Getting out of the Turkish heat: Vienna and the South Tyrol

The small alpine village of Valbrunna in the South Tyrol region of Italy
The small alpine village of Valbruna in the South Tyrol region of Italy

We took the train from Salzburg to Vienna on August 1 and took up residence in the lovely apartment of Peter, Alexandra, and Finn of “Risho Maru.”  It was very hot almost the whole time we were in Vienna but we still loved it, as we did last year.  It got so hot after some days — with a forecast of 100 degrees Fahrenheit– that we looked for some place to cool off.  I followed the railway track south from Vienna on Google Maps and then searched on-line for a place in the Dolomite Mountains of the Alps easily accessible by train.  Everything seemed to be booked but finally we found a room for 3 days with a family in a converted farm house in a small town just in the northeast corner of Italy just 5 miles from the Austrian border and 5 miles from the Slovenian border.  They even agreed to pick us up from the train station.

There are only a few photos of Vienna below as we posted many last year.  We were lucky enough to have our good friends from Rhode Island, Shelley Roth and her sons Spencer and Jeremy, visit for an afternoon.

 

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Spencer, Shelley, and Jeremy seated at Figlmuller's waiting for their famous schnitzel.
Spencer, Shelley, and Jeremy seated at Figlmuller’s waiting for their famous schnitzel.
Posing in front of the Spanish Riding School located between Michaelerplatz and Josefsplatz near the Hofburg in central Vienna.
Posing in front of the Spanish Riding School located between Michaelerplatz and Josefsplatz near the Hofburg in central Vienna.
View from our front door in Valbrunna, Italy
View from our front door in Valbruna, Italy
Dolomites near Valbrunna
Dolomites near Valbruna
Dolomites near Valbrunna
Dolomites near Valbruna
A selfie
A selfie in Italy
We loved the exhibit at the Museum Hundertwasser located at the Kunsthaus Wien
We loved the exhibit at the Museum Hundertwasser located at the Kunsthaus Wien
Memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust who lived in this Vienna apartment building
Sidewalk memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust who lived in this Vienna apartment building

Getting out of the Turkish heat: First to Austria

Dachstein Mountains rise steeply over Gosau Lake, Austria
Dachstein Mountains rise steeply over Gosau Lake, Austria

By late July, it gets very hot in southern Turkey.  So, like last year, we flew off to Austria (on July 24) to see our sailing friends from “Risho Maru” and then house sit their flat in Vienna while they are off sailing.  This time we flew to Salzberg and drove in our rental car to the Salzkammergut, the lake region to the east of Salzberg.  Peter, Alexandra, and Finn of Risho Maru stayed in Peter’s sisters house in Mondsee, the town made famous in the movie “Sound of Music.”  We could not find a place to stay nearby, and took a chance on a newly listed AirBnB flat in Traunkirchen, on lake Traunsee, a 45 minute drive away.  It turned out to be a wonderful experience.  We had a great weekend with the Risho Maru’s exploring Mondsee and Bad Ischl, and hiking around Wolfgangsee and Traunsee.  And the flat on Lake Traunsee was spectacular and came with wonderful hosts.  We spent an additional week exploring Salzkammergut after our friends returned to Vienna, packed up their car, and drove to their boat in Italy.  Below, are some of the photos from our 9 days in Salzkammergut.  Tomorrow, we will post photos from Vienna, the South Tyrol, and southwestern France.

Finn, Peter, Laura, and Alex pose in Gmuden at the northern end of Lake Traunsee
Finn, Peter, Laura, and Alex pose in Gmuden at the northern end of Lake Traunsee
View out from the front door of our place (Villa Otterstein) on Lake Traunsee
View out from the front door of our place (Villa Otterstein) on Lake Traunsee
Our AirBnB hosts with their daughter who was visiting for the weekend.  They lived upstairs in the two story villa and invited us for breakfast, supper, and a band concert.
Our AirBnB hosts with their daughter who was visiting for the weekend. They lived upstairs in the two story villa and invited us for breakfast, supper, and a band concert.
View looking southeast from our flat on Lake Traunsee.
View looking southeast from our flat on Lake Traunsee at sunset.
The church in Mondsee where Captain von Trapp and Maria were married.
The church in Mondsee where Captain von Trapp and Maria were married.
Laura holds up a dirndl in Bad Ischl.  Local women  wore these.  The men wore liederhosen.
Laura holds up a dirndl in Bad Ischl. Local women wore these. The men wore liederhosen.
Hallstat on the Hallstatter See.  Site of the famous 2800 years old salt mines that gave Salzberg and Salzkammergut their names.
Hallstat on the Hallstatter See. Site of the famous 2800 years old salt mines that gave Salzberg and Salzkammergut their names.
On the way up to Gosausee.
On the way up to Gosausee.
At the top of the Dachstein mountains overlooking Gosausee (Lake Gosau).
At the top of the Dachstein mountains overlooking Gosausee (Lake Gosau).
Dachstein's near Gosausee.
Dachstein’s near Gosausee.
Lake Gosau (Gosausee) with the Dachstein Glacier in the distance.
Lake Gosau (Gosausee) with the Dachstein Glacier in the distance.
Gosausee
Gosausee
Gosausee
Gosausee
List of those murdered at Ebensee Concentration Camp at the southern end of Traunsee.
List of those murdered at Ebensee Concentration Camp at the southern end of Traunsee.
Remembrances at the Ebensee Concentration Camp.  Both Jews and non-Jews slaved here digging tunnels to produce V2 rockets at the end of the war.
Remembrances at the Ebensee Concentration Camp. Both Jews and non-Jews slaved here digging tunnels to produce V2 rockets at the end of the war.
Before leaving for Austria in July, we rented a car and drove to the mountain village of Gombe, just one hour away from Kas.  We had pre-ordered the lamb special which was eaten on a pavilion over a brook carrying snow melt.  Followed by a nap.
Before leaving for Austria in July, we rented a car and drove to the mountain village of Gombe, just one hour away from Kas,. We had pre-ordered the lamb special which was eaten on a platform. The private platform sat over a fast-moving stream carrying snow melt. The meal was followed by a nap, watermelon, and coffee.
Mark at Gombe, Turkey.
Mark at Gombe, Turkey.

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Amorgos

 

The monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa
The Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa

We left Antiparos heading for Denousa Island on June 12 when the wind switched around to the southwest.  As we headed around the southern end of Naxos Island, we saw that it was calm and beautiful in Ormos Kalando, so we pulled in a dropped anchor, figuring that we could get to Denousa the next day.  The next day the wind blew so strongly that we could neither leave the boat nor head out to sea.  After a day, the conditions were good for leaving Kalando but the wind was too much on the nose for sailing to Denousa, we deviated to Kalotyri Bay in Amorgos Island.

We spent 3 very enjoyable days at Amorgos Island.  We wanted to rent a car and see the island but that appeared to be difficult to arrange since there was no town where we anchored, and our mobile phone had had an unfortunate bath in the toilet that rendered it inoperable.  However, I discovered Evdokia Car Rental with a Google search and a couple of emails latter, they delivered a fine little car to the beach (Ayios Pavlos) at Kalotyri Bay for their standard rate of 30 euros a day.

Amorgos island’s coastline is almost completely characterized by high, steep cliffs.  There is a spectacular new road (thank you EU) along the west coast of the island that connects Aegialis in the north to the highland Chora and the ferry town of Katapola.  It is only 5 miles as the crow flies to Katapola but more than 20 miles of hairpin turns to drive there.  The highlight was the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa.  One drives to a small parking lot on the east coast below the Chora and hikes up to this very small monastery clinging precariously on the cliff side, built to protect a religious icon, dating from the year 812, from intruders.

From Amorgos we did a 31 hour passage direct to Kastellorizo (Megisti), the easternmost Greek island that lies only 3 miles from our marina at KaÅŸ, Turkey, where we checked out of Greece.  By moving quickly we took advantage of an excellent weather window at the start of a meltemi (period of strong northwesterly winds) plus saved some of our limited European (“Schengen”) visa days for further adventures.  We are now back in our berth at the KaÅŸ Marina.

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Laura must wear a dress over her Capri pants in order to enter the monastery
Laura must wear a dress over her Capri pants in order to enter the monastery.  I had to put pants over my shorts,  We were served a glass of mastica liquor at the top.

The monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, from the trail (looking up)

The monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, from the trail (looking up)

The monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, from the trail (looking up)
The monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, from the trail (looking up)
Looking downn from the trail to the monastery
Looking down from the monastery trail
Amorgos coast
Amorgos coast
Amorgos coast
Amorgos coast
Small hotel in Katapola, Amorgos
Small hotel in Katapola, Amorgos
Amorgos coast
Amorgos coast
Kalotyri Bay (Amorgos) with Nikouria Island in the background.  You can see Sabbatical III at anchor if you look closely.
Kalotyri Bay (Amorgos) with Nikouria Island in the background.
Aigialis town (Amorgos)
Aigialis town (Amorgos)
Fishing boat at Aigialis (Amorgos)
Fishing boat at Aigialis (Amorgos)
Giorgio and Pantelis -- friendly waiters at Captain Pepinos Taverna in St. Georges, Antiparos
Giorgio and Pantelis — friendly waiters at Captain Pepinos Taverna in St. Georges, Antiparos
Despotiko anchorage bounded by Despotiko Island in the distance and  St. Georges, Antiparos in the foreground
“Despotiko anchorage” bounded by Despotiko Island in the distance and St. Georges, Antiparos in the foreground
Flat stones make up the beach at St. Georges, Antiparos
Flat stones make up the beach at St. Georges, Antiparos
View from St. Georges, Antiparos
View from St. Georges, Antiparos
Rock formation that looks like the head of a turtle, Livadi Cove, Despotiko
Rock formation that looks like the head of a turtle, Livadi Cove, Despotiko
Livadi Cove, Despotiko Island
Sabbatical III anchored at Livadi Cove, Despotiko Island

Sifnos and back to Antiparos

Church in front of Kastro, Sifnos

We sailed from Antiparos to the bay at Vathi on the island of Sifnos where were hiked and explored for five days.  We took advantage of the great bus service on the island.  From Sifnos we returned to the bay between Antiparos and Despotika island.   The wind was perfect for sailing in both directions.

View of Kastro on the hike from Apollonia.
On the hike to Kastro from Apollonia.

 

Apollonia, Sifnos

On the hike to Kastro from Apollonia.

 

On the hike to Kastro from Apollonia.
Antiparos

 

Antiparos

Antiparos 

Mackerel and octopus at Captain Pepino’s Taverna, Antiparos

Sotiris carries Mackeral and octopus at Captain Pepino’s Taverna, AntiparosM.

Paros and Antiparos with Cathy and Brock

All of us at the highland vilage of Lefkes on Paros Island, Greece
All of us at the highland village of Lefkes on Paros Island, Greece

We had a great time with Laura’s sister Cathy and her husband Brock who spent five days on Sabbatical III.  We met them at the ferry dock in Paroikia (Parikia), Paros Island on May 31 and took them to Sabbatical III via rental car to the Monastery at Ioaunnou Bay, and from there by dinghy to our boat in the bay.  We walked the beautiful hiking trails above the bay — climbing to the highest point to get sweeping vistas toward Mykonos.  The next day we drove around the island, with long walks around Naoussa and the highland town of Lefkes.

Cathy and Laura on Paros Island
Cathy and Laura on Paros Island
Lighthouse at northwest tip of Paros Island
Lighthouse at northwest tip of Paros Island viewed from the hiking trail
View of the anchorage at Ioannou Bay with the town of Naoussa in the background (Paros)
View of the anchorage at Ioannou Bay with the town of Naoussa in the background (Paros)
Hiking train above Ioannou Bay (Paros)
Hiking trail above Ioannou Bay (Paros)

 

Tenderizing the days catch of octopus and squid, Paros
Tenderizing the days catch of octopus and squid, Paros
Duck guards her eggs, Naoussa harbor, Paros
Duck guards her eggs, Naoussa harbor, Paros

Naoussa Harbor, Paros

Naoussa Harbor, Paros

 

On June 2 we sailed from northern Paros to St. Georges Bay in Antiparos Island, a distance of 28 nautical miles.  The wind and sea was up, and the first 45 minutes heading north out of Paros was quite uncomfortable.  When we turned downwind in the wide channel separating Paros and Naxos, we had a much smoother, and fast, sail.  The highlights of Antiparos that we experienced were it’s famous cave, the charming town of Antiparos, and the nearby uninhabited island of Despotiko.  Laura and I visited Despotiko Island two years ago and all we saw were goats and a fenced in area that was clearly an archaic ruin.  This time, there was a large team of Greek, Italian, and American archaeologists and their students hard at work restoring the site.  The lead American took the time to explain the history of the site and then we spent time chatting with the American students.

Church, St. Georges, Antiparos Island
Church, St. Georges, Antiparos Island
Laura and Cathy, St. Georges, Antiparos Island
Laura and Cathy, St. Georges, Antiparos Island

 

Fishing skiff, St. Georges, Antiparos Island
Fishing skiff, St. Georges, Antiparos Island
Grilled whole squid, Captain Pepino's Taverna, St. Georges, Antiparos Island
Grilled whole squid, Captain Pepino’s Taverna, St. Georges, Antiparos Island
Garlic seller visits Captain Pepino's Taverna, St. Georges, Antiparos Island
Garlic seller visits Captain Pepino’s Taverna, St. Georges, Antiparos Island
Archaeological dig at Temple to Apollo, Despotiko Island (adjacent to Antiparos)
Archaeological dig at Temple to Apollo, Despotiko Island (adjacent to Antiparos)
Cathy, Brock, and Laura pose with American students working at the Temple to Apollo dig on Despotiko Island
Cathy, Brock, and Laura pose with American students working at the Temple to Apollo dig on Despotiko Island
Laura and Cathy on Despotika Island
Laura and Cathy on Despotika Island
Full moon over Antiparos
Full moon over Antiparos.  Watching the moon rise was a highlight of every night Cathy and Brock were with us.

 

Inside the "Cave of Antiparos"
Inside the “Cave of Antiparos”
High winds and seas cancels the ferry from Antiparos to Paroikia, Paros that Cathy and Brock planned to take
High winds and seas cancels the ferry from Antiparos to Paroikia, Paros that Cathy and Brock planned to take.  They were able to get on another ferry (to Pounda) and then a bus to Paroikia.

M.

 

 

 

Cyclades

 

Wildflowers in Kythnos
Wildflowers in Kythnos

We spent two nights anchored at Rinia Island after our passage across the Aegean from the Dodecanese Islands to the Cyclades Islands.  We hoped to visit Mykonos but the southerly did not quit so we went to Finikas (Foinikas) on Syros (Siros) Island.  A good anchorage but not a charming town.  We took the bus across the island to the main city of Ermoupolis in order to get SIMs for our internet devices and phone from Vodafone.  Ermoupolis is a beautiful town and we enjoyed walking around and climbing to the highest hill to visit one of the cathedrals.

View of Ermopolis, Syros Island
View of Ermoupolis, Syros Island

We sailed to Kythnos Island on May 19th, anchoring in Ayios Stefanos on the east coast.  We spent one week here two years ago and loved the place.  Then and now, we ate one meal a day at the one taverna in this small hamlet.  Two years ago we established a warm relationship with Flora, one of the family proprietors of the taverna.  This year, Flora was with away so that her daughter could go to school.  Her brother Antony and his wife Magdelena were there, and, of course, the parents.  Antony’s mother cooked and Magdelena served, and most days we were the only customers.  The spring rains brought wildflowers to the hills that rise up steeply from this bay, and we had some wonderful walks.

Antony's parents, Antony, Magdelena, and Laura
Antony’s parents, Antony, Magdelena, and Laura
View from above Ayios Stefanos (Kythnos)
View from above Ayios Stefanos (Kythnos)

We joined Antony and Magdelena in their pickup truck as they went to feed and water the “lambs”, goats, and chickens at three different locations on the island.  They dropped us off at the chora,  the charming highland town that is the urban center of the island.  There we found some working internet at a cafe, lunch, plus some small stores.

Laura and Magdelena in the back seat of the pickup truck with Boo-Boo the dog in the truck bed
Laura and Magdelena in the back seat of the pickup truck with Boo-Boo the dog in the truck bed
The private road to their lambs is narrow, deeply rutted, and is precariouslu cut into the mountain side.
The private road to their lambs is narrow, deeply rutted, and precariously cut into the mountain side.
"Lambs" jostle for feed after Antony fills the trough
“Lambs” jostle for feed after Antony fills the trough
The lambs all have a hole in their ear and have two legs tied together with rope
The lambs all have a hole in their ear and have two legs tied together with rope
Legs tied
Legs tied
View of the lamb shelter and pasture from above
View of the lamb shelter and pasture from above
Lunch in the chora (Kythnos)
Lunch in the chora (Kythnos)
Antony waters the goats
Antony waters the goats
Laura picks wild thyme
Laura picks wild fennel
View of church from hhike above Ayios Stefanos (Kythnos)
View of church from hike above Ayios Stefanos (Kythnos)
House in chora, Kythnos
House in chora, Kythnos
Small church on tiny island in front of Ayios Stefanos, Kythnos
Small church on tiny island in front of Ayios Stefanos, Kythnos
Small church on tiny island in front of Ayios Stefanos, Kythnos
Small church on tiny island in front of Ayios Stefanos, Kythnos
Reading email at cafe, chora, Kythnos
Reading email at cafe, chora, Kythnos

We are now anchored at Nousssa, Paros Island.  More on that later.

 

M.

 

Mersincik to Leros and many stops in between

View from "Mikro Horio" on Agathonisi Island, Greece
View from “Mikro Horio” on Agathonisi Island, Greece
Agathonisi to Leros in the Dodecanese islands of Greece
Agathonisi to Leros in the Dodecanese islands of Greece:  A – Agathonisi, B – Arki, C – Kusadasi, D – Pythagoreon, E – Lipsi, F – Leros

We are way behind on our blog, so I will go through the highlights quickly and try to catch up.  We left Keçi Bükü (Turkey) on April 28 heading for Agathonisi Island (Greece) in strong southerlies.  That night, we stopped in Mersincik bay, at the far end of the long peninsula on which Datca is located.  Just as we were entering the bay the wind increased to 35 knots with higher gusts and we could see whitecaps even inside the bay.  But it was late and there seemed to be no alternatives nearby so we entered and anchored with some difficulty.  In the middle of the night the wind switched to east and I sat anchor watch for a couple of hours.  The wind moderated by morning and we headed for Agathonisi, just a few hours away. We have already written about the Syrian refugees arriving in Agathonisi.   As the temperatures were cool, we did a lot of walking in the hills, and enjoyed a few excellent meals at George’s Taverna.

View from Mikro Horio (hilltop village), Agathonisi
View from Mikro Horio (hilltop village), Agathonisi
View from Mikro Horio (hilltop village), Agathonisi
View from Mikro Horio (hilltop village), Agathonisi
Tiny chapel in the Mikro Horio of Agathonisi was religious paintings and icons including the rare Our Lady in the Sunglasses
Tiny chapel in the Mikro Horio of Agathonisi has religious paintings and icons including the rare Our Lady in the Sunglasses

We left Agathonisi on May 3 intending to sail to the marina at KuÅŸadası to officially clear out of Turkey, but observing an island 10 miles to the west, we changed our minds.  The island is Arki (Arkoi) and we spent a delightful two days there.  We picked up a mooring in narrow Port Stretto where we had less than a foot of water under our keel.  Next to us on the only other usable mooring was the British boat “Wight Egret” with David and Beverly aboard, who quickly became our friends.  The mooring belonged to the Apolafsi Restaurant, where we dined twice.  We walked into town (Port Augusta) every day to drink coffee and use the internet.

Port Stretto, Arki Island (Greece)
Port Stretto, Arki Island (Greece)
Walking path, Arki Island
Walking path, Arki Island
On the walking path, Arki Island
On the walking path, Arki Island
Stone walls topped with thorn bushes traverse Arki Island
Stone walls topped with thorn bushes traverse Arki Island
At the southeast corner of Arki Island
At the southeast corner of Arki Island

On May 5, we sailed from Arki Island to the Setur Marina in KuÅŸadası, Turkey.  In the windy strait between Samos Island and Turkey (Mycale Strait), the glass cover on the vanity smashed and bits of glass fell into the toilet and stuck in the toilet pump.  That, along with an erratic engine thermostat, gave me some more things to do in the marina.  Two days in KuÅŸadası were enough to provision the boat, fix the toilet and thermostat, and get officially cleared out of Turkey.  On May 7, we sailed to Pythagorion (named after their most famous son, Pythagoras) on the south coast of Samos Island in order to officially clear into Greece.  Even though the Samos Marina knew we were coming, there was much confusion when we arrived.  Inside the tight confines of the marina, with 25 knots of wind, the lone “marinaro” (“boat boy”) changed his mind twice on where we should tie up.  Laura was running over the deck moving fenders and lines while I struggled to control the boat until we tied side-to on a concrete dock.   The next day we rented a car and drove to Vathi in order to get SIMs for our mobile phone, USB modem, and iPad, and then drove around the island.

Thanks to this sign I avoided taking the shortcut across the marina in my rental car.
Thanks to this sign I avoided taking the shortcut across the marina in my rental car.
View from Manolates, Samos Island
View from Manolates, Samos Island
View from Manolates, Samos Island
View from Manolates, Samos Island
View from Manolates, Samos Island
View from Manolates, Samos Island

We sailed from Pythagorion, Samos to Lipso (Lipsi) Island on May 11, anchoring off of the beach at Katsidia at the sparsely populated southern end of the island.  We had been told that Delilah’s Taverna on the beach was excellent.  Unfortunately, it was closed for renovation.  The day after we arrived, we walked 35 minutes to Lipsi town up and down a steep road and had lunch at the Kalypso Restaurant.  We dawdled over ice coffee waiting to see if it would rain but finally decided it would not and walked on the town quay to see the sail boats tied up there.  Just as it started to pour, we came about “Wight Egret” whom we met in Arki the week before.  David and Beverly invited us aboard to get shelter from the rain which soon turned into successive waves of thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds.  After two hours on “Wight Egret” there was no end to the rain in sight and it was getting dark.  We found the island’s only taxi driver and he took us to Katsadia with our iPads protected by an umbrella borrowed from “Wight Egret”.

Sabbatical III at Katsidia, Lipsi Island
Sabbatical III at Katsidia, Lipsi Island
Sabbatical III at Katsidia, Lipsi Island
Sabbatical III at Katsidia, Lipsi Island
Church, Lipsi Island
Church, Lipsi Island
Laura overlooking Lipsi town
Laura overlooking Lipsi town
Lipsi Island
Lipsi Island
Lipsi Island
Lipsi Island

On May 14 we sailed from Lipsi Island to Blefouti (Plakouti) in northern Leros Island in order to get protection from the approaching southerlies.  On the way, we anchored off of uninhabited Arkhangelos Island for a swim.  On the sail over, we caught up with “Wight Egret” and we anchored together in a small cove at the western end of the island.  Everyone swam but me — the water is still too cold for my taste, although the day was delightfully warm.  Laura could not speak for the first minute after she got in, but then got used to the temperature.  “Wight Egret” had lunch on Sabbatical III and then headed for Lakki, while we went on to Blefouti.  We had a nice walk around the bay.  Unfortunately, the one taverna at Blefouti had not opened for the season yet and we were left to have scrambled eggs for supper.  The next morning (yesterday, May 15), we left Blefouti at 6 am to sail across to the western side of the Aegean, ending up in Rinia Island (just west of Mykonos) after a 13 hour sail in a decent southerly with a tiring steep chop.  Today we are just resting.

M.

David and Beverly of "Wight Egret" at lunch on Sabbatical III at Arkhangelos Island
David and Beverly of “Wight Egret” at lunch on Sabbatical III at Arkhangelos Island
View from Blefouti (Leros Island) towards Lipsi Island
View from Blefouti (Leros Island) towards Lipsi Island
Donkey grazes at Blefouti (Leros Island)
Donkey grazes at Blefouti (Leros Island)

Coming ashore in Agathonisi

Rescued Syrian refugees depart Agathonisi on Coast Guard cutter. Sabbatical III in foreground.
Rescued Syrian refugees depart Agathonisi on Coast Guard cutter.

There were Syrian refugees in the tiny Greek town of St. George’s on AgathonisiIsland where we spent the last few days.  They show up every night here, arriving on large inflatable rafts, from somewhere on the Turkish coast.   Let me describe the town and the setting.  The bay in Agathonisi is very small.  There is room for 2 or maybe three boats to anchor and some additional room at the town quay for another 3 boats to Med moor to shore.  There is a very large concrete dock that pretty much takes over the entire eastern side of the bay. We think it was built to accommodate the ferries that come in a few times a week to deliver goods or people to the island.   Most of the time the islander’s fishing boats tie up next to it until the ferry arrives, and then they move off to accommodate the larger boat’s needs.   There are only seven or eight commercial establishments in town, all facing the little bay: two tavernas, a snack/coffee shop, two tiny grocery stores and a couple of homes offering rooms to rent. There might be a couple hundred year round residents on the island.   There is also a small rocky beach in the bay that the local kids and occasional tourist go for a swim.   


We pulled into the bay on Wednesday, the 29th of April, at about six pm, and were pleased to find ourselves one of only two visiting boats in the anchorage.    From the anchorage you are only 50 feet from the stores and tavernas and we could see the locals going about their business as usual… painting new signs for the little general store, the local policeman washing his car, a few moms with baby carriages pushing their kids down the sidewalk.   We also noticed a large group of men sitting in the opening of a building that seemed to be a community center, just 50 feet up the hill from the main street.  We assumed it was some type of party. 


The next morning when we looked out, we saw that there were even a larger group of people gathered on the patio of the community center, and also about 30 men sleeping, or sitting in small groups, on the large concrete dock near us. Most were dressed in blue jeans, and jackets.  Most had back-packs.   Still totally not cognizant of what was going on, we decided they must be day-laborers brought to the island to do some work.   But, it didn’t take too much longer for us to realize that they were refugees.  There is a small army presence on the island and before long some official looking Greek men started organizing the men on the dock into small groups, and had them line up.  A small chartered ferry soon arrived and part of the group of the men climbed on-board and were ferried away.  The remaining men that were on the dock were loaded onto the deck of a Greek Coast Guard cutter An hour later we saw a larger group of people start to come down from the community center.  It was mostly men, but also a few women and children.  The women were dressed conservatively, with headscarves and long skirts.   All of these people were lined up in groups and quietly waited for the next bigger ferry to arrive and take them away.  


Community center with waiting refugees
Two inflatable boats that brought refugees to Agathonisi one night

  

In the meantime, there was no sign of unease among the Greeks onshore.  Kids continued to ride their bikes around, some young women were sun-bathing on the beach, and the townspeople continued their local business, most of them scooting in and out of town on motor-cycles.  The small fishing boats came and went on the docks as well.


We went onshore and spoke to the woman who runs the small grocery store to ask about what was going on.  She told us that the refugees arrive almost nightly. She guessed there might have been 500 or more this year. They come in large (but not large enough) inflatable boats (see photo).  A Greek coast guard cutter is positioned a few miles off-shore (see photo) and she said it has become almost a daily occurrence that one or more groups of these immigrants show up in the middle of the night on Agathonisi. There they await transfer (usually within a day) to the larger island of Samos, and then on to Athens and ultimately elsewhere in Europe. This is undoubtedly happening on all of the Greek islands that are close to Turkey. 

She said that these people tended to have some resources… many had cash andpurchased food in the store, and as far as she could tell us, they had paid fairly significant amounts of money to get on the boats that took them from Turkey to Greece (which meant they now would have access to other EU countries). 


For the day or so that they are on Agathonisi they must stay in the little community center. There they are provided with food and drink. We walked by the center a few times and although we didn’t want to “spy”, we couldn’t help trying to see what was going on.  The women and children looked healthy and even smiled and waved at us.  The men were very quiet.  Since these were the ones who have “made it”, I am guessing that despite their travails and uncertain future, they might have been feeling quite a bit of relief of having made it safely to the EU. 


Syrian refugees walk from the dock to the visitor center.
Greek naval vessel on patrol off Agathonisi. Turkey is in the background.

On our third night in Agathonisi we were awakened at 3:00 am by cries coming from close by.   We looked out and saw a Coast Guard boat positioned near the concrete dock.  Behind it was an inflatable dinghy sitting low in the water with what looked like about 20 people onboard.  Another 20 people had already jumped or fallen out of the dinghy, into the very cold water, and were frantically trying to swim to the tall concrete dock while calling out loudly in Arabic. Women were screaming. It looked like the people in the water did not really know how to swim, and besides it was dark, and the water was cold, and they were trying to maintain their backpacks.  It was also clear, however, that the Coast Guard was not about to let anyone die, and those in the water made it up onto the dock within a few minutes.  The only words we could make out were “English?” and “baby!”, which was pretty heart-stopping. The others, who had remained in the inflatable had an easier time as they were pulled right alongside the Coast guard boat and were helped onboard and then they were able to walk onto the dock without getting wet.  All had life jackets.   There was a full moon so it was quite easy to see what was happening, plus we were anchored quite close by.   We still can’t understand how they get from Turkey (11 miles away) to this little island on those inflatables.  We don’t think there was even an engine on them and 11 miles is a huge distance at sea in an overloaded inflatable raft.   Perhaps they set out from Turkey on a larger boat and then they get dropped off once they are in sight of Greek land and/or a Coast Guard ship.   It is hard to understand and extremely disturbing to witness.  


The group was led off to the community center and the next morning we saw them all sitting in the warm sun, hopefully somewhat rested and rehydrated.   We took a walk to the local dumpster to drop off some trash and found all of the large trash containers filled to overflowing with the discarded life-jackets of the refugees.  They must be throwing out hundreds and hundreds of these.  The inflatable dinghies get punctured (probably by the Coast Guard), their plywood bottoms removed, and then these also get trashed.  It’s a lot for a small island to absorb.   


We left Agathonisi on Sunday, and headed to the nearby island of Arki which is not getting any of the refugees.  It is another 10 miles further from the Turkish coast which probably explains the difference.


All is well on board Sabbatical III.  We are safe and well and have to say that we are having an interesting year. 

L.


The small settlement of St. George on Agathonisi Island, Greece


Orhaniye in Bee Season

View in the Orhaniye valley
View in the Orhaniye valley

We are still anchored in Keçi Bükü, a bay at the head of the Gulf of Hisaronu. As it is early in the season, we are still the only cruising sailboat anchored in the bay. One other boat, a large motoryacht, is anchored a few hundred meters away from us. There are lots of sailboats tied up to the small quays on the southern side of the bay, but most are still being stored there for the winter and are unoccupied.

A few days ago, the wind finally eased and we took our dinghy to shore to check out what the area has to offer. There are small hotels and restaurants on the southern shore but none have opened for the season except for one restaurant. On the northwest side of the bay, near its mouth, is the upscale Marti Marina and Hotel. Two kilometers in from the southern shore is the little agricultural village of Orhaniye. It is set in the middle of a valley cut by two streams and surrounded by steep rock cliffs on three sides, and Keçi Bükü bay on the other side. As one climbs up the four kilometer long valley it narrows so that it is just a hundred meters wide at its narrowest, and only one kilometer wide where it comes down to the water. The air is filled with pollen from the flowers of orange, lemon and other fruit trees, and from fields thick with wild flowers and honeysuckle, and groves of pine trees below the cliffs.

Blossoms
Blossoms
Flowers
Flowers
Flowers
Flowers

The bloom of flowers makes the air intensely sweet everywhere in the valley. The pollen is so thick that it even covers the boat with a substantial layer of fine pollen powder even though we are well out in the bay. Every day we wash off an accumulation of pollen from our solar panels in order to get the most energy from the sun. Last night it rained and in the morning the whole boat was streaked with red-orange pollen. It is not surprising that the main agricultural pursuit of the season is beekeeping. Every orange tree hums with the hundreds of bees gathering pollen from its flowers. Shake the tree even lightly and the hum turns into an angry drone. A walk in the wildflowers brings up little clouds of bees. These are domesticated bees, not wild bees, so the risk of bee bite is low. There are blue wooden boxes with bee hives everywhere. Not all of the bees make it back to the hive every night. When we take the dinghy back to our boat just before sunset in the evening chill (less than 60 degrees F), the bay is marred by bees doing a death dance on the water’s surface. Some of them fall onto the boat – twirling on the deck and unable to fly.

The valley consists of a series of small farms. Women in traditional loose fitting clothes and scarves work planting vegetable gardens and caring for already mature onions, lettuce, rocket and other early spring crops. Men pick oranges and lemons, work the hives, watch over goats and sheep, or till. Most of the homes are rough stone, all with electricity, and most with a motor scooter or car. There are a handful of very nice multistory polished stone homes overlooking the valley, some with a swimming pool, that are the country homes of urban families from Izmir and other cities. During one afternoon walk we met a young Turkish woman and her mother. The young woman is an electrical engineer and very hip, with a tattoo of Ataturk on her shoulder that proclaims her secularism, and spoke excellent English. She and her family are from Izmir and are building a country home in the valley. When we mentioned that we would love to buy some oranges, she said that she didn’t think there was any place to buy them at retail, but she would be happy to ask a farmer if we could buy some. As we passed a beautiful orchard, she said that its owner had the best oranges in the valley and she would ask him if we could get some. The owner was very friendly and immediately took out a ladder and climbed one of his trees to gather some fresh oranges for us… as many as we wanted. Since we had to carry them back to the boat we limited ourselves to about 5 kilos of oranges and several huge lemons. He charged us 5 lira (about two dollars). One other day, a different farmer sold us juice oranges and his wife took us into their extensive garden and cut three heads of leaf lettuce and a bag of rocket for us to buy. On another walk, a man invited us in for coffee where we met his two children and talked about the Orhaniye valley. He told us that he and his uncle had just gathered 20 kilograms of the “best” honey from their hives, and how many kilos would we want to buy…five? He was surprised that one kilo was all we wished to buy. Not only do Turks soak baklava and other dessert dishes in honey, some take a tablespoon of honey morning and night to aid digestion. He pulled some lettuce and a large onion from his garden as a parting gift. Today, at the only little store in the valley, we sat outside and drank cherry juice with the proprietor. Two days before his wife sold us a large chicken just off the rotisserie, and we ordered another for tomorrow – plus some organic farm eggs.

Wildflowers fill a field
Wildflowers fill a field
Bee hives stacked in front of a farm house
Bee hives stacked in front of a farm house
A farmer picks some oranges for us
A farmer picks some oranges for us

Tomorrow the wind switches to the southeast again so it is time to head north. We will head for Mersincik and anchor for the night, and the next day continue north again. We have enjoyed our stay in the anchorage at Keçi Bükü, our walks through the valley of Orhaniye, and the new friends that we have made. This is certainly among our favorite places in the Med.

M.

Goat munches on wildflowers
Goat munches on wildflowers
Shearing sheep
Shearing sheep
Mulberry tree
Mulberry tree
Farmer picks lettuce for us
Farmer picks lettuce for us
Farmer washes rocket for us
Farmer washes rocket for us
Orhaniye valley
Orhaniye valley
Tilling a field (witth a cow!)
Tilling a field (with a cow!)
Lemons
Lemons
Valley girls
Valley girls
Priimary school children celebrate Ataturk's birthday
Primary school children celebrate Ataturk’s birthday
View towards Sabbatical III from Byzantine fort on an island in the bay
View towards Sabbatical III from Byzantine fort on an island in the bay
View from the fort
View from the fort
Poppies
Poppies

 

Keçi Bükü

Ruins of fort at Keçi Bükü
Ruins of fort at Keçi Bükü

We left at Sunday morning for a sail to Keçi Bükü, a bay at the head of the Gulf of Hisaronu. Two kilometers inland from here is the small village of Orhaniye. The forecast called for southeasterly winds lasting only 18 hours or so, and we were determined to make use of them for heading to the northwest up the Turkish coast.
We left the marina on Saturday afternoon and anchored out in the adjacent bay. There, we set both downwind poles, installed jacklines, and made other preparations for a nighttime sail. After a couple of hours of sleep, we left at 1 am for our passage. We motored for 4 hours or so in light northwesterlies until the southeasterlies came in. When they did, we set our big (150 %) genoa on a pole and our mizzen on a preventer and had a great sail. Our route took us right in front of the harbor or Rhodes. Unbeknowst to us, a wooden sail boat carrying Syrian migrants crashed onto the rocks of Rhodes sometime that day, with the tragic loss of three lives.
The Rhodes harbor used to have one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” ,the Colossus of Rhodes, a 35 meter tall statue, as a landmark for ships. It was toppled by an earthquake in 227 BC. What a sight it must have been for sailors of the time. Now there are a couple of poles with flashing lights to mark the harbor entrance. Not quite the same effect esthetically, but still effective from a navigational point of view.
We were doing over 9 knots in strong winds when Laura was at the helm. We did only 7.5 to 8 knots when I was at the helm. Something about Laura brings out the wind and gets the boat going. When we started to bring in sail to turn up into the Gulf of Hisaronu, the turning block on the fore guy that holds the downwind pole in place completely blew apart, flinging bearings into the sea. We did not need the pole anymore to head up into the gulf and we have a spare onboard, but it was a beefy bit of boat hardware that was bent and destroyed by the force of the wind.
We are anchored behind a small island topped by a medieval fort but have not left the boat in the three days since we arrived. It is blowing so hard (from the northwest) that we are just hunkered down until it blows itself out a bit. Fortunately, we have plenty of food and reading material aboard, so we are happy. But we would like to stretch our legs and search for fresh fruit.
M.

Gombe and Patara

Sow covered mountains behind the mosque at Gombe
Snow covered mountains behind the mosque at Gombe

We took a day away from boat chores yesterday and rented a car and explored nearby sites with Melinda and Dave of Sassoon.  A nice Fiat 4-door sedan is only 25 euros this time of year.  Our trip took us west along the D400 coast highway past Kalkan to the beach and ancient Lycian city of Patara.  The Lycian civilization goes back more than 3000 years. On the way we stopped for a look at Kaputas Beach in between KaÅŸ and Kalkan.  From Patara we took the road up into the mountains to the small town of Gombe, locally famous for its cherries, apples, and other orchard fruit.  At Patara Beach it was 72 F and sunny, the warmest day this year, but 90 minutes away in Gombe the mountains were covered in snow and we were wearing coats over our fleeces, with warm hats.  The road down to KaÅŸ from Gombe was particularly beautiful — covered in pines, views of snow capped peaks, and the occasional herd of goats crossing the road.  We left the marina at 10 am and were back at 7 pm the same day.

Kaputas Beach on the KaÅŸ - Kalkan road
Kaputas Beach on the KaÅŸ – Kalkan road
Laura at the ancient Lycian temple at Patara
Laura at the ancient Lycian temple at Patara
Temple coliseum at Patara
Temple coliseum at Patara
Some friendly your Americans who just finished hiking the Lycian Trail (Patara)
Some friendly young Americans who just finished hiking the Lycian Trail (Patara)
On the road above Kalkan
On the road above Kalkan
View from the barrage (dam) at Gombe
View from the barrage (dam) at Gombe
The trail above Gombe
The trail above Gombe
The trail above Gombe
Dave, Melinda, and Laura on the trail above Gombe  We saw no one else on the trail that afternoon.

 

The boat is almost ready to put to sea.  Easterly winds are predicted for Sunday and Monday and we will use that opportunity to sail to Goekova Limani, the long, narrow bay on which the city of Datca is located.  We will leave at 1 am Sunday or Monday morning so we can still arrive in daylight at our destiination.

 

M.

In the water for the start of a new sailing season

Sabbatical III awaits launch at KaÅŸ Marina
Sabbatical III awaits launch at KaÅŸ Marina

Sabbatical III is back in the water and we are getting her ready for a cruise up the Turkish Aegean coast and then to the Greek Isles.  We spent four nights living aboard while Sabbatical III was on the hard (above), using the ladder pictured to get on and off.

Sabbatical III shows off her waxed and polished topsides and new anti-fouling paint below the water line.  Note the timbers used to hold her up.
Sabbatical III shows off her waxed and polished topsides and new anti-fouling paint below the water line. Note the timbers used to hold her up.

We are back in our previous berth at Pontoon C berth 13.  Next to us in C14 is a sea turtle (below) who is very polite and does not disturb us even when she eats the marine growth on our underwater lines.

Our sea turtle neighbor who hangs out in the adjacent berth.
Our sea turtle neighbor who hangs out in the adjacent berth (C14).

On the other side of us, in berth C12, there is a school of sea bream (below) who are quiet except when you throw them some bread — then its a feeding frenzy.

Sea bream in berth C12.
Sea bream in berth C12.

Plus the young ones who hang out at our stern in C13 (below).

Small fry behind Sabbatical III in C13.
Small fry behind Sabbatical III in C13.

We are almost finished with our maintenance and  improvement projects and should be ready to head north-west up the coast by Sunday or Monday.

Stuff that needs to be stowed.
Stuff that needs to be stowed.
Laura scrubs the deck and wipes down the stanchions.
Laura scrubs the deck and wipes down the stanchions.

M.

Istanbul

 

Fisherman on the Galata Bridge with the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) in the background
Fisherman on the Galata Bridge with the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) in the background

We spent 8 days touring Istanbul in cold and rainy weather.  We rented a small house in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul.  Here are some highlights:

Sultan Ahmed Mosque at dusk
Sultan Ahmed Mosque at dusk
View of mosque from the hop-on-hop-off ferry
View of mosque from the hop-on-hop-off ferry
View from the Bosphorus
View from the Bosphorus
Lunch on the Bosphorus
Lunch on the Bosphorus
Ceiling of mosque
Ceiling of mosque
Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
Pistachio Kadayif at Karaköy Güllüoğlu
Pistachio Kadayif at Karaköy Güllüoğlu
Laura locks the door to our three-story house before we leave for the day
Laura locks the door to our three-story house before we leave for the day
For sale in the fish market
For sale in the fish market
For sale in the fish market (gills turned out)
For sale in the fish market (gills turned out)
Galata Bridge in cold weather
Galata Bridge in cold weather

 

Vienna

Laura at intermision of the Marriage of Figaro at the Vienna Staatsoper
Laura at intermision of the Marriage of Figaro at the Vienna Staatsoper

It was a comfortable 5 hour train trip from Prague to Vienna.  We easily found our way on public transportation to our AirBnB on Plenergassestrasse. It is less than a mile from the flat of our Austrian sailing friends from “Risho Maru”.  We then walked to Risho Maru’s flat and got a wonderful warm greeting and a lovely dinner.

The next morning we all went for a walk to Turkenschantz park for the first day of the holiday Christmas Market (Weihnachtsmarkt). We had spiked punch, roasted chestuts and a delicious gingerbread cake. Later that day, on the way to the see the Marriage of Figaro at the Staatsoper, Mark and I stopped at a really big Christmas market at Rathausplatz.

We had terrific seats at the opera –first row box seats in the first balcony, but not together.  The opera was just wonderful and we both enjoyed every minute. After the opera, we had dinner at Cafe Landtmann (one of Freud’s old favorites).  The next morning we flew to Istanbul, where we are now.

L.

 

Christmas Market at Rathausplatz, Vienna
Christmas Market at Rathausplatz, Vienna
Christmas Market at Rathausplatz, Vienna
Christmas Market at Rathausplatz, Vienna
Chocolate fondue at Christmas Market
Chocolate fondue at Christmas Market

Prague

 

View of Prague
View of Prague

We traveled by train to Prague from Berlin on November 11 (Tuesday).  We stayed in a cute flat in a classic building in the Vinohrady district, one block from the tram and the metro.  We had tickets for the Czech State Opera a couple of hours after we arrived from Berlin, and we barely got organized in time to get there. We ended up walking to the theatre which really was not too far… maybe a 20 minute fast walk from the apartment. We had great seats (10th row center) for a very good price, and enjoyed a very well done Barber of Seville.

We spent the next couple of days just walking around the town, taking trams and the metro and enjoying the beautiful architecture. The restaurants in our neighborhood were all cute, trendy and reasonably priced. The best find of all was a restaurant called Parlament, closer to the center of town, that served real Czech food.

On Friday night we went to another opera, Rigoletto. This time we were in the third row center and enjoyed it even more.  Saturday morning we left for Vienna.

L.

Mark at the Parlament Restaurant
Mark at the Parlament Restaurant
On the famous bridge over the Charles River
Hebrew words on crucifix on the famous bridge over the Charles River
Old Jewish Cemetary.  Oldest tombstone dates to 1439.
Old Jewish Cemetery. Oldest tombstone dates to 1439.
Old Jewish Cemetery.  Oldest tombstone dates to 1439.
Old Jewish Cemetery. Oldest tombstone dates to 1439.
Food van on the street in Jewish Quarter
Food van on the street in Jewish Quarter

Berlin

We spent three days in Berlin with our sailing friends Michael and Britta of “Vera.” The most special part of our short stay was participating in the celebrations commemorating the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. We also shared great meals, toured around, and then Laura and I saw a great concert by the Vienna Philharmonic on the last evening. We then took the train to Prague. More on that later.

M.

Brandenburg Gate illuminated during the 25th anniversary celebrations. The lit white balloons represent the actual location and height of the Berlin Wall.

Balloons representing the Wall near Potsdamer Platz.
Balloons along the river.
Posing with Michael.
Touring the Kaiser’s palaces at Potsdam.

 

Sculpture in Berlin.
Chocolate feast at Fassbinder & Rausch.

Last days of the season

View of Kasterlorizo from the cliff trail
View of Kasterlorizo from the cliff trail

We cancelled a planned sail north when the weather turned cold and rainy and returned to KaÅŸ to get the boat ready to be hauled and stored on the hard.  There has still been plenty of time to socialize.  We attended Republic Day celebrations on the town square with our Turkish friends Eren and Bensu and our Canadian friends Michael and Gloria from “Paikea Mist” with delicious food by Ratatouille.  The period of rain has passed and we now have clear skies and pleasantly cool temperatures.

M.

David and Melinda ("Sassoon"), Michael ("Pakia Mist"), Laura, and Gloria ("Pakia Mist") sharing sundowners at the top of the ancient Lycian Coliseum, KaÅŸ
David and Melinda (“Sassoon”), Michael (“Paikea Mist”), Laura, and Gloria (“Paikea Mist”) sharing sundowners at the top of the ancient Lycian Coliseum, KaÅŸ
Eren and Bensu visit Sabbatical III for coffee
Eren and Bensu visit Sabbatical III for coffee

 

Fresh pomegranate and orange juice at the KaÅŸ town square
Fresh pomegranate and orange juice at the KaÅŸ town square

 

Naomi and Bob visit Sabbatical III

 

Naomi and Bob pose at the bow
Naomi and Bob pose at the bow

My sister Naomi and her friend Bob flew out from Chicago to Turkey and spent almost one week with us on Sabbatical III.  We spent one day in Kas visiting the Friday market, eating at our favorite restaurant, Eniste’nin Yeri, sampling dondurma (Turkish ice cream) on the town commons, and provisioning the boat.  We then sailed to Kastellorizo (Megisti Island), arriving at our anchorage just before a big squall that featured a waterspout less than one-half mile away.  The next day we had a great Greek meal and hiked around the charming town.  We then sailed to Aperlae in Kekova where it proceeded to rain on and off for much of the day.  All this rain made us feel bad about claiming that it rarely rains in this part of Turkey.  The skies did clear, and we star gazed from the deck at night, hiked up to Kaleköy for the views, and ate a couple of great meals at Ibrihim’s in Üçağız.  It was great to have them with us on the boat.

M.

Naomi checks out the anchorage
Naomi checks out the anchorage
Fishing boat in Kastellorizo
Fishing boat in Kastellorizo
Kastellorizo quay
Kastellorizo quay
Brother and sister
Brother and sister
Kastellorizo
Kastellorizo
View from Kaleköy (Kekova)
View from Kaleköy (Kekova)
Kekova
Kekova
View from Kaleköy (Kekova)
View from Kaleköy (Kekova)
Naomi at Kaleköy overlooking Sabbatical III in the background
Naomi at Kaleköy overlooking Sabbatical III in the background
Mark and Naomi at Kaleköy
Mark and Naomi at Kaleköy

 

Danny and Jamie visit Sabbatical III

Danny and Jamie on the bow of Sabbatical III at anchor at  Limanağzı
Danny and Jamie on the bow of Sabbatical III at anchor at Limanağzı

We had our friends Danny Rose and Jamie visit us for two days at the end of September. We showed them a bit of Kaş and had a great sail in the waters off of the Greek island of Megisti. We anchored at Limanağzı where the swimming was great and Danny scaled the cliffs to visit the cliff tombs and get a view from the top. After dinner on the boat, we sat on the deck looking for shooting stars.

Lunch at KaÅŸ Marina
Lunch at KaÅŸ Marina
Jamie and Danny relaxing
Jamie and Danny relaxing
Swimming off the boat at Limanağzı
Swimming off the boat at Limanağzı
Danny scales the cliffs at Swimming off the boat at Limanağzı
Danny scales the cliffs at Limanağzı

 

Snows in Turkey

 

Wileen and Steve on Sabbatical III
Wileen and Steve on Sabbatical III

We had visitors with us last week… our friends Steve and Wileen Snow from Rhode Island flew to Turkey to sail with us. We took them to our favorite spots in Kaş and then sailed with them to Kekova. We had a great time with them, doing lots of swimming, reading, talking and, of course, eating and drinking. Our favorite restaurant in Kekova (Aperlai Restaurant) outdid themselves with an incredible Turkish meal. We sat out on the lovely table set up on the dock and enjoyed the beautiful evening light while devouring multiple mezzes and salads and fish and lamb. The weather was almost perfect and the anchorages uncrowded. We also had some incredible views of the full (or almost full) moon rising over the sea and mountains around Kekova, went to Gokkaya, Kale Koy, and finally dropped Wileen and Steve off in Ucagiz. It was a wonderful week.
L.

At Kale Koy, Kekova
At Kale Koy, Kekova
Sarcophagi at Kale Koy, Kekova
Sarcophagi at Kale Koy, Kekova
Kekova
Kekova
Laura and Wileen go for a swim
Laura and Wileen go for a swim
Dinner at the Aperlai Restaurant, Kekova
Dinner at the Aperlai Restaurant, Kekova

 

 

Escaping the heat in Vienna and Switzerland

Laura envoys coffe with Apfelstrudel mit shlag (heavy cream) at Cafe Landtmann, Vienna
Laura envoys coffee with Apfelstrudel mit schlag (heavy cream) at Cafe Landtmann, Vienna

August 5th – September 2, 2014

We left the boat in our marina in Kaş, Turkey on the 5th of August and flew to Vienna. It’s super hot in Turkey in July and August and after shvitzing for the month of July we were happy to pack a couple of back-packs and fly to cooler parts of the world for a few weeks. Fortunately for us we have sailing friends who live in Vienna who were kind enough to let us live in their beautiful apartment while they went off for their summer sail. Our friends Alex and Peter and their 14 year old son Finn, are good friends of ours whom we first met in 2007 in the Galapagos. After sailing with them throughout French Polynesia, Samoa, Tonga and New Zealand for much of our first year at sea, they continued on with their circumnavigation and eventually returned home to work in Vienna.

Peter and Alex in their kitchen
Peter and Alex in their kitchen
Finn poses with Lego toy that we bought for him in 2008 and kept on the boat until now which is the next time that we saw him
Finn poses with Lego toy that we bought for him in 2008 and kept on the boat until now which is the next time that we saw him

We were excited to see them again and we had a great time together for a few days as they prepared to drive to Italy (where they now keep their boat). Then we moved into their apartment and had a wonderful 2 weeks enjoying both the apartment and the many beautiful parts of Vienna and getting to know and love Viennese food and desserts. We had great weather… hot for a few days and then cool with a nice mix of sunshine and clouds and an occasional rainy day. There is so much to do in Vienna and the public transport is terrific and cheap. We were lucky enough to spend an evening with Nathaniel Lepp (one of Ben’s good friends), who was in Vienna with Steph (his wife) to attend a friend’s wedding.

With Nathaniel Lepp in Vienna
With Nathaniel Lepp in Vienna

Some of the things we enjoyed during the time we were there include:

• Türkenschanzpark … our favorite park just a block away from the apartment;
• Figlmüller Restaurant … known for its schnitzel;
• Café Prückel … the most delightful place to spend a rainy afternoon and drink coffee;
• Stadtpark…. Interesting statues, especially when you have your iPad with you so you can find out who all these famous people are;
• Italian restaurant (I Tricolori) … near the movie theater we frequented… delicious pizza ;
• Kunst Historisches Museum …. a million artifacts from the time of the Habsburgs;
• Landtmann Café… one of our favorites for apple strudel (with whipped cream!) and previously a hangout for famous Viennese such as Freud;
• Würstelstände…. Yummy Viennese sausages sold in many places throughout the city ;
• Meyerei Café … in Türkenschanzpark Park. Great ribs, amazing desserts, nice waiters;
• Schoenbrunn Palace…of the ruling Hapsburgs ;
• Jewish Museum…. Two separate museums, one with a special exhibit dedicated to Amy Winehouse….. not exactly what we were expecting, but actually very interesting ;
• Salmannsdorf… great walk in the vineyards;
• Rathausplatz… free movies on a giant screen every night and dozens of food vendors and thousands of attendees. We saw a spectacular concert there (on screen) with Gloria Estefan, also some opera and operetta on other nights;
• Pötzleinsdorf Park …. So beautiful;
• Plachutta Restaurant where we had the Tafelspitz (boiled beef) speciality

 

Amy Winehouse stares out of the Jewish Museum, Vienna
Amy Winehouse stares out of the Jewish Museum, Vienna
Schubert and Laura with both here
Schubert and Laura with both here
We walked among the vineyards above Vienna, sampling the grapes
We walked among the vineyards above Vienna, sampling the grapes
We walked among the vineyards above Vienna, sampling the grapes
We walked among the vineyards above Vienna, sampling the grapes
View of Vienna from the vineyards
View of Vienna from the vineyards
Street in Vienna
Street in Vienna

On August 21st we left Vienna and rode the train to Davos, Switzerland. What a beautiful ride. It took about 9 hours and we enjoyed every minute of it. We even took a 1st class compartment as they had a special deal for “seniors” which we couldn’t pass up. In Davos we rented a lovely 2 bedroom apartment, also owned by sailing friends of ours. Our friends share this house with their family and often ski there in the winter. It is not used much in the summer so it was available for us to rent. Davos was great, but a bit cold and rainy. Temperatures were often in the 50’s and we had some rain most every day. Still, it was nice enough to go for a couple hour hike almost every day and there are so many paths there that you could hike for a whole summer just in the immediate vicinity. There is also a beautiful lake in town. It was easy to hop on a bus or a train and go to some of the surrounding towns to hike… one of our favorite hikes was in the valley of Dischma Tal and a small village called Teufi. There were a couple of very convenient stores just a few minutes walk from our apartment so we stocked up on food and ate at home most nights. Restaurant prices were outrageous. One day we took a very scenic train-ride to St. Moritz… really spectacular ride.

Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Goats at Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Goats at Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Dischma Valley above Davos, Switzerland
Looking down towards Davos from the Dischma Valley
Looking down towards Davos from the Dischma Valley
Keeping the gate closed,  Dischma Valley
Keeping the gate closed, Dischma Valley
Dischma Valley
Dischma Valley

On September 1st we took the train to Zurich and Hannah’s good Swiss friend Adina met us and brought us to her parent’s house. We got to meet her parents, Sammy and Katia and had a wonderful dinner at their home and then spent the night there. Really wonderful people.
September 2nd we flew back to Turkey. We had to spend the night in Antalya as we did not arrive there until mid-night and it is a 3.5 hour drive back to KaÅŸ from there. We stayed at the Laguna Suites Hotel, a 2 star hotel, that is pretty comfortable and clean and fine for a one night stay.

L.

We pose with Sammy and Katia Rom at their flat in Zurich
Laura poses with Adina and her parents  Sammy and Katia Rom at their flat in Zurich

Kaş and Göcek

 

Laura and her birthday cake at Amigos Restuarant, Twenty-two Fathoms Cove, Göcek
Laura and her birthday cake at Amigos Restuarant, Twenty-two Fathoms Cove, Göcek

We spent one week at the Sarsala Koyu anchorage in Göcek where we celebrated Laura’s birthday and had a short visit with Dick and Lynn of “Wind Pony” and their granddaughter Annie and her parents.  We started off at the only mooring at the northeast corner of the bay.  It promised the best views of the mountains in the distance and a good breeze but it had one drawback that chased us away after a couple of nights — bees.  The bees came out about 6 pm and did not leave until almost 9 pm.  We had to stay below to escape them one night and the next evening they came in even greater number with seemingly aggressive intent.  I got bit on the arm and it really stung.  We jumped in the dinghy and zoomed away to escape them until dark. The next morning we found a mooring on the opposite shore where bees were not a problem.  Strong winds came up and our 60 meters of polypropylene webbing that we use to tie Sabbatical III to a bollard ashore snapped in a 38 knot gust on the beam.  That was an expensive piece of webbing that came on a beautiful stainless steel reel but it is clearly insufficient for a boat our size in gusty conditions.

The plan on Laura’s birthday was to have our friend Gürol pick us up with his skiff and take us to dinner at his family’s restaurant (Amigos), where Dick and Lynn would be waiting.  But he had engine trouble and we sat on our boat waiting for him as the sun set.  The full moon was so bright and the winds were so calm that we decided that making the 1.5 nautical mile trip in our dinghy was sufficiently safe, so we went off in the dark.  It was a great meal that ended with a small birthday cake for Laura.

Back in KaÅŸ we have been exploring areas around town and swimming at the marina “beach.”  Here are some photos of the KaÅŸ area so we do not forget the lay of the land some years down the line.

 

M.

View from the Seven Capes on the passage from Laura and her birthday cake at Amigos Restuarant, Twenty-two Fathoms Cove, Göcek
View from the Seven Capes on the passage from Göcek
The location of KaÅŸ in the Eastern Mediterranean
The location of KaÅŸ in the Eastern Mediterranean
KaÅŸ and environs
KaÅŸ and environs
Looking southwest over  KaÅŸ town and the town dock
Looking southeast over KaÅŸ town and the town dock
Looking west over Bucak Deniz (the fjord-like bay) and the marina
Looking west over Bucak Deniz (the fjord-like bay) and the marina
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One of many “sticky” plants
Looking towards the Çukurbağ Peninsula and Kastellorizo (Greece)
Looking towards the Çukurbağ Peninsula and Kastellorizo (Greece)

 

Restored amphitheatre aÅŸ
Restored amphitheatre KaÅŸ
Amphitheatre
Amphitheatre

Laura at amphitheatre

Laura at amphitheatre

M.

 

 

 

 

 

Hannah and Adina visit Sabbatical III

Arriving on the boat at KaÅŸ Marina
Arriving on the boat at KaÅŸ Marina

Our daughter Hannah and her lovely Swiss friend, Adina, just spent a week with us. They arrived in Kaş on the 18th of June, just in time to celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary. The girls arrived in Istanbul on the 16th, having spent the previous week in Switzerland with Adina’s parents and after a quick preview of Istanbul, they flew to Antalya and then took the 4 hour bus ride to meet us at our boat in Kaş. We had the most wonderful week together, hiking, swimming, star-watching and sailing together. We spent the first 3 days of their trip at the marina in Kaş, partly because we love the town and wanted them to see it, and partly because the weather was not conducive to sailing for their first few days here. It was just too windy to take them out, particularly since Adina has not sailed before and we didn’t want her to be sea-sick. Fortunately, both of them love hiking, and Kaş is right on the Lycian Way, an ancient and now popular rock and olive tree strewn hiking trail that extends for some 509 kilometers along the coast of Turkey. After a morning swim in the ocean together everyday, we had amazing breakfasts onboard, with a huge assortment of delicious Turkish foods…. salty cheese, olives, tomatoes and cucumbers followed by delicious yogurt, honey, nuts, chocolate and good coffee. Our breakfasts were really extraordinary thanks to the easy availability of great markets in Kaş, and to Adina and Hannah’s enthusiasm for putting together plates with every delicious combination of ingredients that they could think of.

Celebration supper at Ratatouille Restaurant, KaÅŸ
Celebration supper at Ratatouille Restaurant, KaÅŸ

For our anniversary, and to celebrate the girl’s graduation from Harvard we all went out to “Ratatouille” an upscale restaurant considered by many people here to be the best in KaÅŸ. While we had a beautiful meal, we ate the next night at the informal restaurant that Mark and I have been going to in KaÅŸ for weeks, EniÅŸte’nin Yeri, (we call it Einstein’s) and we all decided it was way better, much more fun, and with a much nicer setting (not to mention that it is also 1/3 the price). The girls liked it so much that they insisted on going again the next night. So much for fancy restaurants!

KaÅŸ Marina swimming pool
KaÅŸ Marina swimming pool

We had gale force winds on Friday, the day before we were scheduled to go sailing with them. The girls did the beautiful 2 hour hike from Kaş to the nearby bay of Liman Ağzı and got to experience the winds and waves from the safety of shore, while Mark and I stayed on the boat and listened to the wind howling and watch the docks sway back and forth. Maybe it is just that we have a new wind indicator on the boat that is actually working right for the first time, but the wind speeds of over 50 knots were about the highest we have ever seen on our boat. Luckily no boats at the marina were damaged.

Adina helps with breakfast
Adina helps with breakfast

We decided to sail over to Kekova the next day (Saturday) because the winds were much reduced and we wanted the girls to be able to experience sailing and anchoring out, rather than just staying at the marina for their whole trip. We probably should have waited one more day, because despite the much calmer winds, the seas were pretty rolly, and poor Adina was quite sea-sick for an hour or more. It is only a 3 hour sail from KaÅŸ to Kekova, though, and after the first two hours things quieted down and she felt better and we actually had a marvelous sail. I think we may be passing out sea-sick pills to future guests before we set out.

Hannah at the weekly (Friday) market, KaÅŸ
Hannah at the weekly (Friday) market, KaÅŸ

We spent the next 2 days in the western-most anchorage of Kekova. It is called Polemos Buku and it is really lovely. There were only a few other sailboats there. It’s quiet and clean and very beautiful. It is also on the Lycian Way so we all were able to hike as well as swim while we were there. Mark and I would turn back after an hour or two of hiking while the girls continued hiking much farther. The best part of that anchorage is the little restaurant there… the Aperlai Restaurant. We had been there a few weeks before and couldn’t wait to show it to the girls. It is a very simple family run place with a very basic menu and you have to tell the owner what you want early in the day so he can take his motorboat into the nearby town to buy the ingredients. There are just a couple of tables, but the prime spot is just a single table set out over the water under a little canopy. They set it up with very nice table-ware and then bring out lots of delicious mezzes before the main course… way more than you think you can eat. It’s really an incredibly beautiful setting with delicious food and the owner and his wife and son and daughter are extremely nice. We love it.

View from the Lycian Trail
View from the Lycian Trail, Kekova

On Monday the girls did a long hike from our anchorage to the main (and only) town of Kekova, called Üçağız. While they were hiking, Mark and I sailed the boat over to the town and re-anchored. Then we dinghied over to town and met them for dinner. Mehmet, a friendly waiter at Ibrahim’s restaurant in town was really thrilled to have two beautiful young women at his restaurant and couldn’t have been more attentive. He gave the girls the name of a nice hotel in Capadoccia (their next destination in Turkey), that he works at in the winter and was helpful in getting them a reservation there, along with making arrangements for a taxi to come pick them up the next day to get them to the main road where they will pick up a bus to get them back to Antalya and onward to Capadoccia.

View from the Lycian Trail (KaÅŸ(
View from the Lycian Trail (KaÅŸ)

Tuesday was our last day together and we had one more lavish breakfast before doing a hike up to the medieval castle that sits above our anchorage at Kale Koy. Then one last swim and it was time for them to leave. Mehmet’s taxi driver came right on time, and the girls made it to Antalya on time to catch their overnight bus to Capadoccia.
We are already feeling lonely…
L.

Sarcophogus, Aperlae (Kekova(
Sarcophogus, Aperlae (Kekova)

 

Hannah and Adina at Aperlae Restaurant, Polemos Buku (Kekova)
Hannah and Adina at Aperlae Restaurant, Polemos Buku (Kekova)
Aperlae Restaurant, Polemos Buku (Kekova)
Aperlae Restaurant, Polemos Buku (Kekova)
After dinner at the Aperlae Restaurant, Polemos Buku (Kekova)
After dinner at the Aperlae Restaurant, Polemos Buku (Kekova)
Adina and scarf maker pose after purchase, Üçağız (Kekova)
Adina and scarf maker pose after purchase, Üçağız (Kekova)
At the top of Kaleköy (Kekova)
At the top of Kaleköy (Kekova)
Helpful waiter at Ibrihim's Restaurant, Üçağız (Kekova)
Helpful waiter at Ibrihim’s Restaurant, Üçağız (Kekova)
At the top of Kaleköy (Kekova)
At the top of Kaleköy (Kekova)
Lycian Trail, Kekova
Lycian Trail, Kekova

 

 

Göcek

View of Skopea Limani (Bay) from the trail to Ruin Bay (Göcek)
View of Skopea Limani (Bay) from the trail to Ruin Bay (Göcek)

We have returned from 8 days in Göcek (June 8 to June 16).  It was a good sail over in a moderate easterly.  After anchoring out in Göcek harbor the first night, we entered the Skopea Marina in order to get some work done on the boat by the crew at Emek Marine.  The biggest issue was a broken wind vane at the mast head that was stubbornly stuck in place. After a day of repairs, we sailed to Yassica Adalari Island for one night and the next day continued on to Sarsala Koyu bay in the Skopea Limani marine reserve where we were lucky enough to find a mooring.  The charter sailing season is in full swing and there are lots of boats around. Our friends Lynn and Dick from “Wind Pony” out of St. Paul, Minnesota (who we first met in Vanuatu 4 or 5 years ago) joined us and we had a good time hiking, swimming, and eating.  Very strong westerlies blew us back to KaÅŸ.

M.

Goats get dropped off at the dock, Sarsala Koyu (Göcek)
Goats get dropped off at the dock, Sarsala Koyu (Göcek)

Kekova

Gökkaya Limani (Kekova)
Gökkaya Limani (Kekova)

We spent 10 days (May 20 – 30) in Kekova along with our friends Melinda and Dave of “Sassoon.”  Kekova Roads is the area between Kekova Island and the mainland in the eastern Aegean about 20 miles from KaÅŸ,  The anchorages are protected and the water is clear, and there are no towns of size. We swam and hiked, ate meals together on our boats and at some small restaurants.  We sailed there on a westerly and returned on an easterly.  All in all a great trip.

Aperlai Restaurant, Polemos Bükü, Kekova
View from Aperlai Restaurant, Polemos Bükü, Kekova
Posing with the proprietor, Smugglers restaurant, Gökkaya (Kekova)
Posing with the proprietors, Smugglers restaurant, Gökkaya (Kekova)
Sarcophagus line the trail on the way up to the castle at Kaleköy, Kekova
Sarcophagus line the trail on the way up to the castle at Kaleköy, Kekova
View from the castle at Kaleköy, Kekova
View from the castle at Kaleköy, Kekova

M.

 

 

 

Turkish travels without the boat

Cappadocia
Cappadocia

We arrived back in Turkey on April 4th, flying from West Palm, Florida to Atlanta, and then on to Paris and Istanbul.  After a night at the airport hotel in Istanbul we took the morning flight to Antalya and then were picked up by a driver for the 3.5 hour trip to Kaş Marina.   We spent the first night in a small hotel in Kaş (Hotel Kekova), but then immediately moved onto the boat even though it was on the hard.  It was kind of noisy in the hotel with lots of dogs barking and the room smelled like cigarettes, so we decided that it was preferable to sleep on the boat even if it meant climbing up a ladder to get onboard and having no water or toilet facilities for the few days before we got put back into the water.   Our friends Melinda and Dave on the boat Sassoon and Jill and John on the boat Petronella were also in the boatyard as well, having arrived a month before us with a full list of boat projects to do.  

 We were very efficient at getting the boat in proper order in just a few days and on the 9th of April we were put back in the water and we tied up at our spot on the dock.   It was a bit crazy as we had to leave on the 10th and retrace our steps back to Istanbul in order to catch a flight to Tel Aviv. (It took 12 hours portal to portal, even though it is just 2 hours away by air if we could only fly there directly from Kaş) We spent a week with my sister Diane and her family in Jerusalem along with my mom and sister Cathy who had both flown in for an extended visit.  We had a wonderful visit and enjoyed a very special holiday with our family.

 We returned to the boat on the 18th of April and then worked on the boat for the next 5 days before heading out once again for a big land based tour to Capadoccia.  It was a 6 day tour, organized by Gwen, a woman sailor in Marmaris who has been arranging tours for sailors for the past 10 years or maybe more.  We took a local bus to Fethiye the night before the tour began, as the tour bus could not come down to Kaş to pick us up.  In Fethiye we stayed at a darling little hotel “Villa Daffodil” and then met up with some very good friends that we had not seen since last year… Rick and Robin from “Endangered Species”, Lynn and Dick from “Wind Pony” and Frank and Barbara from “Destiny”.  Lynn and Dick just arrived from Thailand and are awaiting their boat that is coming on the Sevenstar freighter, and the other boats arrived here last year on freighters just as we did  (after sailing from the U.S. to Thailand like we did).   

 Our tour to Capadoccia was led by an experienced guide named Tas (Burhan Tas) and a young, but very competent driver named Emrah .  Our group had 6 couples, including 2 sets of Dutch, 2 sets of Brits and 2 sets of Americans.  It was a really great group of people… all very low key and friendly and fun.   The highlight of the trip was the time spend in Capadoccia viewing the incredible caves and towers and incredible rock structures.  We did a pre-dawn hot air balloon trip (along with hundreds of other tourists on the 100 hot air balloons that are currently licensed there). It was incredibly beautiful and well worth it.  The pictures show how beautiful it was.

 The trip involved a lot of driving (more than 2,200 km over the 6 days) in our little tour-bus, but it was well planned out with lots of interesting stops both coming and going to Capadoccia.    The only part of the whole tour that we did not like was the night out at a venue promoted as “Turkish Night”.  We were herded into a room along with hundreds of other tourists, fed very mediocre food, all the bad liquor we could drink, and then had to watch an extremely unprofessional group of dancers. The advertised “whirling dervishes” just walked around in a circle in the dark for 5 minutes, nodding to each other (and grimacing) and then they whirled half-heartedly for about 1 minute.   After that they did an assortment of other dances, but it was a bit like watching a bad high school talent show.  A group of women danced, and eventually some belly dancing was done.  Our group actually walked out before the night had ended, which I think may have embarrassed our tour guide, but we were all in agreement that it was just too painful to sit there any more than the 2.5 hours we had already been there; particularly since we had all been up since 4 a.m. for the balloon ride.

Sagalassos (ancient city)
Sagalassos (ancient city)
Sagalassos (ancient city)
Sagalassos (ancient city)
Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Laura and Chris at Cappadocia
Laura and Chris at Cappadocia
Lunch with the group
Lunch with the group
Carpet coop in Cappadocia
Carpet coop in Cappadocia
Carpets for sale
Carpets for sale
Balloon is inflated (Cappadocia)
Balloon is inflated (Cappadocia)
Balloons waiting to be inflated
Balloons waiting to be inflated
Aloft
Aloft
Aloft
Aloft
Our balloon
Our balloon
Balloons over Cappadocia
Balloons over Cappadocia as the sun rises

 

Balloons over Cappadocia
Balloons over Cappadocia
Balloons over Cappadocia
Balloons over Cappadocia
Balloons over Cappadocia
Balloons over Cappadocia

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Balloons over Cappadocia 20-DSCN0629

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Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia

24-DSCN0597 25-DSCN0723 26-DSCN0746

Tas and Emrah
Tas and Emrah
Dolls for sale (everywhere)
Dolls for sale (everywhere)

Other things we did on the trip are listed below just as a record for ourselves:  

 Our fellow travelers included: 

Ian & Glenda on Lucy Alice (British)

Piet and Viets on Tringus (Dutch)

Keith and Clair on Panulirus (British)

Johannes and Eli on Boemerang  (Dutch)

Dan and Chris on Interlude (American)

 Day 1 :  Picked up at Hotel Villa Daffodil in Fethiye at 9:30.  Everyone else already on board. Most everyone boarded in Marmaris, except Chris and Dan who got picked up in Göcek.

 Lunchstop near Sagalassos in the neighborhood of Isparta, where we looked at the old theatre and library. Had a bit of a hike to view the ruins

Stayed in a hotel at Egirdir on an island in a lake. Mediocre hotel, but beautiful view of the water.

 Day 2: 9.00  beautiful drive  around the lake in the direction of Konya (240 km). Visit to a 900 year old wooden mosque and tour of the mosque with the imam.

Just before Konya the bus had a flat tire. The guys all pitched in to help change it.

Lunch in little private room in a restaurant with seating on the floor or on low couches. Delicious lamb, lentil soup, salads and dessert. Visited the Mevlana museum,the home of the original mystical whirling dervishes.

16.00 250 km to Nevsehir (Cappadocia)

19.45 Avrasya hotel in Avanos. Big rooms, good food and we stayed there for 3 nights.

 Day 3: New tires arrive from Izmir for the bus.

9.00 Soganli Valley, canyon with fairy chimneys and rock churches. Visit to Dirinkuyu, an underground city, 11 floors down built into the rocks.

Stops at several beautiful viewing places.

Visit to a carpet weaving cooperative.

 Day 4: Very early balloon flight! Amazingly beautiful.  Our balloon operator was very professional and clearly very experienced.  He estimated that he had over 1,000 flights.

Went to Goreme open air museum with rock churches. (a bit too full of tourists)

Lunch at Uranos restaurant (underground).

Avanos Pottery demonstration. Terrific demonstration by a professional potter.  I get chosen to try the wheel.

Trip to Imagination Valley, another beautiful view.

 16.00 back at the hotel. In the evening a Turkish night with food and dancers.

 Day 5: Day of travelling. Goreme to Konya. Lunch stop in the woods. (Taurus Mountains)

Long cave walk that lead to a very deep cavern with water.

18.30  Suite Hotel Laguna in Antalya in the center of the town. Nice dinner buffet.

 Day 6: a walk through the old city of Antalya.

Visit to Duden Waterfall and trout lunch.

We leave the group and take the public bus to Kaş. Fun bus ride with wifi,  a steward serving cake and Coke, and movie screens in front of each seat.  Beautiful views most of the ride home.

 L.

 

 

KaÅŸ Marina, Turkey

Kas Marina at sunset
Kas Marina at sunset

We are now back in the US after having put Sabbatical III away for the winter in the Kaş Marina.  We checked out of Greece at Kasterllorizo on October 28th, which is Ochi Day, a national holiday celebrating the refusal of the Greek government to accept the ultimatum of the Axis powers to allow Axis forces to enter the country.  The Customs agent was part of the ceremony but we were happy to spend an extra hour watching the official festivities before getting checked out and leaving for the one hour sail to the Kaş Marina in Turkey.

Civic leaders assembled for Ochi Day celebration  (Kastellorizo)
Civic leaders assembled for Ochi Day celebration (Kastellorizo)
School children carry the Greek flag for Ochi Day  (Kastellorizo)
School children carry the Greek flag for Ochi Day (Kastellorizo)
Soldiers from thee large military presence parade for Ochi Day (Kastelloizo)
Soldiers from the large military presence parade for Ochi Day (Kastelloizo)
Ms. Kastellorizo
Ms. Kastellorizo
Kastellorizo
Kastellorizo

 

Rocky hillside behind Kastellorizo town
Rocky hillside behind Kastellorizo town

The day after Ochi Day in Greece, it was Atatürk’s birthday in Turkey and also a national holiday.  The check-in to Turkey was handled by an agent at the marina and was painless although a bit pricey.  The marina itself is beautifully situated and the staff are extremely friendly.  KaÅŸ town had one large street party for Atatürk’s birthday, with dining in the streets, music, speeches, and a fireworks display. We spent some days getting Sabbatical III ready for winter storage.  She was expertly hauled and now sits with a beautiful view across the Bucak Deniz, the long fjord-like bay on which the marina is situated.  We spent a few days on the boat after she was hauled doing maintenance tasks that required that the boat be out of the water.  In this we were assisted by the personable and knowledgeable Riza Cagdas Cakir and his assistants from Emek Marine who drove down from Göcek to help for an afternoon.  They got more done in an afternoon than I could do in a week.

Statue of Atatürk on main square of Kaş is adorned with flowers in honor of his birthday
Statue of Atatürk on main square of Kaş is adorned with flowers in honor of his birthday

 

Sabbatical III gets hauled, KaÅŸ Marina (Turkey)
Sabbatical III gets hauled, KaÅŸ Marina (Turkey)
Hull of Sabbatical III
Hull of Sabbatical III

M.

 

Rhodes and Kastellorizo

View from the ruined castle at Kastellorizo toward the anchorage at Mandraki Bay and the shore of Turkey in the background
View from the ruined castle at Kastellorizo towards the anchorage at Mandraki Bay and the shore of Turkey in the background

We are anchored in Mandraki Bay on the small island of Kastellorizo (officially known as Megisti but also referred to as Meis in nearby Turkey), the easternmost island of Greece.  Kastellorizo is only one mile from Kaș, Turkey, where we will leave Sabbatical III for the winter.

We left alone from Symi for the island of Rhodes on October 19, leaving behind our friends on Sassoon who were soon to head north to Datca, Turkey.  Since the city of Rhodes did not promise secure anchoring places, we planned to head down the eastern shore of this very large (80 km. long) island for the small bay in front of the ancient town of Lindos.  We expected that the high island of Rhodes would block any wind but were pleasantly surprised by gusty winds of 15-25 knots that enabled us to sail along the entire coast.  Along the way we passed “Eclipse,” the second largest private yacht in the world and owned by the Russian oligarch Roman Abramowich, while shadowed by his security boats.

Lindos, founded by the Dorians in the 10th century BC, is a very pretty town of stone dwellings set on narrow, winding alleys leading up a steep hillside.  At the very top is the old “Acropolis” that most tourists reach on donkey.  The tourist season may be almost over in much of Greece, but not in Rhodes.  They come on ferries and buses every day to Lindos to sunbathe and swim, have lunch, buy souvenirs, and ride to the Acropolis on a donkey.  The ferries come at 10 am and are mostly gone by 5 pm.  The bay offered a great view but indifferent anchoring for Sabbatical III on a mostly rocky bottom and some hours of incredibly bad rolling.  The roll could be so bad that we made it a point to be off of the boat as much as we could. 

Twice we walked up to the coastal road and took the public bus to the city of Rhodes for the day, a one hour trip.  We spent our time exploring the old walled city and really enjoyed it.  We were particularly moved by our visit to “La Juderia” – the Jewish Quarter – where a Jewish community dating to ancient times lived and thrived.  The Romaniote Jews who arrived in the second century BC were joined by Ladino speaking Sephardic Jews escaping the Spanish Inquisition in the early 1500s.  The Sephardic Jews were welcomed by the Ottoman Sultan to Salonika, Izmir, and other places under Ottoman rule, as well as to Rhodes.  In 1930, the Jewish population of Rhodes reached 4000 but quickly fell as economic times worsened and particularly after the imposition of racial laws by the Italian government which ruled Rhodes and the other Dodacanese Islands starting in 1912 (after the Turkish-Italian War).  The leading destinations of the migrants were Rhodesia, Belgian Congo, and the USA.  In 1943, Rhodes was occupied by the Germans, and on July 23, 1944, 1673 members of the remaining  Jewish community were arrested and then deported to Auschwitz, along with the Jews of the island of Kos (Cos).  All but 150 were murdered.  Forty or so of those arrested held Turkish nationality and the day after the mass arrest, the Turkish Consul-General protested vociferously that his nationals, some of whom had only the remotest proof of Turkish nationality, must not be deported.  They were not deported and most survived the remainder of the war in Rhodes, and the Turkish Consul is honored at Yad Vashem  The oldest Torah scrolls of the community were hidden in a mosque by the Grand Mufti (whose grandfather-in-law was Jewish) and returned to the community at the end of the war.  The Kahal Shalom Synagogue, built in 1577 and one of six synagagues that once existed in La Juderia, is beautifully restored and still in use by the handful of Jews that remain.  It also houses a wonderful museum detailing the centuries of Jewish life in Rhodes.

Entrance to the Kahal Shalom Synagogue, La Juderia, Rhodes
Entrance to the Kahal Shalom Synagogue, La Juderia, Rhodes
Names of the Jews of Rhodes and Kos who perished in the Holocaust (Kahal Shalom Synagogue)
Names of the Jews of Rhodes and Kos who perished in the Holocaust (Kahal Shalom Synagogue)
Holocaust Memorial in public square, Rhodes
Holocaust Memorial in public square, Rhodes

When we came to shore in Lindos, we always anchored our dinghy some distance off-shore. I would let Laura out of the dinghy in shallower water, and then would walk the dinghy out further to knee deep water and set an anchor.  Wading to shore one morning I felt something catch my ankle and lower leg – probably a derelict rope I thought.  I lifted by leg out of the water and discovered all eight legs of a good-sized octopus holding tightly to my lower leg.  That was a bit of a shock.  I kicked my leg to get him off, but he stayed put and I almost lost my balance in the effort.  I tried again and he let go and fell back into the water.  The owner of the Skala Taverna saw what had happened and asked me to catch the octopus.  He offered me a long pole that was like a hoe and encouraged me to look for him near where I was standing.  I looked down and there he was, his color camouflaged to blend in with the rocky sea bottom, but still visible in the crystal clear water.  So I grabbed him with the business end of the pole and lifted him out of the water.  He immediately hit me with a stream of water and fell back into the sea.  I tried again with the same result.  Not wanting to miss our bus to Rhodes and get any wetter, I handed the pole back to the restauranteur who was in the process of rolling up his pants and removing his shoes.  I doubt that the octopus was caught because I saw him jetting away along the bottom.

Octopus is beaten to soften it prior to cooking (Kastellorizo)
Octopus is beaten to soften it prior to cooking (Kastellorizo)

On October 23, we did an overnight passage to Kastellorizo.  This small island is so remote from the rest of Greece that it is about the same distance to Israel as it is to Athens.  The small town is very cute with brightly painted houses and a ruined castle.  The water is perfectly clear and large sea turtles prowl in the bay.  Kastellorizo once had 10,000 inhabitants but the first half of the 20th century was very unkind, and most of the homes in the town lay in ruins at the end of World War II and most of the inhabitants wound up in Australia.  There has been a resurgence in the past couple of decades as many “Kazzies,” as they are known in Australia, have returned to fix up their family properties on the island.  There are now more than 200 permanent residents, some small hotels, and a small daily ferry from Kaș, Turkey brings groups of tourists for the day.  On Monday, we will check out of Greece and head into the marina at Kaș, Turkey just a couple of miles away.

Kastellorizo town
Kastellorizo town
Sail boat makes it way from Mandraki Bay into the town basin at Kastellorizo
Sail boat makes its way from Mandraki Bay into the town basin at Kastellorizo
Restored house, Kastellorizo
Restored house, Kastellorizo
Restored houses, Kastellorizo
Restored houses, Kastellorizo
Quay at Kastellorizo
Quay at Kastellorizo
Kastellorizo
Kastellorizo

 

Laura at taverna, Kastellorizo
Laura at taverna, Kastellorizo

M.

 

 

Symi

View of Symi Harbor
View of Symi Harbor
Symi Harbor
Symi Harbor
Symi Harbor
Symi Harbor
Melinda (of "Sassoon") and Laura at Symi Harbor
Melinda (of “Sassoon”) and Laura at Symi Harbor
Melinda and Davd (Sassoon) and Mark and Laura overlokking Panormittis Bay
Melinda and Davd (Sassoon) and Mark and Laura overlooking Panormittis Bay

We have spent the last three nights anchored in Panormittis Bay on the southwest coast of Symi Island  It is a lovely spot and well protected from wind and seas from any direction.  We knew that there was a bit of a storm coming, so we decided this was the place to ride it out.  It blew through Wednesday night and Thursday bringing moderately strong winds from the south and the first heavy rain we had seen since April.  The skies began to clear yesterday evening the wind dropped to less than 10 knots but, just as we were finishing supper, it suddenly came up 35+ knots from the north without any warning.  Two boats dragged anchor instantly and three more within the next 10 minutes.  They all had trouble resetting their anchors, dragging repeatedly, and one just put to sea rather than risk grounding ashore.  What looked like a lazy evening turned into a two hour sh*t show.  Fortunately, Sabbatical III held firm, as did the two boats directly in front of her, and our friends on Sassoon.

On Wednesday, we took the local bus from in front of the monastery here to Symi town  It was a 45 minute ride on a spectacular road winding around the mountains overlooking the sea.  We had a good look at the harbor in Symi town and from what we saw, we would never go in there with our boat.  It was a mess of tangled anchors, frayed tempers, and roll.  I cannot imagine what it was like when the 35+ knots came through the next evening.  Apart from that, Symi town is the cutest Greek town that we have seen, and the island is the prettiest.  We had Constantino the taxi cab driver take us back to Panormittis with our bags full of groceries.

Tomorrow, we split away from Sassoon and head to Rhodes and then to our Turkish marina at Kas.  It has been great to travel with David and Melinda and since they will end their season at Kas as well, we will certainly get to see them again.

 

M.

 

 

 

 

 

Levitha Island

Sailing past the cliff or Amorgos Island
Sailing past the cliffs of Amorgos Island

We left the lovely little anchorage in Andiparos (or Anti-Paros) a week ago (October 7th) and sailed over to Lévitha, an island inhabited by a single family but pretty conveniently located for us as we progress southeast on our way back to Turkey.  Unfortunately there was no internet or 3G service there so we were pretty much incommunicado there for a whole 5 days until we finally were told that if you climb up the hill to the family’s taverna, and then continue around the corner from the WC and go behind the goat shed and walk up the hill facing south, you can get pretty good 3G!  Who would have thought?

  Anyways we went to Lévitha to meet up there with our good Australian sailing friends Dave and Melinda from Sassoon who are also sailing back to Turkey.   At first glance the little harbor seemed bleak and barren, but as with all the Greek islands we have visited so far, we soon decided it was quite an enchanting place.  The nice place about Lévitha is that the enterprising family  has put in good sturdy moorings so that the small bay can safely accommodate many more boats than it could hold if everyone was anchoring.  They have put in 10 or 11 moorings and the day we arrived we were thankful that we had arrived early as by 6:00 p.m. every spot was taken and several boats had to drop anchor and tie a line to shore.  That was the only night that it was so crowded.  It must have been partly due to the fact that the previous week there were such strong winds and no-one was moving anywhere and then when the winds died down and everyone started moving at the same time.    

We managed to pass several days there in totally calm conditions which was lovely.  The water was crystal clear, but a bit too cold for me to swim (since I am still fighting a cold), but it was perfect for kayaking. Dave and Melinda managed to swim at least twice a day.   The taverna on the hill was excellent and it was a lot of fun to go up there in the evenings and sometimes meet up with sailors from other boats.  Most of them were charterers, or short term cruisers, and almost no-one spent more than one night there except Sassoon and ourselves.   It was a great anchorage and we would highly recommend it to other sailors. 

 L.

View from Levitha Island
View from Levitha Island

 

View of shepard's hut on Despotiko Island with Sabbatical III and Antiparos in the background
View of shepard’s hut on Despotiko Island with Antiparos in the background
Ruins of Temple of Apollo, Despotiko Island
Ruins of Temple of Apollo with Sabbatical III in the background, Despotiko Island
Laura at Despotiko Island
Laura at Despotiko Island

 

Drying octopus at Captain Pepino's Taverna, St. Giorgio, Antiparos Island
Drying octopus at Captain Pepino’s Taverna, St. Giorgio, Antiparos Island

 

 

 

Athens to Antiparos

View to the Acropolis from ouor hotel in Athens
View to the Acropolis from our hotel in Athens
Acropolis
Acropolis
Acropolis
Acropolis
Antiparos town
Antiparos town
Antiparos town
Antiparos town
View from St. George, Antiparos towards Despotika Island where we are anchored
View from St. Georgio, Antiparos towards Despotika Island where we are anchored

We are back on the boat and at anchor in the small bay between the small island of Antiparos and the smaller and uninhabited island of Despotiko in the Cyclades groups of Greek islands in the Aegean.  We spent two days in Athens before returning to the boat in Kalamata and doing a 30 hour sail in rough conditions to Antiparos.  The wind was been blowing hard for the past week but should calm tomorrow.  On Tuesday we will leave for Amorgos Island.

M.

Church at St. Georgio, Antipasto
Church at St. Georgio, Antiparos
Church at St. Georgio, Antiparo
Church at St. Georgio, Antiparos
Antiparos town
Antiparos town
View of shepard's hut on Despotiko Island with Sabbatical III and Antiparos in the background
View of shepard’s hut on Despotiko Island with Antiparos in the background
Ruins of Temple of Apollo, Despotiko Island
Ruins of Temple of Apollo with Sabbatical III in the background, Despotiko Island
Laura at Despotiko Island
Laura at Despotiko Island

 

Drying octopus at Captain Pepino's Taverna, St. Giorgio, Antiparos Island
Drying octopus at Captain Pepino’s Taverna, St. Giorgio, Antiparos Island

 

 

 

 

 

Places we have visited in Greece

Greecemap

Places we have visited in Greece (in chronological order):

A.  Mytline (Lesbos Island)

B.  Psara Island

C.  Kea Island

D.  Kythnos Island

E.  Elafonisos Island

F.  Port Kayio

G.  Methoni/Pylos

H.  Koroni

I.  Kalamata

M.

 

Cruising with the Vera

Dining in Methoni with Michael and Britta of Vera
Dining in Methoni with Michael and Britta of Vera

 

We finally met up with Michael and Britta of “Vera” in Methoni a few days ago. We have not sailed with Vera since Vanuatu 2008. We stayed a couple days in Methoni, dining at our favorite restaurant and touring the castle, and then went to Porto Longo on uninhabited Sapientza Island, and then to Navarinou Bay near Pylos. Wasps drove us out of Sapientza Island after only one full day.

Castle at Methoni
Castle at Methoni
Castle at Methoni
Castle at Methoni

 

Wildflowers, Methoni
Wildflowers, Methoni
At the top of the Palaiokastro, Navarinou
Michael and Britta at the top of the Palaiokastro, Navarinou
At the top of the Palaiokastro, Navarinou
At the top of the Palaiokastro, Navarinou
Voidhokolia Bay viewed from the top of the Palaiokastro, Navarinou
Voidhokolia Bay viewed from the top of the Palaiokastro, Navarinou

A 240 foot luxury yacht dropped anchor next to Vera and Sabbatical III yesterday morning. A 200 foot auxiliary vessel arrived and set up an inflatable water slide park and dropped off various other play things such as jet skis and tow rings, and then left. Security men in small craft patrolled the waters as a bunch of children and their parents had an all day party on the water slides and a bit of beach. When a guest zoomed off in a jet ski, a high-powered small boat with a security person aboard followed. Small boats with paparazzi armed with cameras and long lenses patrolled as close as they dare. Someone in an ultralight aircraft few overhead. No one was closer than Sabbatical III and Vera and we did not care enough to ask who’s party it was, although we thought the show was amusing and jokingly conjectured that it was Brad Pitt and family. Our hoped for invitation never came. The day before, a Greek Coast Guard vessel came by to check us out, confirming that we were from the US and asking us to keep our toilet valves closed (otherwise not required). I think that primary reason for their visit was to make sure that the neighbors of this high profile party were not paparazzi or unsavory in other respects.

The far northwest part of Navarinou Bay is quite lovely and a comfortable and secure anchorage. We have enjoyed our time here. This afternoon we will sail back to Methoni to provision and then head east to Porto Kayio.

M.

From the Aegean to the Ionian: Cyclades and Peloponnese

Stefanos Bay, Kythnos Island, Greece
Stefanos Bay, Kythnos Island, Greece

Since our last blog post we sailed from Psara Island in the Sporades group of islands on the east side of the Aegean to Kea Island and Kythnos Island in the Cyclades group of islands on the west side of the Aegean and then around to the west coast of the Pelopennese on the Ionian Sea.  To the west of us is Italy.

 

The sail from Psara to Kea was extremely fast — the best long sail we have had in a couple of years.  Another Amel left Psara just after we did at first light, and she steadily closed the gap between us as the day progressed.  I noticed that when the wind slackened a bit, the other Amel was faster, but when the wind picked up, we were faster.  The French couple sailing the other Amel put a lot more twist in their sails than I ever do, so I learned something in our head to head comparison.  Just as the other Amel was pulling abreast of us after hours of sailing, the wind picked up substantially and we pulled decidedly ahead.  Who says that cruisers never race?

A combination lighthouse and church at the entrance to Nicolas Bay, Kea Isla
A combination lighthouse and church at the entrance to Nicolas Bay, Kea Island

The longest passage of the past two weeks was the overnight trip from Kythnos Island to Elafonisos Island just southwest of the eastern-most Peloponnese peninsula. This involved rounding Cape Malea, referred to as Greece’s Cape Horn.  It was quite gusty around the cape, but not unacceptably so.  We are now in Methoni at the eastern end of the Peloponnese.

Stone wall, Stefanos Bay, Kynthos Island
Stone wall, Stefanos Bay, Kynthos Island
Taverna, Kythnos Island (we ate here every day)
Taverna, Kythnos Island (we ate here every day)
Flora, proprietor of the taverna
Flora, proprietor of the taverna
Stefanos Bay, Kythnos Island
Stefanos Bay, Kythnos Island
Village on the cliff, Porto Kayio, Peloponnese
Village on the cliff, Porto Kayio, Peloponnese
Lighthouse at Cape Grosso, south of Kayio (only Gibraltar is further south in Europe, and then only by 14 miles)
Lighthouse at Cape Grosso, south of Kayio (only Gibraltar is further south in Europe, and then only by 14 miles)

Laura’s notes for fellow cruisers follow.

 

M.

Notes on Greece from Sabbatical III for other sailor’s … places we stopped after checking in at Mytilene.

July 13, 2013

Psara,  Eastern Sporades,  Greece (p. 430 Greek Water’s Pilot)

We anchored at N 38⁰ 32.33     E 025⁰ 34. 68

We liked this place very much.  There is a small well protected quay in front of the small town and three sailboats were tied up (side to) when we were there.  We stayed across the bay in an anchorage which provided good holding and good protection from the northerly winds that were blasting through at the time.  Only one other boat in the anchorage.  It was kind of a wet dinghy ride into town from there, but apart from the quay it seemed to be the best place to anchor.  The town has a few tavernas with good food and friendly proprietors.  One of the tavernas is around the corner from the main harbor (facing SW) and was worth eating at.  There is a beautiful old church being renovated at the top of one of the hills.  A seemingly newly constructed stone walkway from the town up to a scenic viewpoint (and a small chapel) is well worth the trip up.  Views are outstanding from there.  The walkway, up a steep cliff, is lit at night and is really magnificent to see from the anchorage.  A few mini-markets and a “supermarket” where we found plenty of fresh veggies and fruits and yogurts.   Decent prices too.  Clear water for swimming.  3G good.  

July 12, 2013

Limin Ay Nikolaou on Nisos Kea, the Northern Cyclades Islands, Greece ( p. 241 Greek Water’s Pilot)

We anchored at : N 37⁰ 40.128  E 024⁰ 19.219

Popular spot.  There is a very long and nice looking quay in the NE part of the bay.  There were lots of boats there, anchored stern to.  There are supposed to be several tavernas on shore, but we did not go in.  The book lists three different areas to anchor, but we found only one, Coal Bunker Bay to really be useable.  Ormos Livadhi had a big ferry parked in the middle of it and no anchored boats, and Vourkari (with the quay) had too many boats on mooring balls to be an option for us to anchor.     Very quiet place.  Water clean and clear.  Some bits of plastic and other garbage on the sea bottom detracted a bit from the beauty of the water. 3G, but we don’t remember how good it was. 

July 13 – July 16 2013

Ayios Stefanos,  Kithnos, the Northern Cyclades Islands, Greece  ( p. 246 Greek Water’s Pilot)

We anchored at N 37⁰ 23 723    E 024⁰ 27.517

Anchorage is very comfortable and we liked the place very much.  Excellent taverna up behind beach (on NW side of beach)  Flora, her daughter Stella, her mother, and other family members run the place.  They even brought us fruit and veggies from town… when we told them we were running low.  There seems to be a second taverna on the other side of the beach, but it was always empty so we did not try it.   Lovely water for swimming.  Twenty or so small vacation homes (some just like cabanas) on the beach, plus a couple of large beautiful homes up the hill.  Great places to hike or just walk.   Breathtaking views from the top of any hill.   All the tourists there were Greek.  Very quiet.   Delightful place. 

3G service is ok, not great.

July 16 – July 18

Nisos Elafόnisos, Peloponnese, Greece (p. 146 Greek Water’s Pilot)

We anchored at N 36⁰ 27. 846     E 022⁰ 58.791

Overnight sail here from Kithnos (about 18 hours with good winds)  Used Poseiden for weather forecasting and it was very accurate. Lots of shipping traffic… everyone well behaved and using their AIS.  Ferries, cruise ships, cargo ships, tankers… going to Pireus, Naples, Izmir and Istanbul.

We had planned our trip so as to maximize the possibility of light winds as we rounded the cape at Ák Maléas;   We had no problems in rounding the cape, but found that, despite the fairly gently conditions, the gusts coming off of the land between Ák Maléas and our anchorage at Elafonisos were extremely strong and unpredictable.  25-30 knots….

The anchorage at Nisos Elafonisos was good with a beautiful sandy bottom and clear inviting water… large sand bar and sand dunes.  Day tourists on beach.  Could be swelly if swell was from south.  It looked as if either of the two anchorages there (O Frangos or O Sarakiniko) would be fine, although almost all the boats were in Ormiskos Frangos the night we were there.  Quiet.  3G service ok, not great.

July 18

Porto Kayio, Peloponnese, Greece

We anchored at N 36⁰ 25.786   E 022⁰ 29. 159

Lovely anchorage with lots more room than it looks like in the charts.  The C-map charts for the approach were slightly off (they were pointing us too far north) and the Navionics charting was better.  As you approach this finger of the Peloponnese you may be asking yourself why on earth you came here.  It has to be one of the driest, most barren and foreboding looking stretches of land we have seen.  And yet, once you enter the harbor, you will become enchanted.   It is lovely, and even a bit green.  An old abandoned monastery high on the hill overlooking the anchorage is amazing, and there are other old stone structures and a large yellowish colored church perched high up on the hills.  There are also three tavernas on shore.  Nice clear water and excellent swimming. A well supplied fruit and vegie truck drives through the town daily.  You will hear him on his megaphone.  If you miss him as he heads through the village the first time, just wait 10 minutes as he will proceed up a hill to the nearby village and then retrace his steps to Porto Kayio. (A second fruit truck came by a few hours later.)  Other than that there are no supplies to be had, although they will try to help you out in one of the tavernas if you need something.  We anchored in the south side and anchored easily, although weather was calm and it is hard to say if the holding would be good or not in strong winds. Quiet.  3G poor

July 20

Methoni, western most side of the Peloponnese

We anchored at N 36⁰ 48. 852     E 021⁰ 42.593

Lots of boats anchored here, but still plenty of room, and everyone is anchoring very well so far.  The anchorage is quite protected.  There is a breakwater and an old fort which both provide protection from the northwest, as well as providing a very scenic background. The touristy part of town is cute with lots of tavernas, and not much else (we have not even seen a cell phone store  in town).  There are a few  foreign tourists but nothing overwhelming.   It’s a quiet town, and continues to be quiet at night.   There is a Carrefour Express in town which has a decent selection of foods, and a couple of small local markets that have nice fruit and veggies along with your basic foods.  Also a butcher and 2 bakeries. There is a watermelon and honey dew melon truck that cruises back and forth selling delicious melons.  Water is clear and nice for swimming.  3G is excellent… so life is good! 

L.

 

Ayvalik, Lesbos and Psara

 

Laura celebrates her 60th in Psara
Laura celebrates her 60th in Psara

Ayvalik and Pergamon

Our last stop in Turkey before formally checking-out was Ayvalik.  Along with Dave and Melinda of “Sassoon” we rented a car for a tour of the ancient Greek city of Pergamon.  The city reached its height of greatness under the Romans, and had a library second only to Alexandria.  We also visited the Sanctuary of Asclepius founded by Galen the physician.

Mark becomes the 10 millionth person to strike this pose at Pergamon
Mark becomes the 10 millionth person to strike this pose at Pergamon
David and Melinda of "Sassoon"
David and Melinda of “Sassoon”
Peegamon
Pergamon
Pergamon
Pergamon
Pergamon
Pergamon (Coliseum)
Pergamon
Pergamon

 

Lesbos

We formally entered Greece at Mytilene the main city of the island of Lesbos.  Lesbos is the third largest Greek island and Mytilene is by far the largest city on Lesbos.  Half of all Lesbians live in Mytilene.  We rented a car for a day and toured the coast up to the beautiful town of Molyvos and then down the center of the island back to Mytilene.  Olive trees everywhere you look.

Checking into Greece at the Customs Dock, Mytlinene, Lesbos
Checking into Greece at the Customs Dock, Mytlilene, Lesbos
Hotel Lesbos
Hotel Lesbian
Gyros and a cold beer after the check-in
Gyros and a cold beer after the check-in
Molyvos, Lesbos Island
Molyvos, Lesbos Island

Psara

We sailed to the island of Psara after a stopover at Ormos Tarti on the southeast coast of Lesbos.  This is a beautiful but barren island with only 350 permanent residents.  It had been a prosperous island centered around shipping early in the 19th century, having the third largest Greek fleet. Its citizens joined the Greek War of Independence in 1821 and its ships were effective in harrying Turkish vessels.  In retaliation, the Ottoman Turkish navy stormed the island in June 1824 and began to massacre its citizens.  On July 4, 1824, the few hundred citizens of Psara that remained alive in a fortress threw down a flag reading “Liberty or Death” and when the Ottoman Turks entered the fortress, the Greek defenders purposely set off a huge explosion killing themselves and many Turks.  Greek survivors were either killed or sent off into slavery.  The “”Liberty or Death” flag flies on every boat in Psara harbor and those who died are listed on the four sides of a monument.

Monument to those who died in 1824
Monument to those who died in 1824
Some of the names on the monument
Some of the names on the monument
Psara, harbor
Psara, harbor

 

Psara
Psara
Psara
Psara
Church of St. Nicolas
Church of St. Nicolas, Psara

 

Ground cover on treeless Psara
Ground cover on treeless Psara
Goats
Goats
Sunset on Laura's birthday, Psara
Sunset on Laura’s birthday, Psara

 

M.

 

 

 

Map of places we have visited in Turkey, April-June 2013

We are now is Ayvalik, Turkey.  We will formally check out of Turkey in a few days and head over to the island of Lesbos (Lesvos), Greece and check into the European Union.  (We will return to Turkey in October. )  So now is a good time to map some of the places that we have been.

M.

Place visited April-June 2013
Place visited April-June 2013

The icon letters indicate the chronological order of our visits.  The places mapped are:

A.  Marmaris

B.  Fethiye

C.  Kaş

D.  Symi (Panormitis), Greece

E.  Gümüşlük

F.  Agathanisi, Greece

G.  Kuşadası

H.  Çeşme

I.  Bademli

J.  Ayvalik

 

Bademli Limani

Fisherman repairs his net
Fisherman repairs his net

We arrived in Bademli Limani two days ago from Kara Ada Island.  It boasts a nice, protected anchorage and a small Turkish town unaltered by tourism.  We will remain a couple of more days before heading up to Ayvalik.

Dave and Melinda from "Sassoon" with Laura during our walk through Bademli town
Dave and Melinda from “Sassoon” with Laura during our walk through Bademli town
Stone structure in Bademli
Stone structure in Bademli

Since we arrived in Turkey, we have been eating a particular brand of breakfast cereal — Granola Balli  Müsli  by DoÄŸa.  We were under the impression that it is a healthy cereal.  Yesterday, I finally looked at the English language side panel of the box and discovered that the DoÄŸa people themselves view it as unhealthy, writing that their cereal “is a delicious alternative to healthy eating.”  Maybe we can find some Cocoa Puffs in a store somewhere.

Our breakfast cereal
Our breakfast cereal
"Serving suggestions" on the side of the box
“Serving ideas” on the side of the box

M.

Agathonisi to Kara Ada Island: May 30, 2013 – June 22, 2013

 

Library at Ephesus
Library at Ephesus

May 30, 2013 – June 5, 2013    Agathonisi, Greece

We spent 6 days in Agathonisi, a delightful Greek island with friends Bill and Janet from AirStream.  One big southerly storm chased all the other boats away, but we had good holding and stayed put.  The day after the storm lots of boats started coming in and every evening the place was filled with charter boats with everyone pushing to anchor where there wasn’t room.  Boats were tied up together two and three deep on the quay and then had to move because they were taking up dock space reserved for fishing boats or the daily ferry.  It was pretty crazy and it seemed that just when we thought that everyone was settled away and that there was just no room for anyone else, another boat would arrive and try to wedge in.  I guess this is what is to be expected in the Med in the summer.

Despite the chaos in the harbor, we enjoyed the place and had lovely walks on the island and enjoyed daily meals at the two small friendly tavernas.  The water was clean and clear for swimming.

Our last day there we witnessed a terrible incident… the death of a German man who had come in on a sailing charter boat with three friends.  He must have had a heart attack while swimming and despite the efforts of his friends to revive him, he died on the beach just in front of us.  Just an hour after he died the daily ferry boat from Samos came in, and within a few minutes some of the men from the village had moved his body onto the ferry and it was taken away, accompanied by two of his sailing friends.  Very distressing event.

June 5, 2013 – June 11, 2013  Kuşadasi, Turkey

Our next stop was in  Kuşadasi, at a very nice marina where we spent another week. We took a tour bus with our friends Bill and Janet to see the ancient ruins of Ephesus.  The tour threw in a couple of extras  like a “free” stop at a rug factory (anyone want to buy a Turkish rug? ) and a leather factory (fashion show included)… which we could have done without, but it was all kind of fun.   We spent a lot of time replacing the membranes on the water-maker which is a real pain in the butt, but it seemed to be the next necessary step in getting our water maker fully operational.  Met some new friends on the dock (Ichi Feet) , and checked out lots of the local restaurants.

June 11, 2013 – June 13, 2013   Kirkdilim Limani, Turkey

We stopped for 3 nights in this very quiet and very pleasant anchorage on our way up the coast.   The clearest water we have seen yet and lovely weather to enjoy swimming.  There is no coral here, and almost nothing in terms of sea life, but it was still nice to swim there.   We saw huge, beautiful thunderclouds in the distance a few nights in a row, but got no storms .  Some friends of ours who were further north said they had violent thunder-storms with hail and strong winds, so I guess we were lucky.    Good holding in the anchorage.  Only one or two other boats there, plus a couple of small fishing boats in the evening. No internet or phone access, so we didn’t stay too long as we don’t like to be out of touch with family for too long and it is not safe to go without weather updates for so long either.  We left just in time as the winds started picking up from the north  on June 13th, and it looked like we were about to get our first taste of the infamous Meltemi winds.

June 13, 2013 – June 20, 2013     Çeşme Marina, Turkey

We  met up with our friends Dave and Melinda on Sassoon here and ended up spending a full week in the marina.  It is a very upscale town, and the marina area is very pretty.   We didn’t plan on spending a full week there (it’s a very pricey marina) , but the strong northerly winds, the first meltemi winds of the season, just would not stop. Winds were between 20 and 26 knots from the north with much higher gusts all week. The Çeşme marina is right in the middle of a bay which really amplifies the winds so it was difficult to leave there.   The marina area is surrounded by dozens of restaurants and bars which, unfortunately, meant a lot of loud music at night.   Between that music and the extremely loud calls to prayer from the nearby mosque it was not the most restful place.  We did have fun celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary there one day, and the wedding anniversary of our friends (on Sassoon) the next day.

June 20, 2013 – June 23, 2013   Kara Ada anchorage, Turkey

We left Çeşme Marina yesterday.  Our current anchorage is only about 10 miles further north and when we had a lull in the winds yesterday morning we decided to get out of the marina.  It was a slow slog upwind to get to our current anchorage, but we are glad we did it.   It is quite pretty and is well protected from the northerly winds which continue to blow strongly.   The holding is good and we are feeling safe and secure.   The island here is unpopulated, except by donkeys and pigs, which has the unfortunate side effect of creating a breeding ground for flies.  They seem to like the inside of our boat, so we have had to keep our mosquito/fly screens on all the hatches while we are here.  It’s nice and restful here and we are getting lots of reading done.  Plenty of food on board and we will probably stay here a couple more days until the winds finally abate enough for us to head further north.

L.

Library at Ephesus
Library at Ephesus
Library at Ephesus
Library at Ephesus

 

The ancient Greeks wrote "I LOVE ELVIS" at the end of line two
The ancient Greeks wrote “I LOVE ELVIS” at the end of line two

 

Laura and Janet remember that they need to return a book to the Library at Ephesus
Laura and Janet remember that they need to return a book to the Library at Ephesus
Prayers attached to the wall outside of the home of Mary, Mother of Jesus
Prayers attached to the wall outside of the home of Mary, Mother of Jesus
Making Turkish rugs
Making Turkish rugs
Making Turkish rugs
Making Turkish rugs
Çeşme marina and town
Çeşme marina and town
View from ancient fort at Çeşme
View from ancient fort at Çeşme

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Fellow Americans

 

Where do dervishes come from?  Delaware!
Where do dervishes come from? Delaware!

    When we brought Sabbatical III into the marina in Marmaris  after unloading her from the freighter, we were struck by how many of the boats were flying the American flag off of their stern – perhaps 10 to 20 percent of the boats in Yacht Marina.  In the marina in Fethiye, at least one-third of the boats flew the Star and Stripes.  And here in Cesme, three-quarters of the boats have Old Glory flying.  But there do not seem to be any Americans around.  Why is that?

The first thing we noticed is that almost all of these US flagged vessels have Delaware as their home port, although some list “Delware” or “Deleware.”  About half of the Delaware vessels also list their homeport city on their transoms and it is always Wilmington, although on occasion “Willmington” or “Wilmigton” or something similar is displayed.  It must certainly be the case that there are more recreational vessels in Turkey listing Wilmington, DE (or sometimes “DL”) as their home port as there are boats in all of Delaware.

Spell that again?
Spell that again?

Second, almost all of these vessels fly a small, cheaply printed toy version of the US flag rather than a beefier sewn version.  These flags are commonly tattered.

Third, none of the people on these Delaware flagged boats speak English.  In Fethiye, it was either Russian or Turkish.  In Cesme, it seems to be almost all Turkish.  We have yet to meet anyone from the Blue Hen State in Turkey even though Delaware boats are in such abundance.  In the marina at Fethiye, the receptionist at the front desk is Russian, and as I waited in line to check out of the marina, I watched and listened as she assisted Russians check in a set of sail boats, all of which had US certificates of registration with homeports in Delaware. 

This is obviously a tax dodge.  Delaware is an easy state in which to set up a corporation, and taxes on boats are apparently high in Turkey and Russia.  That does not bother us.  Our issue is what to do with our US flag?  If we fly it off of our stern as we typically do, we are basically signaling that we are Turkish or Russian tax avoiders.  Although this group of people may be very nice folk and this registration offshore via a dummy corporation may be perfectly legal, it is not how we think of ourselves. Of course if someone came up to the boat and read “Jamestown, RI” on our transom, or listened to us converse, they would realize that we might really be Americans.  But more likely, they would only look at our beefy, sewn US flag and conclude that we are just non-American tax evaders without any subtlety.   

Here in Cesme, there are more US flags fluttering than in most 4th of July parades. So in Cesme at least, where the US flag can only mean Turkish owners, our US flag is off.  We are the real deal and if anyone wants to find that out, they can just ask or look at the non-Delaware homeport written on our transom. 

 M.

 

Views of Agathonisi

We have been in KuÅŸadası, Turkey for the past six days.  We took a day to tour Ephesus and environs but spent too much time on boat issues — the water maker again,  We will leave tomorrow heading north.

These are some more photos from Agathanisi.

M.

View of the town and bay, Agathonisi
View of the town and bay, Agathonisi

 

 

Village at the top of the hill
Village at the top of the hill

 

Tiny chapel at the top of the hill
Tiny chapel at the top of the hill
Interior of chapel
Interior of chapel
Stone house
Stone house
Stone house
Stone house
Goat
Goat
George with the catch of the day to be served at his taverna
George with the catch of the day to be served at his taverna
Catching rain for diversion to a cistern
Catching rain for diversion to a cistern
View
View
View of Sabbatical III from taverna
View of Sabbatical III from taverna
Flowers with bees
Flowers with bees
Laura and her newly purchased olive oil
Laura and her newly purchased olive oil

M.

Agathonisi

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Sabbatical III and Airstream at the quay, Agathonisi

We sailed into the small island of Agathonisi (Greece) yesterday in light winds and are tied to the quay along with Airstream. This is a very pretty island of just 150 people. The food at the Seagull taverna is great.

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View of Ay Yeoryios Bay, Agathonisi

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Flowers in front of house, Agathonisi

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Supper at the Seagull with Bill and Janet of Airstream

M.

Slip sliding away


Sabbatical III drags out to sea!! (Well almost)!

On Tuesday, May 21 we left Marmaris for Bozuk Bükü where we anchored in thick sea grass in front of the Loryma Restaurant. Our friends on “Sassoon” and “Horizon” were already there and tied up to the T-dock. We had a wonderful evening having drinks and appetizers while watching some boats struggling to get their anchors dug into the bottom. Just before the main course arrived, when it was already dark and the wind had come up strongly from the north, the restaurant staff ran up to us saying that our boat was dragging. Laura, Ray from “Horizon”, and I ran to the dock with the waiter and got into the restaurant skiff (our dinghy was still on top of “Sabbatical III”) and soon caught up with Sabbatical III as she slowly made her way out of the bay, dragging 60 meters of anchor chain and a 30 kilogram anchor along the grassy bottom 25 meters below the surface (we had anchored in 16 meters). The three of us jumped aboard and once the waiter was sure that the engine had started he returned to shore. Laura, Ray and I reeled in the chain and anchor and tried to reset it in the same general vicinity where we had originally set it, but it would not hold. The sea grass was too thick for the anchor to dig in. I finally found a spot close to the cliffs on the northeast shore where the anchor seemed to set.

In our 9 ½ years with Sabbatical III, we never had an anchor drag before. When we first arrived at the anchorage in Bozuk Bükü the wind was light and out of the south, and we went through our usual routine of backing down hard to both set the anchor and check that it holds under pressure. I suspect that what happened is that when the wind switched and came around from the north with some force, the anchor came out of the bottom and would not reset itself in the thick seas grass. It was certainly unnerving to see Sabbatical III drifting away untended in the dark. We would not have known of it in time to safely retrieve her if it were not for the German sail boat “Cassiopaea” who saw Sabbatical III float away, went online to get a phone number for the restaurant, and then called on their mobile phone to alert them. Many thanks to them and to the staff of the Loryma Restaurant who dropped everything to get us onto our boat. Once we were anchored again, the restaurant skiff came out and picked up Ray but Laura and I decided to stay aboard as it was still blowing hard and we had lost confidence that the anchor would hold. The restaurant was nice enough to send the skiff out once again with our main courses packed “to go” so that we would not go hungry. The food was delicious and we are very grateful to the restaurant staff for their quick work and caring attitude. We will certainly visit the Loryma Restaurant again.

Panormitis

The next morning (May 22), we left Bozuk Bükü for Panormitis on the island of Symi. There is no town at Panormitis, just the famous Monastery of St. Michael, a taverna, a small store, and a bakery. Ferries come a few times a day and stay for an hour so that passengers can have a tour of the monastery. St. Michael is one of the patron saints of sailors, so it is fitting that we stop to visit as well. The small bay is very well protected and once the anchor was down, I powered back very hard to make sure it was set. We had a great lunch ashore at the taverna (calamari, moussaka, Greek salad, baklava, and little cups of coffee), and spent some time admiring the public spaces of the monastery. In the evening we walked around the whole bay, climbing to the windmill over the narrow entrance to watch the sunset.

As predicted, the wind came up strongly from the southeast overnight, so we left Panormitis after just one night in order make some distance to the northwest. We set both our downwind poles and had a fast sail with 20+ knots of wind right on the stern much of the way. In the strait separately Kos island from Turkey, we had wind over 30 knots. We called our friends Bill and Janet on “Airstream” who were anchored in Gümüslük (ancient Myndos) to check on conditions. They said it was windy with a chop but tenable, so we headed there. The wind came up even more and the anchoring situation was treacherous. The bay is quite narrow and had many boats, most of whom were on permanent moorings, which means they would not swing in a wind shift in the same way as a boat at anchor. “Airstream” said that their anchor had dragged three times that afternoon (they had never dragged before) before finding a free mooring. We anchored near an ancient stone pier, which like most of ancient Myndos, was underwater as a result of earthquakes long ago. There was no other place to go. The wind gusted to 30 knots as the boat bounced in the wind chop and swung hard in the gusts. We sat anchor watch continuously for 4 hours until the wind abated.

The next day the winds were calm and we joined Bill and Janet for a trip to the major city of Bodrum just 45 minutes away by dolmuş. Bodrum is on the site of ancient Halicarnassus, the birth place of Herodotus and the site of one of the “Seven Wonders of the World”, the tomb of King Mausolus, hence the word “mausoleum” (thank goodness he was not King Linol). Not much of Halicarnassus is left. The Bodrum waterfront is quite attractive, with hundreds of Turkish gulets (sail boats) lining the quay. We visited the Castle of the Knights of St. John, the stronghold of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and the underwater archaeology museum.

Escaping from ancient Myndos

The next morning the wind began to shift north and Sabbatical III was coming dangerously close to the ancient pier of Myndos. We upped anchor and found another spot just 50 meters away just before more boats squeezed into the small bay. Then a sea breeze came up from the south and it was clear that we could not remain where we were without an uncomfortably high possibility of swinging into another boat as the wind gusted and shifted. We hurriedly brought up the anchor once more and looked for a safer spot but soon realized that as much as we liked Gümüslük, this was not the day to be anchored there. So we just left. It was already mid-afternoon and we had made no preparations, so our options were limited. We puttered around while I checked the charts and pilot books and settled on Gündonĝan about 2 hours away.
Gündonĝan does not attract sail boats, so there is lots of room to anchor and swing, although in fairly deep water. The whole bay is filled with “holiday villages” for budget conscious European tourists – none of the charm of Gümüslük. At the head of the bay was a loud disco that blared music until 1 am … but at least the boat was safe. We went ashore the next morning and shopped for fruit, veggies, and other food, and then left for Ilica Bükü, where we are now.

Anchoring Angst

Ilica Bükü is a lovely deep bay open to the north. It has two hotels under construction, a small development on the eastern shore, and no town or disco. The western shore is pine forest mixed with grassland where cows roam, and a single small stone dwelling up on the mountainside. When we arrived Sunday afternoon, there was a group of about 15 young men swimming and talking on the pebble beach just behind us while starting a wood fire. Three of them swam out in the direction of the boat. One of them was obviously struggling so they had him hang on to our dinghy to rest. So we invited them aboard to warm up and drink tea. Their English was very limited but we did learn that all the men were electricians who were wiring the hotel under construction ( a Hilton) and this was their day off. When I took them back to shore in the dinghy they offered me “doner kebab” to bring back to the boat. Doner kebab is very similar to shawarma or gyros. They had set up a spit next to the fire and were roasting a very large doner that they said was very special and only comes from a nearby village. They gave me a big bowl full of doner pieces that they cut off and Laura and I had it as the main course for supper. Sometimes hot meals just fall into our lap.

The next morning we hiked on a path around the bay and then up the mountainside to get a view. As we passed near the only structure, the white stone house, a man ran out of his garden and urged us to visit. He said “My name is Ismael,” which had a familiar ring. Ismael seems to be in his mid-forties and lives in the old stone house with his mother. He was born in this house and the surrounding land has been in his family for some generations. He gave us an enthusiastic tour of his grounds where he gave us samples of mulberries (delicious) and almonds (not yet ripe) and invited us for Turkish coffee. He excused himself and showered and put on clean clothes and then came out with coffee as we sat in chairs with a magnificent view overlooking the ocean. He was so excited to have company and talk with someone besides his mother. His English was passable and he was well versed in many subjects. In his simple stone house without indoor plumbing, he had a digital TV on which he watched CNN, MSNBC, and Bloomberg. He had no vehicle and occasionally walks to a town a few miles away with a backpack to shop. He works for three months each summer as crew on a Turkish gulet boat taking tourists to the Greek islands and elsewhere.

Yesterday (May 28), “Airstream” with Bill and Janet aboard anchored next to us. Later in the day, a French ketch came in as well. We all chose Ilica Bükü as the place to ride out the storm that was predicted to begin last night. The evening was quiet until about 11 pm when the wind came up very strongly from the southeast. Laura and I could not sleep with the tumult going on outside. About 1 am we noticed that Airstream was dragging. We called them on the VHF radio but then noticed Bill and Janet already on deck getting ready to re-anchor. Things seems to quiet for a few hours after that and we got some sleep. This morning the wind came up even stronger with severe gusts off of the hills. First Airstream dragged and then Sabbatical III. We brought up our anchor and it was covered in old lines and nets. This was not the detritus of the ancients but rather the remains of a recent fish farm. When an anchor drags here all kinds of stuff gets snagged. All of which has to be removed before trying to anchor again. Luckily I have a strong wife as crew. It took three tries (so far) to get the anchor set. The French ketch just dragged too and brought up a huge fishing net. Our friends on Sassoon some miles away sent an email that they dragged (for the first time) and Ray of Horizon, who ran to assist us in Bozuk Bükü a few days ago, broke his toe trying to help Sassoon. So it has been a struggle to stay put for each and every boat in these winds and with the foul bottoms.

The wind is at its peak now but should abate by evening. Anchoring in Turkey seems to be a greater challenge than in any other place we have been. Aside from that, the place is beautiful and the people are welcoming. If only the wind would calm a bit.

Quick recap of our activites from KaÅŸ back to Marmaris

In our last posting, we had left KaÅŸ heading back to Marmaris. On the way, we anchored in Sarsala Koyu (south of Goçek) and waited three days for a wind shift that would get us back to Marmaris. It arrived in the form of moderately strong southerlies last Friday (May 17) that gave a great sail west to Marmaris. We returned to Marmaris in order to visit with friends arriving to meet their boats on the April Seven Star yacht transport from Phuket, and to meet our Swedish friends Bo and Vivi from our Amel sistership “Lorna.” We know Lorna from Ray Roberts boatyard in Whangerai, New Zealand 2007/2008. We had not seen them since except for bumping into them for 10 minutes on the street in Luganville, Vanuatu about three years ago. They sailed to Turkey via South Africa two years ago.

We anchored between Yacht Marina and the Pupa Yacht Hotel. The protection was good but there was some kind of event at the hotel for the first two nights that brought amplified music and talk into the anchorage until late. The Seven Star yacht freighter was still in port unloading boats. We were able to visit with Robin and Rick from Endangered Species, and shout across the water to Peter and Giselle of “Komodo,” all of whom were on boats just after unloading from the freighter. Yacht Marina was full and all of the newly arrived boats had to anchor.

We told Bo from “Lorna” about our watermaker problems and he said that he had an unused logic (circuit) board for the watermaker that I could try out to see if that cured the problem. I installed his circuit board and sure enough the watermaker ran continuously for 90 minutes without a problem. I tried it again the next day, and it once again ran perfectly. He was willing to sell me the board (they are selling their boat), so the problem of the water makers suddenly shutting down was solved. PS: Yesterday the membrane on the watermaker failed. I have ordered replacements to be sent to us in Kuşadasi next week. PPS. The French ketch and Airstream have both dragged in the past hour. We are sitting firm for now. Wind over 35 knots.

M.

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Laura waits for coffee at Ismael’s house, Ilica Buku

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Young electricians swim out to the boat, Ilica Buku

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Sabbatical III at Ilica Buku

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Ismael’s house at Ilica Buku

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Laura and Ismael looking out from his garden

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Dance festival on the waterfront, Bodrum

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Monastery of St. Michael, Panormitis, Symi

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Sailboat enters the cut, Panormitis

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Near the Windmill over Panormitis

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View from Castle of the Order of St. John, Bodrum

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Panormitis

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Fishing net, Panormitis

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Panormitis

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Interior of the monastery, Panormitis

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Chapel inside monastery, Panormitis

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Panormitis

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Monastery, Panormitis

Karacaoren and KaÅŸ

View of Sabbatical III moored at Karacaoeren
View of Sabbatical III moored at Karacaoeren

We left Fethiye on Wednesday, May 8 and sailed 14 miles to Karacaoren.  There is nothing at Karacaoren except beautiful views and one restaurant.  When we entered the bay, one of the proprietors came out in a skiff to tie us to a mooring.  He picked us up a few hours later so that we could take a walk through the wildflowers and eat an excellent supper ashore.  The boat rolled in the swell that creeped in from the south until night when, thankfully, it quieted down.

Making gözleme
Making gözleme

The next morning (yesterday) we sailed 40 miles to the charming Aegean town of KaÅŸ.  The temperature dropped substantially over the previous 24 hours and we sailed in sweatshirts and jeans.  It was a bit of a frustrating sail with the wind speed and direction changing every few miles coupled with an uncomfortable wave pattern.  We entered the “Bucak Deniz”  (Bucak Sea), which is a long fjord-like bay just to the west of KaÅŸ and anchored at the far end.  The water was very clear and calm and their was a cool breeze blowing off of the sea.  We had to dig out our blankets again for the night.  Today the weekly market was held just behind where we were anchored.  We just rowed our dinghy ashore and ate delicious spinach and cheese crepes called gözleme, washed down with fresh orange and pomegranate juice.  The town has a small harbour filled with gulets (Turkish sailing vessels) and cafes and stores.  There is a large contingent of expats who live here, so there are some upscale establishments.  Just outside the bay is the island of Kasterllorizon, the easternmost inhabited island of Greece.

Laura savors gözleme in the Kaş market
Laura savors gözleme in the Kaş market

This afternoon we toured the new KaÅŸ marina and visted with our friends John and Gill who keep their sailboat there.  We were very impressed with what we saw and with John and Gill’s experience and are thinking of making the KaÅŸ marina the winter home of Sabbatical III.

 

M.

East Aegean Coast of Turkey: Marmaris to Fethiye (part II)

 

View of Boynuz Bükü bay, Skopea Linea (Göcek)
View of Boynuz Bükü bay, Skopea Linea (Göcek)

We left Yacht Marina in Yalancı Boğaz near Marmaris on April 26 heading southeast to explore the east Aegean coast as far as Kekova.  Our first stop was Ekincik where we tied to a restaurant quay on a beautiful bay.  There are great views from the restaurant but it did not open for the season until the night after our deprture so we were unable to sample the food. 

A line became tangled in the bowthruster prop as we backed down to the quay at Ekincik and was ripped off when I used the bowthruster.  I put on my thick wet suit (the water is quite cool) to see if I could find the prop on the bottom, but it fell into thick sea grass and was lost. Fortunately, we had a spare prop.  It took me 90 minutes with a snorkel and fins to replace the prop under the boat.  Now I am very wary of the bow lines that  come off of almost all the docks in Turkey and lead to an underwater mooring chain.

Stroemhella”, with Wendi and David aboard,  was the only other boat at the dock.  As soon as I had the new prop in place, we arranged for a tour of the ancient city of Caunos the next day.  Based upon a recommendation, we booked Abidin Kurt as our guide.  He came the next morning on a large river boat with captain to take us up the Dalyan River to ancient Caunus. The city was founded before 500 BC and was a Lycian-Greek-Roman-Byzantine port during its thousand years of existence, until the port silted up.  Abidin, who comes from Dalyan village near to the ruins of Caunos, was an excellent and enthusiastic guide.  We also viewed the Lycian rock tombs on the river and stopped for lunch in Dalyan village.

Abidin Kurt, our guide for the river trip to ancient Caunos
Abidin Kurt, our guide for the river trip to ancient Caunos
Coliseum, Caunos
Coliseum, Caunos
Lycian rock tombs, Dalyan River
Lycian rock tombs, Dalyan River
Silted up river delta, Dalyan
Silted up river delta, Dalyan

On April 28, we sailed to the Skopea Linea marine reserve in the Gulf of Fethiye.  We were amazed to see snow covered peaks in the distance.  It has been a wet spring and apparently it is cold enough at high altitudes for there to be snow even this late in the year.  The temperature was in the low 80’s F. on the boat during the day, and around 60 at night.

Snow capped mountains in the distance, Gulf of Fethiye
Snow capped mountains in the distance, Gulf of Fethiye

We spent two nights in the bay of Sarsala Koyu and had a nice lunch ashore at a small beach restaurant where there was only one other customer.  In the summer it is supposed to be very crowded in this area but there are very few boats and tourists this early in the year.  On April 30 we moved a few mile north in the Gulf of Fethiye to a bay named Boynuz Bükü where we dropped anchor in deep water and took a line ashore to a bollard.  Boynuz Bükü winds a bit through steep cliffs like a fjord.  We had great views of the snow capped mountains to the east.

Laura at Boynuz Bükü
Laura at Boynuz Bükü

Yesterday (May 1) we sailed 12 miles to the city of Fethiye and entered the Fethiye Ece Marina.  We needed to get to a town in order to (1) get our internet working again as it had failed inexplicably some days before, (2) order a new bowthruster prop now that we see how easy it is to lose one in these waters, and (3) provision.  We will remain here for one week because we really like what we have seen of this town, and also because the weekly rate in the marina was compelling as compared to the daily rate.  We went to the fish market where we bought fresh fish and then took it to one of the small restaurants next door where they fileted and prepared it for us.  It was a great meal.  Next door is the fruit and veggie market, so that pressing need was also satisfied.  And a block away is a Turkcell office that got our internet working again.  So we got a lot accomplished in one day.

M.

 

East Aegean Coast of Turkey: Marmaris to Fethiye (part I)

 

Portrait of Ataturk hangs in the Marmaris public square in honor of National Sovereignty and Children's Day, (April 23, 2013)
Portrait of Ataturk hangs in the Marmaris public square in honor of National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, (April 23, 2013)
Flowers adorn the statute of Ataturk at the waterfront of Marmaris in honor of National Sovereignty and Children's Day, (April 23, 2013)
Flowers adorn the statute of Ataturk at the waterfront of Marmaris in honor of National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, (April 23, 2013)

 

Laura in public square, Marmaris
Laura in public square, Marmaris

 

Bakery, Marmaris
Bakery, Marmaris

 

Feral cat, one of the many that roam Marmaris, naps in front of chandlery
Feral cat, one of the many that roam Marmaris, naps in front of chandlery

 

In the non-English speaking countries that we have visited with the boat, the word "yacht" is very often misspelled as "yatch" as on this dolmuÅŸ
In the non-English speaking countries that we have visited with the boat, the word “yacht” is very often misspelled as “yatch” as on this dolmuÅŸ
Marmaris has many supermarkets, a couple of suppermarkets, but only the Tansas store where we shop is a real supppermarket
Marmaris has many supermarkets, a couple of suppermarkets but only the Tansas store where we shop is a real supppermarket

M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are back aboard Sabbatical III

 

Sabbatical III gets lifted free of the deck of the Thorco Svendborg

We were at the dock at 6:30 am today as our boat was scheduled to be the first one unloaded. It took about one hour to slowly lift Sabbatical III off of the deck of the Thorco Svendborg and deposit her into Marmaris Bay.  We then motored around in order to dig out lines and fenders before heading for Yacht Marina in Yalancı BoÄŸaz which is a few miles from Marmaris at the southeastern corner of the bay.  We did our first “Med-Moor” (backing into a straight dock without fingers while picking up a bow line from the water) without drama.

As we headed from the Thorco Svendborg to the marina, we could feel the wind pick up but we were not sure if it was just windier at the SE corner of the bay or windy everywhere.  The wind was whistling though the rigging of the 600 boats moored in Yacht Marina.  It turns out the wind came up so strong that only two boats were unloaded today as it became unsafe to continue.  Tomorrow the wind will increase further to 35+ knots and no boats will be unloaded.  Monday will bring rain along with some reduction in the wind.  So we were quite lucky to get in the water.  Everyone else is heading back to their hotels to wait for the weather to improve.

The boat came through the trip looking just fine and we are excited to start cruising in the Med.

 

M.

Flying

 

Almost in the water

 

Crane hooks in between our masts

 

To get onto Sabbatical III, we had to climb down from the top of Thorco Svendborg on a vertical rope ladder.

 

View of crane and rope ladder from the deck of Sabbatical III

 

Removing the shackles and rope used to unload Sabbatical III

 

View of old city of Marmaris from the water

 

Thorco Svendborg arrives in Marmaris, Turkey

 

Thorco Svendborg steams into Marmaris Bay

 

Thorco Svendborg arrived at about 6 pm today.  We went aboard and climbed up a ladder to get to the deck of Sabbatical III.  With the help of Manuel, an Argentinian rigger who lives here in Marmaris, we removed some rigging, but Sabbatical III will spend one more night on the deck of the freighter as it got too dark to unload her.  Tomorrow morning at 7 am she will be back in the sea. — M.

Phuket, Thailand: Just prior to loading

 

Phuket, Thailand: Just prior to loading (note crane above Sabbatical III)

 

Boats on the deck:  Marmaris

 

Our charming agent, Soner Yaman, at Marmaris Port

 

Captain and crew in front of the Thorco Svendborg docked in Marmaris

 

Boats lashed into their cradles that are welded onto the deck

 

Sabbatical III lashed on the deck

 

View towards Netsel Marina from the deck of the Thorco Svendborg (Marmaris)