Alanya

Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Mon 24 May 2010 19:47
36:33.4N 31:57E
 
Up early for an 04:30 departure for the 70 nmile trip to Alanya.  With no wind we motored (uneventfully) all the way,and arrived late afternoon.  A couple of hours later we were enjoying cocktails at the poolside.  Later we went for supper at the marina pub which was nothing to write home about so I won't.  The company was good though.
 
Next morning Pete and Mary crept off the boat at 03:45 without waking us,and set off on their two-day trip to Capadoccia.  We spent the day relaxing and doing a few jobs around the boat. We met up with Phil & Francis from Tulameen who we haven't seen for a couple of years, and went on board for dinner in the evening.It was good to catch up with their news.
 
The following day we took a bus into Alanya and another up to the castle.  It was a fairly unimpressive pile of stones but the view was worth the ride. After lunch in town we took the bus back and awaited the return of our crew. Just as we were beginning to think they had jumped ship, they arrived back looking very tired but happy. 
 
View from Alanya castle
 
After a good night's sleep the crew were up early again the next morning to join us on the bus for the white water rafting. This was great fun.We teamed up with Trevor & Lesley from Serafina and Michael & Carin from Windjammer to shoot the rapidsand we obviously did it well because our raft guide told us, after we had cleared a particularly good set of rapids that he usually overturns the raft at that one!  Thereafter he tookus down the more difficult side of each set of rapids in an obvious attempt to get some of us in the water.  Trevor eventually obliged, and that seemed to keep him happy.  On the final rapid, he had us all move to the back of the raft and the front reared up so high out of the water several of us thought we were going in, but managed somehow to stay on board.  It was great fun and for me one of the highlights of the trip so far.
 
           
Number 1 team ready for the off                                                      Safely out of the rapids and heading for the next
 
The final day in Alanya brought the EMYR regatta, organised by the Alanya liveaboards.  Each group had to supply a dinghy in which to race, so we lowered our dinghy, pumped up the flat tube, attached a flagstaff and green pennant and we were ready to start.  Steve and one of the chaps from Dubbe won the first race, so we were off to a good start. However, the green team ladies in the next race managed to get entangled with some mooring lines and came in last.  We did slightly better in the ladies coxless fours, though we were nobbled at the finish line by the yellow team.  Steve was part of the build a raft race who came nowhere but at least managed to build a raft that got to the finish line. Green group ended up in joint second place and great fun was had by all.
 
           
Steve lining up for the mens double sculls                                        Chris in the ladies' coxless fours (far right)
 
At least the raft made it to the finish line!
 
The regatta over, we just had time for a swim in the pool before getting the boat ready for sea and slipping the lines late afternoon and heading off for Cyprus.