September 2023

Turkey

Sailing the Turquoise Coast or the Turkish Riviera

Bozburun

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Turkey
September 1, 2023
32°

We picked up anchor and moved a bit further away from the gullets as they all come and anchor far out on the outside of the breakwall. You don't expect them to drop their anchor so far out but we are starting to get it!

Decided to work on our solar panels today. They are SolbianFlex, made in Italy and are stick on. Unfortunately, they all need replacing. The company replaced them all under warranty and shipped them to us in Montenegro where we replaced 4 of them. Today we replaced another three.

Last night while out at dinner, we met the table next to us, a French couple from France who live in this town part time. They invited us over to their house for dinner tonight and invited a friend who can speak both English and French to translate. We had a great time and they had 2 very cute little rescue dogs.

Sailing from Bozburun to Bozzukale

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Turkey
September 3, 2023
30°

Bozburun to Bozzukale - 16.9nm

Left Bozburun around 10:00am, sailing to our next destination -- Bozzukale. Very busy leaving the bay, look at all the Turkish gulets!

Arrived in Bozzukale and decided to side tie to the dock at Sailors House Restaurant. They came out in the dingy and showed us. It's on the inside so should be good protection from the strong winds predicted for this evening. We get to use their dock but must eat at their restaurant. Hopefully it won't be too expensive!! (It was!$$$$$)

Went for a hike to the Citadel, what beautiful views. Saw donkeys and goats along the way. On a remote stretch of coastline on the southern tip of the Bozburun peninsula lies the remains of an ancient citadel referred to as Bozukkale – which is Turkish for "broken castle".

Back when the castle was built (probably around 700 BC), the fortress was home to a formidable navy base. Part of the navy's job was to prevent enemies from gathering in the large natural harbour formed by the peninsula before or after attacking the nearby island of Rhodes. (On a clear day, you can see the Greek islands of Rhodes, Halki, Alimia, and Symi from the top of the castle walls.)

The stronghold, which is still recognizable, was 334 meters long, 36 metres wide, and had hand-hewn, stone block walls that were over 2 meters thick. Look-out towers (either 9 or 11, experts seem to disagree) were built along the walls, allowing soldiers to monitor approaching vessels from great distances. As large as it was, the bastion easily blended into the barren and rocky landscape. Minimal restoration work has been done, but it's still easy to appreciate the craftsmanship and effort that went into building this massive stone castle.

Dinner was very nice, all the tables are right by the water and it's run by a local family.

Bozukkale to Serce Lomani

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Turkey
September 4, 2023
30°

Bozukkale to Serce Lomani - 3.7 nm

Left Bozukkale around 11:30 am, supposed to get super windy for the next few days. Was a little worried about getting off the dock as the wind was blowing us off into shore and it was very shallow only, do didn't want to try it in even more wind tomorrow.

Arrived in Serce Lomani, a super protected bay from all wind directions, only 5 miles up the coast. Can’t see the outside the bay, so have no idea what it is doing out there and I don’t want to know!

We tied to the restaurants mooring ball so will go to Captain Nemo's for dinner tonight.

A man came round in a boat, selling ice cream, he had an actual small freezer on his small boat, so we caved- 2 Euros each. He says his wife makes bread everyday so he is going to come back in the morning.

Took the dingy to shore to go for a short hike. It was a bit of a rock climb and the rocks are very scraggy and sharp, you can't go very fast and really pay attention to where you are going! But like most times, it was worth the view.

Had a lovely dinner at Captain Nemo's. It is run by such a nice family. Not sure where all the Google bad reviews come from!

For the time since May, we are seeing lightening, thunder and a bit of rain. Time to close the hatches.

Serce Lomani to Marmaris

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Turkey
September 5, 2023
30

Serce Lomani to Marmaris - 26.5nm

Started the day with buying fresh bread and Turkish pancakes from our friend on the boat. Best bread ever!! We left our mooring ball around 10:15. According to the weather we were supposed to be able to sail on a beam reach all the way to Marmaris. That turned out to be not the case at all. I guess from the thunderstorm yesterday the seas were all riled up, it was like a washing machine with the wind all over the place. We just about turned around but we persevered and arrived in Marmaris at 4:00pm, anchored in the large bay outside of town.

We decided to do something a little different and went to a Turkish dance show. It is advertised in all the tourist places, so not really expecting too much, it includes dinner and drinks. We sat with a British couple and got our money's worth in the bar department, I felt like I was on a cruise ship, we had a really fun night! We made the bad decision to walk our new friends home, it was in the complete opposite direction! Walking back through bar street was interesting, there was a donair shop right before the dingy and I couldn't resist. Well I should have as they saw me coming and tripled the price! We made it back to the dingy and back to our boat - success.

Marmaris

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Turkey
September 6, 2023

Marmaris, one of the biggest sailing hubs on the Turkish coast. The harbor is busy with charter boats, gulets, and cruisers coming and going, backed by green hills that wrap around the bay. There’s a long waterfront lined with cafés and shops, and the old town tucked behind the marina gives it a bit of character beyond the holiday vibe. It’s lively, energetic, and definitely a change from the quiet anchorages we’ve been loving.

Marmaris

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September 7, 2023
32

In Turkey you have to pump out your holding tank every 2 weeks, so we decided since the wind had calmed down, we would up anchor and go into the Netsel Marmaris Marina right when the gas dock opens at 8:30am. Unfortunately, we weren't the only ones who had that idea. There were 3 boats in front of us so we had to wait, drifting around in a very small space. The marina does not make it easy as there were two super yachts docked on either side of the fuel dock making it difficult to get in! All in all it took 2 hours to get back and anchored again. Poor Ben and Lynnae, they were behind us in line at the pump out but there was a big power boat in front of them. They motored out of the Marina at 12:00pm!!! It took them over 3 hours to go their pump out!!

As soon as we got back to the boat, we received a call from UK Sails. We had agreed with them to do four jobs: add a sun cover on the Code 0, fix our batten pocket in the mainsail, wash and dry the main and jib, and sew us a stack pack. They came aboard and took all of our sails away! It is the strangest feeling.

Marmaris

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Turkey
September 10, 2023
31°

Marmaris Anchorage to Adakoy Marina - 2.1nm

5 DAY ROAD TRIP!!

We left the boat tied up at Adakoy Marmaris Marina. I am a little nervous as they put us on the outside wall and although it's in the protected bay, there is no breakwall, very little protection I am disappointed in this marina. I am very disappointed. The electricity is not working either. The docks are falling apart, the washrooms are in the boatyard and this is $100 euros a night!! We checked the weather and there is not much wind for the next 5 days so cross our fingers.

Turkish Breakfast - 1st stop

Köyceğiz

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Turkey
September 10, 2023
34°

Stopping at the roadside for fresh squeezed orange juice and mulberry puree. Yum!

Tlos Ruins

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Turkey
September 10, 2023
32°

So many ruins to choose from. Which ones do you choose to see?

We stopped at the Tlos Ruins.

Tlos is one of the oldest cities of the Lycian state. Its foundation dates back to about 2000 BC.

At first it was part of the Hittite empire according to Hittite Chronicle XIV century BC. Then Tlos ancient city was one of the six major cities of ancient Lycia. Then it proudly held the title of "the most glamorous metropolis of Lycian Union" and was a sports center of the Federation. Then Tlos ancient city was part of the Roman Empire. Later during the heyday of the Byzantine Empire was the episcopal center. The local population was living in Tlos Turkey until the XIX century AD. So Tlos Turkey has very rich and glorious past!

Each era has left unique trace in Tlos Turkey: at the foot of the hill you can see echoes of the Roman Empire - the Agora and the amphitheater, slope is decorated with Lycian arts - Lycian tombs and finally the Ottoman fortress of Bloody Ali crowns the top of the mountain .

The most famous Lycian tomb is the tomb of Bellerophon nestled at the bottom of the hill base. It is believed that this is the family tomb of Tlos royal dynasties and its genus comes from the mythical hero - Bellerophon. According to the legend Bellerophon to redeem himself was sent by the Lycian king Iobates to kill the fire-breathing monster Chimera that kept the whole district in fear. The gods gave the winged horse Pegasus to Bellerophon to help in fulfilling his mission. Taking off on his horse a brave Bellerophon slew the Chimera and then married the daughter of the king. The genus of Lycia’s rulers came from them.

One of the most amazing is the majestic Roman amphitheater for 20,000 spectators that is situated on a hillside and rows of seats are perfectly preserved. The amphitheater offers perfect view to Tlos ruins of the Acropolis. There are former Roman baths that have been rebuilt later to the Byzantine basilica with seven gates. Despite the past centuries the basilica is quite well preserved.

Kas

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Turkey
September 10, 2023
29°

Kaş

Stopped in Kas for a short while. Kaş is one of those towns that feels instantly charming. Built into the hillside along the turquoise coast, it has narrow cobblestone streets, whitewashed buildings draped in bougainvillea, and small boutique shops tucked into every corner.

The Setur Marina is about 1 km out of town. This is Ben and Lynnae's home port for 18 months so we had to check it out. We would have like to stay longer but we need to get to Finike for our visit with John and Karen from sv SeaDreamer.

Finike

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Turkey
September 10, 2023
29°

Made it Finike. Staying with John and Karon on sv Sea Dreamer, aka The Mothership. Caught up with Trevor and Amanda on Soul Train, another PM 22 alumnus. Went out for dinner at one of the Marina restaurants. So great to be around PM 22's again!

Olympos

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Turkey
September 11, 2023
30°

Olympos

After a delicious breakfast cooked up by our lovely hosts, we drove about an hour to our first stop was the ancient city of Olympos. Karon came with us but John stayed behind on the boat.

Olympos was one of the most important harbor cities during its heyday.

The ancient city was built on both sides of the Akçay stream and is very impressive. The city of Olympos was probably founded in the 3rd century BC. The ruins are located near the beach, at the mouth of a river. It is also the nesting site of Caretta Caretta sea turtles.

Olympos was one of the largest settlements in the Lycian region.

It is believed that the first settlement foundation remains bear traces of the Hellenistic period from 300 BC. In the ancient city, Hellenistic wall remains can still be seen. Olympos was ruled by pirates for a while and then was saved by the Roman commander, Isauricus.

Tried a prickly pear as a refreshing snack. Delicious 😋

Chimaera

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Turkey
September 11, 2023
32

From the bottom of the parking lot, it is 1,000 m climb up to the fires. Very interesting to see and luckily it was cloudy today so not so hot.

The Chimera (Yanartaş), the eternal flames on a rocky mountainside above Çıralı village near Olimpos, Turkey, is a fascinating natural phenomenon: about a dozen flames issue from a mass of rock with no apparent fuel to sustain them.

The dozen little fires are caused by methane gas vents and have been burning for an estimated 2,500 years.

Bellerophon is a Greek mythology hero. Due to the legend, Bellerophon killed the Chimera. Today, burning flames and flaming rocks on top of Cirali Mountain are symbols of this myth.

We were lucky enough to have John's famous chicken wings for dinner.

Antalya

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Turkey
September 12, 2023
33°

Antalya is the fifth-most populous city in Turkey as well as the capital of Antalya Province. It is seen as the "capital of tourism" in Turkey.

We started in Old Town, the maze-like Kaleiçi neighborhood was made for strolling.

Perfectly restored whitewashed and red-roofed Ottoman mansions line the cobblestone streets, now home to a plethora of boutique hotels, souvenir shops, art galleries, and restaurants.

The most dramatic entrance into Antalya's old town district is through Hadrian's Gate (known as Uçkapılar in Turkish), which is the main gateway leading into the old town's eastern section.

Hadrian's Gate ("The Three Gates") is a triumphal arch which was built in the name of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who visited the city in the year 130 CE. It is the only remaining entrance gate in the walls that surround the city and harbour.

Formerly the city walls enclosed the outside of the gate and it was not used for many years. This may be the reason why it has not been harmed, and it was only revealed when the walls collapsed in the 1950s.[10] The gate was restored in 1959. The pavement was stripped away to reveal the original Roman era walkway, which can be seen through perspex flooring while walking through the main arch.

The Roman Fortress

Built in the 2nd century, this squat 14-meter-high cylindrical tower watches over Antalya's old harbor from high above on the edge of Karaalioğlu Park.

No one is quite sure what its main function was, but most agree it acted as a watchtower or lighthouse over the busy port below.

Now it's a fantastic spot to snap that all-important panoramic view over the old harbor area.

From there, we walked down to the Old Harbour. With its peaceful pleasure-boat atmosphere now, it's difficult to imagine this place was once Antalya's major economic hub, but from the 2nd century up until the mid-20th century, this was the main port, bringing trade and prosperity to the city and surrounding region.

Perge Ancient City

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Turkey
September 13, 2023
34°

PERGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

Perge, which is the closest to the Antalya city center, ancient city is one of Turkey’s cultural treasures. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List thanks to the importance of the ruins and artifacts found in the excavations in addition to being one of the largest and most important ancient settlements that have survived as a whole. The reason why Perge is a favorite settlement for history and art lovers is that it was one of the most important sculpture production centers of Ancient Age.

The Antalya Museum, where the statues uncovered during the excavations is exhibited, is considered one of the richest Roman sculpture museums in the world. After the ancient city, a visit to the Museum will give you clues about the splendor Perge once had and will increase your admiration for the city.

Side

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Turkey
September 13, 2023
32°

Side Ancient City ( pronounced Sedar)

Being an ancient harbor city, Side takes a very important place in the history of Manavgat. It is located on the west side of the river of Manavgat, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea.

The beauty and fertility of Side is also hidden in its name, meaning “pomegranate fruit” in Luwian, which is an ancient language used by the population living in Southwest Anatolia during the Bronze Age. The ancient city of Side is formed as a half-island, surrounded by water from 3 sides. This is why it also gained much popularity and richness during the era of piracy.

The Theater

One of the first structures to encounter is the large amphitheater. Located in the central part of the town, it’s one of the most prominent structures of Side. It is very well preserved, and being built on a hill enables it to have an incredible view of the Episcopal Palace and Basilica, along with a partial view of the sea. It dates back to the 2nd century AD and was able to accommodate 15,000 spectators.

The Temple of Apollo

Its name stems from the Greco-Roman god of light, art, and beauty: Apollo. The reason why it is built at the entry of the harbor was to warn any potential attackers that the city was under Apollo’s protection. The large white columns are perfectly highlighted by the view of the Mediterranean Sea in the background.

We stopped to have a coffee and ended up chatting with the owner. We learned a lot about modern day Turkey and the history of the town. We are fortunate to live in Canada as living under a dictator sounds awful.

Marmaris

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Turkey
September 14, 2023
32°

We arrived back in town after a long days driving.

We have been noticing that we are getting ripped off a lot in Turkey. We are being overcharged for everything like ice cream, dinners, even fuel for the car. On the way out of Marmaris we stopped at this gas station to get fuel for the rental car. This guy looked very shifty and I should have listened to my gut and got out of the car and looked to see what he was doing. He charged us $2,000 Turkish lira which is $100 Canadian which seems way too much. So we spent some time calculating what it should have been and we came up with $1, 200-1,300TL. So he ripped us off between 700-800!!!

We were still so bothered about it that on our way back into town we stopped at the gas station to talk to the manager.

Chris had taken a picture of the fellow so he showed it to him so we explained what happened. He took us upstairs to the accounting department she went through all the receipts until she found ours and lo and behold now we should have paid was 1250. So our guts were right!!!

This video shows what happened to the guy. I have no idea what the manager was yelling at him but it looks like he got in trouble. I hope he didn't get fired but at the same time he shouldn't be ripping people off. Hopefully he won't do this to anyone else.

Chris had it organized that the Sailmakers would finish today. They went down to the boat but it was too windy for them to put the sails back on. And it turns out the painting of the Code 0 needs the weekend to dry. So another weekend in Marmaris!!!

The boat seemed to fair okay at the dock, it wasn't as calm as I would have liked. There was a lot of pulling and yanking in the swell. The big fenders on the back of the boat actually scraped off big chunks is of our anti-fouling wrap. And there is a serious scum line around the sides! Yuck

We were eating dinner in the cockpit when we heard some commotion up front we went to the bow to witness a monohull attached to us! There were three drunk people (Russians) repeating sorry, sorry, my engines aren't working right. They were trying to back into the slip beside us to drop one of the guys off. So he ended up hopping onto our boat as they couldn't manoeuvre. Finally they got away. Thankfully we were on board or who knows what would have happened.

Thief!

Fenders rubbed our McGlide off

Adakoy Marina to Marmaris Limani

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Turkey
September 15, 2023
31°

The marina overcharged us for a night. So we went to talk to them about getting it back. They gave us cash plus the cash from the gas station, we feel pretty good!

Motored the short distance back to Marmaris. Looks like we will be here until at least Monday.

Icmeler

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September 16, 2023
34°

Biking Marmaris to Icmeler

Biked from Marmaris along the beach to Icmeler. One resort after another all the way along. Security guards on the beaches so you can't stop for a swim anywhere.

Stopped for coffee and cake in the town of Icmeler. Ordered one peice of cake and 2 coffees. He brought us 2 peices of cake so we returned one. When the bill arrived, he charged us 440. We recalculated and it should have been 270. You can't even go out for a coffee without being ripped off.

Marmaris

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Turkey
September 17, 2023
33°

Decided today would be a good day to replace the final for aft solar panels. We had waited to replace these ones because we had to figure out how to access the cockpit ceiling.

The whole ceiling does not come down so Chris bought four covers and he's drilled four holes in the ceiling where the wires come out. I think it should work!

Solar panel installation - Done!!!

The Russian guy who hit us the other night came over to say sorry again. He said he had to get the guy he dumped on our boat off the boat as he was drunk. I think they were all drunk. Anyways, it was nice he cam over to apologize.

Finished just in time to watch all the your boat come back into the harbour

Marmaris

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Turkey
September 18, 2023

Found a nice coffee place near the Marina that has filtered coffee!!

UK sails finally showed up a few hours late. First job: install the stack pack. BIG FAIL It doesn't fit, it doesn't attach to the boom. It's the wrong colour. It's very flimsy. They are going to make us a whole new stack pack, delivery on Wednesday. So Chris put the sail cover back on. Maybe for the last time? Lol Don't know if we are ever going to get out of here

Marmaris

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Turkey
September 19, 2023
33°

Stopped by the UK Sails loft to make some suggestions on how to make the stack pack. It is supposed to be ready tomorrow. 🤞🤞

Tepe

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Turkey
September 20, 2023
31°

Another day in Marmaris.

Went into the tea shop for breakfast and had this cheese and processed meat grilled sandwich. They call it tost. Turkish coffee was good but the cappuccino was one of those powder packs mixed with boiling water!!

Headed over to the Marmaris Castle and museum to take a look.

The Marmaris Castle was built by the Ionians in 1044 BC to defend their settlements against pirate attacks. It was later rebuilt in the 16th century by the Ottomans during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. The castle is located on a hill overlooking the harbor, which made it the perfect location for defensive purposes.

The Castle was rebuilt and widened by Suleyman the Magnificent during his campaign for the Greek island of Rhodes in 1522. Suleyman the Magnificent used the castle as a military base for his troops. During World War I, the castle was cannon fired by the French Fleet and had a huge damage.

Till 1970s, the castle has been an accommodation area. There are 18 houses, a fountain and an arc inside the castle area. Finally, the castle was restored during the years 1980-1990 and the site now serves as an archaeology museum since 1991. Lots of artifacts from the Knidos site which was interesting.

Then it was finally time to pick up the guys from UK Sails. Please, please fit. 🤞🤞 So it's on but there are A LOT of straps and it is missing the front part, there is a zipper but nothing to attach the zipper to. Chris emailed them, they are going to make it tomorrow and we can pick it up at noon.

Ekinchik

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September 21, 2023
28°

Marmaris to Ekinchik Koyu-21nm

It was that time again. We had to up anchor and go back to the marina to pump out our holding tanks. Then back to the anchorage one more time to wait until noon to go pick up the last piece of the slack bag.

There was a huge market underneath the sail loft. Everyone who has been to Turkey has kept telling us about these amazing markets and we have never really seen one until now. So stocked up!

And the last piece fits perfectly so we get to go somewhere new today! Checked the weather and the anchorages and decided to go the 18 nautical miles to Kargi Koyu anchorage.

There was not much wind but we did put the sails up and motor sailed most of the way. Took a look at this anchorage but it wasn't really viable, it was super deep and close to the rocky shore and there was already 10 boats there so went around the corner to Ekinchik Koyu. This was so much better, shallow water with lots of room. It wasn't supposed to be very protected from the wind but there's not much wind so we should be good.

As I was putting the anchor down I heard a ripping noise and the strings that hold the trampoline onto the boat ripped as I was standing there so I jumped out of the way. Chris was able to retie them.

What a difference this anchorage is from Marmaris. It is super quiet, small and very dark, there are no city lights. This is where you can take a tour of the Dalyon River which we will probably do.

Ekichik

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September 22, 2023
31°

Dingyied to shore, went for a quick walk. Pretty small, grimy town with half built hotels, camping and beaches.

Dingyied over to My Marina Yacht Club which looked pretty nice but restaurant is supposed to be very pricey.

Just saw a huge loggerhead turtle swimming past our dingy!! So cool! Unfortunately I did not get a picture.

Came into shore to get off the boat and trying this local restaurant Asma Alt which was really authentic!

Ekincik - Dalyan River Tour-Stop 1

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September 23, 2023
32°

Moved the boat onto the dock. A little chaotic but not too bad.

Heading off on a 5 hour Dalyan River tour.

First stop, jump in the water and swim through a cave.

Next, the captain serves us a got coffee 🤗

Çandır-Dalyan River Tour-Stop 2

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Turkey
September 23, 2023

The loggerhead turtles lay their eggs here, on this beach. Lots of tour boats bringing in people from Marmaris and Dalyan.

Very shallow.

This is the start of the river.

Kaunos-Dalyan River Tour-Stop 3

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September 23, 2023
33°

Kaunos Ancient City

Kaunos was an important sea port, the history of which is supposed to date back to the 10th century BC. Because of the formation of İztuzu Beach and the silting of the former Bay of Dalyan (from approx. 200 BC onwards), Kaunos is now located about 8 km from the coast. The city had two ports, the southern port at the southeast of Küçük Kale and the inner port at its northwest (the present Sülüklü Göl, Lake of the Leeches). The southern port was used from the foundation of the city till roughly the end of the Hellenistic era, after which it became inaccessible due to its drying out. The inner or trade port could be closed by chains. The latter was used till the late days of Kaunos, but due to the silting of the delta and the ports, Kaunos had by then long lost its important function as a trade port. After the capture of Caria by Turkish tribes, and the serious malaria epidemic of the 15th century AD, Kaunos was completely abandoned.

Kaunos is a site that is interesting for both its archeological and ecological importance. Situated in the Köyceğiz-Dalyan Special Environmental Protection Area, it offers outstanding vistas and is rich in wildlife. The ruins of the city are near Dalyan, on the west bank of the ancient Kalbis river. The main sights at the archeological site itself are:

The Acropolis (Persikon), situated on a 152 m high rock, fortified with Byzantine walls. The city's acropolis was called Imbros and it lay at the foot of Mount Tarbelos (present-day "Mount Ölemez").

Adjacent to the acropolis is a smaller fortification, called Heraklion. Until the 5th century BC this 50 m high cape reached into sea and there were two ports south and north of it. From the Acropolis there are views of the ancient city, Dalyan, the Dalyan river, the estuary and İztuzu Beach. The small fortification looks down on a traditional dalyan (fishing weir) situated quite near the former southern port.

The theater on the slope of the acropolis featuring both Hellenistic and Roman characteristics

The theater has a diameter of 75 m and was built at a 27-degree angle. It had a capacity for 5000 spectators and is in a fairly good state. It is still occasionally used for performances.

The palaestra with its Roman baths, a wind measuring platform and a domed Byzantine basilica

The port agora, the stoa and the nymphaeum.

The port agora is located at the flat area in front of Sülüklü Lake. It dates back to the 4th century BC and kept its function as an economic, political and social meeting place until the end of the Roman era. The remains of pedestals indicate that there must have been many (bronze) statues of influential Romans, but these have not been found. Most likely these were melted down in the Byzantine era, for the archeologists found a smelting furnace of that period near to the pedestal of a bronze equestrial statue of the Roman governor of Asia, Lucius Licinius Murena. The covered stoa at the north side of the agora offered sun and rain protection. The stoa was created in the early Hellenistic era (3rd century BC), but part dates to the early Roman era. The Nympheon is also Hellenistic, but the fountain basin was extended during the Roman era. Inscriptions from the period of Emperor Hadrian reveal that the toll for merchants and boat owners was relaxed to compensate for the gradually silting port.

The temples

Six temples have been excavated, two of Hellenistic and four of Roman origin. Probably the terrace temple of the 3rd century BC facing a circle of columns has the greatest appeal. Inside the circle an obelisk has been found, which is also depicted on old Kaunian coins. The obelisk was the symbol of king Kaunos, who according to mythology established the ancient city bearing his name.

Ortaca-Dalyan River Tour-Stop 4

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Turkey
September 23, 2023
33°

Stopped at the Blue Crab coop. Chris bought some crab legs and we also bought some crab meat.

Tombs of the Kings

The lykian city Kaunos was a commercially important port city during Antiquity. Geographer Strabon wrote that Kaunos has a shipyard and a port that could be closed. The city was founded by Kaunos, the son of Miletos, after he was exiled because he had an improper relationship with his twin sister.

They are called Tombs of the Kings, but also lycian tombs of Caunos or lycian tombs of Dalyan because they can also be seen from Dalyan. The rock tombs were built during the 4th century BC. They were later, during the Roman Period, still used. Each lykian tomb contains three stone beds on which the dead were laid. There are two Ionic columns on the facade and frieze and pediment above the columns. One of the pediments has lion reliefs.

Next stop lunch at La Boheme on the banks if the Dalyan River. It was a really nice lunch spot with the biggest flowering tree I have ever seen.

Dalyan-Dalyan River Tour-Stop 5

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September 23, 2023
35°

After lunch, walked around Dalyan. So many river tour boats!

Ortaca-Dalyan River Tour-Stop 6 (Last one)

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September 23, 2023
35°

Looking for mud. We stopped at a mud bath but it was in town at a hammam. It looked a little sketchy so he took us up the river a few more hundred metres to a natural mud bath. Where we met a bunch of locals who helped Chris find some mud and told him how to do it. I was going to go in but then I changed my mind. 😆

After this, we motored straight back to the boat.

Ekinchik to Seagull Bay

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September 25, 2023
33°

Ekinchik to Seagull Bay, Gochek - 6.3nm

Made it Gochek. Way too many boats! There is also some type of Sailing regatta going on.

Stern tied to rocks on the beach. Had to do it twice. It's very shallow, only 7 ft! But all the other places were like 90 feet so not sure how all these other charter boats were anchoring there. They must just be there for the day.

Seagull Bay, Gochek to Yassica Island, Gochek

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Turkey
September 26, 2023
28°

What a crazy time.

We were manoeuvering in a very tight space, reversing into the beach while letting the anchor out and the engines died (first time ever). So I had to bring the anchor up so we wouldn't swing into the boats beside us.

He got the engines back on then we bridled and reversed back. Then we were too far away. Then a huge gullett came in beside us right on top of our stern line. So we had to undo the bridle, reverse back some more and had to pull it out from under the gullet. Then our other line got caught in our starboard rudder.

Now we are all settled in.

It's very busy with day trippers. There are people swinging on our stern lines!

This is Turkey end of September.

Took the dingy into Gochek. There are 6 marinas and it's very busy but looks like a nice town. Walked around and had dinner on the waterfront.

Yassica Bay

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Turkey
September 27, 2023
30°

So many day trippers!

Servicing the manual winches day.

A storm just blew through. It rained for 5 minutes. First rain we have seen since May!

Swam over to the Pancake Boat and ordered a potato pancake and a spinach and cheese pancake. The lady made them on the back of her boat. They were delicious. Chris, of course have the idea to bring a bottle of wine and eat the pancakes on the beach.

On the way back, we saw our Turkish neighbors sitting on the beach and he invited us to sit down. We had a nice long chat with them.

Wicked lightening storm last night lasting for hours bringing lots of wind with it. Couldn't sleep 😪😩

Yassica Bay To Fethiye

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Turkey
September 28, 2023
27°

Yassica Bay to Fethiye - 10.9nm

Fethiye is the end of the line. This will be our turnaround point.

Anchored in 40ft in a large bay with lots of room. This is looking promising.

Fethiye is a lively coastal town on Turkey’s southwestern Aegean coast, famous for its beautiful natural harbor, vibrant marina, and nearby turquoise beaches. It’s also known for its ancient Lycian ruins, including cliffside tombs and nearby historical sites, making it a mix of history and modern seaside life.

Like much of Turkey, Fethiye features the portrait of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey, prominently displayed in shops, public buildings, and street corners, a reflection of his enduring legacy across the country.

Oludeniz, Turkey

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Turkey
September 28, 2023
28°

We took a cab from Fethiye down to Ölüdeniz to meet up with Todd and Catherine from sv Lickety for dinner. The place was buzzing with paragliders falling out of the sky nonstop, this is one of the most famous spots in the world for it! Launching from Babadağ Mountain over 1,900 meters high, you can soar over turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, and the stunning lagoon with panoramic views of the mountains and coastline. Todd and Catherine tried it a couple of days ago, we will just watch them from the ground up!

After soaking in the scenery, we walked down to the Blue Lagoon, then headed to a steak dinner with Catherine and Todd. Let’s just say we may have had a little too much red wine and Raki 🍷🥃. The night didn’t end there , we popped next door for karaoke and dancing… some memories are probably better left unposted! 😅

Fethiye

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Turkey
September 29, 2023
28°

We wandered through Fethiye’s bustling market day, and it was full of color, energy, and local flavor. Stalls spill out into the streets with fresh fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs, alongside handmade crafts, textiles, and souvenirs. The smells of olives, cheeses, and baked goods fill the air, and locals and tourists mingle as everyone haggles for the best prices.

It’s a lively, sensory experience, a perfect way to get a feel for daily life in Fethiye. Definitely worth stopping by if you’re sailing nearby or just exploring the town.

Fethiye

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Turkey
September 30, 2023
29°

Another day in Fethiye.

Woke up to see this massive monohull motoring through the anchorage. It was called North Wind. This is what I found out about it.

Sailing yacht NORTH WIND is a 44.00m (144' 4") luxury vessel built in 2023 by Sokmen Kardesler with naval architecture from Fatma Kisar Viking yacht Design and interior design by Mean Design Istanbul. She can accommodate up to ten charter guests in five luxury suites with additional accommodation for the eight crew members. Price? From EUR€ 67,900 - 87,500/wk

Was planning on checking out of Turkey and going to Rhodes, went and talked to a few agents but was still waiting to hear back from the marina in Rhodes. Turns out the marina in Rhodes is not available, it's all full until Oct 8th. Michael Roditis did not get back to me about checking us in on the books instead of our passports. Interesting.

Good thing we didn't check out cuz Tim Bull on Matilda posted in the group chat that there is a huge storm coming in Oct 10th to the Agean, where we are along the Turkish coast is not much wind.

Continued our walking around Fethiye, found a mall to walk through, Chris got his haircut then we went into a carpet store and had a nice long chat with the owner who has been there since 1995. Walked past the theatre, then up some stairs to get an incredible view over the city and harbour. Continued to the Amyntas Rick Tombs.

Amyntas Rock Tombs

CARVED INTO THE SIDE OF a Turkish mountain are what look to be the entrances to countless temples, but are in fact the ornate facade of ancient Lycian tombs.

The Lycians believed that their dead were carried to the afterlife by magic winged creatures and thus they placed their honored dead in geographically high places such as the cliffside. Dating back to the 4th century, many of the numerous entryways are adorned with tall Classical columns and intricate reliefs, a bit duller from centuries of weathering. The older tombs are often no more than unremarked holes dug into the rock.

Despite the external grandeur, the interior of the tombs are spare chambers cut into the rock with a simple monolith inside to display the body and the rooms, are otherwise empty from hundreds of years worth of looting.

We ended up at the fish market. It is a bit of a tourist trap. You order your fish from the fishmonger, You tell him how you want it cooked. Then you choose one of the restaurants to sit at and they cook it for you for a fee. You order we ordered the messies from the restaurant. Of course when you go to pay the bill they inflate all the prices.

"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." – Jacques Yves Cousteau

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