Look Ma, No Hands!

Some days were like this -- sunny, blue sky, no wind -- so it was easy to let "Otto" our trusty auto helm do the steering. Other days were not so easy. Our first sail, in fact, a 42 mile leg, was a challenge for us. The trip was almost entirely downwind, the most difficult point of sail, with both wind and waves building as the day went on. We had to heave to twice to shorten sail and were very glad when we slipped through the rocky entrance into a beautiful, protected anchorage at Yedi Adalar. We slept well that night!

Caunos

On the way to the Lycian tombs we took some time to enjoy the beauty of the rocky shoreline. We also visited the ruins of Caunos, including an astonishingly well-preserved mosaic floor. Stopped in the small town of Dalyan for a little shopping and the best fried calimari EVER for lunch.

Lycian Tombs

We stayed in Ekincik another day so that we could see the awesome Lycian tombs of the area. Ancient Lycia was a federation of 19 independent cities located between modern day Fethiye and Antalya. Intended as houses for the dead most have carved doors, beam ends, pitched roofs and prominent lintels. They date from the 4th century BCE.

Finiculi Finicula!

At many places we stopped for the night, the bathrooms/shower possibilities were a serious climb up a rocky hill. Once you got there, however, you found clean and well-kept facilities complete with motion-sensor paper towels. At Ekincik the restaurant itself required a longer climb up a hill, so we lazy old folks opted for the finicula. Now THAT was a trip! The restaurant (My Marina) would have been worth the climb without the finicula, but we were happy to ride.

Bozuk Buku

This jewel of a mooring spot was one of the most interesting of the trip. On approach, it is virtually impossible to see the entrance. Rather, as you draw nearer and nearer to the rocky shore, you wonder if your navigator has miscalculated! But no, finally you see the narrow entrance and are able to slip between two rocky promontories and in you go. The passage soon opens into a large and deep natural harbor which must have served many early civilizations very well. You could have an entire navy in there! A fortress at the top guards both the Mediterranean and the protected harbor.

Turkish Food

Oh my, we ate very well indeed. The food in the Mediterranean was . . . very Mediterranean. Lots of fresh veggies and fruit. The tomatoes and cucumbers were outstanding at least in part because they use no preservatives or chemicals in their cultivation. Figs were also plentiful and delicious. The seafood was fantastic -- sea bass, sea bream, calimare, octopus. Of course, the stews and kebabs were also flavorful. The evening meal always began with "mezes" or appetizers, which could have served as the entire meal, but of course did not. The most popular mezes were tzakiki, eggplant dishes, beans, olives, and hummus, accompanied by freshly baked scrumptious bread. The Turkish wine, both reds and whites, were also much to our liking. Actually, because the food was so healthful, I gained only a couple of pounds. (Of course, I was working my tail off sailing the boat!)

Turkish Women

It was interesting to observe the various dress styles of Turkish women. They ranged from full-cover burqas (rare) to traditional country dress to stylish city wear consisting of bloomers and swirling tops to full length coats to simple scarves wrapped loosely around the head. Of course, many Turkish women wear no head covering at all. The photo depicts a woman in Sogutkoy driving her cattle to a grazing pasture. Note the dog whose job is clearly to bark the cattle down the road every morning!

A Secular Muslim Country

Thanks to the vision of Mustafa Kemal, known as Ataturk (father of the Turks), Turkey's recent history has been that of a modern, secular state. Ataturk admired European lifestyles and culture and he worked to implement many changes including adopting the Latin alphabet and a new Turkish language. In 1928 a secular state underwritten by a civil constitution was recognized. It will be interesting to follow developments in Turkey as they navigate the swirling currents of competing interests. Turkey is a Muslim country, but the percentage of people who actively practice by going to prayers five times a day ranges from 5 to 15%, according to some of our guides. Nonetheless there seems to be a mosque every few blocks and certainly in every small town. The call to prayer can be heard five times a day.

Life on Board

For those of you who are not sailors, it probably seems weird to think that six people could live together for two weeks within 43 feet of boat. And indeed, it does present its challenges! Of course, in the evenings, we all rushed to shore to enjoy the offerings of the land, but the rest of the time, we were sleeping, eating, sailing, navigating, and doing laundry aboard Treasure. Suffice it to say, we knew one another very well by the end of the trip. The end of a sailing trip is always sad, but tempered by the thought of certain luxuries that have been missing for awhile, like a long shower in an enclosure larger than 2 x 4 feet. You're ready for it to end when: (1) you can't stand the smell of the head for one more day -- even though it's been dumped countless times, and (2) you can't stand to dive one more time into the reefer (that's the refrigerator for you landlubbers)in search of a lost piece of cheese!

Knidos

The ruins of Knidos greeted us on Day 3 of our trip. Located on the Datca Peninsula, south of Bodrum, Knidos was a Greek city of about 50,000 dating from about 360 BCE. It was the site of a famous shrine of Aphrodite, a copy of which can be seen today in the Vatican. The original has never been found. Nonetheless, the ruins of a theatre, agora, houses and a round temple are still visible today. It was awesome to pull into the harbor and discover the amphitheater just across the way!

Swimming in the Mediterranean

Swimming in the Med is wonderful. The water in summer is refreshingly cool, but not frigid. Of course, if you've grown up on Lake Erie, or any of the other great lakes, you have a different concept of "frigid."

It's also very salty so it takes very little effort to keep afloat. In places you can snorkel and find colorful small fish. The color of the water is a deep turquoise and totally clear. When you drop an anchor, for example, you can watch it descend 30 feet or so to the bottom. If you like to swim like I do, it's heavenly.

Walking the Plank

Now for the bad news. The very worst thing about sailing in the Mediterranean is the fact that boats there anchor stern into the dock. This is great, you might say, and indeed it does save a lot of space at the dock. You can get twice the number of boats in this way and it's not that difficult to do. (At least our skipper made it look easy). First, you back slowly to the dock. Then you either drop an anchor OR pick up a mooring line to attach to the bow. Two stern lines and you're in business. Except that the boat is on average 3 feet from the dock. Now it's time to fold out the plank which consists, depending on the conditions, either of a precarious looking metal ladder that bounces around between your boat and the floating dock, OR a wooden plank which also bounces around between your boat and the floating dock. If you want to eat, or shop, or use the bathroom facilities on shore, there is no option but to cross the plank. The trick, I learned, is to not hesitate. Look forward, and go!

I didn't like this very much, but I did get used to it!

Our First Sail

After our time in Istanbul we flew to Bodrum, a town on the southwest corner of Turkey near where the Aegean and Mediterranean meet. From there we went by bus to the sailing base at Turgutreis, did some provisioning, and loaded our gear onto our boat, a 43 foot Beneteau sloop named Treasure. The next day, Sunday, September 2, we sailed the 37 miles to Yedi Adalar, or Seven Islands, at the eastern end of a strait called the Gokova Korfezi. And what a trip it was! It started out calmly, but the winds and the sea built so that in the end we had put two reefs in the main and also reduced the genoa. By the time we anchored (with a line to shore) it was 7:00 pm and another adventure awaited us. The restaurant, named Denis, could only be reached by trekking in the dark up a hill, down a hill, across a swinging bridge, etc. As if we needed another adventure! It was worth it, though. Dinner of sea bass was excellent.

Istanbul, Part 2

Unfortunately, I had only one full day in Istanbul. Not nearly enough time to appreciate the sites. We had a day-long tour that included the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Haghia Sophia, all of which were fascinating to see, but I wish I'd had time to visit the Grand Bazaar, Dolmabahce Palace and taken a boat trip on the Bosphorus. More than that, I wish I'd had time to simply sit in a cafe and watch the passing parade of people.

Istanbul

Well, I've done it: gone to Turkey, sailed in the Aegean and Mediterranean for two weeks, visited Istanbul and the Cappadocia region of central Turkey, and arrived home safely! No problems except for a cyst behind my knee that burst when I was too enthusiastic about getting to a winch. Still have some pain and swelling, but relieved to know it was "only" that and not a blood clot! Turkey was fabulous. Situated partly in Asia and partly in Europe, it truly has been the crossroad of civilizations for centuries. Besides all of this, the people are helpful, the food is both healthful and delicious, and the wine is outstanding. My seat mate on the flight over was a Turkish-American man named Ziggy who decided that he would be my guide. He shepherded me through the visa purchase, the baggage retrieval, and then made sure I found the right bus to take me into the city. On the bus another Turkish man explained some of the sights as we were driving in, then called my hotel to obtain directions from Taksim Square. When we got off the bus at the Square he then proceeded to walk me to my hotel, dragging my suitcase! What a wonderful opening to my visit.