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Fun with Friends and Tearful Goodbye

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August 5th to 18th On the return journey towards Bodrum we were faced with more wind than the trip out. Unfortunately, the wind was mainly on our bow so we did not get to enjoy very much sailing, but did cross paths with the Turkish navy out on drills. Our goal after leaving Fethiye and the beautiful Yacht Classic Hotel   was to arrive in Bodrum on August 11 so that Julia could meet up with a couple of friends from Kingston who would also be there. This gave us five days to make our passage. Our stops included four different bays, with the last stop being two nights back in Knidos where we have been before. It is a good stopping off point leaving only a short journey back to Bodrum. The first bay called Serce Limani was well worth the stop. What a beautiful little treasure completely sheltered with the most stunning turquoise water yet. It was a quiet bay that hosted about 10 boats at the most, some gulets and some personal yachts. At one end we found a little restaurant/tavern, but we
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What a Treat!

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  August 3rd to 6th Leaving the Dalyan area behind, we set off in the easterly direction towards our last major stop in the area of Fethiye. This is as far as we would be able to go and still make it back to Bodrum in time for Julia to catch her flight in the early morning of August 14th. Our destination was the Gulf of Fethiye which is known for many beautiful bays and little inlets in which we could anchor. The area is frequented by sailing and power yachts of all sizes and styles. In one bay we even saw a super yacht complete with its own helicopter on the top deck! Every time we think we have seen the biggest yacht (sailing or motor), we see another one that is bigger. There certainly are some beautiful boats enjoying the Turkish Riviera. The Gulf of Fethiye proved to be quite busy and we were not sure we would be able to find space to anchor and tie off to shore, but persistence paid off and we were able to locate a good area in the beautiful water we have come to expect. But, thi
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Bodrum to Bozburun to Bozukkale

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July 25th to 31st There is very little change in the weather from day to day along the Turkish Riviera. We usually wake up in the morning to fairly flat seas since the wind generally dies down between 8 p.m. and midnight. The sun rises bringing forth a day of blue, almost cloudless skies and temperatures that are typically in the mid to high thirties. Wind varies day to day, but every 6-7 days it picks up in the afternoon and can become quite gusty until evening. On the other days, we can be begging for a slight breeze. The saving grace is the beautiful, clear blue water that is the perfect temperature for swimming. Even Finnegan agrees that a dip or two is a requirement for surviving the heat. Our days at anchor with Julia on board were relaxing with swimming, paddle boarding, dinghy rides and gazing out across the water. At various stops during her three week visit we were able to enjoy some sightseeing. In an anchorage called Knidos, (one which Neil and I had already been to a coupl
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Julia Arrives in Turkiye!

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  To say we were eagerly awaiting Julia’s arrival in Bodrum on July 24th is an understatement. After three and a half months of communicating via FaceTime calls, Neil and I   were very excited that she was due to arrive and we could finally see her in person. We had secured a car to pick her up at the Bodrum airport (complete with a driver holding up a “Julia Hansen” sign) and deliver her dockside in the Bodrum marina. The only hitch… we were not staying in the marina (too cost prohibitive), but were at anchor in the bay outside of the marina. We took the dingy to the gas dock and picked her up there, suitcase and all! So began our three week adventure with Julia on board! Our first evening together was spent walking in the area of the Bodrum marina so Julia could experience first hand how the nights come alive, complete with tourists dining on patios, music blaring from bars and clubs, people shopping in the outdoor malls, and the gulets all lined up along the piers. Bodrum is the pla
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