All good things must come to an end. For Kora, that ending came as we pulled into Marina Bakar – a final resting place tucked against a backdrop that was equal parts industrial and coastal charm. Bakar itself is not the polished, tourist-heavy stop of Croatia’s better-known ports. Instead, it’s a small town where locals linger long into the night, gathered around waterside cafés and bars, chatting with friends and family as the lights flicker across the bay. A town that feels lived-in, not staged – and in that sense, it was the perfect place to bring our summer journey to a close.
With Kora’s tanks emptied and her bathrooms off-limits in preparation for winter, we traded life aboard for an Airbnb just a short 10-minute walk from the marina. Practical, yes, but also cozy, giving us a “home on land” while we packed, sorted, and stowed the gear that had carried us through another season.
Our first evening ashore was gentle: bags dropped, a waterside dinner savored, and Doug returning to Kora to wrestle with the lazarettes and anchor and fore lockers well into the night. For the uninitiated, these are storage areas on a boat: the lazarettes, hidden in the cockpit chairs, and the anchor and forelockers in the hull at the bow of the boat. Essentially, where boats hide all the unsung heroes of the voyage – ropes, fenders, lifejackets, fishing gear (for what that was worth!), exterior cleaning supplies, spare parts, our electrical cord for connecting to shore…. In short, everything you need but never want cluttering up the deck.)
The days that followed were a flurry of tasks mixed with small joys. Doug scrubbed fenders and decks while Mum and I tackled four mountainous loads of laundry – linens, towels, and every last sun-faded item of clothing of the summer. Four hours later, armed with fresh fabrics, we set out on a quest for desiccant at Bauhaus … Croatia’s answer to Home Depot/Bunnings. After two rounds of language-barrier charades pointing us to the needed items, a third staff member took pity and led us straight to the elusive treasure. Mission accomplished.
That night, the water once again drew us to its edge – this time for a seafood feast that was almost too decadent to believe. A platter piled with moist seabass, thick tuna steak, perfectly grilled squid, calamari, and škampi. The latter is a lobster-shrimp hybrid of sorts, fiddly to peel and not entirely worth the effort, though we laughed through the mess of it all.
Breakfasts weren’t to be outdone either – true to our summer of indulgence, there were omelets, an assortment of cheeses and meats, pancakes, and, yes, ice cream to start the day.
Lift-out day arrived with its own bit of drama. Geraldine and Ray had hoped to see Kora suspended high in the crane’s arms, but duty called in the form of flights to their next stop in Vienna. Cue Rebin – our ever-reliable rescuer – who offered his sleek Audi RS7 for Karen to whisk them off to Rijeka Airport in style. So after a emotional farewell, they climbed in their sleak ride for the 24-minute drive over to the island of Krk. Must say the ride in the RS7 was smooth as silk, if not quite at the 306 km/h Rebin once claimed on the German autobahn! Still, Mum & Dad left smiling, and in a car that turned just as many heads as Kora herself.
Here I must diverge a moment to note that having my parents here made this season all the more meaningful – their effort and dedication to join the journey reminded me how much love and support sails quietly alongside us. The time we shared on Kora will be treasured far beyond the miles we traveled, a collection of moments stitched into the fabric of our family story.
Back at the marina, Kora rose gracefully out of the water, cradled by steel and straps, before being wheeled into her winter berth. With that, exhaustion hit. We retreated to our Airbnb, picked up a pizza, and called it a night.
The final morning was bittersweet. We returned to Kora for the last time, sealing linens in vacuum bags, tucking away cushions, and scrubbing the galley until it gleamed. Bags were packed and zipped, lockers latched, and then, with one last climb down the ladder, we stepped away, grateful to have completed our tasks before the pending storm hit. Farewell, Kora. Sleep well. We’ll be back soon!
From here, we head to Zagreb – a few days to explore and to rest before flights home. But in our minds, the season isn’t really ending. Kora is safe in Bakar, awaiting her final winterization and a few minor fixes/upgrades. She will be polished, tuned, and ready when we return next May.
Another season behind us – filled with sunrises at anchor, family laughter echoing across the deck, swims in turquoise coves, and sails that carried us through history and horizon alike. So here’s to Kora, to this season’s adventures, and to the promise of the next. The journey doesn’t end in Bakar – it only pauses until next May!
