Journey Aboard Interlude

14 May 2014
02 May 2014
20 April 2014
09 June 2013 | Kekova Roads
25 May 2013 | Ece Saray Marina, Fethiye
18 May 2013 | Kas
17 May 2013 | Kalkan Harbor
13 May 2013 | Tomb Bay, Skopea Limani
05 May 2013 | Ekincik Koyu
29 April 2013 | Marti Marina, Gulf of Hisaronu
25 April 2013 | Kuraca Bucu
23 April 2013
19 April 2013 | Bodrum, Turkey
08 November 2012 | Paris, France
27 October 2012 | Turgutreis Marina
24 October 2012 | Gumusluk
13 October 2012
11 October 2012
10 October 2012 | Amazon Creek (Kuçuk Gunluk Koyu)

Gratitude

19 April 2013 | Bodrum, Turkey
Dan 25 degrees C, 1008mb, overcast & rainy
After more than a week of cleaning, organizing and maintenance work, I'm happy to report that Interlude departed the Turgutreis marina yesterday and our 2013 cruising adventure has officially begun.

We're anchored this afternoon in the shadow of the Bodrum Castle, once the most heavily fortified castle in the entire Mediterranean. Built between 1406-1522 by the Knights of St. John, the Castle now is home to a fascinating underwater archeology museum. The museum chronicles the evolution of maritime commerce in the Med, with amphoras and bronze, gold and glass artifacts recovered from shipwrecks dating back to the 14th century BC. We rented a car last week and spent an afternoon here --- it's definitely a 'must see' stop for anyone visiting Bodrum.

We had quite a scare last night while anchored in a small fishing village just 1 hour south of Turgutreis. We had just finished dinner and were sitting in the saloon playing cards when suddenly we heard a loud BANG as the boat lurched to the starboard side. As I dashed up the companionway steps I heard Chris say "someone hit us!" Sure enough, when I reached the cockpit I saw a local fishing boat, perhaps 20-25 feet long circling back on our port side. They were hollering at us in Turkish and it was clear that they were angry. I began hollering back with mostly adrenaline-fueled four letter words but it was pointless because neither of us could understand the other. The immediate priority was damage assessment and I hopped down below to grab a flashlight and our high powered spotlight. Once back on deck I discovered two long scars on the port stern. I saw no sign of the hull being breached but hopped back down to our cabin and lifted the floorboards to make sure we weren't taking on water. Thankfully, we weren't. Once we were sure that we weren't in any immediate danger, we began to deconstruct what had happened. The anchor light was on and I knew we weren't anchored in any kind of channel. But as I assessed the situation further, I realized that our anchor light may have been lost in the clutter of lights on the hillside behind us. Also, because it is early in the season, the local fishermen probably weren't used to watching for pleasure craft at anchor in the bay. And although our masthead anchor light meets the legal requirements, it IS more than 70 feet off the waterline which is hardly at eye-level for a small boat closeby. So while the other boat clearly failed to maintain a proper and effective lookout, the legal niceties become quickly irrelevant if your boat is holed or a family member is injured. From now on we will be hanging a flashing white stobe light from the boom, much closer to the waterline and much less likely to be confused with other lights ashore.

This accident could have been SO much worse if we had taken a direct hit instead of a glancing blow. If the other boat had been just one foot closer to the centerline, it's likely that their bow would have slid right up (or through!) our transom. At a minimum, the dingy and the davits would have been completely destroyed. Or if we had been turned 90 degrees, we would have been T-boned and the impact would have been directly where we were sitting. So rather than be angry or upset about this incident, we've chosen to be grateful that no one was hurt and that our journey can continue. The ugly scars alongside the stern will remain there until our next haul out, reminders of our good fortune and of what could have been...

Our plan is to begin heading South towards Marmaris in a few days. We're lingering around this area for a while longer while we wait for our EPIRB to be returned from Istanbul where it is being serviced. With luck, the weeks and days ahead will be filled with considerably less drama than what we experienced during the first few hours this season.

Comments
Vessel Name: Interlude
Vessel Make/Model: Discovery 55
Hailing Port: Annapolis, MD
Crew: Dan, Christine & Tyler Rice
About:
After 11 years of sailing primarily in the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior, our family is about to begin a much anticipated sailing adventure in the Mediterranean Sea and beyond! Dan has been preparing for and dreaming of this voyage for years; Tyler has deferred his admission to St. [...]
Extra:
Hope the way is long. May there be many summer mornings when, with what pleasure, with what joy, you shall enter first-seen harbors... Keep Ithaca always in your mind. Arriving there is what has been ordained for you. But do not hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts many [...]
Interlude's Photos - Main
This album contains selected best pics from our time in Greece this year.
38 Photos
Created 13 August 2012
19 Photos
Created 16 June 2012
10 Photos
Created 7 April 2012