Björn på tidningen Kulturen skriver om More Sailing

”I follow a week of sailing as arranged by Swedish More Sailing. Together with eight others on the quay in Maslinicia, north of Split, I pattern on one of the company’s sailboats: the white, 16 meter long” More 55 ”.

-Last year we sailed this boat across the Atlantic, says the skipper Fredrik Olsson, who lets me steer through the swells towards the island of Vis, while our hostess Bella prepares supper while the sun spreads its golden light over the sea and lures everyone out on deck.

We get to live two and two in small cabins. The atmosphere quickly becomes familiar. Anyone who wants to help during the sailing is welcome to chop in, but it is not a compulsion at all. Fredrik and Bella fix everything practical; the rest of us can indulge in just relaxing and enjoying.

– The business idea is ”Sailing trips for everyone”, Fredrik explains while I get to take over the wheel and at six knots speed steer towards a distant island.

– We want to remove the hassle that comes when renting a boat on your own. If you buy a sailing trip with us, you have paid for everything except the dinners.

In the mornings we wake up in quiet small harbors and have breakfast on the aft deck while the strong sun rises in a clear blue sky. Bella serves delicious breakfast buffets – and later in the day lunch is served in some bay where we anchor up and at the same time maybe take a bath. We eat dinners at various restaurants, near our mooring.

After four hours of day sailing, we reach the low, vast island of Vis, which for many years was a forbidden area for foreigners because there were military secrets. Today, more and more people are looking for this unexploited, far-out island. The town of Vis on the east side is one of the attractions, as are all the old-fashioned villages and fishing villages that also exist. In the south we visit Bay Stivina, a strangely located beach, which last year was named ”Best beach in Europe”. In a rubber dinghy, we pass between sky-high rock walls and then reach the half-hidden small beach, with round-cut stones and higher up an ancient stone house – which in this environment looks like painted by Vincent van Gogh.

It is a liberating feeling of freedom to roam between these often desolate islands; to enjoy an archipelago that still feels virginally liberated from mass tourism (apart from the most popular coastal cities). The water is crystal clear (as in Bohuslän fifty years ago) and often changes to turquoise shades.

At sea we meet a herd of dolphins. They tumble happily around the bow and cast curious glances at us standing there by the railing with raised cameras.

Among other highlights: the town of Hvar, located on an island of the same name and which is sometimes also called ”Lavender Island”. The west-facing beautiful small town (4,000 inhabitants) has previously been known as a place for celebrities but now attracts more and more people and has today become one of Croatia’s most popular tourist destinations.

Och inte att undra på: läget i den lilla bukten och med den väldiga fästningen högt ovanför, med milsvid utsikt över gyttret av stenhus med smala, skuggiga gränder, är alltigenom enastående och charmfaktorn hög. Under antiken grundade här grekerna staden Pharos.

Jag hyr en elmoped och far längs en strandpromenad där badstränder och hotell följs av hippa barer och enorma villor i gammal stil. Badar sedan i en vik nedanför en av de många kyrkorna, och medan klockklangen far ut över det stilla, varma vattnet blickar jag upp mot de medeltida stenhusen ovanför hamnområdet, där turistbåtarna ligger tätt intill varandra.

En annan charmig bekantskap är Unesco-skyddade staden Trogodir från 300-talet f. Kr. med en fantastiskt välbevarad stadskärna. Här kan man strosa runt i trånga gränder och nästan känna sig slungad tillbaka till medeltiden. Missa inte den dagliga grönsaksmarknaden, där traktens bönder saluför olivoljor, viner och färska grönsaker och frukter.

Moresailing erbjuder veckolånga segelturer perioden juni—oktober och allt ingår i priset, inklusive flyg t/r från Sverige.

Själv tycker Fredrik Olsson om att ta sina gäster långt ut i skärgården.

-Det är färre turister längre ut från kusten, dit inte så många kan ta sig. Man går iland vid någon liten restaurang, äter dagens fångst som just grillats…

If a group wants a special route, this can also usually be arranged. Maybe you agree to sail under the stars for a whole night and head into Dubrovnik in the morning – or you cross the Adriatic Sea and make a quick visit to Italy …

The possibilities are many – but whatever you choose for the type of sailing: getting to cruise around the Croatian archipelago is a unique experience, which gives more flavor. ”

Article written by journalist Björn Gustavsson