Friday 15^th July – Yigitler, Avşa Adasi – Lapseki, Dardanelles

40:21.114N 26:41.402E

This morning we left Yigitler at 7am, nervously crawling away from the quay into deeper water before relaxing.  We had around 10 knots blowing us off the quay as we left and we motored to the south of the island round the shoal water in a choppy sea; once in the lee of the island there was little wind and little swell.

As we cleared the island the wind increased again and we were able to start sailing.  Unfortunately the swell also increased on the beam and it was quite steep and lumpy as we sailed across Erdek Korfezi to the headland at Karaburen.

As we approached Karaburen the wind decreased and remained much lighter than expected for most of the remainder of the trip.  With some current to help, we alternately sailed along at around 3-4 knots downwind on the genoa and then motored on for a short while to ensure we could complete our 44 mile passage here to Lapseki in good time; we sailed for about 6 hours of the 10½ hour passage.

Lapseki is another new harbour, just across the Dardanelles from Gelibolu (Gallipoli).  It is the recommended harbour for yachts instead of Gelibolu in the Pilot book but it is very shallow in the approaches and inside; however the Pilot book promised a dredged channel to the quay with least depths of 3m and we know a couple of other boats which have been in and anchored here. 

Having bobbed gently along most of the afternoon, as we neared Lapseki, we suddenly had 18+ knots of wind arrive from nowhere.  Then, to make our entrance more challenging given the cross wind and narrow entrance channel, a pedalo decided to block our path as did a swimmer in a rubber ring, fortunately both decided to get out of our way as we approached.

We have anchored right in the middle of the harbour as the edges are too shallow (there is only rough breakwater for much of the harbour, the small quay is occupied by a coastguard boat and various fishing boats).  We have been sitting in quite strong winds since arriving with Pyxis swinging widely from side to side on her anchor, maybe as well we are the only yacht in here.

After dinner we spotted another yacht coming in as it was getting dark and the wind was easing.  We assumed it had local knowledge as it steamed in around us and straight up to the quay.  As it grounded in the shallow water we revised this assumption.  We expected it would then come out and anchor near us but instead it went out again and we could see its masthead anchor light going past the outside of the breakwater on down towards Çanakkale.