Christmas update
Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Wed 23 Dec 2009 19:51
Time to catch up on
what's been happening aboard Scott-Free since we arrived back in Marmaris in
October...
Andy and Mo came out
to Marmaris for a well-earned holiday in mid-October. Andy was looking
much better than we had expected after his illness, and was on good
form. They came to visit us on the boat and decided to give it a
try and come for a sail. Andy took to it like a duck to water, and spent a
lot of time on the helm, very quickly picking up how to keep the sails full and
the boat heading in the right direction! Mo enjoyed the
ride!!
No sooner had Andy
and Mo gone home than Kirstie arrived with the kids. Fortunately the
weather was still warm and Maisie and Jake were able to take advantage of the
marina swimming pool on most days. We went to a Hallowe'en 'party' that
wasn't much of a party - we'd have had more fun having our own
party on the boat!
We went to watch oil
wrestling - the contestants are covered from head to toe in olive oil and then
have to wrestle each other to the ground - great fun to watch and taken quite
seriously by the Turks! Jake sat for hours watching
it!
We went for a sail
over to a local bay and took the rib ashore so that the kids could play on the
beach.
We went bowling and
Maisie beat her Grandma!
We had a very busy
week but as usual it went all too quickly. It was lovely to have the kids
on board, even if we didn't do a lot of sailing.
Hopefully they will
do more as they get older. M-J decided to change her career plans as a result of
their visit - she now says she wants to do what Grandma and Grandad are doing
when she grows up!
Once our visitors
had left we settled down into everyday life in the marina. There aren't as
many people here this year as last, but there is still a good crowd and we have
an active social life that includes Quiz night on Mondays, bowling on
Wednesdays, Cruisers' menu in the restaurant Fridays and film night on
Sundays. We are part of a car share again and so pop into town a couple of
times a week and to the local market on Sundays to get fresh fruit and
veg.
As usual there is a
long list of jobs to be done on the boat which we are gradually working our way
through, and the days fly past without us realising how fast they
go!
The weather has been
quite variable since the beginning of November and we have already had a couple
of storms and heavy rain - much earlier than last year. This week it
is much more settled with blue skies and sunshine and the temperatures for
Christmas Eve and Day are forecast to be 21 degrees.
On Christmas Eve we
are going to a party at a hotel owned by fellow yachties in Marmaris, staying
overnight and having Christmas dinner there. On New Year's Eve
we are going to the marina party which was a really good bash last year - the
Turks certainly know how to celebrate New Year!
We are due back in
the UK on Jan 11th but out again to the Gambia on the 15th. We sponsor a
couple of children's education out there and are going to visit the school and
meet the children, staying with some friends we met through sailing who have a
house out there. We will be back in the UK from Jan 28th until Feb 22nd,
and hope to be able to catch up with friends and family during that
time.
That just about
brings us up to date. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy,
peaceful and successful 2010.
Chris &
Steve
xx