39 17.761N 026 38.771E Agvalik, Turkey

Pipedream
Sun 1 May 2011 14:08
Well after looking at the weather... blow in Cesme today and relative calm in Agvalik and then looking at the available anchorages on the way to Agvalik to break up the trip we decided to just 'go for it' and try to travel all night. We left the anchorage 20 miles east of Cesme around 8 AM motor sailing into a about 15 kts of wind. We cleared the point at Cesme around noon hoping for sailable conditions. I was expecting a beam reach (wind on our beam and the best way to sail our boat) but after making the turn and heading north the wind dropped to about 5 kts.

At about sunset we made dinner... microwaved beef/lamb Bourguignon (Betty Crocker's condensed version, not Julia's I have made both... Betty is 2/3s as good with less than 1/2 the cooking time) and a loaf of more or less fresh Turkish bread, and our last can of Foster's. Life is good!

We had not had to contend with much ship traffic in the areas we were coming from but when we crossed the Izmir straight we got lots, and at night... all those pretty lights moving in every direction? I was again trying to sail slow to arrive in Agvalik at sun rise so I could get into the big bay there (called a lake) through a narrow channel and lots of buoys. A big Greek car ferry decided to pass us from astern at about 2 AM going 22 kts and only about a quarter of a mile away. The wake re-arranged everything below including a couple of my fillings. Katie took the 4 to 6 AM watch and went in circles until day brake when we came into the 'lake'. Since we both just wanted to sleep we found an anchorage in lieu of the marina for the day. We plan to make the marina tomorrow morning leave the boat and try to find a bus into Pergamum another major Greek/Roman ruin site.

We slept till about 1:30 PM and awoke to a steady drizzle, made a full stir fry dinner for breakfast and took showers et al on the boat. I am beginning to question the wisdom of 24 hour passages. By the time you sleep off the effects of 3 hour watches and all the sleep disruption I suspect you are better off going for two or three days and getting into a routine.

We'll be doing an English movie or two today to celebrate William and Kate's nuptials. I also have a couple of chapters left of my latest McNally detective book, and the last half of a John Grissim audio book 'The Associate' (thanks Karen) from last night's watch... so much to do and so little time.