37:16.973N 27:35.507E
Muskrat
Chris and Alison
Mon 25 Jul 2022 09:05
We decided to leave noisy Bodrum on the 14th July and head down the coast. We spent a night in Akyarlar bay then the next day managed to sail to Yalikavak Limani and anchored in Bache Koyu bay. There was a lot of M/V traffic on passage and we are convinced that most are unaware of the rules of the road. We had to alert two vessels to the fact we didn’t know what their intentions were by sounding our horn. We were a sailing vessel and the stand on vessel but they just kept coming straight for us; probably on auto pilot. Both finally gave way, but one at least, looked very unsure of what to do on meeting a vessel holding their course. The other one appeared to be on auto pilot and the crew were busy cleaning and putting out the cushions to notice a sailing vessel. The anchorage was very busy, probably the busiest we have encountered yet. There was also a sailing club on the shore, the first we have seen during our time in Turkiye. There were children all over the place sailing optimists and having windsurfing lessens. Not good when you are trying to anchor in a very crowded anchorage, but lovely to see all the same. After about an hour at anchor we drifted too close to a MV next to us. We asked them if they were staying the night and they confirmed they were so we decided to up anchor and find a different spot. This was not easy in with all the anchored yachts and optimists about. We eventually found another space, although it was in deeper water than we would have liked but it was the only space available, so we anchored and put out as much chain as we could. Soon after that the yacht that we had been concerned about moved, leaving our preferred spot empty!!! We didn’t move again. Just over the other side of the bay was a huge super-yacht. We found out it was “Solaris”, Roman Abramovich’s yacht, no doubt hiding from the sanctions. 17/07/22 Left Yalikavak Limani for Salih Adasi at 0848 and headed into light head winds and an uncomfortable swell. However, the wind increased during the passage and allowed us to put the sails up, full main and Genoa to sail for the last 2 hours. The swell died down once into the gulf of Gulluk Korfezi and the wind picked up to a nice 16ts in flat water. The anchorage in Salih Adasi was empty on our arrival, but soon the gullets started to arrive and we were once again surrounded by them and family day boats. They all left by the evening leaving us with only a few quiet boats in the anchorage. We were the only yacht. 18/07/22 Salih Adasi to Assign Limani (🤫 don’t tell anyone where it is we don’t want it found!!!) Weather: Hot, sunny, Temp 37’c in the saloon, sea temp 29.4’c. Wind NE 10-17kts to start the passage, then gusting to 24kts by the time we were anchoring. The wind increased during the afternoon gusting to 30kts. There are gale warnings out for the whole of the Aegean area. A pleasant passage, sailed all the way into the bay in a flat calm sea but sailing against a NE breeze, so we had to tack. We had some gusts that put us on our side but we were well reefed down. We decided that the depth of water on the small quay just inside the harbour entrance might be just too shallow for Muskie, so we made for the bay immediately N of the harbour expecting it to be very busy. When we got there it was completely empty apart from a moored yacht on its private mooring with no one aboard. No gullets, no loud music, no jet skis, no ribs bombing about, nothing. At last a peaceful anchorage. We put the anchor down in 6m of water in sand and mud. Ashore there is a small village that feels as though it has not changed in the last 20 years. Despite it having a new quay for yachts (very shallow though) it appeared to be closed. The mini market didn’t look as though it would ever open, there is a small open air market every Friday apparently, and it took us 3 goes to find somewhere to have a drink. It was, though, the most charming of villages especially coming from somewhere like Bodrum, it was just lovely. The baker made excellent bread and a spinach and ricotta cheese pie. We had a large loaf and 4 pieces of pie for £1.50! The next morning we visited the ancient city of Iasos. The mythical origins of the city say that it was founded bay Peloponnesian’s. Artefacts have been recovered recovered date from the Mycenaean times, it was colonised from the Argive in about 900BC. It had close association with Milesian and became Carian in character. In the 5thC BC it became part of the Delian confederacy. It sided with Athens against the Spartans and Persians on numerous occasions, each time to its cost. It was made a Persian satrapy in 387BC. Iassos declined after the Byzantine period. The ruins have been partly excavated by an Italian school of archiology, who return each summer to continue the excavations. The temple of Zeus the city wall, the agora and a small theatre, the large amphitheatre and parts of the wall for the city can be seen today amid the thick olive groves. The hilltop castle was a medieval foundation of the Knights of St John. In the village there is a mausoleum (it is not known who was entombed there) but it now houses a very interesting museum. The most impressive site is the large amphitheatre. Although the red marble stone that was used to build it was taken to Constantinople in 1849 to build a port, the site is more impressive because it is not excavated or partially re-built, just left to the mercy of the olive groves. Around it were old streets and residential houses and a mosaic floor just waiting to be explored. Chris and I found the whole site enchanting and it was all free.  The anchorage at Yalikavak with Solaris in the background  Yalikavak shopping street on a Saturday  Salih Adasi after all the gullets had gone for the night.  Asin Limani anchoage  Chris doing his Indiana Jones impression in Iasos ancient city.  The mosaic floor under the dirt in Iasos  Part of the ruins of the city of Iasos |