Enroute to Kemer Herzliya Coming towards Marti Marina we were puzzled at the position for a cardinal buoy which was on our chart, but not visible when we were in the area. This caused only slight consternation, as we were reasonably sure of being far enough off the island to be out of danger. Then we noticed a gulet at anchor in the vicinity where the buoy should be. In fact it wasn't at anchor but secured to a big yellow buoy. Sure enough, the "idiot" was secured to the cardinal buoy and the top marks were pulled down so they could not be seen. This is a major transgression as all sailors should know that boats are not allowed to secure to navigational buoys. We have seen fishermen in small skiffs doing such, but not a large vessel such as this gulet. Marti is a nice marina in the idyllic bay, Keci Buku, but it is poorly laid out. For example, the work yard stretches in front of the docks so that to get from the boats to the marina office, chandlery, showers, etc., one has to go through the yard. Also, neglected, in the middle of the yard, are the remains of a Byzantine church, the walls and arches giving abandoned mute testimony to the bygone era. I hope there are plans to relocate the work yard and restore the ruins to a centrepiece of an attractive park in front of the docks. The showers also left something to be desired, as the floors were dirty with sand, and some of the shower stalls were not serviceable. A doner buffet, free bar, and a musical group provided a pleasant evening at the poolside restaurant and patio. Next day, David and I took Sprite over to an island in the bay with the deserted ruins of a Byzantine fort. Climbing to the summit of the fortifications gave us a spectacular view of the azure blue waters of the bay, and of a golden sandbar, awash, extending 150 m in a north-south direction from a point on the eastern shore. There are several picturesque, well protected anchorages in the bay, behind the Byzantine island, in the south end of the bay and even behind the slender sandbank. In addition to Marti Marina, there are several other resorts, but they are not intrusive, permitting enjoyment of the rugged coastline. This east end of Hisaronu Korfezi on the south side of the Datca Peninsula looks like good cruising ground with many attractive, protected anchorages, an area to which we will return after the rally this fall or next spring. The reception at Marti included, in addition to the eight EMYR boats, all the marina staff, local dignitaries, guests, and other marina boaters. As Marti had no tours or activities planned for us the second day, we decided to leave a day early, breaking the 75 mile trip to Gocek Marina into two shorter, daytime legs. One of the reasons for this was to anchor for the night before heading the last leg to Gocek. Zeev, on Lady Helena, the Israeli boat, asked Judy and me to come over in the morning to consider anchorages, as we being on the rally committee were considered the group leader until Kemer. When we got on board Lady Helens we were treated to a full course delicious breakfast with Zeev and the crew of Lady Helena. MMmmmm!! (Judy is not a breakfast person.) We left around noon on June 9th to motor down around Karaburun and anchored in the south bay of Serce. Of course the wind was against us. We anchored with a line ashore, near five of our EMYR boats. Hula did not come into Serce, but anchored instead in Bozuk Buku, the next bay to the west, where we went in on our way over to Bodrum last week. Lady Helena anchored in the north end of the bay, but joined us in the south end for a delicious delightful potluck supper on board Malaika II, a US boat. As it is easy for us to launch our dinghy, I served as water taxi for a few of the boats. The supper was an international gastronomic treat, as our seven boats were from seven different countries (Veleda IV from Canada, Malaika II from the US, Utholm from Germany, Bleo Gwenn from France, Lady Helena from Israel, Gallant Lady from Switzerland, and JoHo from the Netherlands). We enjoyed eating, singing, exchanging sailing stories, and touring Malaika II, a new Super Maru 55 foot (16m) ketch. Charles and Ruth were extremely good hosts, and enjoyed showing us all the "bells and whistles" as well as the practical seaworthy characteristics. For example the vessel can be sealed into four watertight compartments, the stern cabin, main salon, fore peak, and engine room. It was one of the nicest, well thought out boats I have ever seen. But of course for $500,000 US it should be. However, the night ended on a not so nice note for us. I took two crews back to their own boats in Sprite, but when returning to Malaika II, as I was stopped alongside ready to climb their side ladder, it pivoted at the top, swinging away from me, and I lost my balance and fell out of Sprite. My first reaction was to laugh at my clumsiness. Then my next reaction was to ensure I still had my glasses, which fortunately I did, but bent one of the arms a bit. No problem. My watch is water resistant, so it was OK. THEN - I realized I had my new Nikon digital camera strapped onto my belt!!! I scrambled out into Sprite and took it off, handing it up to Judy who rinsed it in fresh water. The harm was done! We removed the picture discs, and dried them off. The camera would not work! Charles was able to download the pictures from the two discs (one in the camera, and a full one in a side pocket of the case) and give me the CD with them on it. We will have to see if any repair shop in Kemer can help us when we get there in a few days. This incident took the edge off what was otherwise a most enjoyable evening. It was to be our last evening at anchor for over the next six weeks of the EMYR. Next morning at 0700 I went in Sprite to pick up some freshly baked, large (50 cm diameter), thick (4 cm), spice-sprinkled, and aromatic Turkish flatbreads we had ordered from a local restaurant the night before, for us and a couple of the other boats. They were still warm when I got them. They were expensive (20,000,000 TL or about $5.00 Canadian each), but delicious and well worth it. As I was mobile in Sprite, I removed the shorelines for a few of our boats who had anchored with lines ashore, before removing ours and getting under way by 0730. For a change, after a couple of hours motoring, we were going in the right direction for the wind, and enjoyed a 4 hour spinnaker run en route to Gocek. When we arrived we were a bit put off by the abrupt reception of the dockhands who spoke no English, and rather than assist and direct us into the mooring, jumped on board, took over the handling and securing of the lines in a rushed frantic manner, winching our stern line so tight we were several feet from the dock making getting ashore very difficult. It was quite offensive, as skippers are in charge of their own boats, not dock hands! We later learned they had had three flotillas of charter yachts, likely with very inexperienced crews, in earlier that day, which perhaps explains (though does not justify) their behaviour with us. However, their welcome package was well received when a representative came along the docks individually greeting each yacht. Another 12 yachts joined here at Gocek, and Judy and I were busy taking their rally packages to them. The reception with free drinks and the best meal yet was greatly appreciated. The marina was excellent, with clean washrooms, a pleasant bar/restaurant, and a scenic walk around the marina into town only a kilometer away. Again, there were no tours or activities lined up there, so we set off at 2100 next night for the 75 mile trip to Finike. Several of the smaller boats left at about the same time, with the bigger ones leaving later. Shortly after midnight we saw a number of white lights on the water ahead of us just north of the cape Kotu Burnu - a fishing fleet! We called the EMYR boats on channel 69, the group channel, advising them of the position of these boats and recommending that they alter course to go outside the fleet as opposed to going inshore of it, However Three Sheets to the Wind snagged a fishing net, and Mike had to go in the water to cut himself free of it. The lights seemed to stay ahead of us, but at least inshore, as the fleet appeared to be trawling in the same direction as we were headed. Not having radar, we were unable to ascertain the course or speed of any of the many boats ahead of us. We could just see dozens of white lights, some of which were probably the stern lights of a few of the EMYR yachts who were ahead of us as well as those of the fishing fleet. About 0330 a wind came up and we were able to actually sail for a few hours. As the wind was blowing at force 6, we double reefed the mainsail just in case it increased more. At sunrise we noticed the main had a tear from the luff rope to the leech, and so furled the main to motor the remaining 20 miles to the anchorage in Ucagiz Limani in Kekova Roads, where we had anchored a couple of weeks earlier on our way over to Bodrum (see Log # 24e Cruising the Lycian Coast). We anchored in the same location off the necropolis of Ucagiz at 0950. I took David for a long dinghy ride across to the Byzantine ruins on Kekova Adasi, and then over to Kale Koy, where we wandered through the necropolis then climbed up to the castle, before returning to Veleda for a swim and lunch. Judy had stayed on board to stitch the torn sail. By the time David and I returned, a couple of the EMYR yachts, YoHo and Hula were at anchor in the vicinity of Veleda. We had a pleasant visit with them before weighing anchor mid afternoon to head the last 20 miles to Finike (36 17.6 N, 030 09.1E).
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