Korcula Island - Mjlet National Park

Korcula Island - Mjlet National Park (10/19)

Once again my day was framed by ferries.

This morning I took the ferry from Korcula to Mjlet Island so that I could walk in Mjlet National Park.

My impression of national parks is totally dominated by my experience with those in the US. The US this is not! There are villages scattered throughout the island and a hotel is within a short walking distance of the ferry landing; I saw several people roll their suitcases off the ferry and into the hotel.

But the park does have trails. They are not USA-type trails, but what I've come to experience in Croatia: stony and signed only with the red and white dots or strips that I've seen before.

Mjlet Island doesn't have many high places but, if the trails are any indication, it has plenty of rolling hills. The Mediterranean scrub brush covers much of the island so the long views are even more precious as they're spaced out more. The upper ridges have groves of Aleppo Pines, some of which are quite big.

I saw no other walkers except on the shores of a small lake when I was nearing the end of my walk. There were a couple of guys doing some kind of maintenance near the point that I started my return. They had fallen a number of trees across the trail and I was forced out into the brush to bypass them.

Ouch!

There's some kind of thorny vine that I encountered that really sticks and doesn't tear loose easily. I was forced to awkwardly stand on them and back out of their prickly embrace. Well, that's Mediterranean underbrush for you.

The morning dew was heavy on everything when I started out. This made the stones in the path very slippery. It took me a while to get the hang of them and I was extra careful with my foot placement after that. Can't be too careful when you're all alone.

I had lunch on a lovely set of limestone slabs that angled down to the mirror-like water of a small bay. Off to my left was a set of 3 small islands. Peaceful, quiet, and puffy white clouds billowed up on the horizon. I thought back to my week of swimming in the Adriatic and considered stripping down for a dip. This thought was driven from my mind as a breeze sprang up and I realized that I'd have to dry out using the breeze only while sitting in the shade. So, I just savored the view.

As he sun was starting to kiss the western horizon I walked back into Pomena ahead of the time I needed to catch the ferry back to Korcula. I found a spot on a shady pier, watched the fish, and nibbled some food while a band set up at the other end of the waterfront promenade. Without direct sun the temperature dropped so I wandered back to the other end of the promenade to catch a last few rays before my boat arrived.

Then it was back on the ferry for the 30 minute ride to Korcula. Tomorrow I leave the islands and my walking trip when I travel to Dubrovnik for my last few days here before meeting up with Janet in Madrid.

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