Çannakale
Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Wed 27 May 2009 16:05
40:11N
26:23.9E
Wednesday 27th May
2009
Having hauled up the
anchor in Bozcaada we discovered why it had dragged - it had a piece of fishing
net wrapped around it with a large stone inside which would have made it very
hard to dig in. Typical - these things only happen when they will cause
the most hassle!
We motored for all
of the next leg to Çannakale, against both wind and current. Çannakale is
in the Dardanelles, the narrow stretch of water that leads from the Aegean into
the Sea of Marmara (see the Google map) and there is a strong South-flowing
current. At one point our boat speed was 6+knots but we were doing only 2knots
over the ground. (For our non-sailing friends, imagine walking up a
down escalator!!)
With the boat safely
tied up, we went for a walk into town and booked a half-day trip next day to the
Gallipoli peninsula. Nick was particularly keen to go because his
grandfather had been at the Gallipoli landings.
Anzac Cove - the
site of the Anzac
landings
Lone Pine - the high ground that many soldiers on both sides died
for
Moving...such a
waste of young lives
It was an
interesting and moving afternoon. There are many sites on the Gallipoli
peninsula with memorials and cemeteries for the Allied soldiers. We saw
just one for the Turkish soldiers, the main Turkish War Memorial being the
one that stands on the tip of the peninsula as you enter the Dardanelles.