Escape from Marmaris + Symi and Lindos revisited

Gaviota
Sat 17 Jul 2010 12:17
36:05.947N28:05.302E
Saturday 17th July
Left Marmaris early Sunday 11th with no wind and glassy sea so motored for 3
hours then rounded a headland and hey presto the wind appeared so sails up
and had a pleasant beat across to Symi with a 15 knot wind but no waves. 
Arrived Symi harbour and met up with Swedish friends Michael and Carin who had
just completed the Emyr yacht rally and had loads of stories about their
adventures in the Middle East.  They left early Monday morning and we were moved
from one side of Symi harbour to the other as a big cruise ship was coming
in. Symi was full to bursting with people and the harbour noisy so left Tuesday
morning with a good 10-15 knot breeze then rounded the headland wind died so
decision maybe just go into nearest bay Turkish side, then that elusive wind
started up again, spinnaker went up, wind picked up and up and up, seas grew,
gusts over 30 knot, battle commenced to get spinnaker in, plastic mouth of
snuffer broke and masses of parachute material billowed around while Syd battled
to get it shoved back in the hatch and waves crashed over the deck!!  Once order
was eventually resumed a vastly reduced Genoa came out and off we whizzed
bouncing over the ever growing waves on a fast reach.  Flew over to the Rhodes
town headland and decided to continue on down to Lindos as the wind was so
good.  Sails trimmed and flatter seas meant 8 knots + and we flew down the
Rhodes coast adopting racing mode.  Reached the sanctuary of beautiful Lindos
bay 7.30 ish after a pretty tiring day boat and us coated in salt and wind
battered.  Found a lovely spot in the side of Lindos Bay, weather very hot,
still 35 degrees at 7.00 in the evening so lots of swimming.  Bus adventure to
Rhodes town yesterday (not to be recommended in that heat!) but had to pick up
replacement credit card (Lisa had hers swallowed by over zealous cash machine in
Marmaris!)  Plan to leave tomorrow or Monday (wind dependent) and probably have
to sail back to Symi to go North then West.  Now the Meltemi (Summer wind which
blows down the Aegean and round Turkey) has kicked in direction of sailing is
made very dependent on it.