Ereğli
Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Sat 13 Jun 2009 15:22
41:16.9N
31:24.5E
Saturday 13th June
2009
When we
slipped the moorings at 0730, the plan was to go to Zonguldak, some 40 miles
along the coast. However, the skies were dark and threatening and thunder
rolled as we left the harbour. The first lot of rain soon hit,and with it
some strong winds, but it didn't last long. We could see, however, in the
distance, another lot on its way. We put on the radar to look at the
weather, and sure enough it was tracking its way towards us. We had a
headland to go around,and the bad weather got to the headland and just sat
there, almost waiting for us!
We went
out wide, but still caught the edge of it and in big seas with 20+knots of wind
on the nose we were getting nowhere fast,and stillhad the headland to round. We
decided that this was no fun and so we changed course and headed for
Ereğli, an industrial town with a huge harbour. We immediately made good
way, and were doing 6 knots under a reefed yankee.
By
lunchtime we were safely alongside in the inner harbour, where we found two old
acquaintances from previous stops - Eirene a US flagged yacht and
Thomasvaer, a dutch. It was raining hard, and we reflected that
we might easily have been in England!
We looked
at the weather forecasts for the next few days and decided that rather than sail
on to Amasra, we would hire a car and drive there. The boat was on a
public quay, but if locked up would be safe enough. Being alongside made
it difficult not to speak to the locals and we had a busy time answering
questions!
We
managed to hire a car and did 400 kilometres visiting Amasra along the coast and
Safronbolu which is a village inland where there are still Ottoman houses from
200 years ago They reminded us of medieval houses in
England.
.
We had
not planned to sail beyond Amasra, as we have to be in Skiathos by 6th July for
Kerrie and Lee's visit, so now seemed a good time to start the journey back
towards the Bosphorous.