AUGUST 4, LORYMA .......SEPTEMBER 2, PANORMITIS BAY

LORYMA, TURKEY

The anchorage in Loryma was Gerald's idea because of it's historical significance.  The mighty fortifications at Loryma were built 2,300 years ago to guard and protect  one of the most important harbours on the Turkish coast.  The impressive defensive walls encircle a rocky outcrop overlooking a large bay.

The water for swimming is always crystal clear and it doesn't take long before I'm cooling off before sitting down to refreshment.

Next morning we head off again exploring several different bays where we spend many relaxing hours snorkeling and breathing  in the beauty of the surrounding countryside.  One of our favourite places was called Wall Bay or Goat's Bay as I liked to call it.  The first time in this bay we docked at the restaurant.  Deciding on what to eat for dinner, we were escorted to the outdoor kitchen where everything was cooked in a very large clay oven.  Choices included roast chicken, 5 varieties of fish and and of course goat prepared 3 different ways.  While waiting for the drinks to arrive we were brought appetizers of stewed aubergine and tatziki with bread.  There never seemed to be the need for a menu.

GOAT'S BAY

We anchored in several nearby bays during the next 2 weeks but we came back here a second time because we just loved this anchorage.  We are in no hurry...something that all of us find indulgent.   This bay was also the first place we not only put out our anchor, but also 2 lines off the aft which I tied onto the orange doohicky for extra holding power.  Living in my bathing suit allowed me to quickly jump into the water and swim to land where I tied up the two aft lines while the skipper tightening everything up.  Now we had a secure mooring and our own private swimming pool.
The goats came twice daily to drink from the fresh water spring.  We could hear them coming from a distance because all the males had bells tied around their necks.

I haven't mentioned much about sailing because truthfully we didn't sail much; we had very little wind in Turkey so our engine got quite a bit of use.

One thing we noticed as soon as we entered Turkish waters was the number of "gulets"  everywhere.  A "gulet" is a traditional all wooden handcrafted sailing vessel usually equipped with 2 masts, originally built and used by fishermen and sponge divers.  Today they have been redesigned especially for yachting holidays and tourist charters.  They come in various sizes 15 to 35 meters with compact well appointed cabins and a crew to help make your holiday a once in a lifetime event.

So for the past 2 weeks we have been exploring Fethiye Bay with its many coves of warm, clean water and green pine forests.

Goecek is a small town at the very most northern end of Fethiye Bay but it has 6 large marinas and serves as an arrival and departure point for many yacht charters and gulet charters because of the closely situated Dalaman Airport.

We have accompanied Vivamare to Goecek because they are picking up 2 new visitors, Gaby's sister, Christa and Gaby's friend Anke who will be staying on Vivamare for 10 days.  The unbearable heat (35-40) made it impossible for sightseeing or for that matter any kind of movement, so we headed out next morning trying to get away from the heat. We headed towards Marmaris Marina but there were no visitor's slips available; had our luck run out?  Actually NO!!
Recommended by a friend of Gaby we tied up at the dock of a hotel (Pupa Yachting), SUPER!!!  During these weeks of extreme heat nobody did any cooking, so we took a taxi into town to a local restaurant (another recommendation).  This time there was a menu, buuuuuut all in Turkish, the waiter spoke only Turkish, but wait there are pictures on the menu; I think we all ordered the same picture.  The next evening our taxi took us to a restaurant owned and operated by an Austrian from Vienna, Hardy who sat with us most of the evening entertaining us with anecdotes from "his previous life".  We all had a really fun time.  He even promised to cook a pork roast with dumplings for us if we would return the next evening.  As good as that sounded we decided to move on for a second visit the Octopus Restaurant & Resort which we all had enjoyed very much.

OCTOPUS RESTAURANT AND RESORT

OCTOPUS RESTAURANT AND RESORT

With another wonderful meal under our belt,  (and by now I can barely get the belt around my waist closed) we decide not to travel any further east and plan to make our way back to Bozburun to Check Out of Turkey.


August 28, 2013
This time the official procedure (police, customs, harbour police) went off without a hitch and our wait-time was reduced to 2 hours, corresponding nicely with a lunch time meal.
Back on the boat we notice a nice breeze blowing, but once again it's coming directly the nose.  What would normally be a 2 hour trip from Bozburun to Panormitis Bay took twice the time.

Now anchored in Greek waters again, that nice breeze turned into strong gusts of 37 kn.  This wind is called  Meltemi and is described as a "dominant weather influence" of strong, dry, north wind of the Aegean Sea, which blows from about mid May to mid September.  It is also characterized as one of the few Mediterranean winds that do not necessarily die out at the end of the day and can easily last more than 3 to 6 days.

PANORMITIS BAY

Even in this very sheltered location the Meltemi was relentless.
We stayed 4 days.  Each evening more boats came into the bay looking for shelter from the constant blowing. Anchoring in almost gale force wind requires experience, patience and a little planning and preparation.  Unfortunately some boaters (mostly those who charter) only make a half-hearted attempt to anchor properly; many don't know how.  As we watch each boat anchor we can very quickly judge whether their anchor will hold or not depending on how much chain (scope) they put out.  Did they set the anchor or just drop it down and hope for the best.  Knowing the boat next to you  didn't set their anchor properly makes for a very restless night.  Sometimes there are shouting matches back and forth so extra fenders are always called for.  We had a few close calls but no major incidents.

On September 2, we lift our well dug-in anchor and set out for the 45 nm trip to Kardhamena on Kos.  The sea is still rough with big swells from the previous 4 days of high winds.

LEVITHA, GREECE TO BOZBURUN, TURKEY July 25- August 3/ 2013

Levitha

Wolfgang's Inuksuk

Except for a few cruisers, the tiny island of Levitha is almost unknown.  It's located in the Agean Sea between Kos and Paros and is part of the Dodecanese Islands.  It is a very peaceful, sheltered anchorage with several buoys laid at the eastern end for visitors to tie up.  The entire island is owned by one family who operate the legendary tavern from their farmhouse which is entirely powered only by wind and solar energy.  A 15 minute walk will take you to a restaurant like no other.  We were served a most delicious dinner with a choice of either lamb, goat or fish.

Luckily the skipper remembered to bring a flashlight for the return trip to our dinghy because the extreme darkness was unexpected.

 We would have gladly stayed a few more days in this exquisite anchorage, but we were anxious to meet up with Vivamare, so we made our next stop in Kos Marina.

KOS MARINA

 The island of Kos is one of the largest in the Dodecanese group and is a favorite among cruisers looking for some action.  I wish I could say I took a spin in this little toy, but they are a very popular rental car along with bikes.  Tourism is the primary industry with many crowded beaches, hotels and restaurants.  For lunch we loved the pita gyros with a large beer for 10 euro in total.

FAVORITE LUNCH 

After spending 3 adventuresome days on Kos we were were ready for our reunion with Vivamare.  We stayed in touch via cell phone and lastly VHF radio so we headed towards Symi, into Panormitis Bay where they were anchored.  As we entered this little hidden gem we were greeted by turquoise water, wooded hillsides and the island's main attraction, the 15th century Panormitis Monatersy

PANORMITIS BAY AND MONESTARY

Arriving around 4:30 we were hot from the day's sun and excited to see Vivamare so we anchored quickly and jumped into the water and swam over for a champagne welcome. The air temperature was above 30 degrees and the water wasn't much cooler. Vivamare had visitors onboard... Karo and Chris, a lovely younger couple from Munich.   For dinner we headed to the local taverna for a selection of Greek appetizers and several litres of wine and beer.

During the summer months tour boats arrive in this bay daily with visitors from all over the country. Even today free food and shelter are offered to all pilgrims.

For the next two months our two ships, Vivamare and Simple Abundance travel together and the next day we motored to the town of Symi.  Symi is both the name of the island and the name of the main harbour.

Symi is quite mountainous and is highlighted by it's beautiful Ventician-like harbour.  The pastel painted houses have been beautifully maintained and surround the port with many cafes, restaurants and shops hugging the waterfront.

SYMI HARBOUR

SYMI HARBOUR

Symi has a long history of sponge diving and ship building but like most Greek islands todays main industry is tourism.
Many ferries bring day trippers back and forth from nearby Rhodes and the bigger ferries unload trucks and cars which supply the island commercially.  At times the harbour looks very chaotic, but an experienced cruiser knows that it's best to arrive in a port early afternoon for a good spot.

Leaving Symi harbour we head east, changing our flags  from Greek to Turkish in order to be maritime legal.  Arriving in Bozburun, Turkey a small seaside town, where our boat and all crew members must be checked in. This process is a little bit more complicated in Turkey than elsewhere, but we were aware that entering Turkey would require an AGENT, an official who will take your passport to the customs office, apply for a Transit Log and  Blue Card...explanation later.  This allows a yacht to travel freely in Turkish waters and may be inspected by any harbour official at any time.  This process took 5 hours; waiting in 35 degree heat, but we had the pleasure of listening to the Muezzin's call to prayer. (Turkey is a Muslum country.)  He is a very important person for the community because people depend on him for an accurate prayer schedule.  The mosque in the picture below had loudspeakers mounted on the top and the Muezzin uses a microphone allowing the call to prayer to be heard at great distances.

BOZBURUN, TURKEY

 After paying our 85 euros per boat, we were anxious to leave so we could cool off and enjoy a stress-free evening with a few cocktails.  We had received a tip from a fellow cruiser about the "octopus" restaurant with free mooring, water, electricity, and showers.  Sounded too good to be true, but we lucked out, the place was awesome.  Before arriving I was a little worried about space availability because it was already early evening.  My concern quickly dissolved when I saw people on the dock waving us in.  Within five minutes after arrival we were all swimming and very excited because this place looked fabulous.

Dinner was a delight...first a large plate of appetizers chosen from the extensive selection (not a menu) already prepared.  The kitchen offered all kinds of seafood and various meat casseroles.  Specialties of the house include grilled, fried or stuffed calamari and octopus (fresh from the region). The choice was very difficult.  We enjoyed a great evening with outstanding food and great friends.  Definitely worth a second visit?
Although I was in favour of staying several days longer, the consensus rules, so the next morning we untied our lines and headed towards an anchorage at Loryma.