We arrived at D-Marin, Turgutreis about 12.30 on Friday, 2^nd May, in plenty of time to be ship-shape before our crew arrived around 6pm. The other boats participating in the EMYR, which were

already en-route from Istanbul, started to arrive in the marina during the afternoon, already dressed all over. New boats which were also joining the rally in D-Marin, had berthed in the marina, before

 our arrival.

After Lucy and Caroline had arrived and stashed away their luggage, we went in search of a suitable restaurant. Then, back to the boat for a chat before retiring to bed. They had both had a long day.

The following day, we found the market and purchased lots of very fresh fruit and vegetables. That evening, we joined the other EMYR participants in a “pot-luck” supper which, to my surprise, turned

 out to be scrumptious as well as lots of fun. We did take a special pot of food with us for Lucy, as it was unlikely that there would be any food suitable, at the party, for a vegan.

On Monday morning we were all up at 6am and had already covered half a mile by 6.30. The wind was slight and we motored for a couple of hours before we were able to hoist the sails and turn off

the engine.

For the next 2.5 hours, we sailed with just the parasailor before changing to the main and the genoa. However, after an hour we furled in the genoa and raised the cruising shute before once again, reverting

back to the genoa. See the photo below, taken between noon and 1pm, which shows Tucanon, sailing with the cruising shute. By 2pm we had reefed both the main and the genoa and this was how we

continued sailing until we reached Marti marine, about 4pm.

Early afternoon, we had our first sighting this year, of dolphins, as they played around the boat.

It was a perfect first leg of the rally, involving lots of sail changes. In fact, we used all the sails we possessed on that passage, with the exception of the storm jib, and we were delighted not to have had

to use that.

Mayday in the UK was a sunny, hot day in Turkey. Caroline and I went for a walk and found ourselves in an area, surrounded by hills. It was like a secret place with a small village, a few cattle, even a

 calf, surrounded by olive groves which were also planted with cereal crops. There were many citrus trees, medlar and fig trees, vines and beautiful hibiscus bushes, sporting an abundance of flowers. We

left our secret garden and made our way back to the beach, passing a waddling of ducks, admiring the view of the sea and our boat , dressed all over, at the edge of the marina. See photo below of

Tucanon, dressed all over.

Up at 5am on Tuesday morning and still dark, as we motored out of the marina before 5.30. We had been rafted up to another Lagoon 440, owned by an American couple, who had lived aboard for

2 years. They were just minutes behind us as they followed us out of the marina. By 8am we were sailing, continuing to do so until 5pm and were approaching the marina at Gocek. Once again, we had

 utilized all the sails except the storm jib, although predominantly, we had sailed with the parasailor.

We tied up, with long line attached to a mooring buoy, stern to against the pontoon, next to our American twin, which had overtaken us when we hoisted the mainsail at 8am, staying ahead of us thereafter.

We and they, supped together that evening, at a local restaurant, on the other side of town, in an orange grove.

A days excursion had been organized, and those EMYR participants who chose to do so, visited various places of interest in the locality. None of our party joined the excursion as all but Lucy had

 previously spent quite some time in the Gocek area. That evening we attended a cocktail party held on the patio of a first floor bar, in the marina complex, where an ample supply of delicious drinks and

 food were provided by a local restaurant.

We were the penultimate boat to leave Gocek marina, at 6.15 on Thursday morning, just before 6.15am. We had planned to leave at 6.30 but when the engines, on the catamaran next to us, were switched

on at 5.45am, there was no point in not getting out of bed.

There was no wind so early in the morning so we motored until about 10.45, motor-sailing on and off, from 9am. Once we had raised the parasailor and switched off the engine, Tucanon was in her element

and just once, for a very brief spell, we were traveling at 13.3knots and overtook most of the fleet which had left the marina so early that morning.

We anchored that afternoon about 4pm at Kekova Roads in 2.5 metres of water. Cocktails ashore at 7pm then back to our boat for a barbecue and a film.

In the morning we took the rib ashore to join an organized trip in a glass bottom boat and look at sunken antiquities and the ruins of the village which had fallen into the sea. Then back to walk up to the castle

and admire the view and where I bought some wonderful baggy trousers, identical to those worn by the Turkish women.

Caroline had visited the castle at Kale Koy on at least one of her many previous visits so rather than do so again, she went to visit some Turkish friends. While visiting and drinking tea with the grandma who

was looking after her small grandson, she looked for a small gift for me, toying with a pretty shell bracelet, before purchasing 2 scarves for herself. As she took her leave, grandma gave her the bracelet, as a

gift. We met again, back on the tripper boat. However, it was not the same glass bottom boat, that had been replaced by another similar boat which didn’t have a glass bottom. Before the boat was cast off

 from Kale Koy,  Caroline gave the bracelet to me and I have worn it since.

At noon, we raised the anchor, hoisted the parasailor and incredibily, with only 3.6knots of true wind, we sailed away from Kekova Roads toward Finike, with the water maker producing fresh water and the

 washing machine ensuring that we would have a constant supply of clean bed linen and clothes.

Once again, we were able to sail most of the way though it was necessary to switch on the engines for the final half hour, in order to arrive at the marina within the time-slot allocated. We were 1 minute late

but other than ourselves, I don’t believe that anyone else noticed.

We rafted up to another catamaran, which was moored alongside. Another catamaran rafted up to us on our port side.

Next morning we congregated at 8.30am near the marina office and climbed aboard one of the 6 vehicles provided. There were 5 dolmus and 1 small coach.

We visited the church and sarcophagus of St. Nicholas at Myra, a Catholic saint best known as Santa Claus and the amphitheatre and rock tombs of the ancient city of Myra.

Trout was served for lunch, at a restaurant with the tables set out alongside the Arykandos river, where the water rushed along over the boulders, shaded by tall, broadleaf trees.

After lunch we explored the ancient city of Arykanda, built upon 5 large terraces, ascending a mountain slope and covering an exceptionally large area. The view from the acropolis was stunning.

Stopping for refreshments mid afternoon, we were able to explore a 500 year old Gokbuk village.

Arriving back at the marina at 6.10pm, the group leaders and skippers attended one of their regular meetings, to discuss the plans for the morrow. We all got together again at 7pm to attend the cocktail

party and, as occurs at each marina visited, award the presentations to the marina staff, who had made us so welcome.

 

                                          

 

The Tucanon Team                                                                                                 Lucy joining Tucanon                                                 Caroline joining Tucanon

 

 

Tucanon dressed over all