Intro: 400+ e-mails to greet me upon my return! Those plus the general workload delayed this run report. What a contrast to the DH3 Cruise 2005! So we can say in our 3^rd Hash Cruise we finally made it to the fascinating city of Dubrovnik at last. Those on board had to miss a few swims en route, but I think it was worth it! 

Fri 16^th Split & Run #17: The hares for this trail were Sinex and myself. The trail meandered from the Rail Station through the city into the Old Town. It must have been a reasonable trail because we managed to get almost all finishing together!

Sat 17^th Split & Run #18: The previous day we had discovered the location of MS Labrador, so it was an early arrival on Saturday morning for Queenfisher, Antibiotics and I. However, we were not the first, so it was immediately into Registration as the cleaners worked around us! The usual chaotic state existed as we dealt with payments, Registration and cabin allocation. I was really glad of assistance from The Bag! Eventually we finished and we could set off.

The first meal together was lunch. It was nice to see hashers getting reacquainted and meeting Cruise virgins. We have seen in the past that after only a couple of days on board hashers meld into the Dalmatian Hash, and this Cruise was no exception. The fist port of call was Bol, on the nearby island of Brac, and Condom Burster volunteered as he had local knowledge. It turned out to be a fast run that stretched the pack out, but it cleared away any stiffness…

The Hash Circle was set up by Hitman and the ‘Beer Bitches’ from RMBH3, and this became a recurring theme. As the storm clouds arrived we ended the first Circle – a noisy and busy one!

Sun 18^th Korcula & Run #19: Whilst the boat waited, for a spare slot in the main harbour, we went ashore on the other side, with everyone exploring this delightful walled town in hot sunshine. After a few hours the hares set off (Cliffbanger & Kingfisher representing Hastings and Chief Ironhead as technical adviser). We got back just in time to brief the pack, and Cliffbanger and I did the trail again, whilst Chief Ironhead bought wine and cups. The trail went along the coast, using clever back-checks and short-cuts to keep the pack together, before moving uphill on woodland tracks, to emerge at a viewpoint overlooking Korcula (that just happened to have an empty bar). This was our Wine Stop where we met up with Chief Ironhead to sample Croatian wine and admire the view.

Then it was downhill to the boat and the Hash Circle, which was another noisy affair, and obviously puzzled the passengers on other boats! By now, as you might imagine, the number recognised in the Circle, for one reason, or another was high! That night Finger In and his guitar entertained those who stayed on board. People from other boats even came over.

Mon 19^th Sipan & Run #20: Everyone present will remember the ‘table-hopping’ that evening on the grass in Sipan, and the cats fed by Thunderthighs from leftovers, but I must admit I struggled to remember the trail. Then I remembered the climb up from our mooring in a long line of hashers, and then the back-checks that kept frustrating us hashers near the front. Then there was Mad Cow’s look of glee as hare each time I past him catching up… (the other hares were Generator and Beastie Boy). We ran along a ridge above the harbour, finally descending to the waterfront by a hotel, and an On-In at sea level. The Hash Circle was fun and managed to get most standing there into the middle for something!

Tues 20^th Dubrovnik & Run #21: What a city for the Hash to come of age at 21 runs! First though, we had to get there, and we left Sipan early to get a good position at Dubrovnik’s new harbour. En route we visited Lopud, where most went ashore and explored. Queenfisher & I joined Beastie Boy and Beastiality (!) to make the tough climb to the ruined castle. From there we could see all of the island and also across into Dubrovnik.

When we arrived almost everyone set off to explore the old city, including the walls, in very hot conditions. The run started from within the walls at the ‘Mannekin Pis’ fountain, and the Frankfurt Hash put all their Germanic thoroughness to use as hares! The run actually started with a wine stop before covering about 50% of the steps and streets, including Fair Butt & Dancing Queen’s pizza stop, before exiting into a memorial park and yet another wine stop. Everyone knew this was a ‘A-to-B’ run back to the boat, but it was still tough for the pack!

I had failed miserably to get Antibiotics to take on any of the RA duties so far (and I know he is good) so I was glad to hand over the Hash Circle to Frankfurt Hash, who did a great job! It was held on board the boat and attracted much attention from passing tourists and locals! Highlights of the Circle were:

·         Goodbyes to Beastie Boy (who was sadly leaving to get back to work on time)

·         Hello to a backpacking hasher/ Meteorologist from Vancouver who was invited back (and then named by me ‘Weather Cock’)  

Weds 21^st Mljet & Run #22: We sailed away from Dubrovnik at breakfast, past the Carnival Cruise ship and the new suspension bridge, knowing we were now heading back… First island on the return leg was Mljet, a national park as well as an island, and we have loads of time to enjoy it as the run was not to be until the evening when dark. So after the evening meal we all gathered (some with torches, towels and insurance policies) for Zagreb Hash’s trail. Actually, there were two trails laid, one for the runners and one for the walkers. Both trails had back-checks and the long lines of walkers, staggering along with minimal moonlight and even less torchlight, were overtaken as they reached the wine stop. The same happened as we headed to the skinny dipping area and another wine stop. There, suddenly, there was enough light now to see the intrepid (?) skinny dippers, as cameras flashed (and so did Bushsquatter as she hunted her clothes)! Antibiotics was a more permanent casualty as he suffered a nasty foot injury, but I noted no vampire offered to suck the injury….

Then it was a gentle walk back to the boat and some more partying by the more energetic!

Thurs 22^nd Jelsa & Run #24: From Mljet we travelled along the long island called Hvar to the town of Jelsa, which turned out to be a better choice than Hvar Town. RMBH3 were to be our hosts on this run, and the hares set off in good time but it was not a good sign when they came back as we were die to leave... The problem was soon all to apparent, as the walkers split and moved onto the winery to await the runners, we headed away from the town for a long time before leaving the road for forest paths to cross over into the next valley. The pack was well separated by the time it got to the winery and looking for water mainly.

Antibiotics then became the pied piper of Jelsa when he led the combined groups back a different way, only to have the FRBs break away on a track only leading to the cemetery. Having gone so far they were reluctant to return and ended up working their way through scrubland and farmland to our route. It was after dark before we were back and a shorter Circle was needed. That did not stop RMH3 organising a Men v Women deckchair assembly race, or Dorothy Sorro being named ‘Beer Tray’. We also had Gnocci from Zagreb H3 visiting, as he was picking grapes nearby, and was very welcome.

Fri 23^rd Milna & Run #25: This was a delightful venue for our last trail, and Fair Butt & Dancing Queen volunteered to hare, with Wolf acting as technical consultant. The run was set for midday, so it had to be short because of the heat and also the late lunch, but that did not stop the hares from running us up and down every set of steps from the harbour they could find! Eventually we set off back along the ridge over the harbour, following the descending road and alleyways back to the boat.

The RA used the Hash Circle afterwards to recognise Dot (John E. Mail), an ex-Riyadh Megamob hasher, who interrupted his sailing holiday to run with us. Another highlight was the recognition shown to the 2 members of the MisManagement present for the work on the Cruise, and they were delighted to be presented with ‘Spoted Dog’ card wallets. [Thanks once again, mine is in use daily!]

After lunch we finally found time to en route to Split to stop, drop anchor, and go for a swim. Highlights were Krissy J Wax in armbands, Thunderthighs in the boat’s life preserver, and Havacock taking off her costume in the water and putting it back on without too much showing!  

As the sun set we arrived into Split and moored for the night. For some this meant another chance to go ashore and go clubbing; for others it meant shopping or eating ashore; but for many it was their last chance for a singsong. We persuaded Belly Button, before she left to go out on the town, to sing a few classic songs and some opera. Then she handed over to Finger In and the less able singers. We still enjoyed ourselves, despite the lack of talent!

Sat 24^th Split: Everyone was a little quieter at breakfast as goodbyes were made and hashers started to depart. However, by then we had agreed to do the impossible once more, and June 2007 will see the 4^th Dalmatian Hash Cruise become a reality. Upon behalf of Antibiotics, Blimey and Kingfisher, the MisManagement of DH3 Hash Cruise 2005 – many thanks for your help when offered and just for coming. It was good for us and hopefully good for you too!

We believe we nearly broke even in the end, so that was better than we originally feared. As ever, we have learnt from our mistakes, and this time we will do something about them! For instance:

·         A single payment instead of a deposit and final payment, to reduce bank charges

·         First paid, first allocated a cabin and that means from the top downwards on the boat

·         Less beer taken and wine provided as well

The draft plan for June 2007 is to return to smaller trips now we have visited Dubrovnik. That means more time for exploring when we land, more swimming en route, etc. I hope that there will still be time to meet those great Dalmatian girls too….