On 19th August we slipped our lines from Kos marina and sailed out into 26/28 True knots of wind, Tioram skipping at 8.3 knots, SOG—speed over ground-- with only Genoa (forward sail) and headed south east, downwind.

We could see across to Bodrum and the Turkish peninsular of Datca only 1.9 miles away.  With the land on both sides of us it reminded us of sailing in the Solent, UK only in mid 30 degrees.

 

We left Kos without a destination-- to see how the wind and sea state faired, with Turkey, the Greek Islands of Tilos and Symi all in easy sailing distance. 

By 14.45 the wind increased to 30 plus knots true, white heads/ sea state,  so we decided to head for a bay on the south sheltered coast of the Turkish Datca peninsular.

 

In increasing gusts we went into the bay of Buyuk Limani, entering past what looked like an ancient breakwater of piled stones, some very large, others submerged but shown on the charts.  We discovered it is the ancient commercial harbour for the site of Kinidos.

We luckily got a good stern to the wind mooring in a pontoon hammerhead built out into the bay in about 7m of crystal clear water. Tiorams anchor touched Turkey and we raised the Turkish courtesy flag alongside the sea of red flags on the dock.

 

During the next few hours several boats arrived including about seven 70-80ft Turkish gullets and so started the dance of the crossed anchors, pirouettes and near misses in the strong Meltemi gusts.

Some gullets stern to the rocks and others bow to the rocks on single lines swinging everywhere in strong gusts, one even drove straight into the shallows and rocks and ran aground for the night— rotating in the wind on his keel until freed by another gullet at 6.30am the following morning,

 

Fortunately the quay was great and well out of the ‘theatre of chaos’ and we had a nice evening and calm night.

The next morning nearly all the boats on anchor had left, leaving the full view of the Kinidos ruins and amphitheatre.

We stepped ashore and visited the ancient ruins before returning to the boat to leave before the next  ‘theatrical’performance.

 

The bay was really nice, a great stop over on the pontoon with a lovely backdrop of the ancient ruins. We left on 20th in 0.0 wind--- and motored along the Turkish coast in 38 C on our shaded thermometer heading for the Greek island of Symi.

 

Photos of-------

 

The bay of Buyuk Limani

Yachts anchored in the bay

Kinidos –ancient ruins

Turkish Peninsular/coastline

 

Love to all

 

Tina and Tony  x x