Sailing with the Treleavens

A hive of boating industry during the day and one big night club by night. Two nights in port, some new upholstery for the cockpit and a new sail cover taking only 24 hours, we are pleased to get out into a bay for some relief from the noise and heat.

Marmaris Marina is where you can get anything possible to fit or fix to your boat, also very clean and well managed. To our surprise we are seeing a lot of Ukrainian boats based here, infact one is moored next to us and with there perfect English and her perfect g-string bum they become interesting neighbours.

Soccer is in full swing with all restaurants having big screens and when that's over its side by side night clubs all out doing each other in sound. The town vibrates into the early hours and even in the marina the boat is vibrating.

In the marina a turtle has lived here for 2 years and we were very privileged to have it come to the boat feed on some bread and disappear again. Turtles are now an endangered species so to see one is very special.

15 years ago we charted a boat and sailed from Bodrum to Marmaris with daughter Janey and son Ian and Dayne and Julie Sharpe. We retrace our steps of fond memories. Today we passed the bay of Bozuk Buku site of ancient citadel of Hellenistic origin and remember the kids moaning 'oh no not more ruins'.

Leaving Marmaris on our own again the wind is filling in and by the time we head into the bay of  Ciftlik it's a full on Meltimi hot and dry wind, the prevailing wind from the NW can stay in for up to 5 days. Another windy night in Serce Bay and dine in Osmans Taverna at the end of the bay. As you enter these bays it's full on competition to get you to tie up to set buoys or flimsy marinas so you will dine at their restaurants. We actually don't eat a lot off the boat as its very nice enjoying the local produce aboard.

The restaurant has every flag flying except an Australian one, so as we have done on such occasions we leave one. On the subject of flags, it's fantastic to see all boats in countries like Turkey proudly flying their national flag, and for that matter on all buildings and houses. Just the one flag for all occasions, no special marine flag like commonwealth countries.

We don't see enough flags in Australia, so all boat owners, get your flag out and by the way get the blue national one, it's very correct, none of that English stuff.

Wednesday 30th June
What can I say, a typical day and the wind has completely gone. I cant tell you again its blue skies, island after island, clear blue water and about to take our fourth swim for the day but that's about it for most days.

We are now up the Gulf of Hisaronu, south of the Datca Peninsula, staying the night on the wall at Bozburun and now at Kezi Buku and its 40 degrees, with sea temp 26, oh so hot. Can't imagine what its going to be like July and August. We visited again the island of Kameriye where 15 years ago they were still sacrificing a goat and leaving it in the ancient Greek Church. I had to return to see if this is still being carried out and, thankfully no it isn't.

In Keci Buku, anchored under the Byzantine island fortress in exactly the same spot as 15 years ago we were amazed to see  Moonbi, the Beneteau Oceanis 390 we chartered off Trevor Joyce's original fleet and managed by Dayne. She was still in excellent condition and proudly owned for 7 years by a Welsh couple.Keci Buku is still idyllic as can be seen from our photo but it now has a huge marina on the eastern side.

On route to Datca we sailed into a bay for lunch and were joined by the famous yacht Kahurangi from Auckland, the boat to beat back in the 60, or so Ian tells me. Backing into the old wall at Datca, the Meltemi is blowing again, its drop the anchor well out let it run full throttle in reverse and they squeeze us in between lots of boats. No room for error and our new neighbours are not amused. But another docking well executed.

Datca is still an unspoilt Turkish village offering local cuisine, fresh almonds; the tomatoes are full of flavour, the fruit delicious, feta and yogurt natural and the honey to die for.