40 09.137N 026 24.254E Canakkale, Turkey (Troy)

Pipedream
Mon 20 Jun 2011 18:50
Safe and sound in Canakkale after another near death docking. That makes 0 for 2 here. The wind was blowing so hard I could not get the bow around into it and we ended up using the anchor windless to winch us around into the wind after going side too. Three Russian guys from the boat next to us helped us dock and winch the boat around. The next boat to come in had two dinghies to help it get tied up. We had a pretty good day motor sailing... at first a beam reach in about 7 kts of wind and then as the afternoon progressed about 20 plus from the stearn. With the current we were making almost 7 kts down the Dardanelles. The rates in the marina have gone up 25 TL a day... its summer in paradise.

At one point we had to cross the shipping lanes to get into the marina. Just as we were about to make our turn, a jumbo freighter that we had seen coming on the AIS, made a 90 degree turn right around the bend in front of us and had to use both lanes in the channel. Needles to say we gave him as much right of way as we could. Very impressive looking up at the bow of one of these coming right at you as his stearn swings to make the turn from about 10 boat lengths away. It was all handed in a very ship shape way by the Pipedream's crew... and then we took turns going below to change underwear. "Hours of boredom followed by a few minutes of shear terror."

Our anchorage in Kemer this time was very nice... last time we stayed there fishing boats were dropping nets all around us and checking them with search lights at 2 AM. This time we went to the other side of the fishing harbor and where there must have been no fish. Not having to wear long johns was also a big plus.

Back to Troy tomorrow with Mary. There is a military museum here somewhere and we have to check out of Turkey here. I bought another Greek courtesy flag. Katie took the last one home as a souvenir and left it there.