Lighthouse on Sušac

We woke up on Hvar, here, in our "room with a view".

🤣I should have taken a picture of our boat and car in this parking lot, where we spent the night! 🤣

We needed to get a boat permit this morning (each summer we're down here we have to do that), and get a bite to eat for breakfast, which we enjoyed on these steps in the narrow streets of Hvar Town, before putting our boat in to head out for vacation.

By noon we were on our way!

Since we bought our boat in the States in 2008 (that's quite a story! You can read about HERE), we've taken it on vacation each year.

In the beginning it was used for fun excursions with our three vacation families, as well as knee boarding and wake-boarding. But after our kids were off to college, Dave and I began using it as our "mobile home" for vacations. It's just big enough for us to sleep in it, as well as enjoy beautiful coves tucked away on islands in the Adriatic.

There's always a certain kind of joy to saying goodbye to even our beloved Hvar, and venturing out further for rest and refreshment.

A few years ago we discovered the island of Lastovo, about a two hour trip in our boat from Hvar. We love the quiet and virtual solitude we find out there.

But on our way there today, we decided to take a little detour to the island of Sušac.

It is uninhabited, except for a lighthouse with a keeper.

As we drove around the island, getting a view of that lighthouse, curiosity got the best of us!

Dave figured there must be a cove where the lighthouse keeper comes and goes from; and from where he picks up guests who come to stay in the rooms that are for rent there.

So we went in search of the cove to see if we could dock and walk up to the lighthouse.

A fishing boat was at the mouth of the cove, and an Italian family was actually moored at the little dock! We talked with them to ask if they'd been up to the lighthouse, to which they replied yes, and "The view is amazing! But be sure to take water! It's a hot hike."

We used the little fishing boat in between us to carefully pull up to the dock and moor. Then began our hike up to see the lighthouse.

Even just a little ways up the trail and the view was spectacular!

But as the Italians had warned, it was HOT with little shade as we hiked up.

A bench was conveniently located in the one spot where there were trees big enough to give shade. I was happy to take a break for a few minutes!

We continued our climb, and soon the lighthouse was in view.

As we walked up over the rocky path we kept saying to each other, "How does he get supplies up here? Or suitcases of guests who pay to stay at the lighthouse?"

Here's our answer!

Once we reached the lighthouse it gave an absolutely spectacular view down the island, and a 360 panorama around it.

I'd already read that the lighthouse was completed in 1879, but here was proof of what I'd read online!

From the other side, you could actually see all the way to Italy! But it was seriously so very hot that we didn't linger long, except for a few quick pictures.

The doors were open from both sides of the lighthouse building, so we walked through, peeking into the lighthouse keeper's office. Somehow it perfectly lived up to what I'd imagine it would look like!

We did meet the lighthouse keeper and...there's a reason he's there and not on the mainland. Let's just say he's not the friendliest sort and likes his privacy. 🤪

The hike back down was amazingly beautiful; I'm so glad we stopped to visit!

We motored over to Lastovo afterward, finding a cove to be in for the rest of the day, and then headed into the interior where's there a fully protected bay we like to spend the night in.

We arrived just as darkness descended, but that didn't stop us from having a late dinner under the stars, with the blue lights of our boat providing a beautiful ambiance to our first evening of vacation!

A few years ago our son, Caleb, suggested we use backpacker freeze dried meals to make food easy on the boat. It was a brilliant suggestion as all we have to do is heat up water. It makes meal prep and clean-up so easy!

We're so happy to be here and are praying for the Lord's restoration of our bodies and souls during these vacation days.