LIBRA

SAILING ADVENTURE
Truth, Beauty and Love
CROATIA · 2026
A small pine covered island ringed with turquoise shallows, from the air

The Adriatic from above, which is most of the argument.

This is an adventure.
Steve Zissou
DEPART
26 Sep
Saturday · Boarding, ACI Marina Split
RETURN
3 Oct
Saturday · Ashore by 9am
CREW
8
Four couples, Josh at the helm
NIGHTS
7
Aboard, under Libra

Everyone in Split by Thursday 24 September. We board on the Saturday, so that is two nights in the old town first.

THE SALTThe Adriatic carries about 38 grams of salt in a litre, against about 35 in the open ocean. You will float a little better than you are used to, and everything that goes in wants rinsing afterwards.

Best on a laptop, where the chart opens full width. Everything works on a phone.

HOW IT STARTED

Why Libra, why Croatia

It started at a party at Julia's house. We were deciding what to do for the annual Libra party, four of the five of us there being Libras, when Josh said we should go sailing in Croatia. We are all adventurous spirits, so we said yes.

None of us really thought it would happen. Josh, steady and determined, went on making the fantasy real anyway.

So, why Libra? Because Libras are cool. Why Croatia? Because Croatia is beautiful.

As Jennifer tells it

AND THE CREST

The stars. Libra, drawn at its true positions: Zubeneschamali at the top, Zubenelgenubi to the right, Zubenelakrab left, Brachium below, with υ and τ trailing. Vaga is Croatian for Libra, the scales.

The šahovnica. The red and white checkerboard from the Croatian coat of arms, five squares across, red in the top left corner as the state draws it.

The wind rose. Red points north. The longer diagonals mark the Maestral from the northwest and the Bura from the northeast, the two winds that will decide our days.

THE CREW

Born under the same sky

Four couples who have known each other long enough that the small talk was finished years ago.

Josh
Josh
CAPTAIN
Chelsea
Chelsea
FIRST MATE
Tim
Tim
CONFUSED POET
Jennifer
Jennifer
REGENERATOR
Julia
Julia
PSYCHIC
Craig
Craig
SEXOLOGIST
Melanie
Melanie
CRUISE DIRECTOR
Lawrence
Lawrence
DIRECTOR OF SHENANIGANS
CREW SHIRTS

Something to sail in

One shirt, sea salt. The crest and the wordmark on the chest, the roundel across the back. Tell Tim your size.

LIBRA Truth, Beauty and Love SAILING ADVENTURE
Front
TRUTH · BEAUTY · LOVE HRVATSKA · 2026
Back

Sea salt tee

180 mm FRONT · 250 mm BACK · Navy, red and gold

The crest and the wordmark on the chest, the roundel across the back. Navy, red and gold on sea salt.

LIBRA Truth, Beauty and Love SAILING ADVENTURE
Chest, 180 mm across
TRUTH · BEAUTY · LOVE HRVATSKA · 2026
Back, 250 mm across
SIZES

XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL

We are late, so this is the last call. Send Tim your size today and it makes the printer in time to be aboard. Anyone who does not is sailing in their own clothes, which is allowed but less fun.

BEFORE WE BOARD

Two nights in Split

We gather in the old town on Thursday and shake off the jet lag before Saturday’s check-in.

  1. THU 24 SEP Split, old town
    Arrivals through the day. Josh and Chelsea land around two, Melanie and Lawrence come in by train mid-morning. Melanie holds the rooms at Mediterra Residence, five minutes from Diocletian’s Palace, with kitchens for our own breakfasts.
  2. FRI 25 SEP Split
    A free day. The Palace, the Riva, and the Game of Thrones museum for those who need it. Dinner together.
  3. SAT 26 SEP ACI Marina Split
    Provisioning in the morning, the shops are a walk from the old town. Check in at the boat in the afternoon.

And at the other end: ashore by nine on Saturday 3 October. Josh and Chelsea fly out that day. The rest of us choose our own ending, another night in Split or Dubrovnik to the south.

THE CRUISING GROUND

Everything within a week of Split

One thing is settled: we go north to the Krka falls. The rest of the week is open, so the map shows everywhere on the shortlist below. Josh will draw the route once he knows what people want, and will adjust for the winds, the Maestral and the Bura.

15°45′E 16°00′E 16°15′E 16°30′E 16°45′E 17°00′E 17°15′E 42°45′N 43°00′N 43°15′N 43°30′N 43°45′N N ŠOLTA BRAČ HVAR VIS KORČULA PELJEŠAC HRVATSKA KRKA ŠIBENIK JADRANSKO MORE Blue Lagoon Blue Cave Stiniva Hvar Town Vis Town Komiža Stari Grad Bol Milna Maslinica Korčula Lastovo Trogir SkradinTHE FALLS SplitBASE 10 NAUTICAL MILES
Drag to see the whole chart.
  • Split, where we start and finish
  • The falls, the one thing settled
  • Harbours we could add
  • Swim stops and side trips
Coastlines generalised and no depths shown: this is a chart to read the possibilities from, not to navigate by. Split to Skradin is about 40 miles, Split to Lastovo about 60.
THE SHORTLIST

Where else we could go

Josh is building the week around what people actually want to see. The map shows every one of them. Tap your name first, then work down the list, and your picks show up in the tally underneath.

You are

  1. Hvar Town and the Pakleni Islands

    The classic first night. Anchor at Palmižana, then taxi boat into town for dinner. Strong swimming and the best restaurants of the week, Meneghello the standout.

  2. Vis Town

    The farthest and quietest of the big islands, closed to tourism for decades as a naval base. Deep sheltered harbour, and Roki's for peka if we book ahead.

  3. Komiža

    The fishing village on the far side of Vis, and the launch point for the Blue Cave. Go early, before the tour boats.

  4. Stari Grad

    A long fjord like bay on Hvar with the ancient field plain behind it. The calm alternative to Hvar Town.

  5. Bol

    Zlatni Rat on Brač, the famous horn of sand. The afternoon Maestral makes it a lively sail, and it is a short hop back to Split.

  6. Milna

    The safest all weather harbour on Brač. Good marina, low key village, an easy stopover night.

  7. Šolta, Maslinica or Stomorska

    The closest island to Split, so it works as a first night or a last. Maslinica has the castle hotel, Stomorska is a sleepy fishing harbour.

  8. Korčula Town

    The walled town they call a small Dubrovnik, with the Marco Polo story and excellent Pošip. About 40 miles from Hvar, so it costs the week one long passage.

  9. Lastovo

    Far out and inside a nature park. Almost no tourism, dark skies, superb anchorages. Only if the group wants remote over lively, and only if the weather plays along.

  10. Trogir

    The old town on its own islet, 15 miles west of Split. Worth a night at either end, with dinner inside the walls.

  11. Blue LagoonSWIM STOP

    Krknjaši bay near Trogir, shallow and sandy, which is what makes it that swimming pool turquoise. Busy in the middle of the day, lovely late afternoon.

  12. Blue Cave on BiševoSIDE TRIP

    The sea cave off Komiža, lit electric blue by sunlight coming up through an opening below the water. She cannot go in, so we take a small boat across. Needs calm seas and midday light.

  13. StinivaSWIM STOP

    A narrow rock gate on the south coast of Vis opening into a hidden pebble cove. Swimming in through the gate is the point.

Tap your name above, then work down the list.

THE BOAT

Home for the week

The saloon of Wind Seeker, table set, galley to starboard and the marina through the windows
The cockpit table under the bimini, where we will eat most nights Wind Seeker at her berth in Split, dinghy raised on the davits
BOW CABINBOW CABIN AFT CABINAFT CABIN HEADHEAD HEADHEAD TRAMPOLINEBEST SEAT SALOONAND GALLEYDEMOCRACY HELM COCKPITMONARCHY STEPS DOWNLAST IN BUYS THE BOWFOR AN HOUR ALONE
Four double cabins, one at each end of each hull, and a head off every one of them. Nobody queues and nobody shares. She is 11.7 metres by 6.8, and the drawing is close.
MODEL
Lagoon 40 catamaran, Wind Seeker
LENGTH
40 ft
CABINS
4 double
BASE
ACI Marina Split, Fairwind charter

Boat details at Fairwind

LIBRA SEASON23 SEP to 22 OCT

Libran birthdays

Craig 27 SEPABOARD
Chelsea 1 OCTABOARD
Julia 1 OCTABOARD
Jennifer 14 OCT

Cake is a shared responsibility. Candles are a fire hazard. Singing is mandatory.

WHAT TO PACK

Soft bags only

Usually about 23°C by day and 15°C at night, 74°F and 59°F, with rain on roughly one day in three. Averaged over 10 years for 26 September to 3 October, the exact dates we are there.

ON DECK
  • Headlamp, with spare AAA batteries
  • Sun hat, and a keeper for when the wind takes it
  • Polarized sunglasses, and a keeper
  • Prescription glasses
  • Light wool cap
  • Rain gear
  • Seasickness tablets
  • A sweater, fleece or light down
  • UV-protective long-sleeve shirt
  • Non-slip, non-scuff deck shoes
IN THE WATER
  • Three swimsuits, seven if you are Chelsea
  • Swim goggles, snorkel sets are available to rent
  • Water shoes or flip-flops
ASHORE
  • Clothes for town and port
  • European plug adapter, mostly for the hotel
  • Water bottle
  • Bathroom kit
  • Essential oils, to impress after a Navy shower
LEAVE BEHIND
  • Towels and bed linen. Both are aboard, so that is a duffle you do not have to fill
  • Hard shell roller bags, bring a soft duffle
  • Long showers, water on board is limited
  • Any expectation of a wall plug. There are none at sea, charging is by USB, so bring a power bank
  • Worry about seasickness, ask Josh directly about a prescription
  • The urge to be useful. Josh has the boat, Melanie has the rooms, you have a swimsuit.
STANDING ORDERS

Aboard Wind Seeker

Steve Zissou in a red cap and pale blue shirt, seated on deck, making a point
Bill Murray as Steve Zissou. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, 2004, Touchstone Pictures.
  1. The captain is Josh. On weather, anchorage and departure time, the captain is not taking questions.
  2. Anyone may propose a swim stop. Proposals are heard and are not binding. Nobody may propose a meeting.
  3. There is no processing before coffee. There is not a great deal of it after coffee either.
  4. Feelings are welcome aboard. They are not welcome at the helm during a docking.
  5. Libra is the sign of balance. The boat is not. Hold on to something.
  6. Music below decks is a democracy. Music on deck is a monarchy.
  7. If you want an hour to yourself, say so and take the bow. Nobody will take it personally. That is most of what this week is for.
  8. Everyone gets one long story about their twenties. Choose it carefully.
  9. Seasickness is not a character flaw. Bring the tablets anyway.
  10. Nobody talks about work, and that goes double for the ones who love their work.
  11. The shirts are not a uniform. They will nonetheless be worn.
  12. The last one in the water buys the first round ashore.
  13. In the event of a dispute, consult the chart. The chart is generalised and will not help.
Pele dos Santos in a red cap on the bow of the Belafonte, playing a guitar, open sea behind him
Seu Jorge as Pele dos Santos. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, 2004, Touchstone Pictures.
LISTENING

Music below decks is a democracy

Standing order six, with something to start it on. Send me what you want on the boat and it goes up here.

  1. The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions

    Seu Jorge

    David Bowie sung in Portuguese to an acoustic guitar, recorded for the Wes Anderson film. This page has been a Life Aquatic homage from the start, down to the colour called zissou and the cutaway deck plan, so it may as well have the soundtrack.

    Apple Music

THE LOG

The ship's log, kept by all of us

A captain's log for the whole crew. Every day gets a card, everybody writes on it, everybody reads it. Say where we were and what happened. By Saturday it is the story of the week, told by the eight people who were there.

How to write in the log from your phone
  1. Tap your name once. The page remembers it, here and on the picks.
  2. Find today. It is the card ruled in red, and it is the last one on the page.
  3. Where were we is optional. Start typing and it offers the places from the shortlist, or type anything over them.
  4. Write what happened, then tap Add to the log.
  • You can change or delete your own entry later. Tap Update mine, or clear the box and send it empty.
  • Missed a day? Older cards have an Add yours button that opens the box again.
  • Words you type are kept on your phone until they send, so a dead signal at anchor does not lose them.
  • Worth doing once: open the site, tap Share, then Add to Home Screen. It then opens like an app.
You are
  1. THU 24 SEP Split

    First ashore. What does Split look like after the flights?

    1. FRI 25 SEP Split

      A day before the boat. The old town, the cellars under the palace, or the first proper swim?

      1. SAT 26 SEP Aboard

        We take her over today, and the first night is probably Šolta or Milna. How does she feel?

        1. SUN 27 SEP At sea

          Craig has a birthday at sea, most likely off Hvar and the Pakleni islands. What happened?

          1. MON 28 SEP At sea

            Vis Town or Komiža if the wind allows. Where did we wake up, and where did we get to?

            1. TUE 29 SEP At sea

              Biševo and the Blue Cave, then Stiniva if we time it right. What did you see?

              1. WED 30 SEP At sea

                Lastovo is the one place the whole crew called a must. Did we make it, and was it worth the miles?

                1. THU 1 OCT At sea

                  Chelsea and Julia both have a birthday today, somewhere down near Korčula. How did we mark it?

                  1. FRI 2 OCT At sea

                    Turning for home by way of Stari Grad or Bol. What do you want to remember from this week?

                    1. SAT 3 OCT Split

                      Ashore in Split, or Trogir if we stopped on the way. What are you taking home?

                      GALLERY

                      Jadran

                      Jadran is what Croatians call the Adriatic. Jadransko more on the chart, Jadran at the table.

                      This is where our own pictures will land as we travel, for us and for the friends and family back home.

                      HOBOTNICA Octopus MORSKI KONJIC Seahorse ORADA Sea bream MEDUZA Jellyfish RAK Crab RAŽA Ray
                      THE JOURNAL

                      Pictures as we go

                      Anyone can add one from their phone. Pick your name, choose a picture, say what it was. It shows up here for everyone, and for the people at home.

                      How to add a picture from your phone
                      1. Tap your name in the row above.
                      2. Tap Choose a picture. Your phone offers the camera roll, or the camera if you want to take one now.
                      3. Say what it was in the box underneath. One line is plenty.
                      4. Tap Add to the journal. It appears here for everyone, including the people at home.
                      • One picture at a time. Do it again for the next one.
                      • Big photographs are shrunk on your phone before they are sent, so this works on a weak signal.
                      • This one needs a connection. If it will not send, try again when you have a bar.
                      You are

                        A turquoise anchorage with yachts and a wooden jetty A palm lined riva and harbour, old town rising behind A harbour town on the Adriatic, boats at their moorings Swimmers on a rock arch, a kayak pulled up on the rock below