Our day in Split

We're off Canyoning this morning, or Extreme Canyoning I should say. The extreme part is the rappelling, the first rappel is 55m high (180 ft) and the second is 18m high. 

It was about an hour drive to the meeting location, we opted to go straight up to the town where the canyoning company is located instead of being picked up in Split for the tour. We drove up the coast for about half of the time and then cut inland to drive along the Cetina river and up to the top of the canyon to the meeting place. It was a gorgeous drive. 

Once we arrived and got all geared up - neoprene shorts under a neoprene suit with a neoprene jacket, a life jacket, helmet, a tarp material diaper to wear to protect the butt of the wetsuit, a second shoulder harness for the rappelling and optional to rent canyoning shoes for 5€ each (which were a must so that a) our shoes weren't soaked for the rest of our trip and b) have a nice hard sole for hiking over rocks but are light). They also had free running shoes you could borrow, which a group of 4 guys chose to do, but I bet they wished they had paid the 5€ each after the first descent into the canyon, which was about 15 minutes and 300ft over rocky terrain with chain link fences or ropes for safety. 

We are a group of 17 plus the 2 guides. About half of us are doing the extreme option while the other half are doing the regular canyoning, which means while we are rappelling they are hiking down the 55m to meet us at the bottom - I think we got the better end of that deal!

This canyoning is the most demanding that we have done (previous canyoning was in Sedona, AZ and in Scotland). Mostly we were hiking in the riverbed, there were a few small rapids you had to float through feet first, a few drops you had to jump from into the water and the two rappels. It was also a gorgeous, narrow canyon, about 50ft at the widest and ranged from 300-600ft high. 

The waterfall, where we did our first 55m rappel, is the half way mark in the 3km hike (90 minutes to get 1.5km will tell you the terrain). Jay and I were the first to get harnessed in and go over the edge. You were basically being lowered, not a true rappel, by the guide but just had to walk backwards down the cliff face. And the last 18 meters or so you were just suspended over the water until you were dropped into it. You just had to unclip your carabeener and send the rope back up for the next group. 

I stole some photos from online since I don't have any of our own. 

Once everyone rappelling got to the bottom and the group that had to hike down met us and we had a little break on the rocks. There was a place you could climb up to, maybe 10ft, and jump off into the water so some people climbed up and jumped into the pool of water. After one of the jumps someone lost the GoPro they had attached to their helmet. The mount was still there but the camera was gone. Jay tried to help the guide and the guy find the camera in the water but at one point it is so deep there would just be no way to find it. Apparently they had just bought it on this trip, so that sucks. 

After an hour more hiking we got to the second rappel site. When Jay got up to the front of the line he said "how high is this?"  18m (59ft). "Have you jumped from here?" Yes, I have. "Can I jump from here?"  Yes, how sure are you? The excited giggling and clapping answered that. lol. That made Jay's already great day even better. 

From there we had to just swim across a small lake at the base of another waterfall to get out of the water and hike about another 20 minutes and one river crossing to get to the van where we changed into our dry clothes and were driven back to our cars.  My legs are toast. 

We took the toll highway back to Split, about 25 mins, we got to the toll and couldn't figure out how to pay the toll when Mark said "there's a button there Jay maybe you hit that". The button with the sign under it that says in capital letters HIT THE BUTTON. We got a ticket and then you pay the toll when you get off at your exit, which makes sense. 

We all had a quick shower (because it's now almost 4pm) and went out for an early dinner. I did some research on restaurants because we wanted to have dinner back in the back small alleys in the old town online while the boys showered. 

We had an absolutely fantastic dinner at Augubio. We went because of the reviews on Tripadvisor and were not disappointed. 

It was originally a Nobleman's residence. There was a whole little story about it in the beginning of the menu. 

I started with a cold celery and truffle soup, Jay started wth gnocchi with an amazing almond pesto on it and Mark started with a salmon and avocado appetizer. The portions were very large. 

For dinner I had the caprese salad and a pasta with smoked ham and cheese inside. Both appetizers, but the portions were so big I should just have ordered the pasta. Both Mark and Jay had the lamb. The server recommended to pair it with the grilled vegetables so that's what Jay did, Mark had them with fries. It was all delicious!  Jay ordered a glass of Cab Sauv to have with his lamb and the server recommended he pair with a Syrah instead, so he did and said it was perfect. 

For dessert Jay ordered the cheesecake. He loved it so much he asked for a second piece and the server brought it out on the house!  It had a thick graham crust and a light cheesecake filling. It was amazing. 

Jay went to the chef to tell him it was one of the best meals he has ever had. Absolutely recommend this restaurant, even if the courtyard is empty, as it was when we arrived. 

After dinner Mark wanted to walk around (he hadn't had a chance to get his daily gelato). But I was so tired and my legs are killing me from hiking up and over boulders so Jay and I went back to the apartment. Half way there I said "do you think Mark will be able to find his way back on his own?".

I had another cool shower when I got back to the apartment because I was hot after the walk and then I wrote up yesterday's blog while Jay watched his iPad.  As soon as I finished I went to bed, it was about 10pm. At some point in the night it rained really hard and Jay closed the window. My legs are killing me.