Leaving Turkey for Greece

Monday 09

Finally we left Marmaris Yacht Marina, our contract expiring today, and we headed for Sogut where we had been previously with both Greta & Rob and the family only last week. The trip took approximately five hours and who should be there on the pontoon but Sandpiper with Nicky and Andy, so first tea, then drinks, then dinner. But before all that a little drama with a sailing boat eager to come onto the pontoon immediately after us and before we had properly sorted out the lazy line and in their excitement scraped their anchor along the edge of the boat underneath the handrail - aargh! A little patience on their part and it would not have happened.  

Tuesday 10

After coffee on Sandpiper a fairly short trip to Datca to check out of Turkey. Very hot by now and decided we didn't like Datca very much.  It is necessary to use an 'agent' to do the checking out process and the whole thing was completed in under an hour.  We stayed the night on the town quay as it was too late to get anywhere else.

Wednesday 11

Out of Turkish waters and back into Greece.  We headed for Symi (Simi) where we had been almost two years ago now.  It is such a pretty town but massive ferries arrive each day and many other visiting yachts, large and small arrive during the course of the day, but usually in the afternoon after the last ferry has gone at about 4.30 p.m.  Despite the narrow road which goes round the harbour there is an alarming amount of traffic and many very noisy bikes.  Not painting a great picture here as it is still, amazingly, a great place. 

Up until now this blog has been very mundane and really not much drama over the last five weeks and just when you are thinking its time to relax and enjoy the last week: although it was a lovely sunny day there was quite a strong breeze blowing down the gap in the hillside surrounding the town.  There is a harbour master who uses a very shrill whistle at the boats coming in and then directs the boats to a place on either side of the harbour.  After we had tied up in a good spot on the right side of the harbour,  the harbour master's parting words to the Captain were to check the anchor as it didnt look as if it was holding, and we werent entirely sure that it was either.  Initially the Captain was more concerned about checking back into Greece and had to visit the Police (to show passports), Customs and the Port Police (to check in the boat) all in three different places from one end of the harbour to the other (a horseshoe effectively).  We then had lunch and finally at about four when the wind was really blowing more strongly than before and the dinghy was perilously close to crashing continusouly into the harbour wall we decided we would have to go out and reset the anchor. As luck would have it a Turkish skipper had just come in beside us on our port side and offered to help - OMG - so with me at the back of the boat and TS taking up the anchor and Sequel's Captain on the helm we made our first attempt to do so. First the TS had no idea how our windlass/anchor/who cares/remote control worked and in an attempt to come back to ask a question managed first to pull up the anchor so fast it wedged sideways in its roller and he couldnt get it out.  I looked forward to see him trying to climb over the front of the boat to dislodge it with his foot.  Eventually he managed to get a rope around it and pull it straight again.  Meanwhile we were in the middle of the harbour drifting all over the place.  We tried again but unsuccessfully to reverse into our slot but the wind was too strong and then TS asked if he could take the helm. It took TS two attempts but Sequel and her engines have never been used, and probably never will be again, like the TS did. 'Gunning the engines' springs to mind.  Sequel's Captain is very cautious. We zoomed back into our slot ............... but not quite close enough to tie off and get the pasarelle in place so SC (now on anchor duty) had to let out some more chain and then we were too close and the dinghy got completely scrunched up on the harbour wall. But at last it was done and amazingly no damage to dingy although one of the webbing straps which held it in place had completely snapped in two making an alarming noise when it did so and I thought it was the dinghy breaking in two. There was another Dutch steel boat on our starboard side whose skipper had also been very helpful - I was throwing the lines to him - and he joined SC and TS on board to sort out the anchor chain which had now stuck firmly as it had twisted. Hardly surprising as the boat must have swung round a few times before TS actually reversed - the Dutch skipper's wife was very disparaging about how many men it took etc. 

Sequel in Symi town

We stayed two nights. Thursday was very hot in the harbour and we cowered underneath our bimini all day hardly venturing out until the afternoon when we discovered if we had just walked to the headland we would have found more of a breeze. That evening the Captain received an email from Breakaway anchored in a bay on the other side of the island inviting us for drinks on Friday night, possibly with Sandpiper, who we had seen briefly come in and out of the town earlier in the day. Beginning to feel like we are being followed.

Friday 13

We left Symi town and headed round the island to Panormitis, aka Monastry Bay as, not surprisingly, it has a huge monastry. Had a lovely peaceful afternoon relaxing in the sunshine and even the Captain had a swim. We had drinks on Breakway, not with Sandpiper who we had passed earlier in the day heading back to Symi town, but with Petronella, a lovely green French classic ketch which/who (I get confused) had left Turkey also and were heading eventually to cross the Atlantic in January 2015 - they are very, very welcome.

Monastry Bay

Saturday 14

A quick trip in the dinghy to buy bread from a bakery at the Monastry and we set off again for Nisiros where we are now.  We have been told what a lovely island this is - it is an extinct volcanic crater which pokes out of the sea.  We will return to view the volcano properly later on in the year but heading for Kos tomorrow and our last few days.

Palon, Nisiros

Turning 60 at Piynar Villa Hotel, Turunc

Saturday 31 

We had been promised a lift at 11.30 a.m. by Avis car rental to take us to their office in Marmaris to collect our hire car for the week and were slightly embarrassed at how much we had to take with us - including a high chair, changing mat, lilos, etc.and we were so pleased that we were collected as we would never have found the Avis office left to our own devices.  It was miles away but fortunately in the direction in which we were eventually heading.  Spotted a large supermarket on our way and headed back there to stock up with things for the villa and nappies etc. for Henry.

Arrived at Piynar Villa Hotel in time for lunch before the family arrived.  The hotel consists of ten villas, each with it's own pool and two bedrooms, a small kitchen, living room etc. It is quite a small area with a club house for meals etc, quiet high up on the hillside and overlooking Turunc Bay with terrific views  Claire & Gordy and the children had one villa and we shared another very close by with Matt & Heather. We had to wait sometime for our villa to be cleaned and were finally able to move in less than half an hour before they all arrived. They had had a good trip although a very early start.  Dinner in the club house as all shattered from 4 a.m. start.

Sunday 01 June

Bruce & Matt had to return to Avis to organise an additional driver and because Bruce had left 'secret' things on the boat! But a lovely morning and everyone happy to swim in the pool while they went and returned for lunch with more provisions. The forecast for the whole week was not promising but stayed fine for most of the day. Dinner delivered to C&Gs villa by the hotel restaurant - we had felt uncomfortable the previous evening as hardly any other guests and the children were slightly disturbing the peace.

Monday 02 June 

My birthday - 60 today!!

A fine day but in a bit of a rush as a boat trip provided by our tour operator and a 9.30 a.m pick up to take us to Kumlubuk Bay.  The boat was big enough for eight adults and we were pleased to have it all to ourselves.   We were looked after by the Captain and his first mate, a Turkish girl, who provided us with drinks and a great lunch and took us to two or three bays where we stopped to swim.  By the time we had had lunch the wind picked up and we had a bumpy trip out of the bay to head back.

Back in time for tea and birthday cards and lovely presents and then a special dinner organised by Bruce which we ate outside C&Gs villa again.  The family pulled out all the stops and had decorated the garden with bunting and balloons and all my cards - have never had so many smuggled here. And before dinner 'the video' - Heather had put together clips sent secretly to her from family and friends and it was brilliant.  I started laughing, slightly hysterically, at my niece and her family in Hong Kong and my nephew and his family - all in fancy dress??? - singing Stevie Wonder's Happy Birthday and ended up crying and laughing at the same time as there was so many surprises. (Had to watch it all again on Tuesday but managed not to cry quite so much).

Had a fantastic day and so many people to thank but will do that in a more personal format - eventually.

Tuesday 03

A little shopping in Turunc just down the hill but not changed much since Bruce and I were here seven years ago.  An overcast day, although very warm, and we relaxed at the villas all day. Decided to eat in the town in the evening and found a great restaurant, family run, who looked after us very well and Henry slept in his car seat.

Wednesday 04

Far too windy to sit by the pool although warm and sunny so we decided to set out on a trip to a bay across the headland to escape the wind - ha! Bruce drove me, Matt, Heather & Effie to a place called Bayir, about half way, where there is a plane tree which is almost 2000 years old and then he went back for the Bighams.  Not much going on in the small town square but walked round the tree three times and made a wish which is the tradition.  Effie wished for a motorbike.  We had told her not to tell her wish as it wouldn't come true but Heather overheard her make it and then she was so disappointed that the motorbike didn't materialise.

Biyar - 2000 year old plane tree and three youngsters

Matt then took over the driving and the first contingent set off to Sogut where we had been last week with the Pasteiners. It was only 16 kilometres but on a steep mountain road with some very scary hairpin bends - the whole trip began to seem more like a mission and Matt had to return to get the others - we nearly called the whole thing off, especially when we finally got down to Sogut and it was blowing a hooley there too. But Matthew, well known for his love of Grand Prix racing - at least watching it - returned to bring the others and we had a good lunch and managed a couple of hours on the 'beach' and a swim in the sea before the return trip,. We decided to take a taxi as the journey was too tricky to keep going back and forwards - we should have hired a mini bus instead of a car.

Thursday 05

A storm over night and very overcast this morning.  Matt & Heather took the car to discover a bit more of the Bozburun peninsula and we set off with the Bighams for a stroll around Marmaris. We had planned to take a dolmus but two full ones trundled past our stop and at least half an hour to wait for another one so as a large taxi went by we hailed that instead and then arranged for him to pick us up later. Perfect.  As luck would have it we had no more rain and the sun came out.  We enjoyed a stroll along the waterfront and a great lunch out.  In the meantime M&G had a good day too and Heather managed to swim under a waterfall.

Dinner by the villa again but M&H had gone shopping for more provisions and we had a BBQ (courtesy of our Cobb from the boat) of kebabs and salad.  

Friday 06

Our last day - and a lovely one.  Spent the whole day swimming and by the pool and got very excited when Effie (3 years & 8 months old) discarded her arm bands and swam across the width of the pool. Henry loves the water (but actually freezing in the swimming pool) and spent sometime sitting in a 'toy box' filled with warmer water - Matt escaped to our pool to read his book and so everyone was happy.  

Saturday 07

The week has flown by and we were sad to leave at around 10 a.m. - the Absaloms and Bighams back to Dalaman Airport and we had to return the car and head back to the boat. Needless to say very warm (31 degrees and no wind) and sunny today after a week of mixed weather.  Our plan is to set off on the final stage of this holiday on Monday, when our contract at the marina expires, towards Kos - weather permitting.