Weeks before our departure, we informed friends and family we would be participating in the EMYR. So what is the EMYR? The EMYR is the East Mediterranean Yacht Rally. This rally includes eighty boats from nineteen different countries with visits to twelve UNESCO world heritage sites on three continents--Europe, Asia and Africa. Departure begins in Istanbul, although participants can join at any time during the rally. We joined in Gocek, about a fifty nautical mile jaunt from Marmaris.

The link to the EMYR official website explains in great detail about this fascinating adventure.

http://www.emyr.org

Briefly, the trip includes visits to a number of ports in Turkey, then across to North Cyprus, back to Turkey, moving eastward to Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, with our final port in Israel. These are all places we have learned about historically, but also hear regularly about in current news. Traveling as a united group of sailors, we feel comfortable and confident, having the support of the local government and port authorities. Without the support of the rally, these countries would certainly otherwise be untenable to visit in our minds. In addition, the camaraderie amongst the sailors, providing friendship and support whenever needed, is extraordinary.

We have been proceeding along the ports or Turkey thus far, and the welcoming from the Turkish people has been truly remarkable. The cocktail parties and dinners have been stylishly set up, as if they were all formal weddings (you can even find David in a jacket and tie??"most strange). The sites chosen for the tours have been unique locations that on our own, we would never have known to visit. We will selectively write about places we see. Although we may not always do justice in their written description, we hope to enlighten you to the highlights we see.