Spellbinder's Web Diary - Spellbinder Cruise: Thur 09 Sept

Spellbinder Cruise: Thur 09 Sept - Sat 18 Sept 2010

Spellbinder

Sat 18 Sep 2010 12:32

Sophie, Fi, Felicity and Jaco duly arrived by taxi from Bodrum Milas airport on 8th September 2010, glad to be alive after a fairly hairy drive. The planned shopping trip for fresh food was abandoned the next morning as the supermarket was shut for the holiday marking the end of Ramadan. So Spellbinder said a final farewell to the excellent staff at Didim and nosed out between the two mini "lighthouses" marking the entrance to the marina. This was a sail training day for an entirely new crew except for Sophie who had joined Spellbinder in the Baltic in 2006. The wind was light WSW but ideal for showing everyone the ropes on a calm sea under a clear blue sky - it was hot however, a fact the Turkish people themselves were remarking on. Spellbinder had also experienced unusually unsettled spring weather sailing up the coast from Fethiye and the winter in Anatolia had been extremely wet. The destination of Kazikli was reached, a swim taken followed by another delicious meal at the Kaptan taverna. A leisurely start the next morning to adjust for time changes saw Spellbinder sailing down the Kazikli Limani to cross the head of the gulf of Gulluk Korfezi. the wind was in the west veering into the NNW allowing Spelllbinder to sail on one tack around the Gemitasi rock north of Yalikavak and on to the lovely bay of Gumusluk - one of the few harbours on the Bodrum peninsular that hasn't been spoilt by unsightly modern developments. Ashore are the ancient remains of Myndus and some excellent fish restaurants on the quay. Spellbinder anchored in 16.9m in the centre of the bay, a very hot climb was made to the huge Turkish flag flying proudly from the top of the hill to the west of the harbour. From here the views were magnificent across to the Greek islands of Leros, Kalimnos, Kos and Pserimos to name a few. It was to Pserimos and the lovely deserted bay of Vathi on its east side that Spellbinder beat to in a SW4 having stopped for a lunch swim off a sandy beach on the Turkish island of Catalada. Pserimos was as delightful as ever and the walk over to the harbour on the west side a good leg stretch followed by a wonderful evening at the taverna run by a most friendly elderly Greek lady whose family make their own wine. A torch lit stumble over the col back to the bay with its goats' bells tinkling in the dark made for the end of a memorable day. The following day, Sun 12 Sept, Spellbinder weighed anchor after lunch to take advantage of the wind that strengthened in the afternoons. In a WSW F4 the passage to an anchorage at Gumbet just west of Bodrum was swift. We had hoped to get into Bodrum marina but it was full and Gumbet turned out to be an awful alternative. Ashore was fish and chips, loud discos and we broke the plastic propellor on the outboard engine. A replacement was most efficently found in Istanbul by Izzet Eti in Bodrum marina where we found a berth the next day. Felicity and Jaco took the opportunity of getting away for a while, hired a car, booked a hotel at Yalikavak and did some sightseeing. Henry, Sophie and Fi ate at the Kocadon restaurant, visited the site and museum of the Mausoleum, one of the seven wonders of the world, and toured the magnificent Castle of St Peter at the entrance to Bodrum harbour. This used building materials from the Mausoleum(!) but now houses an excellent museum of Underwater Archaeology displaying the finds from ships wrecked on the reefs and islands off the coast. New propellor fitted to the dinghy engine, Spellbinder sailed for the anchorage at Pabuc to the east. We had a nice sail in a SW breeze around the island of Karaada to anchor off the beach at the south of the small bay. Unfortunately, it is too nice and the day trippers and gullets know it. Our hopes for a quiet evening were spoilt by noise from a hotel? at the head of the bay - not too bad though as it stopped at midnight. On Thur 16 Sept Spellbinder sailed for Cokertme for a crew change berthed at the jetty of the Cokertme restaurant and hotel. Felicity and Jaco met Tricia and Peter at Bodrum airport in the hire car and drove them down to stay at the hotel. This proved to be an excellent place for a crew change well looked after by Hussan and Seto, eating at the taverna and bathing in the clear blue waters of the bay. On Saturday 18 Sept sad farewells were made to Pip and Jaco returning to Johannesburg and Sophie and Fi returning to the UK. Now we were three.