Ronnie (Skipper) Aine John Mary Barry Marie (Purser)
The crew of Niovi and of her sister ship Thassos arrived in Dalaman Airport late on Friday evening and taxied the half hour trip to Gocek town (€35 per taxi) where we found our various accommodations. Pensayon Tufan charged €20 for a double room with an extra €3 for breakfast served on the terrace. Before hitting the sack, we enjoyed a few drinks and a pleasant culinary experience at the Kebab Hospital Restaurant. Main courses cost €5 to €10. Muffled screams were heard from John’s room in the middle of the night when, after a trip to the loo, he turned the shower on himself when trying to flush the toilet and returned to bed soaking wet.
The morning was taken up with shopping and provisioning the boats. Ronnie’s Irish soccer jersey made sure the locals were aware that the Irish had arrived in town. The Supermarket ferried food (and purchasers) by van to the Gocek Port Marina, insisting on delivering everything all the way onto the boat. Disaster struck outside the bank when a native tried to scam Ray (Purser of Thassos) and he lost his credit card to the ATM machine. The marina boasted excellent air conditioned facilities and the charter company staff were most pleasant and helpful and the boats were checked out and ready to go at lunch time. We set off on motor for Fetiye but hoisted the sails as the afternoon breeze strengthened and Barry helmed us into Fetiye Bay. Fetiye is an old town which was levelled by an earthquake in 1958. There has been a lot of development in recent years including an enormous marina. After calling the marina on Ch 73, a pilot boat guided us to our berth (laid moorings), the most expensive of our holiday at €35. Facilities were very good. John got a massive haircut and shave and was distraught to have the eyebrows he had cultivated for a lifetime chopped off by the Turkish barber. Dinner was good at the Arena Restaurant in a pleasant elevated position close to an ancient arena which is under renovation at present. Our first lesson, however, in how expensive fish can be.
A very long day at sea as no suitable port between Fetiye and Kalkan. A lunchtime break for a swim at ######### was most welcome. Kalkan was a pleasant village port built on a steep hill. Anchor berthing in harbour. It was Ronnie’s turn to visit the town barber for his haircut, shave, massage and ear synging; all served up with a beer at a cost of €11. Dinner on the terraced roof at Belgin’s Kitchen where we first experienced the Turkish custom of sitting on a cushion to eat at a low table. We enjoyed the live band and tried our hand unsuccessfully at belly dancing afterwards (Not a pretty sight I can assure you).
Excellent (John’s catchword) 3 hour 30 minute sail from Kalkan to Kas. Came across mystery shallows (2 –3 metres) in approach to the harbour. Opted to berth in the town harbour rather than in the new marina which was a distance from the town and had no facilities. Harbour very packed and we were lucky to get berthed. John was carted off to the doctor on a motor bike to have his swollen foot attended to. Town was quite similar, if a bit louder, to Kalkan. Bahce Restaurant was very good in a dreamy garden setting. The meze plate as a shared starter followed by sea bass was a real winner. A lot of noise and aggro during the early hours from a large boat berthed close to us and we awoke to find armed police searching the boat for drugs the next morning. We still don’t know who was the guy who kept shouting ‘Do you know who I am ?’ at the police.
Change of plan by the Council of State. Instead of continuing on to Keklova Roads, it was decided to visit the nearby Greek island of Kastellorizo (or Meis to the Turks). Dropped our Turkish courtesy pennant en route just in case. Dropped anchor off a small island a mile from the port and swam to the island. The gallant Barry went to rescue of Brendan and Marie who were struggling to row their inflatable back to mother ship. Ronnie and John went exploring in the inflatable and returned with a booking for dinner at Lazararis’ restaurant at the town quay. No charge for the berth which we managed to get ‘alongside’. The German crew berthed beside us said they had started their cruise on 7th May from Athens ! Prices on Kastellorizo were a lot higher than Turkey, especially for fish and king prawns! Finished off the night with drinks at the fabulous little bar at the harbour mouth where the bar tender told us that she had been bitten badly by a scorpion the day before. That kept us on our toes for a while !
Back to Kalkan. Motored around the back of the island to find the famous Blue Cave. Unfortunately, due to too much drink the previous night, we ended up at the wrong cave where some of the Thassos crew attempted entry in their inflatable. The large swell made this a bit risky and they returned to base. We arrived back in Kalkan where we were lucky to get a berth beside a large Gullet with a very friendly crew. Dinner in lovely setting on rooftop of Ottoman House with the mosque in the background. Voted best meal so far (Try the Sultan’s Special). Our shopping was ferried to the boat by motor bike delivery boy.
0515 start in the pitch black in order to make as much progress as possible against prevailing wind before it freshened (or so they told me – I stayed in bed). On our departure, we pulled up another anchor with our own in the congested harbour. The lads were dazzled by very strong lights from fishing boat just outside harbour. Our mast light was no help to us either. Bumpy sea until we approached Olu Deniz where we pulled in for lunch. A great venue for hang gliding and para gliding (Ray told us later there had been 2 fatalities there during the season). Another first when we were visited by the ice cream selling boat. Poor anchor holding and shifting wind cut our visit short and we set off with Mary at the helm where she achieved our record speed under sail of the week of just over 8 knots. Landed at Kapi Creek (laid moorings), a quaint little outpost with just one restaurant (Yosan’s) but which accommodated over 30 boats. Barman/Restaurateur Sheriffe looked after us very well and even brought down complimentary local bread in the morning. Celebrated John’s surprise 60th and presented him with a 60 year old Turkish rug which had weathered much better than he had. This was our last night together since 4 of the party were heading home the following night.
We swopped the Hickeys for the Murphys who set off for Gocek on Thassos. Niovi then embarked on a grand tour of this part of Gocek Bay, visiting 22 Fathom Cove, Wall Bay, Ruin Bay and Tomb Bay where we stopped for a swim and lunch. We then sailed most of the way back to Gocek where we refuelled (€110 of diesel seemed a bit much) before returning the boat to the marina. Met up with the crew of Thassos briefly again before Martin, Saundra, Brendan and Marie headed off for the airport. On the recommendation of the marina, we headed back to the Kebab Hospital where we had another EXCELLENT meal and drinks to wind up a most enjoyable sailing holiday. Slept on the boat before handing it over to the charter reps the following morning and heading off in our separate ways.
Many thanks to Ronnie and Marie for keeping the boat and our finances afloat respectively at all times.
Name (required)
Email (required)
Website
Notify me of followup comments via e-mail