The final day of our Dalmatian Coast voyage began at the charming island of Hvar, an island under Venetian influence from the 13th to 18th century. Despite significant swells as we entered the harbor, we managed to disembark and enjoy a walking tour of this beautiful town bearing the same name as the island. In the town’s architecture we encountered many versions of the winged lion of St. Mark, used by the Venetians as a propaganda tool throughout their maritime empire of the Adriatic and beyond. Highlights of our walking tour included St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where a practicing organist provided a soothing soundtrack to our tour, and the Franciscan monastery, which boasts one of the earliest depictions of the Last Supper including cutlery.
In the afternoon, the winds picked up significantly, and a storm system with gusts of up to 50 knots provided a lively experience on our last day aboard. The presentation on the Fourth Crusade, that in which the Venetians and crusaders sacked the Orthodox Christian city of Constantinople, was moved from the gusty Lido Deck down to the quiet safety of the ship’s lounge. Despite the movement of the sea, Sea Cloud performed well, while other ships caught in the gale were not so lucky. The evening captain’s farewell cocktail was also moved from the Lido down to the lounge, where we enjoyed a group viewing of the trip slideshow, compiled from photos submitted by guests. We then concluded our evening with another of Chef Daniel’s fantastic meals as we reminisced over our Dalmatian odyssey.
