Preparing to leave the marina for the first time after a winter away is always challenging. Trying to make sure that you remember to do everything, install everything, fix everything and purchase everything that you might need for the season can be overwhelming. But over the years we've read, researched, made lists and listened to other cruisers on the importance of preparedness, and the consequences of forgetfulness. Check anything and everything that anyone else has touched, test everything that hasn't been used in a while, don't motor away without checking the transmission oil, make sure the dinghy is not forgotten in Bermuda when you cross the Atlantic, and never, ever leave the dock without your spouse. This actually happened when one cruiser thought his wife was below in the cabin when she had, in fact, stepped off the boat to toss the trash. He threw off the dock lines and sailed away leaving her on the dock without a phone, money, or even shoes. And he forgot to turn on his cell phone or the boat's radio, so he could not be informed of his blunder. He did come back for her, eventually.

Luckily, we have never made such an egregious error, yet. So with both the Captain and Admiral and the dinghy on board, we moved Berkeley East out of D-Marin Didim, her home for the past two winters. It was exciting to be off, but also a bit sad to be leaving such a great winter marina not knowing if we would return or not. Our plan was to head to southern Turkey with a couple of stops in Greece; first for fuel in Kos, then an overnight in Simi at a favorite anchorage.






By day two we were back in Turkey at a beautiful new spot Ekinicik Limani.






Day three brought concerns of weather (just like old times) so we moved quickly to Skopea Limani, a large gulf protected by a chain of islands with many beautiful anchorages. We chose Sarsila on the western shore, where we grabbed a mooring and proceeded to settle into the cruising life.









While cooking the first dinner at anchor we discovered we had forgotten something: tomatoes. But as luck would have it, a little boat came by selling crepes and tomatoes! Imagine that. How much would we pay for a tomato? In this case, we paid 20 Turkish Lira (about $7) for two beautiful tomatoes and two delicious crepes, delivered to our boat. And we got to help support the locals. What a deal.






We spent four days on that mooring in Skopea Limani, bought more crepes and more tomatoes. Then there were also the fish, and the ice cream, boats; which we felt obliged to support.





We even had a sea turtle that would come by Berkeley East regularly to check on us.







The cruising guide tells us that there is a four-day limit on any mooring and eleven days total allowed stay in all of Skopea Limani. And we can understand the restrictions, as one could live there. It was difficult to break away from this paradise.










On Sunday our quiet anchorage was descended on by charter boats that had left Gocek and where looking for their first night's anchorage. Fortunately most of them went to the dock/restaurant in the cove next to us and out of site.