Alanya Update

Yachtforeverfreedom
Thu 4 Mar 2010 15:15
Most of yesterday, the 3rd March, was spent completing formalities in the marina office and in Alanya Port. We visited the Harbour Master (twice), Department of Health, Marine Police (twice), Immigration and Customs. We were lucky to be accompanied by 2 marina staff, Sibel, who accompanied us last year, and Sardo, who is learning the job. Everything requires much waiting in offices but it all went smoothly and everyone is polite and helpful - even the towering great policeman at the Immigration Office. We paid €50 for the Transit Log, €30 for 90-day visas, €7.50 Harbour Dues and €35 for taxis all over the place (taxis would have been cheaper but we had to go to the port twice).
We now have an annual contract with the marina which was €1604 (Cyprus would have been €3350!); we can now come-and-go as we please and we will always have a mooring to return to. We shall stay in the marina until after Easter, doing a series of little(!) maintenance tasks, before setting off exploring for a while. As our visas are for 90 days only, we have to leave Turkey on Sunday 30th May at the latest (the boat can stay but we have to leave to another country and then come back).
Already we have met friends from last year and Peter has been taking photos of other boats which have interesting ideas for projects - boarding ladders, solar panel mountings, stern anchors and other useful additions; strangely he always seems to be invited on board for coffee and is therefore away for hours whilst Pauline is left to do the washing, ironing, boat cleaning and cooking!!!