N Nimara Adasi Spit, Turkey

Anchored N Nimara Adasi Spit
The Carian Coast
Turkey
Mediterranean
36'48.1N/28'16.1E
(clıck on photo to enlarge)

We were woken up this morning to the braying of 3 loud donkeys that were standing by Sandpiper's stern that was tied off to the shoreline. I think they make their rounds looking for handouts of the all the boats that have their sterns tied to the shoreline and bows anchored out.

After getting the 'Piper ready for sea, we made a break from all the charter boats around us and motored 30 miles north to where are currently anchored half a mile from the town of Marmaris. We decided to stop short of Marmaris when we saw a dive charter boat leave a small cove that was perfect for the Piper. We quickly dropped the hook and swam in with a stern line to secure it to the rugged shores of the Mediterranean coast. Then went for a very nice swim to cool off. Swimming in the Med is great because the water is warm and there is nothing underwater that will eat us.

The winds in Turkey are very predictable, being light in the morning and picking up to 10-15 knots from the north by the afternoons. Sometimes less, like today. The weather never really changes. It never rains. There are never any clouds around. It is hot and the wind is always from the same direction. This makes for great cruising grounds and explains why so many people come out here to charter boats.

There are charter boats all over the place, many 35-40 foot sloops and larger 100+ foot wooden motor/sail live aboard boats full of pale skinned people. There are very few cruising yachts in this area and Sandpiper really stands out with all her 'flair'. I think most people assume that we are on some sort of low budget charter as all the charter boats here are fairly new. Usually when we are next to a charter, they will ask where we are from. Then they answer, laughing, "At least you flew here and did not sail here on that boat from the States." We then have to explain that we did sail here, the long way, across the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Not the Atlantic. We then get looked at bit like we are insane before they go back to their boat to tell everyone on board what they had heard. Then soon everyone is waving at us.

The only downside to today was we had to motor 30 miles. And motoring when diesel is $9 dollars a gallon is not to good for our moral. Also our refrigerator has been giving us a bit of drama and is still acting up from being overcharged by a mechanic in Fethiye. We have to keep bleeding the gas out twice a day. This involves taking all the food out it and letting the whole box warm up so the gas in the system will thaw out. Then bleeding out a bit of the gas. Then throwing all the food back in hoping that the box cools down before all the food completely warms up. It is making it very difficult to have a cold beer.

Tomorrow morning we are going to pump the dingy up, put on the outboard, then motor to the anchorage in Marmaris where we will be checking out of Turkey. Our next stop: The Greek Islands.

More Soon,
Tom and Amy