Get Ready, Get Set – Felix Arba Expedition begins today
A few days ago, Petra and I brought Vinka to Rab. It felt great to be back on the island, especially spending time with Jogi (pronounced YO-gi) and his family. We’ve been friends for at least 15 years, and like always, Jogi was there to help us get ready for the trip. His knowledge of these islands is hard to beat, and with his help, Vinka is ready for the adventure.
On our way north, we stopped on the island of Pag to visit Maša and our other friends. That’s one of my favorite parts of traveling by boat in Croatia — the friendships scattered across the islands. It feels good to sail from place to place and know you’ll see familiar faces and welcoming harbors along the way. Yesterday, we loaded up the boat and brought her to Jablanac, where our trip will officially begin.
We’ve had incredible support getting ready for this expedition. We received a warm welcome from the harbor master on Rab and they let us tie up in the old town. Also our friend Darko Sertić, owner of Hotel Ablana, has been one of our biggest sponsors. Darko is always ready to lend a hand, and having the support of local friends like him makes all the difference. Thanks to him, we’ve had a comfortable place to stay and organize the last details before the students arrive.
Speaking of the students — they’ll be here this afternoon. I’m a little nervous, I’ll admit. This is a whole new generation of students and leaders. Only Ivana has been on this trip before, but I know she’ll help everyone feel at home. The wind is picking up today, so it looks like the adventure will start with a good breeze.
Daniel will be joining us with his boat, *Spongola*. That’s also his nickname — *Spongola* means sponge in Latin, and he used to be a sponge farmer. His boat is a *Bracera*, another traditional Croatian sailing vessel. We’re all looking forward to the students arriving and the start of the Felix Arba Expedition. The adventure is just about to begin!