Follow you - Follow me

Serafina
Rob & Sarah Bell
Sun 23 May 2010 05:07
36:33.5N 31:56.9E

Thursday 20th May

Woken by the sound of boats leaving around 4.00am but we stuck to our plans and got under way at 5.15am heading out of Finike Marina for the 68 mile sail to Alanya.

Slightly surprised by the boat that followed us out without any lights showing and they stayed that way until dawn. Very little wind for most of the morning and no fish caught despite Rob and Lesley deploying three lines behind us. We tried sailing every time there was a breath of wind and we even got Hyacinth up flying on two occasions, but mostly this meant that our average speed dropped and as we had to arrive at Alanya between 4.00pm and 5.00pm we were reduced to motoring for a good part of the day.

We did see a very large turtle swim past and we were even very briefly visited by some dolphins which was the first time this season. Finally we saw flying fish as we neared the end of the journey, but still no interest in our lures.

Arrived pretty much on time and were swiftly brought into the new marina here and tied up stern-to on one of the long pontoons and quickly got Serafina dressed overall. Sat back to enjoy a cold gin and tonic when Steve, who is the owner of a motor cruiser that Sarah and I met in Preveza (Greece) in April 2009, walked down the quay apparently looking for us. We invited him on board for a drink and quickly caught up with each other?s news.

At 7.00 we had to attend another rally drinks party hosted this time by the marina and I have to say that they were very generous and so some of us rather swayed a bit as we made our way to the marina bar where we had a light and rather late supper. Probably not the best preparation for the trip that Sarah and I are going on tomorrow morning, which leaves at 4.00am