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.