping off the rocky beach. I brought my flipflops for the purpose — you can’t walk barefoot on this stuff.

A beach to ourselves, at 9:30 am

Most Croatian beaches are made of this stuff. You can't walk barefoot here!

What a spot for a Café Latte!

Return to Stomorska. Our ship, the Mali Ante, is in the middle of the photo

Change the camera angle to see what the promo photos don't show: huts for the otherwise homeless

 

We rode back to our boat, and set sail to Split, visible across the strait from Stomorska.

 

Approaching Split. Those palm trees mark the Riva, the grand promenade

 

Lunch today was a special one, of course, being the last one. Our lunches before now were served on large, rectangular platters, delivered to each table of four. First course, some variation of salad, a charcuterie, pasta, or risotto, then second course, an artistically displayed platter of MEAT, veggies, and some form of starch if first course wasn’t pasta or risotto. That was followed by dessert, usually a concoction too sweet for me, but once we had a beautiful light pastry filled with blueberries and apples. 

Today was different. The platters, each with a different dish, were all laid out on the central island of the dining room, and it was like a reprisal of many of the things we’d had during the week. It was a brilliant idea, a change to remember all the flavours we’d enjoyed. It was, and has been all along, obvious that the chef loves to please people with food. He leans out the low window to his kitchen and watches us, every meal, with a smile on his face. 

What a spread!

Chef and souschef

Dessert today was panna cotta — I like that! — and that was followed by champagne for all, compliments of the crew. Lots of photos, lots of expressions of appreciation. Some threats of mutiny, because we figure we could overcome the captain and crew, and just keep this journey going. It can’t be that hard steer a huge boat into place in harbour, right? Without doing any damage? 

The final goodbye

Bettyanne, Carol, and I stepped out into the blazing sun of Split and wandered through Diocletian’s Palace, which we hadn’t really explored well on the previous pass through town. We mostly sought the narrow streets that offered shade, relief from the heat, and also relief from the crowds. It was a bit of a shock to be back in the melée. While tourists seem to have discovered all the crannies of Croatia, most of them swarm Dubrovnik and Split. We felt visible outside of these cities. Here, we became part of a seething mass.

The crowds huddle in the shade...

...but it's not hard to get away

So. Many. Boats.

This is how we line up in port. The pier is on the left. Our ship is 6th from the pier. We walk across 5 other boats to get to shore. Some ships are designed with central passageways for this purpose, while others, we had to wind around the bow or the back to get to the other side.

Another shot of the same lineup. The bikes had been dropped off at a different pier before docking here.

Every week, the bikes are taken off the ship to be serviced, and traded for new ones

Along the Riva, Split’s waterfront promenade, there are benches set under palm trees. Most are in the sun, but if you’re quick, you can snag one in the shade as someone vacates it. We managed that, and sat, watching people and boats and just passing the time. Then we went back to the boat to mingle, to rest, and to start packing up. One more night on the boat before we head our separate ways. 

The Canadian 8 decided on pizza for dinner. The Pender 3 shared two meat-free pizzas between us, the best of the two being one with truffles and pesto. It might be worth returning to Split one day, just for that pizza.

The Picasso Pizzeria, and demolished pizzas

The Pender 3 plus Jane went for a walk for a kilometre or two along the harbour. It was party city there, at all the cafés and bars, but it was cool, and the lights were dancing off the sea, and it felt good to just walk without destination in the cool evening air.

The Riva

Today's kitty, in Stomorska: