Champagne and tuna

Serafina
Rob & Sarah Bell
Tue 9 Jun 2009 07:44
38:11.0N 26:31.0E

Monday 8th June
Hard to get galvanised into action as this bay is close to idyllic. On
closer inspection it is clear that the group of houses set back in the trees
at the head of the bay are not a small village as we assumed, but another
holiday complex, as yet incomplete and totally empty.

After a lazy late breakfast we set about moving on to Gokkovar Limani, which
was our planned overnight stop for tonight, but our departure was slightly
delayed when a huge (and I mean huge) herd of goats was shepherded down the
valley along the side of the bay beside where were lying, all clanking their
distinctive bells.

Finally got under way, but still no wind to speak of, so we motored all the
way with just the one bit of excitement when we hooked a fish close to a
headland, only for it to get off the hook just as we got it close to the
boat.

Arrived at Gokkover to find the entrance to this fjord like bay flanked
offshore by two very large fish farms and a host of attendant buoys and
lines. We picked our way carefully through this and entered the long bay and
made our way up to the head, where we found a French yacht occupying the
sole mooring buoy which meant that we needed to drop an anchor and take a
long line ashore to secure ourselves. This was harder than usual as the bay
is very deep and the sides are almost sheer, so you have to drop your anchor
within feet of the rocks and drop back to a suitable point. We messed around
for a while getting all set up for this and just as we were about to drop
the anchor, we collectively decided that the very aggressive horseflies that
were plaguing us were just too much and aborted the idea and went back
toward the entrance where there was a large ship's mooring buoy with a
pickup line that we used to sit and enjoy a lunch that Sarah had prepared on
the way over. (What a girl)

New plan was to enjoy the afternoon breeze to sail back to where we were
last night and as we emerged from the entrance through the fish farms the
wind dutifully picked up (bang on our nose) and we started sailing the 12
miles round the headlands. Of course the wind then started to drop away just
when we needed it most and we had to start motor sailing.

At this juncture, as is the way of the sea, several things happened pretty
much simultaneously. We were close (rather too close perhaps) to the
headland which was a lee shore when the fishing rod bent over to indicate
another strike. Cue general excitement as we started to reel in a what
turned out to be a tuna, the then wind suddenly picked up and was soon
gusting at 25 knots with waves growing all the while. Mick resolutely stuck
to the task of steering whilst Sarah and I landed our fish and tacked the
yacht to head out to sea again. Sarah sat on the back deck and gutted,
topped and tailed our catch and took it below after which I washed down the
deck and rinsed the various items involved (quite a lot of blood involved)
and we then sailed on to our destination. As we arrived we saw a gaggle of
yachts crowded into the south bay, but our prized north bay was completely
empty and so we dropped the anchor pretty much where it was last night and
after a lovely swim and showers, we settled down to champagne and nibbles
whilst Sarah (sainthood beckons) prepared wonderful marinaded, pan fried
fresh tuna steaks with couscous and an avocado and tomato salsa.

Dinner was briefly interrupted when a fishing boat who had just been laying
his nets around us came over to offer us a freshly caught red snapper but we
were able to politely decline.......

Wonderful full moon and a glorious bright starry sky and as we all went to
bed, Mick and Dione were overheard discussing selling their house and buying
a yacht with immediate effect!