Day 6 – Sinj to Lumbarda: Korcula Island
Thursday September 9, 2010, 91 km (57 miles) – Total so far: 453 km (282 miles)
I woke at 6AM with plans to make the 10:15 ferry from Split to Korcula island. I made the most of the buffet breakfast and set off early for Split. The only way was the main road which soon turned into a busy dual-carriageway. It was only 36km to Split, 34km of cycling and 2km of walking through tunnels. With the speed of the cars/trucks entering them I decided to chicken out and walk the footpaths through them. The tunnels would have been grand except for the speed the cars were doing on this dual-carriageway.
As I got to the edge of Split, the road split into 3 and then 4 lanes. It was a bit chaotic but the only way into the town. I arrived in Split with plenty of time to spare before the ferry. After a while relaxing around the harbour I boarded the 10:15 ferry to Vela Luka on Korcula island. The ferry passed the islands of Hvar and Brac before landing on the west side of Korcula island nearly 3 hours later.
I got a quick lunch of lasagne in Vela Luka before setting off to cycle from the west end of the island to the east (Only 50km.) Mist had come down over the island so I didn’t get the great sea views this island is so famous for. This didn’t take away too much though as the scenery was still great.
Halfway across the island, above Smokvica, I met a German and Latvian pair cycling Eastern Europe. They recommended turning off the main road through the island and taking a lower route near the coast. This was a great choice and I was soon weaving my way along a quiet road cut into the cliffside.
Along here I met a Czech cyclist who was doing an organised tour of the Croatian islands using a boat for transport, meals and sleeping. We joined up for the next 10km to Korcula where we split and I cycled to the nearby Lumbarda. I found a small autocamp and set up my tent for the night.
Irregular Adventures 