October 6th, 2011

...now browsing by day

 

Oct 4 and 5. In Marmaris.

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Seldom did a shower feel so good. I had one here on arrival, in the Netsel Marina. The previous shower was on the first day I arrived in Istanbul, a month ago…. But I do keep clean with saltwater bucket baths in the cockpit. I never had the energy to pump up the inflatable and go to shore the three nights that I anchored, since leaving Chios last Sunday morning. I ran out of all my vegetables and was down to the last drop of water when I arrived here. Last night I fried an egg and a can of spam, on top of rice. Lunch was my last can of tuna with a package of Top Ramen. So, I splurged and ate out, here on the water front at Marmaris. A Young Turk, who lived two years in The Hague, has a restaurant called “Jan de Wit”. Obviously he attracts the majority of his guests from the Dutch tourists, but I just sat there amazed at his skill to hustle other nationalities into his eatery. I’ll try have a picture of “Jan de Bruin” on my next post, handsome, expensive tie, he can spot the nationalities of the tourists from 50 feet a way and then has his reportoire ready in about ten different languages. The meal was outstanding.

Moorage here is dear. I figure to stay here for about two weeks and that would cost me about 32 euroes a day or about $ 45. On a monthly rate it is more like $25 per day. I am going to check out Yacht Marina a little ways out of town but an easy folding bike commute. This location would be the ideal place to have family and friends come to see me and do some of the historical sites tours and go for an overnight sail to the many anchorages.  There is an even larger marina, the Marmaris Marina, a stiff bike ride away, and between the three marinas there is a large crowd of cruisers who spend their winter here and enjoy a busy social schedule. A weekly happy hour here with a buffet dinner, a cruisers net on the VHF radio every morning at 9 a.m., etc. I met Gwenn, a retired Southern Californian who ended up here on a large steel ketch by way of the Red Sea and stayed. She organizes much of the social life amongst the cruising community and trips to the many nearby ancient sites.

Tuesday morning I woke up by the call to prayer at 5 a.m. The chant rolled throught the small cove and the muezzin would stop long enough between sentences to hear the echo come back, a few times, of his last words as to giving it extra emphasis. I had another outstanding sail and from there on it was like sailing on a summer’s day through the San Juan Islands, sail boats every where. The wind followed me at every turn I  made, zig zagging around a few of the islands on my route. I did not have a lot of options for an anchorage that night and it was getting close to dusk. All I could see was solid rock wall that did not support any vegetation or life. Bu then when I got close a crack showed up and I entered into this small bay. I could not figure out why most of the boats still had their Greek courtesy flags up and that there was monastery on the shore. But when I took another look at the chart I relaized that I was back in Greece… So, instead of the muezzin at 5 a.m. it was the pealing of church bells that commenced at 6 a.m. I was in Panoritis on the island of Symi. The island is tucked away right in the Turkish coast line. Yesterday was also outstanding sailing with some motoring. At times I’d get these strong gusts coming of the high steep shore line and “Fleetwood” would just surge like a dinghy with my large main sail.

If any one knows the owners of the below “Elegast V” from Noordwijk, a 53 foot  Halberg Rassey, I can send them the photo.

I saw the dentist this (Thursday) morning and Saturday the 15th will be my coronation day.