Summer 2014

 

Hi All Sue here

We thought you all might be getting fed up with a monthly blog so are going to try and condense the last 3 months into one blog. We have continued to sail between Greece and Turkey and it has been a wonderful summer. Although Greece and Turkey are so close to each other they are very different and we love them both. The only problem we have is remembering to switch languages as the Turkish people would not be amused to be greeted in Greek and vice versa!! If all else fails and my memory deserts me I just smile sweetly and wait for them to speak first!!

Agathonisis Waterfront	Greek Churchyard

Highlights from Greece

Greek Church Interior, Fournoi	Syrian Refugees, Agathonisi

We spoke of Agathonisi at the end of our last blog and we have now visited there three times. It is the kind of place you just keep getting drawn back to. It is just so beautiful and unspoilt. Well worth a visit if you get the chance. But on our last visit there it was quite sad as the local Police Station, situated looking down over the harbour, was being used to home refugees from Syria until they could be put on a ferry to larger islands and then on to Athens. They are very sad and desperate people and have risked everything to escape. The ages ranged from babies up to elderly people and they have left their country with their life's belongings in a rucksack. The same is happening on many of the Greek islands as more and more refugees arrive. Many lives are being lost when their makeshift boats sink or worse still they are just told to jump into the water and swim for shore when boats carrying them are scared to get too close to the shore in case they are caught by Port Police.

Fournoi Anchorage	Well Tended Cemetery, Fournoi

Fournoi was a very small island also very beautiful and unspoilt by tourism. We hiked up to a small church on the top of the island and were amazed what we found. The decorations and paintings inside were stunning and the views from the top were well worth the hike. We were very impressed with their graveyard as well. Beautiful.

Young Man’s Mausoleum	Gravestone Decoration

Patmos was our next stop. So many bays to choose from and all with turquoise waters to swim in, idyllic. We also went on the Town Quay so we could take a bus up to the famous Monastery of St John. The cave just below it is supposedly where St John dictated The Book of Revelation. Chris says it’s all just a fairy story but it is a very impressive Monastery and being a good Catholic girl (although lapsed!!) I could at least relate to it all and you do feel that you should be on your best behaviour here and talk quietly. The only disappointing bit was that in the Cave, which you had to pay extra to go in, a monk gave a talk on the history of it but it was all in Greek so couldn’t understand a word of it!! You have to go early in the day though as it a favourite spot for the cruise ships and gets very busy later on. We also made some new friends here who owned the last Prout Catamaran to be built before they were taken over by Broad Blue. As we own the first Catamaran to be built by Broad Blue it would have been very rude not to have a few drinkies together. Our friends off SY Nemir joined us as well and a very good evening was had by all.

Monastery at Patmos	Old and New Friends, Patmos

At Lipso we went on the Town Quay where we met up with friends Guido and Liz off SY Lupa. It was good to catch up with them and have a meal out together. They introduced us to the best bakery in Greece and it was very fortunate that we were only staying a couple of days!! We then moved to an anchorage, Lera Lipso for a couple of days. We find it’s too hot to stay on the Town Quays for long and prefer to be anchored where we can swim to cool down.

Arki Harbour	Model Boats, Arki

Arki was worth a visit. We hiked around the island which didn’t take long but it was very pretty. They had a toy town marina in the harbour, very cute.

Tiny Church on Leros	Inside the Church

We paid another visit to Simi to replenish our depleting alcohol supplies and to stock up for guests arriving. Think we may be paying one more visit there before we head back to Finike just to make sure we have enough to keep us going through the winter months.

Winter Supply Shopping	Stepping Stones to the Beach

And our old favourite Kastellorizon had to be visited again. We went there with our friends Jean & John. The men went for a hike over the island and the ladies shopped and drank coffee, YES coffee, it was too early for beer!!

Highlights from Turkey

Harbour Patrol, Iassos	Lounging in Noodle Chairs

Iassos & Gulluk Area

Another favourite, a real Turkish Village, where you feel you have stepped back in time. This time we sailed here with Tracy & Mike off SY Ria Luna. The men went out mussel gathering most days and while Tray and I just noodled around. Whilst here Tracy and I took the local Dolmus to Milas where Tracy had arranged for there credit cards to be delivered to. We spent the day shopping and had a lovely lunch, all was going well until we were told by the Tourist Information Office the wrong bus stop!! Luckily a nice man took us to the place where all the busses come to but now we had a 30 minute wait as we had just missed ours. Tracy being the kind friendly person that she is got talking to a man who sat down next to her. From what we can gather I think she inadvertently sold me to him!! A very fraught game of musical chairs ensued as we kept trying to shake him off!! We were so glad when our bus came and we could at last escape my “ Supposed Client”. When we eventually arrived back at Iassos and relayed to Chris and Mike what had happened they both just laughed and said they couldn’t understand how we had got ourselves into so much trouble and should just have told him to go away!! Not so easy when you are surrounded by Turkish people and in their country. Must learn a few more choice Turkish words!! As usual I made friends with the local stray cats and dogs and they arrived at the back of the boat for titbits every day. Funny how they all get on together.

Large Fan Mussel, Gulluk	Another Sunset!!!

Whilst anchored in Akyarlar we saw a very large forest fire one evening. Apparently there have been a lot this year around Greece and Turkey as it has been so dry and many thousands of trees have been destroyed. From here we sailed around to Keci Buku to eat at our favourite restaurant of the year and also for Chris to pick up some things from the Chandlers here. We then moved on to Dirsek and Bozburun where we caught up with some friends from Ragusa, Vivienne & Alastair off Largo Star. We spent a lovely few days with them catching up before their boat is shipped back to New Zealand. Also in Bozburun we saw two more Catamarans like Nimrod anchored together. They were both charter boats.

Forest Fire, Akyarlar	Two Sister Ships of Nimrod

We arrived in Gocek beginning of September to meet up with my sister Caroline, who was flying into Dalaman to stay for a week (9 days actually as she sneaked a couple of extra days on!!). There are so many bays around Gocek and Fethiye that you could easily spend a couple of weeks around here. We visited Wall Bay, Ruin Bay, Kapi Creek, Sarsala, Tomb Bay and many more!! Then when she left we had two days to restock before our friends Jean & John arrived for 2 weeks (16 days actually as they also sneaked a couple of extra days in!!) and round we went again!!.

Sisters and Empty Glasses	Goats in Wall Bay

As they were flying home from Antalya it was now time to head towards Kemer. First stop was Gemilar then Kas, where we met up with friends John & Vanessa off SY Nostromo. Then on to Kastellerizon for a couple of days then to Kekova Roads. Another place where you can get lost for a few days in endless peaceful anchorages. Which we did!!

Tucked Into a Cosy Spot	Out for Dinner, Kas

Next stop our home again for the winter Finike Marina where we were made most welcome and my two doggy friends, Carpet & Tripod, still remembered me. One night here to visit the Saturday market then on to Tekirova. It was a very bumpy passage here and I was very glad when we arrived. Unfortunately the anchorage was very rolly the first night but did calm down by day two. Here we visited the Roman aqueduct and harbour streets, dwellings and shops. All very interesting. It was now time to say farewell to Jean & John and we headed back for one more night in Finike to get washing etc done and also to catch up with Mary Kay & Russell off SY Once Around before they head off for adventures new. Don’t know when we will meet up with them again, I hate Goodbyes!! The down side of this life.

Gocek Bay Scenery	Old Fort, Kerkova Roads

Now we are making our way back up the coast for a rendezvous with our very good friends Lis & Flemming off SY Summertime and John & Vanessa off SY Nostromo. Probably we will get as far as Datca. Our plan is to go into Finike Marina mid November. So we will all slowly wend our way back with no doubt lots of socialising (Parties!!) along the way. Phew I feel quite dizzy now!!

Tekerova Roman Main Street	Early Morning Calm, Kerkova