Mary & Kim On Board Sailing Around Gocek and Its Islands!

So safely tucked up in our tiny “marina” in Fethiye, the guys from M2 rigging arrived to help us resolve our creak once and for all. All 3 of them, we feared this was going to put a serious dent in our wallet! 2 hours later, with all our rigging tightened up, and fingers crossed the creak gone once and for all, we were pleasantly surprised, the price was less than half we had been charged over the winter for almost the same work! We are seriously liking Turkey!

We also finally managed to get our outboard engine sorted once and for all.. it was a blockage in the carburettor!

So Sunday arrived, the day Mary & Kim were joining us on board Seaclusion for a week. We got up early, gave the boat a good clean and jumped in a taxi to go provisioning. Thankfully the Migros Supermarket delivers to the boat, so having shopped, bagged and paid for everything, we watched them load it all into the back of a tiny trailer behind a quad bike for the journey. They then promptly made room for us! Might not have been the most comfortable journey back to the boat, but we did have a giggle… as did everyone in the cars that past us!

All stowed away, we then made it back into Town to watch the Hungarian Grand Prix, in the heart of the Fethiye’s Old Town. Get in there Lewis! Mary & Kim arrived at 8pm, and after sort of settling in we popped into the nearby restaurant for some much needed food, to help wash down the vino!

The following morning Mary & Kim headed into Fethiye for a wander round, whilst we got the boat ready to leave Fethiye.

Having pre-warned the guys that the forecast wasn’t showing much wind for the next few days, we had an unexpected fabulous sail across to Gocek’s playground and Round Bay. Whilst a deep anchorage it was one where we could free anchor. So having selected our spot, David started to drop the anchor in an orderly fashion, I put Seaclusion into reverse, then all of a sudden the clutch on the windlass let loose and we dropped 80 metres of chain in under 5 seconds, all the way to the rope, despite David’s attempt to use his flipflop (not his toes) as a clutch! Still at least it was tied on this time!  We needed that much chain down anyhow, and no damage was done! Dinner on board with the inevitable vino, saw us tucked up in bed by midnight!

The following morning, we were all up early, Mary & Kim trying to adjust to the heat, despite the English weather which had sort of acclimatised them before hand!

Mary, itching to have a go on the paddleboard, soon got it in the water and mastered it with ease. Then again she did use to windsurf!

Wanting a bit more of a challenge she decided to set her sights a little higher and attempt Yoga on it!

Having never done Yoga before in my life, I decided it really couldn’t be that hard on a paddle board, wrong, thankfully no one had a camera to hand when I was doing it! We then set sail for a few hours, going wherever the wind wanted to take us!

And late in the afternoon, settled in Kapi Creek for the evening.

Another early morning rise saw an exceedingly tranquil bay, so as ever I crept off the boat, camera in hand.

Once everyone was up and ready to face the day, Mary popped along to the restaurant to order coffee for us all, but soon after sitting down, Breakfast appeared.. Clearly the Turks love their breakfast!

It was then Kim’s turn on the paddle board…

First Attempt….

2nd Attempt…

3rd Attempt….

We also got chatting to our neighbour, Martin who has been sailing these waters for 26 years and was more than happy to impart his local knowledge on where best to go. He was leaving before us, heading west to Marmaris, so we offered to help with his lines, which he declined saying he was fine… that was until, having dropped said lines, and started to motor off, he realised he hadn’t connected his steering wheel! Oops!

We then set off to one of his recommended places, Cold Water Bay, aptly named because of a very cold fresh water spring that empties into the bay. It started off as a great sail, even to the point of Kim losing his hat over board. Sadly for his hat, he took far too long to call “Man Overboard”, so to the bottom of the sea it went. A little later the wind dropped completely and we motored around the headland and into the bay, dutifully waiting whilst another boat was sorting itself out. That was until a huge great gullet came up behind us blowing his horn rather loudly, clearly we were in his way. At this point Ali, the restaurant owner came out to us and suggested we drop anchor around the corner and come back in an hour when all the day trippers boats have gone.

An hour later, we upped anchor and headed back, where Ali directed us to drop our anchor and reverse right up to the shore where he took a line from us and tied us off. Great, and would have been perfect except we had clearly chosen a flotilla night.. as 8 more boats soon came in and did the same.

Later on Ali’s son came back and picked us up, to walk up the hill to Ali’s restaurant, with its wonderful views across the bay, where we had a lovely chilled out evening, good food, good wine and great company! We even got a lift back to the boat! It wasn’t the most comfortable night on board, so we were all a little groggy in the morning, that was until we took a dip in the sea, the name really was very apt! Mary & Kim also ventured back up to the restaurant to use their “facilities” and when they came across Ali and declined his offer of breakfast, they soon realised that wasn’t the done thing! After acquiescing they were then in a panic to get back to the boat in time for us to leave before the tourist boats.. (we were in their spot…!) indeed they only just made it with 5 minutes to spare, with us pulling up our anchor as they all piled in around us!

We then headed back towards Gocek’s islands with a wind that could not make up its mind in terms of strength or direction! We finally made it to the island of Yassica Adaleri and picked up the one remaining buoy, our intention being to tie off our stern to the shore with a long line like everyone else had! So with this in mind we got our 2 longest ropes out, joined them together and the guys jumped in the dinghy and went ashore, tying the rope to a tree. Then the shenanigans happened… with  a wind blowing the yacht round, and the rope not being a floating rope, it just wasn’t long enough…. confirmed by Kim saying, if only this was longer it would be easy! We soon gave up, and Mary & I went off in the dinghy in search of a better mooring place, which we found. Great call, as we let go of the buoy, motored round the other side and were able to free anchor in amazing turquoise waters.. (They don’t call this the Turquoise Coast for no reason).

We watched the sun drop and then I entered the sweat box of a galley to prepare dinner. Needless to say, late night swimming was on the cards, the temperature was sooooo hot, even after the sun had gone to bed!

Yet another dawn rise saw another photo shoot opportunity!

Before leaving this wonderful anchorage, it was David’s turn on the paddleboard, and he didn’t even get wet!

We then headed off to Gocek as we were all rather short of cash by now, and David and I had come to the conclusion we needed new service batteries and a proper long line ashore. Having organised for the batteries to be purchased and fitted a few days later, we then purchased 60 meters of luminous yellow floating rope… no one will miss us when we have a long line ashore!.

We then set sail again teaching the guys to do all the hard work, winching in and letting go as we tacked back through the islands to Tersane Creek.

Tersane Creek is another tiny bay with a restaurant ashore and a rickety old pontoon to tie up to. Itching to use our new rope and practice this long line ashore thing, we forewent the jetty, dropped anchor and successfully tied off, keeping our nose into the wind, and so hoping for a cooler night. David and I then went off to book a table and explore the bay in the fading light.

The Results!

Peace at Dawn again, just too hot to sleep through!

Late morning however, our peace was shattered as a tourist gullet came and anchored next to us.

We soon departed for a leisurely sail back to Gocek, this being Mary & Kim’s last night. Joining the “M25” of sailing boats, motor boats and gullets we soon learned that most really didn’t know the rules of the road or didn’t care, and we juggled our way through, sails up, sometimes playing chicken, other’s thinking better of it, and even had a little race!

Our last night with the guys was spent in Gocek town, after dinner, the boys watching the World go buy, the girls handbag shopping.. did I tell you Turkey is amazing for fabulous, well made, knock offs! It was a restful night on board, with the privilege of air con, and we were sad to say goodbye to Mary & Kim in the morning, as a fab week was had by all!

 5th August 2018