South Sound Sailors in Turkey

Vessel Name: Liberte
Vessel Make/Model: Newport 30
Hailing Port: Olympia
Crew: Ken Dzinbal, Lisa Randlette, Joy Johnson, Debra Glasser
About: Enthusiastic South Sound Sailors
27 May 2014 | Istanbul of course
27 May 2014 | Datch to Benchek
12 May 2014 | Knidos to Datca
12 May 2014 | Turgetreis to Knidos
10 May 2014 | Bodrum
30 April 2014 | still in Olympia
27 April 2014 | Olympia, WA
Recent Blog Posts
27 May 2014 | Istanbul of course

Istanbul I

Istanbul May 27, 2014

27 May 2014 | Datch to Benchek

Day 3-9

Day 3 Datca to Dirsek

12 May 2014 | Knidos to Datca

Sailing Day 2

Today was our first morning on the cruise. We woke up to a warm sunny day shining on the crystal clear waters in this exquisite bay of antiquity with Roman ruins on the hillsides as far as you can see. Joy had already begun the tradition of getting up first for her morning walk and today was no exception. [...]

12 May 2014 | Turgetreis to Knidos

Sailing Day 1

Sunday May 11 Knidos

10 May 2014 | Bodrum

we are all in turkey!!!

we are all here.... ken is in Turgetreis at the boat, girls in Bodrum heading to Ken by taxi any minute. there we will provision at market pictured here. Fantastic country and waterfront.

30 April 2014 | still in Olympia

Countdown and background

The countdown is happening and the heat is turning up with Ken and Debra doing overtime at work, Lisa and Ken traveling around the state, getting our homes and dogs' lives settled enough to leave includes us all. That said, the burden of all THAT is no longer outweighed by the excitement of the trip [...]

Istanbul I

27 May 2014 | Istanbul of course
debra
Istanbul May 27, 2014

I am finally writing again on my last day of Istanbul with apologies for the absence of blog posts as I honestly did not think anyone was paying attention AND I got very angry with sailblog that they could not post pictures from my ipad. That said, this last day I am needing some rest and quiet time in this bustling city of 17 million and will post what I have so far, adding pictures upon my return home and picture sharing among the crew. No doubt this day will be the most down time I will have for awhile as I face re-entry to home life, responsibilities and work immediately upon return. Plus this sailor has a boat to get ready for both the season and haul- out at the end of June! But that is for tomorrow and today I am still here living in Turkey and reflecting upon my longest vacation since 1983.

It has been glorious to take such a long break with time to relish on the Aegean for 2 weeks and revel in the unbelievable history both on the sea and all around in Istanbul. From our hotel room we have a view of the Sea of Marmarus and nearly next door is a brick structure with weeds growing out the side that looks to be from the Byzantine era. Well, that is true on almost every block here.

This morning, our third and last breakfast on the rooftop garden with sweeping views of the Sea and entrance to the Bosphorus, Ken opened up his Marine traffic app and we could identify the ships in view up to 2 nm away and hailing from ports all over Europe awaiting entrance into the Bosphorus to their Black Sea destinations. We watched the line of them sailing northward on our 90 minute sunset Bosphorus cruise for 10 Turkish Lira (TL) or $5 each, evenly spaced carrying anything from cars to grains and no doubt things we couldn't imagine.

That rooftop garden with pansies on the marble tables, geraniums in the flower boxes and a lush red rose next to 'our corner' table has been a treasure for this busy part of the holiday. Each day started with a leisurely breakfast watching the gulls, doves and songbirds awaken with us, lovely conversation and planning our day's explorations with Rick Steve's' Istanbul's (I'll never travel without him again) wise and detailed guidance. They ended after 10 pm with a glass of wine and the days' reflection. A young German couple joined us the second night for an animated sharing of our visit and contrasts to our lives at home, both living in much less busy places on the planet. They live a rural corner of Germany that borders France and Switzerland ‘surrounded by nature' as Enis called her home and we in the friendly and quirky small city on Puget Sound surrounded by ducks, eagles and seals. Ken and I envy the vacation that is not only available but encouraged in Europe and Germany where vacations less than 2 weeks are frowned upon because the company knows it will take a week just to unwind and finally the 2nd week to really relax and restore. This in contrast to the near acts of Congress it took for each of us to get our hard earned 3 week travel approved with reluctance.

Ken just left on the shuttle for his grueling 23 hour trip home excited to meet Alex at JFK for a nice meal and private shuttle to Newark where he connects for his SeaTac flight. This is my first time alone and without him for nearly 3 weeks, sad to see him leave and yet this introvert is enjoying a short time of solitude before the rev up for my trip beginning at 0330 tomorrow. I also await the warm and helpful staff to arrive and help me change rooms from our spacious deluxe room with a view to a smaller double for my last night. I will have my last dinner with Carly Lux when she gets home from work, then finish packing for the flights ahead.

This entry will now be posted as the call to prayers fills the air from the many mosques surrounding this wonderful Hotel Dersaadet and I will be for lunch at our favorite cafe around the corner, a bit more shopping and bank draft to cover the hotel. More to come to fill in the spaces, I promise... and photos too when I get home.

Day 3-9

27 May 2014 | Datch to Benchek
Debra
Day 3 Datca to Dirsek

Day 4 Dircek to Bozu Boku

Day 5 Bozu Boku to Sogut

Day 6 Sogut to Bozburun

Day 7 Bozburun to Selimeye

Day 8 Selimeye to Ohaniye

Day 9 Ohaniye to Benchik

It's been a few days since I have written or blogged: my keyboard only works when there is wifi and I can turn off Airplane Mode. The blogsite I chose originally (sailblogs) does not let me upload pictures on my ipad (what good is a blog without pictures of this amazing journey?) and my attempts to start a different blogsite had me all wound up and frustrated which are not experiences to allow on this vacation of vacations. So....I quit writing and here I am now at Bozburun after 4 days so full there is no way I can now recreate these in writing. However I will pull some highlights with photos to be attached once back in Oly.

Dirsek

Dirsek has been our only anchoring so far. Think pristine turquoise blue bay surrounded by brushy rocky hillsides being grazed by goats and 1 lone restaurant at the head of the bay. The water was perfect for swimming, snorkeling and skinny dipping. There was another charter boat anchored in eyes view (of Russians it turns out in a charter boat with an American flag) and I apparently inspired them to swim sans suits as well. The local saleswoman came by boat to show here wares. There we climbed to a glorious viewpoint though it is all truly glorious.

The other highlight was our commercial visit by Ella in her sale-ing dinghy (yes, selling her wares from her boat) offerring turkish towels,scarves and fabrics which Ken and Joy purchased for gifts.

Photos: Joy and Debra carrying the stern line to shore by dinghy to tie to a tree, saleswoman Ella showing her wares, our goat herd.

Bozu Buku

We arrived in very big winds and thus upon entering the bay tied up to the first dock which also was most in the lee. It was a wild docking well done by Ken with the help of the strong Turkish young men serving as dock hands. There the docking was free for a meal at the Ali Baba restaurant on the deck over the water with toilets and showers in tiny outbuildings (aka shacks) on the hill that led to a HUGE Lycian citadel dating from 294 BC. The citadel sits on an imposing cliff at the entrance of the bay, is HUGE and incredibly intact for its ancient age. We all clambored up, Ken and I walked the circumference and down we came for our lovely dinner and waterfront dining as always. Highlights were the mezzas (aka appetizers) of string beans and the aubergine (eggplant). Only Ken and Debra went for the showers, cold as cold can be. Hairwashing for Debra had to wait. Docked next to us were a lovely Irish couple who had their boat moored in Turkey where they have cruised for 12 years and the intense Russian racers on the X-41 who spoke as much English as we spoke Russian.

Photos: citadel

Sogut

The passage from Bozu Boku to Sogut was in big water and 3-5 ft seas with swells and winds in the high 20s for mostly beam and close haul reaches. I was sick (very sea sick) for the entire passage with my head hung over the side of the cockpit and later over the aft rail with eyes focused 150% on the horizon. I wished I could vomit as Lisa did but to no avail despite compounded bendectin and finally meclizine which put me to sleep and did help ease the symptoms somewhat within 30 minutes. That wiped out my afternoon.

The crew docked the boat at the Octopus Restaurant decked out with fancy water closets and showers and we were not charged. The entire crew was charmed by this little very Turkish fishing and farming village. Each of us had unique experiences: Ken and I watching a large cruise boat being docked, walked up the hillside and were invited to coffee with a lovely couple with whom we conversed with little common language save our love of dogs (it was the puppy and the little roadside olive stand that attracted us in), Joy walked to the next village, Lisa discovered a new pension being built for her next trip to Turkey and Debra bought the scarf that these women wrapped on her head. It was our closest taste of the inhabited countryside rural lifestyle so far. Every home had a small garden grown to mid-August stage in the Pacific NW and flowers were planted in every old metal can. We all agreed it was a charming place, catering to boaters beautifully on the docks yet truly Turkey but 1 block inland ...or less.
Plus I cant forget the gourmet meal in the cockpit prepared by Lisa and Joy: yogurt marinated chicken, sauteed rice, broccoli and fresh shelled peas.

Photos: Debra with scarf on head, flowers in can, meal on the boat.

Bozburun

It was a short jaunt to Bozburun from Sogut and is the first and only place since Turgetreis with a true circular inner harbor albiet small and cozy. We ended up tying stern to alongside our now regular British cruising buddies Ray and Linn on Windsong. The beautiful condos upon entering along with the large numbers of exquisitely decked out gulettes (traditional Turkish 2 masted sailing vessels used for chartered cruises in the Aegean) in the home of the turquoise coast's gulette factory. This was truly the Gig Harbor of Turkey at least on our part of the coast. The waterfront was lined with shops and restaurants and even tourist shops, our first. Ken bought hand painted bowls and Joy a tapestry purse for her daughter. We had internet and I was unsuccesful at posting a blog on google as whenever I went to the blog site it was in Turkish. Ken and I ate a romantic bayside dinner at Bills Gates' Bozurun restaurant. Lisa and Joy went to Osman's Gordon Cafe recommended by Sali the owner of our cafe in Sogut and a number of other cruisers. Clearly the restauranters on Datca know each other. Lisa met 2 English expats Pam and Allistair Duncan and their 3 Jack Russell terriers on a walk and was hired nearly on the spot to be their gardener and perhaps purchaser of the property next door. If it comes to be, stranger things have happened. Ken and Deb had a late night walk to a very fun and funky waterside bar for raki served with ice, water and a plate of cheeze and cucumbers. As always we all made friends with the local dogs and enjoyed the antics of the town cats forever hanging arond the restaurants hoping for a bite.

Photos: ?pam and allistair, Ray and Lynn on windsong, dogs gulettes

Selimeye

It was a very short jaunt to the next magical bay this one lined with tourist hotels and the for the first time lots of tourists, all Turkish. Here was the famous Aurora restaurant renowned and recommended by nearly every seasoned British sailor who keeps their boat in Turkey. Not committing fully to the place, the four of us went our separate ways to unwind. Debra climbed to the castle overlooking town, the others walked all around the town with its lovely Mediterrean waterfront lined by inns and restaurants with tables set out on the docks. We pulled into the city dock with Osman, the gold toothed man's as friendly as can be assistance with the aft docking. Debra bought sailboat magnets, one for herself and one for Ken. We decided to eat at Aurora after all, the girls and Ken having made reservations. The Swedish/Turkish owner welcomed us with a table on the dock and the visual menu of mezzes and main courses. The recommendations were well founded as this was without a doubt the best restaurant meal to date in Turkey in an exquisite setting.

Photos: food at Aurora, the castle

Ohaniye

This was Lisa's day to sail and our first to leave early to fulfill Joy's long term request. As the journey was short we arrived quickly to Ohaniye and we ran into a HUGE youth regetta of at least 100 Lasers plus over 100 Optis. It was very exciting with so many little sails all around and ahead of us, particularly for Ken who raised his son in this world. We took our first anchorage in many days behind the island offshore from the tourist village. There were 4-5 boats in the anchorage, with a large gulette next to us with 4 Turkish elders and clearly very wealthly men with their 2 hired skippers and caretakers. This bay is surrounded by green pine wooded mountains and is very dramatic. A very short row from our anchorage was a little beach with 3 lawn chairs which on this warm afternoon found Debra jumping in, swimming to shore and sunbathing in the lawn chairs. Ken rowed over and climbed the adjoining hill. 3 young men paddled over in little plastic canoes which are a lot like a combo of a kayak and paddle board. One spoke good English and introduced himself and told me they were all doctors after which I told them I was too! There is a unique bond between doctors, a camraderie that is clublike and universal. I loved learning about their training process and timing, different but not terribly so from US. Two were pediatric psychiatry residents and the other family practice. They let me try the single canoe which was super fun though designed for warm water as it is a bathing suit paddleboat. We finally had dinner on the boat: sauteed chicken thighs, grated zucchini and carrot salad, boiled potatoes and steamed green beans. YUM!!

Here is where Joy set out to explore the shore and we discovered that the outboard was dead, perhaps caused by the refueling from the red fuel can. A real bummer as it turned out for the rest of our journey that involved mostly anchorages. That eve Ken and I rowed to the island where we ran into a large herd of bunnies on shore!

In the a.m. Ken, Lisa and I climbed to the island castle having found an almost real trail to the top. Remarkably compared to the US, none of the sites and ruins are signed, protected or supported with trails. Spectacular Byzantine castle, views and beautiful bay.


Photos: bunny island with castle, food, anchorage

Bencik

Next anchorage in a very different bay with low shores, eastern Oregon-like pines, a resident donkey on the shore and a road not 1/2 mile away.

Are there attack donkeys? asked Joy.

MORE TO COME!

Sailing Day 2

12 May 2014 | Knidos to Datca
Debra/70s sunny NW winds 10-20 knots and steady
Today was our first morning on the cruise. We woke up to a warm sunny day shining on the crystal clear waters in this exquisite bay of antiquity with Roman ruins on the hillsides as far as you can see. Joy had already begun the tradition of getting up first for her morning walk and today was no exception. She succeeded after 2 attempts to scramble up to the lookout tower and lighthouse with a commanding view of Knidos' 3 harbors in the morning light followed by a refreshing swim. Ken bought 4 pillow cases that Ali, the owner, ,was selling and gifted them to the 3 of us. What a surprise and delight. I followed for a viewing of the tapestry pillow cases on the restaurant deck (and purchased her own gifts). Ali could no doubt read my mind and brought out his one and only carpet 'for the very special price just for me' and I went for it because I loved everything about that carpet. It will have a special place and hold the special memory in my home office.

We untied from the dock, bow anchor and side tie, and took off for Datca. When Joy finished the dishes the wind had picked up to 8-10 knots and we had a relaxing steady broad reach under Debra and autohelm's tutelege for 2hours at least. As we got closer to Datca the wind built up to 20 and we beat into the harbor at times >8 knots.

Sailing Day 1

12 May 2014 | Turgetreis to Knidos
Debra/sunny, 70s, winds 16-20k downwind
Sunday May 11 Knidos

Our first day and night on the water was delicious in every way! The departure from Sunsail was just a bit waylaid when we realized the only PFDs were orange absolutely lifesaving monstrosities completely unmanageable for negotiating movement on a sailboat. After considering all the options we decided to go with the oranges after all. The Turgetreis pilot boat untied our front anchor lines and our hosts threw us the 2 stern lines and were off into the crystal blue water. Before long we had the sails up with Captain Ken and Joy having worked out the rigging bugs. The day couldn't have been better conditions. Winds were 5-18 knots with gusts up to 24 under blue skies in shirtsleeves we dodged a few freighters not unlike Puget Sound. Most importantly 4 very busy people got unplugged and unwound together.

It was a perfect length day at 28 NM to Knidos, perhaps the oldest group of ruins some dating from BC times. Three of us, Lisa not included, who were not particularly excited about ruins were surprisingly moved by the amphitheater, columns and carvings. When I figure out how to attach pictures will do!

At the dock, Debra swam around the boats, Ken jumped in to check out the prop while Lisa sat the top of the Roman amphitheatre and sketched. The goats brousing above the amphitheatre enamored Debra and we all were imaging the shephards of OLD grazing their goats and sheep in this very harbor settled since 100s of years BC.

The restaurant served us a special mezza appetizer , local wine and fresh fish from that day we picked out of the case. The fisherman dock right with the cruisers who were from England, Germany and Russia on our night there. Ken Lisa and I shared a grouper, Joy fried mullet. The 5 British men buddies entertained us with their years of sailing stories and we went to bed happy, well fed, sailed out and ever more unplugged.

we are all in turkey!!!

10 May 2014 | Bodrum
dg/few clouds sunny and high 60s
we are all here.... ken is in Turgetreis at the boat, girls in Bodrum heading to Ken by taxi any minute. there we will provision at market pictured here. Fantastic country and waterfront.

Countdown and background

30 April 2014 | still in Olympia
Debra
The countdown is happening and the heat is turning up with Ken and Debra doing overtime at work, Lisa and Ken traveling around the state, getting our homes and dogs' lives settled enough to leave includes us all. That said, the burden of all THAT is no longer outweighed by the excitement of the trip being so soon!!
The background story is characteristic of the process of manifestation: someone has an idea (Lisa lover of Turkey and sailing), finds a way to pursue the possibility (Lisa arranged a breakfast with a Turkish sailor and potential captain), other options present themselves (Debra asked her sailor friend Ken to come along for a man to man sailor ear to have input at the meeting after which Ken proposed the bareboat charter), feedback is elicited (Lisa and I love the idea), more research into the prospects are done ( by Ken), a 4th sailor is recruited (Joy, yeah!), the details are negotiated and honed down (how big a boat - bigger, 1 or 2 heads - 2 heads are always better than one especially with 3 girls, which company - Sunsail it is, 1 wk or 2 wk - so far away and so fun of course it's 2), and when. The date was set!
There have been many more details of course and most fun was our Captain Ron viewing as a crew so we now have 'all the lines!'
We hoped to sail together as a foursome before departure to no avail. There have been pairs of Lisa and Debra, Lisa and Joy, Ken and Debra but the whole crew on one boat will have to wait for Sunday May 11 when we set sail into the Aegean.
If anything is going to happen, it's going to happen out there!

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