Akçakoca revisited
Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Tue 16 Jun 2009 16:26
41:05.425N
31:07.369E
Tuesday 16th June
2009
There being no wind
to speak of, we motored the 20 miles back to Akçakoca, passing Chaliventures
just outside the harbour. They said they hadn't seen another yacht in
days. In fact, they didn't see us until we had passed them and called
their name!! We spoke on the radio and gave them some info on their next
stop, then made our way into the harbour and tied up. The restaurant owner
who had taken our lines on our first visit came out and welcomed us, and this
time he was accompanied by his seven-year old son Salih. We invited Salih
to look around the boat and he jumped at the chance, and was joined a few
minutes later by his 11-year old sister Didem and her camera. They were
charming children, very friendly and very polite and we were happy to have them
on board.
Shortly after we
tied up, the harbour master came by in his car, wound down his window and
spoke to the restaurant owner, who passed on his message - we must replace our
Turkish courtesy flag as it was too tatty! In fact, one corner of the flag
had come unstitched and a few threads were hanging loose! Anyway, the
Turks are very reverent towards their flag - you never see a tatty one, and
there are always plenty to see. So the restaurant owner kindly sent his
daughter on an errand with Chris to buy a new flag. We thought this would
be difficult as there were no chandlers in town, but in Turkey you can get flags
in stationer's shops, so we soon returned with a new one that cost the massive
sum of 2.50 TL (a little over a pound!)
Salih and Didem
enjoyed lowering the old and hoisting up the new, and Didem caught on very
quickly when shown how to tie a bowline in the signal
halyard.
Later that evening,
Gizem, their 14-year old sister, arrived at the boat with her two friends Seroy
and Tuğba. She had seen her little brother and sister come aboard and was
keen to have a look too. So on they came, had a look around the boat and
chatted with a bit of English. Then we asked did they know how to play
Okey, and they were pleased to show us the basics of the game.
They were three very charming young ladies, and it was good to see that the
friendliness and politeness that we have come to expect of the Turks is
engendered in their younger generation too.
Salih and
Didem
Seroy, Tuğba and Gizem