Jeff in our trusty watermobile on his way to pick up someone and their luggage.
Today is the 5th of August and friends are already getting their kids ready for school next week. Luckily, we still have a couple of good months left, but the majority of summer is over and it has been a whirlwind to say the least. NOTE: See my last few pics for the Turkish Warship reference in the headline.
We've also had a new water maker fitted so we can make up to 200-225 litres of water an hour depending upon the quality of the bay we are in. Which is much needed during the excessive heat of summer and guests combined. It was an expensive upgrade but a much needed one. We've also had our main sail let us down a bit so it went off for repairs. We are looking forward to getting to Marmaris toward the end of the month to head toward Datca and Bodrum where we'll pick up my parents. And fix the bow thrusters that is now on the fritz. B.O.A.T.: Break Out Another Thousand, right? It would be nice if it were just that one thousand at a time, but I digress…
When I last posted, which has been months ago, we were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jill and Mick Lemon for 10 days of cruising. Jeff met them at the airport in a taxi while the boat and I awaited the new arrivals in Sarsala Bay. We then made our way east along the coast of the Turkish Riviera getting as far as Kas, stopping each day to anchor and make our way to whatever town or natural sight offered us respite and the occasional dinner out. We then came back to enjoy the bays of Göcek and enjoy their last nights in Wall Bay.
Loads of laundry later and many more provisions, we welcomed Matt and Audrey for a week of the same. Being their time was shorter we kept it to a few bays and some nights out in Fethiye. One of our highlights was Cold Water Bay next to by (Maya Moo reference for fun) St Nicholas Island. We love the ambiance of the restaurant which is a steep climb from the bay to a 'treehouse' feel once at the top to enjoy the stunning views of The Med around the Olü Deniz area. I will eventually get some photos of that area for you but it is inhospitable as an anchorage and not easily accessible despite looking like it would be from the sea. Its the most photographed beach in Turkey (yet I've nothing to show you) due to it being the landing spot for paragliding companies jumping off Babadag Mountain with their tourists strapped on. Tell ya what: just for you, here is a video of our friend Frederic playing his cello: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWLvEXK0Rzk
Despite that area being far too touristy for our liking, I do hope to get back there in the near future and take the newly added cable car to the top of the mountain. We've driven it a couple of times years ago (which was hairy) but the cable car and array of dining on the way to the top sound like a must do. Perhaps when the 'rents are in town end of September?
Shots from Matt and Aud's trip in Cold Water Bay with its amazing views. Had to include the grainy dog on a jet ski shot!
Our next guests were Julie and her BFF Tracey aboard to celebrate Julie's 50th birthday. All the usual bays were visited as we now know where to go and are welcomed warmly by those who know Captain Jeff is bringing a load of hungry and thirsty guests! To be honest, they'd welcome us either way as the Turkish people are just some of the most amazing and friendly folks you'll ever meet. We made to all the way to Kas before disaster struck Julie and her index finger. While trying to get on the paddle board she slipped and grabbed something (of which we are not sure) to keep from falling and broke her finger and ripped the nail out from the bed taking most of the tip of her finger with it. I won't post the pictures as they are gruesome. Jeff knew instantly this was not a plaster/band-aid moment but rather a trip to the ER/A&E. Which would have been fine if it wasn't for the Muslim holiday of Biram which sees much in Turkey shut down for 6 days. This meant there was little to no help anywhere for Julie and her digit.
Thankfully our great Turkish friend Betül stepped up and called all over the coast and found a hospital in Mügla willing to consider her plight. Pictures were sent to the surgeon on holiday to determine if his help was truly merited and he confirmed this to be a situation in need of his services stat. We put Julie in a cab for the 3.5 hour drive to the hospital to meet the surgeon (driving 5 hours himself) and his team so they could put Humpty Dumpty back together. The cab driver waited with Julie for the entire 13 hour ordeal and we received the still smiling Julie back for the rest of her trip. Luckily it was smooth sailing from there and we all enjoyed many laughs, food and wine before sending them packing back to the UK with a promise to return next year. Below photos are from Kas and Kalkan (one of my favourite places).
Guest numbers 13 and 14, also known as Amy and Sophie, arrived overlapping Julie an Tracey. They only had a week so we stayed mostly locally between Fethiye and Göcek Bays for ease and they absolutely loved it and will certainly be back. We chilled out, swam and even had a bucket list night for Amy which involved skinny dipping off the back of the boat! She was well chuffed to check off that item. So Jeff and 3 naked chicks on the boat for an evening! Don't worry it was dark out and not much could be seen by anyone other than white asses diving off the back. 3 full moons and not worrying about your swimsuit coming off or going up your crack was sublime. I vow to do more of it.
A highlight for the girls was seeing the turtle in Wall Bay. I never get tired of seeing them myself and they are everywhere. I hope to be able to swim with one sometime. I could watch them for hours. I've taken to snorkelling whenever I can. I spend 40 hours a week below 100°F+ decks working on making stuff look pretty for ECF. When I'm not doing that, taking care of others, cooking, cleaning and helping Jeff out constantly with various jobs the boat seems to come up with daily, I escape under the water to marvel at the world within our world. Yesterday, at dusk, I saw my first Lion Fish. Where ever we moor up I like to get in the water and explore the coastline. I'm getting to know where the oysters are and what terrain has the most interesting sea life to watch. Lion fish are an invasive species and are decimating The Med's native fish populations as they eat any and everything and have no known prey sans humans. This is where Jeff comes in. He bought a spear gun and is intent on lowering their numbers. Turns out they are great eating, plentiful and there are no limits on them. So, I'm learning to use the Baker GoPro 10 to film him hunting them, but first we have to learn how to deal with them once they are caught. My friend Shannon off Sweety, is a huge killer of lion fish and suggested we figure that out first. She said they won't kill us with their sting but we'll wish we were dead for a good two hours. I hope to not find that out the hard way! Stay tuned on that one…
We've now had 10+ days break from company and are sitting in Tomb Bay waiting for Chip and Mark from Palm Springs to come aboard. We are beyond excited as they are some of my nearest and dearest friends of well over 20 years. They are what we call Framily—they consider me their sister and I consider them brothers. My parents now have the boys they never got, too, so the love is deep. We will be going to Rhodes for a long weekend but Jeff has to stay aboard Belvedere. If he goes we must put her in a marina for 4 days during the high season at a minimum cost of around 200€ per day. a tad steep for a weekend away to Rhodes. Now, I know what you are thinking, "Why not just take your fancy schmancy yacht and go to Rhodes like every other yacht does on TV?" Wouldn't that be nice? Reality: Turkey is NOT in the EU and that is one reason we can be here and we love it so much as those Shengen rules do not apply. However, if you want to go to Greece (even though you can see it from most places in Turkey) you must first pay dearly to check out of Turkey, then pay to check into Greece, and pay a 200€ per month cruising tax just to visit. Oh, and upon leaving, pay those same check out and check ins again to go back to Turkey. With residency we have heard that it can be a nightmare to get back into Turkey. Apparently, depending upon where you check back in to Turkey and how they interpret their own laws which can include not being able to come back for 6 months. Until we are ready to leave we just don't see dealing with that when you can take a ferry for less than 100 US dollars roundtrip.
For now I'll leave you with a few random parting shots. Luckily none of them were across our bow as the title of this post suggested. We had just left with Mick and Jill when we were hailed by a Turkish warship. There is a significant naval base just off Marmaris and while we weren't in illegal waters, they were out for manuevres. They radioed to warn us of the hard to see submarine following behind them a quarter of a mile or so. We had not seen it and thanked them and they told us to keep our course and all would be well, which we of course did. While we have AIS, warships and subs are not on it for obvious reasons. It was a surreal moment to be sure. See the pics below of the ship and sub that Mick took along with a few more of friends and places as I've cleaning and provisioning to do.
Hugs and kisses from Jeff and I! xx
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