Captain's Log. May 13, 2014 Somewhere off the Coast of Croatia Dalmatian Islands Crew: Tim Mercer (Skipper), Debbie Meade (First Mate), Colin Joyal (Cabin Boy), Rhian Christie (Chief Steward), Mira Mercer (Stoker), Shannon Mercer (Quarter Master), Kaya Joyal (Botanist) and Mhari Joyal (Surgeon). I was awoken at 2:30 am by the sound of the sloop's rudder thumping loudly against the limits of its radius. "Damn," I thought lying snug in my aft cabin bunk, "fo...

Plitvic Lakes National Park was on the original list of sites added to the UNESCO World Heritage register in 1979. It is easily the top tourist destination in Croatia, drawing more than a million people a year to the series of beautiful lakes, interconnected with incredible karst formations and cascades. I'd never heard of it until Deb insisted we spend a few days hiking here. What a find. If I had this trip to plan over again, I just might base it around the...

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dubrovnik is considered one of the best preserved medieval walled cities in the world. We arrived here late in the evening from Athens on a flight that is not listed on any web site we could find. Until our Turkish travel agent uncovered it for us, we were destined for a 20 hour ferry ride via Bari Italy. Sometimes experience does pay off! The main pedestrian avenue that runs through the centre of town is paved with smooth, polish...