Bodrum to Bozburun to Bozukkale

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 couple of times), Julia and I were able to take some time to tour the ruins. They did provide a sense of how impressive the structures had been in their time. Unfortunately, the wind was very strong, sandblasting our skin. Since it was becoming hard to stand up straight in the gusts we cut our visit short as the sun was beginning to set. Thankfully, we were able to make up for this when we visited the ruins on our Dalyan river cruise. 

Braving the sandblasting in Knidos

As we were making our way towards Datca the next day, we were so hoping to be able to show Julia the large sea turtles we had seen up close in an anchorage nearby, but they decided to keep their distance this time. We did enjoy a lovely little restaurant at a resort on the shore for a cocktail on a hot afternoon. In Datca the next day, the weather again proved to be hot and sunny. Because of the heat, Neil volunteered to stay on board with Finnegan while Julia and I attempted a little walk through the town to do some shopping. After a quick stop at the bakery that is known for the most amazing, melt-in-your-mouth almond cookies (were we bought a large container), we did our best not to succumb to the heat as we wandered the streets. In the end, Julia bought a beautiful pink silk dress and I was able to find silk pants and a white sleeveless top. A cold coffee was a perfect treat to top off the afternoon before Neil rescued us with the dinghy. Dinner on shore at a local fish restaurant was a chance for Julia to experience Datca at night with its magical lanterns along the shore. 

Dinner in Datca

Datca from the water

Next on our adventure was an area called Bozburun and an anchorage called Kiseli Ada. It was so beautiful! Clear water, pleasure boats of all sizes and types anchored and tied off to the shore. This is an area to which I would definitely love to return when Neil’s sister, Suzanne, joins us in September. Because the water in the bays in Turkey can be quite deep close to shore, boats tend to drop anchor and then back in towards the rocky shoreline where stern lines are tied to the rocks to keep the boat from swinging. The first time we attempted this, it was a bit of a comedy show (we fully expected to find ourselves posted on Instagram or YouTube), but as time went by we have been getting better at this. The first few times, Neil and I would anchor and reverse towards the shoreline, then Neil would hop in the dinghy and run the lines to shore. This works fine when the wind is light, but when it is not, I am uncomfortable trying to keep the boat in place, especially if other boats are close by. The many gulets and charter boats all have crew members who jump in the dinghy and head to shore, climbing the rocks like monkeys. We have seen other people swim with the lines to shore and tie them off, so I thought I would rather try that than be left to manage the boat on my own. For the most part, this has gone well, but it is not our favourite way to secure the boat. We prefer to free swing so we get the breeze through the boat. A couple of days was spent in the Bozburun area enjoying the super warm water for swimming. A short dinghy ride away was the small town of Bozburun that we visited for provisioning. We will not soon forget the incredible little coffee shop with fresh croissants that tasted like they were made in France! So incredibly flaky. We have been getting quite good a balancing 3 drinks in the dinghy (a different way to get drive through) even without a drinks tray! A trip to the little wine shop was also in order. An added treat at the end of the day was the parade of goats that passed by on the shore behind the boat. Finnegan was quite intrigued.

Enjoying the water in Bozburun

Goats pay a visit

The next stop is an area called Bozukkale. We learned of this area when we were in Knidos from “Captain Jack”, an American teacher who is sailing Turkey while teaching international students online. He really enjoys doing this and he spends some of his time on the boat and some of his time cycling in the area. The bay he recommended to us is known as “Donkey Bay”. Why? Because there are about one hundred wild donkeys wandering around the peninsula. As we entered the bay and were deciding on a place to anchor, a small boat motored over and two guys on board invited us to tie up at the wooden dock for free as long as we ate dinner in the restaurant that evening. This sounded like a good deal to us since we wouldn’t have to make dinner! The guys helped us to med moor on the dock and were extremely chatty and friendly. After we were settled, one of the guys walked over with a super cold pitcher of fresh lemonade! Boy, did it hit the spot. 

Tied up at Loryma Restaurant in Donkey Bay

Donkeys at Donkey Bay

After swimming to cool down and some relax time on the boat, we enjoyed a cold beer on the patio to watch the donkeys, not to mention the many cats and couple of dogs that were wandering around. The restaurant was a cute little place called Loryma. Beside the restaurant, there were 4-5 small bungalows that are available to rent. Later, dinner consisted of “mezze”, small Turkish dishes to share (like tapas) with bread. Because we were so full after all of that, we shared a serving of lamb chops. Everything was delicious! 

The next morning we were off to an early start towards the Dalyan area where we would anchor to prepare for our river cruise.