Kurukulla

Kurukulla
Kurukulla, anchored at James Bond Island, Thailand

Sunday 11 September 2011

Bodrum and beyond.




Leaving Karaada for the last time
After a second tranquil night in Karaada, including a night swim in the most amazing phosphorescence, we sailed off the anchor to head south through the straits between the Greek Island of Khios and the Turkish mainland at Cesme. Our destination was Sigacik which we reached just after dark. The final leg was a close reach in the falling light of sunset and we reached the entrance to the marina just after dark. This would have been fine but for an error in the pilot which misidentified one of the lights marking the entrance and caused some confusion. That sorted out we made a safe entry and found Camilla berthed on the opposite side of the pontoon to which we were allotted. They had motored a large part of the way to be sure to get in before dusk.
Sigacik entrance and fishing port
Sigacik is an ancient town with walled defences and a castle at the harbour entrance. Quite picturesque but overwhelmed by the adjacent marina development which is very new and modern.
After victualling the next day we headed off for Kusadasi stopping en route at Dogan Bay, another hot spring venue, for a late lunch and swim. This was somewhat curtailed by our time of arrival but more importantly by persistent swarms of biting flies.
Arrival at Kusadasi was again at sunset but this time we managed to sail through the entrance before darkness fell. Our plan was to remain two days and hire a car to visit the ancient city of Ephesus, the second largest city of the Roman Empire outside Rome. Hence the next day was spent doing the tourist bit!
Ephasus - South Gate of Commercial Agora
The remains are impressive in size and scale but disappointingly are being subject to a considerable degree of reconstruction; it seems a heresy. That evening we victualled again and spent the evening touring the town of Kusadasi. Very highly touristified but pleasant none the less. I even managed a haircut at 0030 in the morning and a coffee on the waterfront at 0200!
After our dose of culture we pressed on south passing through the straits between Samos (Gr) and Dipburnu (Tr) in the course of which we received close attention from a Greek Border Patrol launch. Our destination was Port St Paul, a small bay where St Paul reputedly took refuge to rest the oarsmen when struggling northwards against the Meltemi (strong N wind). The bay was beautiful but the holding poor and unpredictable.
Ephesus - Celcus library rear left
We thoroughly enjoyed the evening there but next morning the anchor started dragging in the thin sand and weed on the bottom and so it was that we set off earlier than planned for our next port, Asin Limani.
Lunch at Gulluk
It was from here that Ale and Ray were to depart for Bodrum airport for their return to UK. Asin Limani, harbour is guarded by an ancient Byzantine Tower and the hill above has an extensive fort with remains dating back to 3000BC. In the event, to make their journey to the airport easier, we ferried Ray and Ale over to Gulluk, which is 4 miles away on the other side of the gulf. After a very good lunch and saying goodbye, Steve and I returned to the less exposed town quay in Asin Limani. That evening we took a pair of beers ashore and sat on the hilltop to watch the sun set, magical, surrounded by so much history.
Self at Castle entrance, Asin Limani
Med moored at Asin Limani
From here it was southwards again to a beautiful tree lined bay on the north side of the Bodrum peninsula at Demir. All the other boats which were there when we arrived had departed before sunset leaving Camilla and ourselves to enjoy the solitude. The only habitation was a large house at the head of the bay with its own jetty and boat slipway. From here it was onwards to Gumusluk, another pleasant, narrow, inlet on the west facing side of the Bodrum peninsula. As we drew closer the weather started to deteriorate and the seas became more uncomfortable hence we were more than happy to reach port only to find that half the world was also sheltering here! Eventually we found a spot with sufficient swinging room to anchor, albeit with occasionally only 5 ft clearance from the bowsprit of another vessel! David in Camilla arrived an hour later, however, after a couple of attempts at anchoring he decided not to remain in such a tight anchorage and braved the conditions again to head south to a marina 5 miles away.
Cokertme
Sunset at Catalada
From here it was to Aspat Koyu, a bay open to the SE but reasonably sheltered from the prevailing winds; here we anchored in the northerly, less populated, of the two bays. Another idyllic spot with a palm lined beach and a small water-sports complex. Next morning it was onwards to Bodrum where we entered the marina to await the arrival, that evening, of the next two crew members; Mike and Melvin were returning for another spell in Kurukulla. They duly arrived shortly before midnight in the company of several additional members of the sailing club who were joining other boats involved in a week long charter. The charter route took us to Cokertme, Cleopatra's Beach (constructed artificially for Mark Anthony) and then on a beat to windward out of the gulf via English Harbour (where we ghosted in after dark), Seven Islands (North Cove) and then back to Cokertme (where we had an excellent group meal ashore) and Aktur Tesisleri (where a beach BBQ had been planned by the charter company). After all this we accompanied the charter fleet back to the base for the majority at Yalikavak Marina for the final night. Here we said goodbye to three additional crew members who had joined us from Camilla two days before when she set off along the south coast towards Marmaris.
The following day we anchored off the island of Catalada for the night before dropping off Mike and Melvin at Turgetreis Marina for their return to UK via a night in Bodrum.
Turgetreis being a port of entry it was also possible to check Kurukulla, Steve and myself out of Turkey thereby avoiding overstaying our 3 month visas and allowing us to legally set off for Greece again. This took three hours but only because the offices were initially open but completely deserted due to the lunchtime siesta! Nothing changes...........
Back to Turkey and the bureaucracy of re-entry in a months time!
Currently we are anchored off Catalada again, for tonight, and will enter Greece at Kos tomorrow.

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