Sail, Swim, Lounge...From Yalikavak to Marmaris July 13-26, 2015

Celador's voyage...Summer 2015.
The orange line starting at  Leros and ending in Marmaris shows our journey in this story.
You can enlarge any photo by clicking on it!

July 13-14    We sailed from Leros to Yalikavak...." Yakattack"...a fine a day of sailing with the wind on the beam. After weeks in the Greek Islands, I had become accustomed to seeing the Byzantine era "choras", the old towns, white-painted and tightly clustered upon a hilltop. As we approached the Turkish coast at Yalikavak, again we saw white-painted buildings covering the hillsides...but these were not ancient.

Not a chora...new condos and townhouses.

 Brand new residential development coverred acres of coastline. After hailing Palmarina on the VHF, we were escorted into the finest marina I've ever seen. This was a big surprise. With spaces for 450 yachts, super-yachts, mega-yachts, Palmarina is the "Largest Megayacht Marina In Turkey". 

Note the violet disco lounge ...

Three, four, and five spreader rigs....

All the boutiques and restaurants were filled with people. 

View from Gordon Ramsey's "Tango" restaurant.

 After tying up, we got cleaned up and I put on the nicest clothes I'd brought (the choices were limited)...and even mascara! The beautifully landscaped marina grounds made a lush setting for the exclusive boutiques, which increased in price and prestige as we moved farther in from the main gate. Clothing boutiques like Armani and Versace, and fashionable restaurants owned by Nobu and Cipriani. 

At the Louis Vuitton boutique.  Must haves for the summer season.

The "regulars" of the marina were every bit as chic and fashionable. And the yachts...super yachts , megayachts, professional crew in livery, glamorous women in bikinis. We decided to check out the town. The town appears to have been developed at the same time as the marina. There is definitely some heavy money in Turkey.  But not in our pockets: we were ready to move on.

Fine dining al fresco at Palmarina.

July 15-16 The wind ranged from 0 to 18 kts as we sailed for Knidos. Off the mountainous tip of Kos, katabatic winds hurtled down the mountains at up to 24 kts. The boat heeled and surged into an exhilarating reach. The wind moderated after we passed the island, and it gradually fell off as we approached Knidos. I had forgotten how pretty Knidos is; the dramatic ruins, the mountains, the clear water.

 We arrived early in the day and swam, lounged, enjoyed the beauty of it. While swimming, I swam over the top of a broken amphora with one handle, the shoulder and mouth intact. I was the first person to grasp that handle in over 2000 years!

Knidos, with amphitheater and agora ruins ...once a thriving city.

The Aphodite of Knidos, by Praxiteles in the  4th century B, was the first depiction
of a goddess in the nude, which made Knido a popular destination for worshipers!

The next day we decided to climb up the mountain on the seaward side of the bay. Up and up we scrambled, over scree mixed with endless ancient potsherds. Thorny bushes and thistles scratched at my legs. We followed goat trails for some of the way. Ron led the way to find the path while I came along more slowly, my arms waving like a windmill for balance. Though we had made an early start, it was very hot. I got a light-headed nearing the top; my saliva was thick as jam. I was dehydrated (like a fool!). We came to the top, where the Turkish flag was planted.

 What magnificent views! I looked down at my feet and saw the spout of a broken ancient clay oil lamp. Imaging breaking your lamp in that rugged high place when you needed it to climb down in the darkness! Back at the boat, diving into the sea felt great. We had homemade meatballs and pasta on the boat and watched the sun go down from the cockpit.

Sunset in the 'hood.

July 18-19 The wind had finally died as predicted and we motored to Symi. Arriving around noon, we took our usual mooring by Taverna Haris.

 It was now high summer and hot-hot-hot. The mercury hit 96 degrees F (36 C) . I worked on the computer at the shady Taverna; it was too hot to go roaming. I took showers just to keep cool. In the evening we wandered the streets, enjoying lovely Symi and browsing the colorful shops and merchandise.

Natural sponges and antique sponge diver rig.

Early in the morning we went for a hike, up the old stone steps westward and out of town. The stairs wound up through a small village to the high Kastro and the blue and white church overlooking the town.

The ramparts of the Kastro

 We walked the perimeter of the Kastro walls and sat in the shade of a cool grotto overlooking the parched hills and ancient terraces, a timeless view.

Time stood still.

Descending, we stopped at a bakery cafe run by British ladies for coffee and healthy carrot cake with seeds and nuts. Back at the boat, Ron was engrossed in his Daily Mail. I went for another walk; back up the steps through the neighborhoods to the tree line, stopping at an old stone house under reconstruction. I was able to go inside and see the traditional layout. I fantasized about buying and finishing it, terracing and planting the hills above and below, rebuilding the dry stone walls, etc

Like "Under the Tuscan Sun"......NOT!

In the evening we dined at a restaurant overlooking the other side of the bay.

We do eat a lot.

After, we stopped by an outdoor concert of Greek music, bouzoukis, guitar, a female singer, and percussion. The musicians somehow resembled their instruments: the bouzouki guys were both rail-thin; the female vocalist was as strong and, rounded as her beautiful voice, the guitarist was dark and quiet playing the background rhythms, and the percussionist played castinets and bongos with the vigor of a young Hemingway.  Their vocal harmonies were great.

Apologies for the "atmospheric" photo quality!

They sipped tiny glasses of ouzo and took a languid puff after each song, but played a two and a half hour gig without a break. Fantastic music. I stayed until it ended after midnight.

The next day, Costas the Port Agent returned the ship documents and our passports and we were officially cleared out of Greece for the season. Boohooo!!

July 20-21 Departing Symi with no wind, we motored for three hours, arriving in Bozburun around noon. Ron got a haircut, I go for a swim, we read and lounge. I scouted the jewelry stores for a Turkoman necklace of red coral, turquoise, and silver.

Back in Bozburun, Turkey

The next day Celador and her crew were cleared into Turkey once again. We strolled the town, lounged, and read. In the blazing afternoon I walked along the seaside and found a shady table by the sea, sipping icy raki to stay cool.

 In the evening we had swordfish kebab and mezes for dinner on the rooftop terrace at Akvarum.

Mehmet, our friend at Osman's

Smiling faces at Akvaryum.

 We made for Buzukkale, a small bay with only one building; Ali Baba's  place, with the old stone oven. We tied up, swam and lounged for two lazy days. In the evening we sat with a gregarious group; on one side ,a Dutch family (the Dad had just come back from Grand Rapids, MI), and Sinan, a pilot with Turkish Airlines, and his sailor pal.

On the other side, a large international group of young charterers having a blast with "The Yacht Week". Very lively and interesting people.

Departing Buzukkale, we made for another favorite spot; Ciftlik. There are so many favorite spots now. We took a mooring at Mehmet Place as usual. The bay is surrounded by towering cliffs, and guarded by a pine-covered island shaped like a wizard's hat. Another crystalline bay perfect for swimming.

Dawn over the bow...the island at Ciftlik

We were moored next to the most cluttered boat ever. Peter the German, a nice enough fellow, has lived aboard it for 35 years.  It is festooned with things like this: four boathooks and six life rings, all located in places where they cannot be reached; camel, goat and elephant bells, with a rubber mallet for ringing them, hung off the bow pulpit; a two-sided Smiley Face cushion, hung next to the dining table and wearing a Hamburg Yacht Club hat like Wilson the volleyball; a director's chair with "Fuehrer" handwritten on the back of it; a placard of boat rules in German, likewise signed by " Fuehrer Adolf"; and thousands of other "treasures of the bilge".

Early the next morning we hiked up the steep hill, almost to the base of the cliff, enjoying spectacular vistas, and this time no dehydration.

The limestone rock had been honed by rain into very sharp spikes.

 We descended slowly, finding our best footing amid the scree, stone, and picker bushes. After a break and a chat with Mehmet, we walked along the beach to the end of the bay. We were surprised to find a spring with icy water, seeping out of a cliff right next to the seaside.

July 25. We motored back to Marmaris, taking the scenic route past the beaches and hotels of Icemeler and Marmaris and back to Yacht Marina. Here we will do few boat projects, eat, swim, lounge, and prepare to head home, Ron to Scotland and I to the States. We may do a little side trip before we head home...

It's been a lovely cruise.

From Naxos to Leros - Dodging the Meltemi

Naxos-Khoufonision-Levitha-Leros July 6-14

The green line represents this leg of Celador's voyage.    You can enlarge any photo by clicking on it.

We cleaned the boat and got everything back to normal and ready to sail. I went shopping in the Old Market area for one last time (bought another pair of harem pants!), Later, Ron and I walked over to St. Georges beach for a glass of wine and backgammon challenge in a beachside taverna. We planned to leave Naxos at the earliest break in ...yes...the meltemi.

"Aeolus", by Alexandre Jacovleff

The Cyclades are roughly arranged in an elongated circle around Delos, forming the cyclical route of travel to that island sacred to Apollo. The summer wind, the meltemi, is particularly strong in the Cylcades. It is the dry, northerly wind resulting from a pressure gradient between the low pressure area over Pakistan (the Asian Monsoon low) and the high pressure area surrounding the Azores to the west.  The pressure gradient between these two stable areas produces the constant northerly meltemi in the summer.  It can blow for days at a time...it blew for seven days straight, pinning us down in Naxos with winds from 20-30 kt gusting day and night. It can also come up quickly and without warning. 

The green area shows the meltemi over the Cyclades.... Home Sweet Home for now.  Source:  PassageWeather.com

Generally N to NW, it bends around the islands and blasts down over mountains to come at you from different directions. Seas can pile up; wind driven waves and massive ferry wakes combine for some lumpy chop. The up side is that it keeps us delightfully cool. In mid-July the still-cool sea temperature combined with the wind keeps daytime temperatures moderate compared with the sizzling mainland. Evening temps and breezes often have us wearing jackets and trousers... or harem pants!

Windfinder.com predicted a "weather window" for Tuesday between multi-day periods of near-gale force meltemi winds. We decided to leave in the morning, so tonight was aloha night. I put on my new harem pants and we went out on the town.We found some live Greek music with dancing. The performer was a skilled and graceful dancer; he also had young students with him who were learning Greek music and dance. One pre-teen boy danced awkwardly, but with enthusiasm, and then joined in with the band, playing the fiddle for a couple of songs. Great mentoring and passing on of tradition! We drank bubbly and enjoyed the show until midnight. (Real midnight, not "cruiser midnight"!)

Wish I could have photographed it, but this captures the essence better!

July 7. We set sail for Amorgos by 715. Starting out with the predicted light air, by noon it was blowing 30 knots with three meter waves. After battling for about four hours, we saw the opportunity to duck into a protected cove on uninhabited Nisos Khoufonision. We dropped anchor in 6 meters  of water and fell back to 10 meters of gin-clear water, running out 40 meters of chain out to assure our safety against the strong winds gusting over the ridge.

In the protection of the cove at Nisos Khoufonision.

So happy to have that anchor down!

We dozed and read all afternoon and stayed the night there, glad for the quiet safety of the cove.

We were underway by 715 the next morning. It was beautiful sailing and motor-sailing the 45 miles to Levitha in light wind, which arrived" better late than never". Conveniently, there were new moorings available in Levitha's small harbor. I dove in to help secure a second mooring line on Celador, and assisted another boat with theirs as well.

Levitha in the distance

On the mooring in Levitha, another day done.

There's a taverna over the hill, the only structure on the island, but we stayed on the boat as it was still blowing and we didn't want to row in. There were only 26 miles ahead to reach Leros. The meltemi was predicted to resume, so reaching civilization will be good before the wind is high again.

A hazy day, entering Lakki Harbor , Leros

July 9-After an easy-motor sail, we arrived in Leros just after noon. As the Italian seat of occupation, the town of Lakki was built by them in the deco style. These buildings, with rounded aspects, corners, and round windows, are quite different from typical Greek towns. 

When I went to take this shot, a Coast Guard officer immediately challenged me as to why I was photographing their building. After explaining  that I was trying to find the best examples of  deco architecture of Lakki, and letting him review the ones I'd taken (he made me delete them), he moved some vehicles they didn't want photographed and allowed me to take more pictures.  In the end, he was friendly and helpful and told me a lot more about the island's history.

The cinema, built by the Italians preceding WWII.

Unfortunately, many of the cement structures have been neglected and are slowly crumbling. Lakki is a bit dilapidated, and I feared that it might be a long four days of hunkering down if this is all there was. As if to make up for the lackluster surroundings, we were welcomed so warmly by Popi, the owner of Morano Cafe, a good-will ambassador for Lakki. 

Lakki Marina.  The meltemi blew a ton of grit onto and into the boat.

The next day we walked up the road from the marina for a look around. The shady, tree lined road overlooking the wide harbor was a delightful surprise after the initial disappointment, and I shot dozens of postcard photos.

At the end of the road was the WWII Tunnel Museum, memorializing the fierce 40 day Battle of Leros for this strategic island.

The war museum. As the forty day battle raged, the civilian population took shelter
in the many caves which honeycomb the island and were safe from harm. 

 Later, Ron won at backgammon with an absolutely historic comeback from the brink of annihilation!

OK-OK ... YOU WIN!!!

July11.  We hiked across the island to Platanos and Agia Marina. After our days of sailing, our legs feel oddly unused. After twisting my ankle on a misstep ("rubbernecking" instead of watching where I was going), we rested at a cafe with a great view. (The ankle was fine). We descended through Plantanos to Agia Marina and paused at a waterfront restaurant for lunch.

Agia Marina

 It is a pretty harbor town with a small colony of Brits. We climbed up the old white-painted steps to the high Kastro.

The Byzantine Kastro overlooking Plantanos.

View from the Kastro battlements

A WWII German bomb built into the church wall in the Kastro.

We chatted with some Austrian girls, and enjoyed panoramic views of the whole island. Down along the windy road, we passed old white wind mills, zigzagging down into Vromolithos, and the beach.

Windmills along the road to the Kastro.

Some mills have been converted into charming guest houses.

The beach at Vromolithos

Vromolithos is a nice place to med moor and enjoy.

Every little overlook or remote hilltop in the islands has a tiny one-man chapel like this one.
In sillier moments we've speculated that here is where the men go to get away
from their wives, and  there's a hiding place under a certain flagstone containing
 a case of beer, bags of Doritos, and other necessary supplies...

We stopped for a swim and a glass of wine, and power-lounging. Hiking back to the boat at last, we reckoned we walked at least 6 miles over steep terrain. After a hose-shower on the fantail, we were clean and refreshed and went for dinner and backgammon.

The next day I walked the shady road to the museum to take some more photos. I continued on up to the small church above the Cave Museum. It had a bell made from a metal bomb from the Battle; we had seen them all around this island. The chapel was humble, its walls covered with old holy pictures and small icons. One, of the Madonna, was literally crumbling, but there were silvery votive offerings of men in suits, ladies in dresses, a baby, and guardian angels watching over a baby in a crib; the yearnings of lonely hearts offered up.

The humble little chapel with the bell made from a bomb.

Silvery votive offerings in hopes of a better life.

 I met up with Ron at the beach and had a lovely dip. Water was cool, sun was warm. Musicians showed up, violin and keyboard, the violin playing the haunting, lilting notes of the Levant.

July 12.    We rented a four-wheeler for the day. It had a narrow wheelbase and tender steering; Ron hated it, but did a great job wrangling it! We drove back over the hill to Agia Marina and on to Alinda. We stopped for pastry and coffee overlooking the sea, then headed on to the WWII British war cemetery.

The British War cemetery in Leros.

 Young men killed in old men's wars were laid to rest in a beautifully manicured "corner of a foreign field that is forever England". Back in Agia Marina, we lunched at a cafe and visited an exhibit of paintings by a British expat, with whom we chatted.

 Agia Marina has a nice atmosphere and a small colony of Brits. We met a British expat artist and viewed his paintings at a little exhibition right by the cafe. After, we rode to Leros' iconic little church, on an islet with a long man-made walkway.

Agia Isadoros in Ormos Gournas, on the west coast of Leros.

Agia Isadoros- The Church of St. Isador

Himself

Again, there were many votives petitioning for a good woman. On the road and up a hill so steep I got off and walked to the top while Ron dared to ride.

At the top of the hill.

The locals weren't used to seeing tourists coming up that road, and they cheerily returned my waves. Down we rode to the beaches at Vromolithos, where we lounged and drank wine in the shade until the shadows grew long.

Vromolithos...the name derives from the Greek for "dirty stone".

 Saddling up again, we drove to the south end of Leros, to Xerokombou. It is truly a sailors' town, with just a couple of cafes and tavernas, and a scenic, protected anchorage. Leros has lot of them, in contrast with other Greek islands.

The anchorage at Xerokombou.

We had supper there, feasting on a last plate of delicious "gigante"beans!

Gigante beans (butter beans in tomato sauce) and chorta, wild field greens.
Num.

We returned the vehicle to Lakki and had a farewell mojito with Popi to thank her for setting us up with the vehicle.

Next stop, Yalikavak ("Yak Attack"), Turkey....and a big surprise!