Spellbinder Cruise Bodrum 28 May - Iassus 6 June 2010
Spellbinder
Wed 9 Jun 2010 07:33
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At Bodrum we were delighted to meet Ruth of the
good yacht Bizum who, with Iain, Spellbinder had met in Bermuda in
2008 from where we had both crossed to the Azores. We had enjoyed their
company in Horta and had a merry time. At 1300 on 28 May we slippped from Bodrum
marina, chased out for regatta boats that weekend. In a good afternoon blow
F4/5 on the nose the new crew of Charles and Ros soon got to know the boat again
as we beat the 9 miles upwind to a bay at Baglar Koyu. Here jetty facilities for
gullets had taken over but we managed to find good holding in sand/weed patches
at the northeast of the bay. We settled down for a night at anchor and planned
to cross to the Greek island of Pserimos the next day.Using the motor in
the shelter of the Bodrum peninsular we soon picked up a breeze from the NW and
sailed serenely into the bay of Vathi on the east coast. At the head of the bay
we anchored in 7.5m in sand with weed patches, lowered the dinghyand later
walked over the col to the delightful harbour of Pserimos. Here we enjoyed a
local Pserimos wine served by an elderly lady who was clearly glad of our
custom. Strong NW winds blew the next day so we sailed close
hauled under reefed mainsail to the popular harbour at Gumusluk.
Unlike most of the Bodrum peninsular scarred by ugly developments,
Gumusluk has retained its character where fish restaurants abound on the
waterfront. We waded across the causeway to view the islet of Tavsan Ada where
parts of ancient Myndos were being excavated. The smallish harbour was crowded
and holding suspect so at the height of a busy summer in a blow one would feel
uncomfortable in this place, but it is well worth a visit for its attractiveness and the quality of the food. So we
continued to move back and forth to the Greek islands, this time Kalimnos.The
wind was light easterly as we motored to the bay of Ormos Sikati that promised
good protection from a forecast southerly blow. The weather was unusually
unsettled for spring following a very wet winter in Anatolia. Ormos Sikati was a
disappointment, however, as we had to dodge a fishing net stretched right across
the bay buoyed either side but giving clearance in the middle. Once up to the
potential anchorage at the head of the bay it proved impossible to get the
anchor to bite, so after 5 attempts we retreated. We motored and sailed around
the north of Kalimnos and found shelter and good holding, once over the sand in
5m, in the bay of Ormos Argano. Here the rising wind whistled down the valley,
swirling off the mountainsides in great gustsand preventing us from getting
ashore safely until it quietened down the next evening. In a beautiful location
it was disappointing to find tar on the beach. There was a canteena and two
tavernas nearby. The small community looked rather run down and we felt sorry
for the locals struggling to make ends meet in a difficult economic climate. The
next day, 2 June, we enjoyed a glorious days sailing in a moderate northwesterly
that involved beating through the narrowish gap between Leros and Kalimnos then
reaching across to the marina at Yalikavak. We were getting short of provisions
and needed to stock up. The marina is expensive but well appointed and we were
to enjoy a magnificent meal of fish baked in salt at a restaurant nearby known
by Charles and Ros who had once taken a Sunsail holiday here across the bay. The
next day we sailed around the north of the Bodrum peninsular in a most
convenient moderate southwesterly to enter the bay at Guvercinlik. The gulf of
Korfezi is studded with fish farms and associated bits of buoyant rope in the
water need to be avoided if motoring. Guvercinlik was refreshingly non-touristy
with no modern developments. Again it was a bit run down with dogs roaming the
waterfront, but the holding was good off the harbour and the locals as friendly
as ever ashore. So, another night was spent at anchor where we played a round
of Upwords before enjoying a peaceful night. The next crew change was in
the Asin Limani at Iassus, the most magnificent ancient site being excavated by
an Italian archaeological team. The Myceaneans, Minoans through to the
Byzantines had been here reusing each others building materials. The top of the
islet had the ruins of a castle built by the Knights of St John, its walls
studded with sections of stone columns from a previous age. Sadly, near the end
of the nineteen century, the marble from the great Roman amphitheatre had been
carted off to Constantinople to build the ship quays there. We secured stern-to
the quay in the harbour and rested a few days for a crew change. Ruth and Iain
were wonderfully kind to us, collecting Eric off a late flight at Bodrum,
putting him up for the night at their home and then driving out along a badly
pot-holed road to spend the day with us at Iassus.It was really good to spend
time with them, swop stories and catch up with their news. We bid a sad farewell
to Charles and Ros who had a bone shaking ride in a battered cortina with no
seat belts to the airport at Bodrum.
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