Disaster strikes, as we run aground on the beach

We were in a place called Ova Buku, sheltering from a N wind - it was nasty. Ova Buku is open to the S, so we had to leave. We were making for here (Orhaniye) and the wind was as forecast SE 20-25, but we came across a large squall, and decided to duck out into a bay called Ciftlik.



Ciftlik was OK for SE wind, but the wind was predicted to turn SW, which was no good for Ciftlik, but we could head on about 3 miles to the eastern side of its peninsula into another bay (Kurucu - I think).

We anchored at 2pm and waited for the wind shift - about 9pm it had arrived - we went up and confirmed that we would go round to the other bay, and confirmed also that it was pissing down. We came below for wets, and while we were putting them on felt a couple of bumps. Straight up top, but the boat had dragged 100m in about 5 minutes, and I couldn't get any steering (well, the keel was on sand) into the now 20 knot wind.

Then it was just heartbreaking as the wind and waves just pushed us farther and farther onto the beach. We ended up with a 40+ degree tilt and waves hitting and graunching the underside on the pebbles on the beach.

Sam called the coastguard, while I continued to try and turn the boat. Eventually the coastguard came (by road - too rough by sea) and we went ashore at 3am and were put into an unused holiday chalet (not used for a couple of years) were we slept until at least 7am!

We had arranged a boat to tow us off, and they turned up about 10:30, but by then we had met Carol and Ismet. Carol came to live here in 1963, and married Ismet then. She helped with all translations, and also Ismet cooked us breakfast. They were brilliant.

We met Cemil on the beach. He reckoned the boat wasn't big enough. His boat had been on the beach 2 years ago! When the refloat attempt failed, Cemil arranged another one for the following day (in Turkey you have to wait until the salvage crew say they can't do it, before you can make other arrangements).

Carol took us back home and found us a bed for the night. We took them to a local restaurant as a thank you. The next day Umut and a "tractor" arrived. Different story, as he had clearly done it before. He took me in the water to show me the damage caused already, before he started work.

They dug sand away from the seaward side near the rudder, and then used the JCB bucket with a rope right around the stern to lift the boat. When it was nearly upright, we attached a line to the top of the mast, and towed that from their boat. Not too long before we moved out to sea. No holes!

They escorted us here to Orhaniye, where we will try to sort her out.

Back to Yalikavak

We discovered that our windlass parts were due to arrive in Yalikavak, and given that the weather was forecast to be windy, we thought that we could make it back there in time to catch the bazaar (market) on Thursday 25th November. Nice sail back on the Genoa, making a comfortable 6 knots.

Stunningly, the parts arrived on Saturday evening, and we got them Sunday (Cahit had them and was waving from the dock like a mad thing). I managed to under-order by one oil seal, but could build and fit to the deck while that was sourced locally. The upshot is that we now have a working windlass, and IT FEELS GOOD!

Back here, the sunsets have been spectacular again. On 26th we went up on deck with the cameras, and on 27th we took a trip at sunset in the dinghy, just so we could get a good angle and background, but I don't intend to post all the photos here. We took 120, and even after editing (deleting) there are still 30 or so - 5 here!

We should be able to head off soon, Sunday's forecast shows a more favourable wind. We will head around to the Bodrum side of the peninsula, and see if we can find good shelter in a small bay.

Gumusluk

We came here on 20th November, and given that the wind is now blowing in excess of 20 knots, we will be staying till it drops. We are in the harbour that was once central to the ancient city of Myndos. There is not too much of it to see, apart from a few bits of wall, that are still visible here and there. We climbed the hill to try and find some remains, but instead found Deniz, and her friend with a kite. She was kind enough to lend us the kite, and take some photos. We were able to get a good view of Rabbit Island, which is in the entrance to the harbour. You can still see the old causeway that led out there, and it is good idea not to try sailing over it! On our way down the hill, we saw another tortoise, although this one was in the middle of lunch, and quite camera-shy.

Ashore, there are a couple of shops, and (apparently) 23 restaurants. Another place that we are sseing in a very different state to how it must be in summer. Our first two days here were hot and fine, so there were quite a few sunbathers out. Today the wind has driven them all into one or other of the 23 hostelries.

Yalikavak

Yalikavak was a good choice for an anchorage, and for some repair work. The windlass enjoyed the extra power from its new battery so much, that it stripped the gears in it drive mechanism. Removing it from the deck was a challenge, but mothing compared to the challenge posed by trying to dismantle it. We contacted Maxwell, who made it, and after we had succeeded, they did manage to respond with some helful advice of how to go about it. At least it told us that we had been doing the right things. Apart from that contact, though, they seem to be about the most useless company I have ever had to deal with. No response would seem to be normal business practice, which made our situation even more frustrating.

We found, once again, that on-shore the Turkish marina staff at Port Bodrum - Yalikavak, and mechanics were extremely friendly and helpful, which did make up a bit for havibg to try and deal with the useless bunch at Maxwell.


We also met two very friendly attendants at the Opet fuel dock. Ertin has given us tea and cakes and is fluent in English, as is the other gentleman there who once worked for BP. We have also got to know Cahit, who works as the engineer on-board "Black Sea", which is a very swish ketch of about 35m. We have been showing Cahit how to use a doubling dice at backgammon, because although the game is played anywhere and everywhere, the doubling cube is not used.


There have been some fantastic sunsets, but we have been restrained, and added only one photo.

Gulluk, Kuyucak and on to Guvercinlik

We spent two nights on the dock at Gulluk, where we managed to find a new battery for the windlass, because the old one was getting very tired.

We were sitting quietly on the deck, playing backgammon and watching the world go by when all of a sudden one of the fishermen from the boat next-but-one to us brought over 5 fried fish, complete with a salad and slices of lemon. These fishermen were as good an advert for Gulluk as any tourism department. The fish were delicious, and later Gengis also gave us tea and biscuits. We took them some English Tea. I think the concept of putting milk into tea is too much for the average Turkish fisherman to cope with - they stuck to their Turkish version. We were even invited to go out that night fishing, but as our language barrier is set to maximum (i.e. we don't speak Turkish) and therefore the shout - "get out from under that crane" would have been lost on us. What I mean is that we thought it was too dangerous to go. However, they still get the 5 Star award for hospitality.

We moved onto Kuyucak, where the hotel was closed for the season, so that the bay that is normally full of windsurfers, dinghies and canoes etc. was completely calm.

We ended up in Guvercinlik, where we soon found that the place grew on us more and more. Yet again we found everyone to be pleasant and helpful. The change in season became more obvious here with some calm, misty mornings. We decided to photograph the scene as various objects came in and out of view, until the sun burned off the mist completely, leaving us with another very pleasant day.

One of the local restaurants was kind enough to fill our jerry cans with water, as well as giving us complimentary coffees and teas - we tried to make sure that the tip box got something.

While we were there, several helicopters flew over us. In fact they few over 2 or three times, the on-board photographer decided that it was essential to have a photo that showed some movement of the rotors. It was a good job that there was more than one chance at it!

We caught a Dolmus to Bodrum, where we checked out the touristy sea-front and shopping areas. More remarkable was the huge indoor market, which was full of fantastic fruit and veg, as well as every household item you never knew you needed.

Back in Guvercinlik, we had fun buying yacht varnish and sandpaper. This was not achieved however, without the shop owner giving us some bread sticks to munch on while we shopped.

All in all, Guvercinlik was one of those places that we could have stayed longer in. I guess that with it not being fully developed as a tourist destination it has retained a feel of the real and authentic Turkish coast.






We moved on after a few more days to Turk Buku, where we spent one night. This bay has been flooded with holiday developments, and I bet it bustles in the season, but at least here, unlike Gok, the development sits more happily in the bay, and it is not at all unpleasant. We moved on because it was not an ideal anchorage for the weather we expected. For some reason, like Gulluk, we failed to take any photos here.

Iassus

Iassus is simply just one of the places that you should go to. The bay is now called Asin Limani, and the approach to the harbour is close to the byzantine tower, to avoid the sunken ancient breakwater. All told a good harbour only open to the South. The Turkish pilot says there are limited provisions, but with at least three mini-markets that may need updating.

The ancient remains are immediately adjacent to the harbour, and are fantastic. We chose a day when we could wander freely as there were only 4 or so other people there. It is also pleasant to have enough trees to give a substantial amount of shade.













On the far side of the hill is a huge theatre, which was apparently fairly complete until the late 19th century, when the marble was stripped from the seats to use in Istanbul - what a shame.

On the top of the hill is a later fort, whose walls are still in pretty good condition. Well worth the climb.

The following day we took a walk up the hill on the opposite side, but I couldn't stop Sam tickling her ass!

Heading slowly South towards Bodrum

We left Talianaki and headed to Akbuk, where we waited out some fairly anti-social weather. The local town was again very welcoming, and we found everything that we needed there.

We headed past a few fish farms and went up the bay into Kazikli. Good shelter here, with the support port for the fish farm being the best entertainment. Vessels coming and going all the time, by heck, those fish must eat a lot! We manged to spot a kingfisher while we were taking tea at a local hostelry, the photo is not good enough for public consumption.

On shore we did find a wild tortoise, who was ready for the off, just as soon as we left him(?) alone. I'm not too sure how they manage the terrain, but not too badly probably cuts it.

We finally moved on to hide from another strong wind in a small bay called Gok. We have seen many unsightly holiday villages, but this one took the biscuit. There didn't seem to be any of the original community left, and the latest build is truly appalling. If anyone ever wanted a perfect "How not to ...." this is it. The best thing about the heaviest rainfall we have seen in ages, was that it obscured the view!!

With the quantity of mud that washed down, the water turned brown for several hours. That was also comforting from the point of view of our depth reading. Our keel is 1.6 metres down and the reading was 1.2 - must have been soft mud, we didn't feel it!

Kusadasi - The Second Time

Back to Kusadasi, where we met up with Paul and Sylvia, who were there for only one day on a cruise. Another visit to Ephesus was both necessary and very enjoyable. We also braved the shopping area, were we dutifully haggled and bought many things we never knew we needed, and some Turkish delight, which we knew we did!

The two carved figures shown here are Medusa in a temple, and the fragment is of Nike, who contrary to popular belief is not a goddess of trainers, but of competition.

Bringing things up-to-date we are now South of the Samos straits in a bay called Talianaki, which is a small inlet in the larger bay of Kuruerik. We spent one night at an anchorage called St Paul's which was were the saint allowed his oarsmen to take a rest, from the rigours of rowing against the meltemi. As we know of only one "St Pauls Bay" we gather that they didn't get much rest!

Sigacik and Sarpdere

When Jill and John left, we went North for a few days, including a stay in Sigacik, where they have the loudest (and possibly least tuneful) call to prayer that I personally have ever heard. Clearly audible at one mile distant, you have to wonder what the residents did that requires such a strident reminder. Again nearby there is another ancient site – the city of Teos. Less well preserved, but extensive and fascinating.

Sigacik (pronounced "saajik") is and old walled village. There is little doubt that a good source of the material for those walls was ancient Teos. However with large chunks of the walls intact, it is very unusual. The locals in Sigacik were very friendly and helpful, and I suppose it won't be too long before a good deal more tourism finds its way there.

We moved again to explore further, and ended up in a small bay called Sarpdere. There we met a Turkish sailor, Oskan, who helped us with re-setting our anchor and putting some shore lines after we had dragged anchor in the night. He and Suzie also make a fantastic cup of coffee! Oskan has taken his boat Kayitsiz on a circumnavigation, and given that he built it himself, is an extremely useful man to know.

Ashore we took a couple of photos of insects, that seem to deserve a space here.