Another busy couple of months with a move to a flat (the first time we have lived on land since 2001!), putting the boat on land, starting Caryn’s treatment not to mention the social life with BBQs and a big Easter celebration as well as exploring and trying the restaurants that have started to open for the new season. One of our new favourites is a Thai restaurant that is run by two brothers whose Thai wives do the cooking.
Svein has still be busy on the boat and has installed spinlocks to the main mast to tidy it up. It also entailed replacing the genoa hoisting line. This obviously involved lowering the genoa and then hoisting it when the work was done and as luck would have it the wind blew up and led to problems which we managed to solve in the end but was quite scary for a time. He has also reinforced the cockpit table and changed the bathroom plumping to make it simpler. With the boat on land, has started work on the toe rail to give us more cut-outs for mooring ropes.
Cheryl (Caryn’s sister) has also visited the UK to sort out things for the mother. In the few days available she has done a hell of a lot and we are now ready for when the final move to the home takes place.
The weather is steadily improving with plenty of sunshine and lesser winds. 6th April 2012
Easter was celebrated in style with a Swedish style buffet organised by Jespan with contributions of the other boats. It took the form of an outside meal and was complete with music and dancing.
Mid April the call from the health authorities finally came and the treatment  could start. Caryn is now halfway through the treatment and holding up fairly well although some days are better than others.  Fortunately she has not too many side effects although she did have to spend Greek Easter Sunday in the hospital being monitored as there was a slight heart problem.
Boats (Roama, Pacific Pearl, Laerke, Castor en Pollux) are leaving for the sailing season and the charter boats are being prepared so the harbour is busy although there does not seem to be too many client or the moment.
We moved into the flat at the end of April and quite soon afterwards we had a visit from Elly (Sybaris) from Rhodes who stayed at the flat with us and she and Caryn wandered through Kos exploring.  We have bought some garden furniture to make full use of the terrace as well as some other bits to make it more cosy.
Caryn has treated herself to pedicures and fish spas as a relaxation from the treatment.
We have been very busy socially as several boats have called in to Kos so there have been many drinking sessions and meals out in restaurants. It is good to see everyone again and to catch up on all the news.
It will be a strange summer spending it on land but hopefully we will be able to get some sailing done at the end of the treatment but where we will go still remains to be seen.

March was a busy month as far as festivities were concerned with celebrations for both the union of the Dodecanese to Greece and Independence Day. Both events had street parades with participants from the public and the different military forces.

As far as Caryn is concerned she is back in Kos and recovering slowly from the second operation. The next stage is to organise the preventive treatment. It has been confirmed that the treatment can be done in Kos and that proved a marathon getting through Greek red tape and entailed visiting several administrative offices but we got there in the end. Medicines ordered so now just have to wait for them to arrive.

Svein has installed the night light system in the boat and, at long last, the gas alarm. He has also begun work on touching up the Coelan on deck. He also renewed the shore power installation on the boat and installed an additional 220V socket outside. He has also varnished the navigation area and repaired the bathing ladder and its deck sockets. He has had a busy month as he also managed to work on the cupboards in the galley after they had been thoroughly cleaned and sorted and treated against ants.

The weather has been cold and windy with winds from all directions but sometimes strong enough to cancel the ferries from Athens. It has improved towards the end of the month which has meant we can have lunch outside. No excuse now not to start cleaning the salon cushions. Slow process but what an improvement!

Svein managed to dive to recuperate the utensils fallen in the water at Xmas. Managed to retrieve the serving dishes of which one had to be thrown away and a spoon as well as a pair of glasses.

We also attended the concert by the community orchestra to celebrate Independence Day but came home early as someone managed to damage the sound mixing console.

Laerke was leaving for the sailing season so they came to dinner on board and Caryn prepared a dinner of prawn braid and then fresh strawberries.

Still no word about the treatment but hopefully it can start next month.

It has been a strange winter. The liveaboard community has been active with music evenings, weekly drink on a Friday and BBQs when possible. The town has been explored in all its dimensions from food shops, beauty parlours, activities and historical monuments so something for everyone’s taste. Unfortunately we have been very unlucky with weather as it has rained a great deal and there have been almost constant cold Northerly winds. On the rare occasions when it has dropped there has been sunshine and warmth so it has been possible to have a BBQ including one that was laid on by the harbour staff where they cooked sardines.

The Christmas festivities went off well with a Scandinavian theme for the main dinner (cooked by the participants) and the results can been seen in the pictures. The harbour did us proud with a lavish spread on Christmas day and another event on New Year’s Day. There was also a visit to a ballet performance by visiting Russian soloists. Svein managed to distinguish himself over the holidays by falling in the water on returning to the boat after some of the festivities. He cut his leg quite badly and had it treated at the hospital. The climax however was when he succeeded in falling in again the next day whilst explaining to some people what he had done the previous night. The outcome was that Caryn lost all her servings trays, spoons and some knives that are now sitting at the bottom of the harbour.

Unfortunately the month of January was not as calm as Caryn spent most of the month travelling to Athens for tests and 2 major operations. Fortunately our friends from Eagle’s Nest on Nisyros (Mike and Marilyn) came up trumps and organised the hospital visits as well as the transport and accommodation. They were truly brilliant. They know a private hospital that dealt with everything on the spot and very rapidly. Now it only remains to get back on form and deal with the preventive treatment that should start soon.

There have been a few visits to beauty parlours and a fish spa that has now opened in town so from the pampering point of view all has been well. We have unfortunately not been able to continue with the latin dancing lessons but the few classes we did in December we enjoyed very much and hopefully have learned something from them.

Svein has managed to shorten the main boom. A task that has been waiting for a long time but had been put off as he was afraid it would be a major job but his fears were unfounded and he did it in a very short time. We now have much more space between the two masts to move around.

We are settling into the marina and finding our feet with regard to local shops and other facilities available. We have found a good butcher (and even one who speaks Swedish), super greengroceries and some good supermarkets.

One of the first tasks was to take the bicycles into to be serviced as they will be a vital element required to get around town (on the cycle tracks) and to explore. We have also found some restaurants where the food is good and the prices right.

The activities in the harbour have also started with a music night, boules, a walking group, BBQ when the weather is right and on Fridays a get together in the club room for a drink.

Svein woke Caryn  up today with a bouquet of flowers and finally saw the present that she had  treated herself to when we were in Rhodes but the best present was the confirmation that at last Svein’s pension had come through. We went out for a meal with some of the others to celebrate in good style. There was also a BBQ which enabled up to meet some of the other liveaboards who we did not know.

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Caryn was making a quick trip to the UK so we hired a car to take her to the airport and  also used it to do a trip to the big supermarkets on the outskirts of town to stock up. The outward journey went well with no delays and even an early arrival at Heathrow.

Caryn was lucky with the weather during her stay and enjoyed some good meals out in particular an Indian meal that was another birthday celebration.  She also took advantage of the visit to get her eyes tested and will be replacing her glasses in Kos.

The journey back was more tedious with a 12 hour wait in Athens for the corresponding flight to Kos. However came back to sunshine and a good night’s sleep back on board.

After a 3 week wait we have now moved to our winter berth on pontoon D. The weather is still being clement although we have had some strong winds and some rain.

We have also started our Latin dancing classes although there is some catching up to do as the courses started in October but we are taking it slowly. We go to 2 lessons a week with one dedicated to the technical side of the dances and the other where we pout what we have learnt into practice.

We visited Psalidi (wetlands) that was organised by the harbour. We cycled down and then walked through the grounds. Refreshments were laid on at the end of the tour. We cycled back to the harbour tired but having spent an enjoyable morning.

Svein has been taking advantage of the good weather and has been touching up the deck where the coelan treatment has been damaged through the sailing season.

Caryn has ordered and collected her new glasses. The prices are really unbeatable here.

There has been some more BBQs and coming up to the middle of December the weather is still sunny and warm enough to be in tee shirts.

The dancing school is having a Christmas party in a local nightclub that we have been invited to. We went along with Angie and Keith and had a good evening and even managed to try out some of the steps we have learnt.

We have also celebrated St Lucy day with a musical evening and some snacks.

Caryn and Angie cycled out to find the beauty parlour on the outskirts of town. A long ride on the bike along quite a busy road but the facilities we found were excellent.  We shall go into town tomorrow to try find another one to have a comparison.

We are also busy preparing for the meal on 24th December which will be based on Scandinavian dishes and we will be following that up with a meal laid on by the harbour on 25th.

We left the super yacht quay and moved back to the anchorage as we did not want any problems whilst we were at the rugby semi final.  We went into town and watched the match and then  returned to the boat. Svein also took the washing into town so everything is now clean again.

Keith (Castor en Pollux) has arrived from Turkey and he came to the boat and then we all went ashore to watch the second semi final in the Aussi pub. It was a long walk from the harbour but the match was enjoyable. After lunch in the new market we went back to the boat. As it is not too windy we decided not to move but stay where we are for the present.

We woke up to horrible weather with rain and strong winds so we stayed on the boat all day. We also ran the engine and heating to warm up the boat and charge. It was a bumpy and restless night with plenty of swell so the next day we moved to the anchorage behind the new marina. It was still windy but at least there was no swell. We swapped films with Keith and stayed on the boat.

A new day and we took dinghy into shore. Svein met with Per at the boatyard whilst Caryn met with Elly and went shopping. It was a long and tiring day as the walk from the anchorage to the harbour took 45 minutes and then the girls walked round town shopping avoiding the demonstrations. Everyone met up for lunch and then went back to the house. In the afternoon the girls walked to the supermarket to buy dinner. In the evening Caryn and Svein had hoped to take a taxi back to the anchorage but discovered that the taxis were on strike for 48 hours so had to walk back to the boat. All in all an enjoyable but very tiring day.

We are still anchored in Efyros Bay. The warm weather has returned and we went over to Castor en Pollux to see Angie who had come back from the UK. We all went into town to have lunch with Sybaris and then walked back to the bay. We are certainly getting plenty of exercise whilst we are here. We then moved the boat round to anchor outside the harbour so that the walk to the Aussi bar is not too long tomorrow. The wind has finally dropped.

We went to see the rugby match Wales/Australia and then went back to the boat and relaxed. We met Sybaris for a drink and meal in town in the evening. This has been another rare day in Rhodes with no wind.

It is time to do a bit of food shopping so Caryn and Elly met up and went to the Saturday market in Rhodes by bus whilst Svein went to the house to help Per put up shelves. We spent the afternoon at Per and Elly’s  and then returned to the boat in the evening and spent another night at anchorage outside Rhodes harbour.

We watched rugby final and after having lunch with everyone and saying our goodbyes we returned to the boat to get it ready for the departure the next morning.

We made an early start, left the anchorage and motored to Pedi bay. There was little swell and nearly no wind.  We anchored first and then moved to the quay. We found good internet so put out a blog update (Alex’s visit) and spent a quiet night at the quay. There are a few boats at anchor but there is definitely the feeling that the town is winding down for the winter.  Caryn swam from the boat (Photo to prove it). The water is still good and sun still hot

We decided to stay another day and took the bus into Symi town (Yialos) where we bought fishing gear (gaffe hook and net) in case we catch something again. We also stocked up on necklaces for UK and meat for the freezer. Tolis restaurant is still open so had lunch there.  Castor en Pollux arrived. Caryn swam again from the boat and there is no wind.

Another quiet day but as the wind has picked up we put out an extra mooring rope.

Time to move North so before leaving we charged the batteries as they were very low and then left Pedi under engine. We motored all the way and tried to use the genoa although not very successfully. We put out the fishing lines but as there were no bites we reeled them in and speeded up thereby gaining an hour on the journey. We reached Pali in the early afternoon and moored outside Aphrodite. It was sunny all the way across and the sea was calm until we passed the head of Datcha peninsula. We shall stay here until we go to Kos marina.

We saw everyone and Caryn swam from the beach. It is quiet here also although there are boats coming in every day.

Caryn swam again today and Svein worked on the PC. Strong winds blew up in the evening.

Again strong winds today so it was uncomfortable to swim. We stayed on the boat and have been in contact with Laerke (in Kardamena) as Niels is not well.

The wind is starting to drop at last so hopefully it will be a good crossing to Kos tomorrow.

After saying our goodbyes we left the harbour and headed for Kardamena to meet up with Laerke as agreed. Outside Kardamena discovered that they had not waited for us and were nearly in Kos so we altered course and headed to Kos marina. We arrived after 4 hours motoring and moored with help from marina. We checked in and, in the afternoon, walked into town exploring the area and getting our bearings. We found different shops. We went to Jespan to say hello and also Castor en Pollux have also arrived for the winter. We know at least 3 of the boats staying for the winter and time will enable us to meet the others.

We will be getting plenty of exercise here as the marina is a little way out of town and the nearest shops are a 10 minute walk at least. Our sailing shoes have been hung up for the time being and we shall now be getting through our work list.

After a false start whereby Alex missed his original flight he arrived in Rhodes only 12 hours late for the start of his holiday. Caryn went to the airport on the bus to meet him. Interesting trip to the airport on the bus (packed like sardines as it is not a dedicated airport bus but serves all the hotels on the west coast). Svein met us at the bus station on our return and we had a quick meal in town before getting back to the boat so that he could settle in. It is still windy. Whilst we were waiting the Alex to arrive we visited the Turkish consulate regarding resident permits if we decide to stay the winter there.

Next morning we all swam despite it still being very windy and then went into town for lunch with Sybaris. After lunch we wandered through the old town out of the tourist area and saw the main door to the house that Per and Elly have bought. We will have to wait until October to see inside when they have the keys. On our return to the anchorage we saw that Laerke had arrived.

Still windy in Rhodes so we spent time on land window shopping with Alex. Svein spent time on Laerke fixing things and then we all went for lunch on land. We had drinks on board Sybaris before returning to boat to eat and then into town to test Blue Lagoon night life. Stayed for one drink and then back to boat as it was not quite our scene.

After 3 days in Rhodes it was time to move on and show Alex something of Greece. We left the anchorage and made our way to Alimnia under engine as we had strong head winds. We were anchored with a line ashore after 6 hours at sea in a calm bay. Only one catamaran, a gulet and local fisherman in the bay with us. Alex tried his hand at fishing and also collected some sea urchins that, unfortunately, were not edible. He had no luck with the fish except for one small one that was thrown back.

The next morning, before leaving the bay, Alex and Svein spent some time trying to fish but with no success. They saw the fish but they did not bite. Late morning we left the bay for Chalki. Still head winds but only one other boat on the quay when we arrived and we managed a perfect mooring first time. We had lunch on land and then a major internet session so that Alex could catch up on the different sporting events taking place over the weekend. Probably here for a few days as very strong winds forecast and we want to move North so would only be battling head winds and probably swell. Watched France/Spain basket ball final where France lost.

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We walked round Chalki in the heat and managed to get internet to talk to the families. Late evening we decided to move back to Alimnia in order to avoid the squeaking of the ropes on the quay. We managed to sail a little although played cat and mouse with the wind and the engine. Alex had bought bait so was keen to try to catch something.

Peace and quiet in Alimnia bay. Alex and Svein organised themselves and we managed to have lunch from their catch. Alex managed to prick himself with one the the spikes on the dorsal fin. This proved very painful and as we were not sure what the fish was Svein took them over to a local fisherman who reassured us that they were good to eat and although the sting was painful it was not dangerous and just needed to be rubbed with lemon.

They both took a long snorkelling session the bay whilst Caryn swam. Evening was dinner on board and then reading with a early night as we shall leave early in the morning to catch the South wind.

Everything was tidied and stored on board so that by 08h00 we were weighing anchor and leaving the bay. The south wind was there and we sailed to Tilos using only the genoa and mizzen. We made very good time although encountered heavy seas. We moored in Tilos harbour half an hour before our scheduled arrival time and then treated ourselves to a good lunch. Mooring was quite difficult because of the cross wind and Alex managed to fall although he did not harm himself. Anyway that is the 3^rd mishap so all should go well from now on. Big storm during the night with thunder and lightening over the harbour. As it rained the deck got washed at last.

Early start as there was no wind and we wanted to take advantage before the head winds blew up. We left the harbour at 08h15 and motored all the way with calm seas until the passage between the islands of Tilos and Nisyros. We reached Pali harbour at 11h30 and were met by Nikos. Unsettled weather is forecast with thunder and rain seen in the distance so hope it is not coming our way. Fun and games with a charter Oceanis 50 that managed to cut the anchor line of a Danish boat losing a Fortress anchor and weight together with the line. McGuyer to the rescue.

Early the next morning Svein tested the diving gear by recuperating the lost anchor and weight. Otherwise the day was quiet day and we spent a good deal of time on the beach and swimming. Kostas kindly gave us some lamb.

It was time to play tourist so we hired a car and toured the island with Alex. We shopped in the morning and then visited the volcano, Nikia, Emporio and drove out to the end of the road after Pali. Manana came into the harbour. We bought a water colour from the youngsters camping outside Pali.

It was the day for the celebration and we went to the party organised in the small monastery behind Nikia perched on the edge of the volcano. There was a good turnout with plenty of food and music. Met some French whose family had bought house in Emporio. We eventually got back to the boat round 1am and then Svein and Alex went to Manana for a drink.

Time to leave Nisyros so late afternoon we motored over to Yiali. Had a swim. Alex fished but with no success.

The next morning we left Yaili and motored over to Kardamena. We moored on the quay and had lunch at Teo. We went over to Orchid and saw Jim and Jane. As we had not seen them since Messolonghi we spent a few hours with them catching up and then they came to us for drinks in the evening. Svein and Alex vanished afterwards to watch European foot on the big screens.

Orchid left and Svein and Alex slept late after the late session the night before. Laerke arrived and we had lunch together. Svein and Alex went off to see football matches in the evening. Caryn sent off emails requesting harbour prices to Kos, Kas, Finike for the winter.

We hired a car so that we could visit the island and also do some shopping. Our first port of call the harbour in Kos where we got confirmation of a place for the winter. Other that the trip into Kos we did not see much of the island as the time spent waiting round to see the harbour master and then looking for various items for the boat and doing the shopping ate into the programme. Instead Alex and Caryn went swimming and then collected the filled diving bottle.

We are still in Kardamena as there are very strong winds today. Alex and Caryn went to the beach but although it was possible to swim it was impossible to sit on the beach with all the sand blowing. We had very good dinner at Teo after having eaten lunch on Laerke. Svein helped Niels install the new ladder they had bought the day before.

After watching the England/Scotland match in the Rugby World Cup we had lunch and then left the harbour. We hoisted sails outside the harbour and headed along the coast. We encountered very strong gusts (30+) off the head of Khelona. We managed to sail a little but quickly lowered the main and genoa. We anchored off Kamares bay with strong gusts. The meltemi has not died down here so we will wait it out before rounding the island to head North.

Virtually no wind this morning when we woke up so we weighed anchor and left the bay heading North. We managed to hoist the sails and then motor sailed up to the island of Kalymnos and the bay of Emporio where we picked up a mooring buoy (first of the season). Lovely bay with clear water although we are starting to notice a drop in the temperature. The nights getting definitely a little cooler so need now need a blanket.

We decided to stay in Emporio for the day as the winds were very difficult and we did not want head winds heading to Leros, our next stop. Alex fished and managed to catch enough for a fresh fish dinner with salad. Alex and Svein took the dinghy and tried their luck further out but without success so had to go out to dinner that was good and cheap. We hope to be able to move on tomorrow.

Late morning we left the bay and headed North under engine as we only had head winds. We arrived early afternoon at Lakki bay on Leros island and moored in Lakki marina. We took full advantage of the shower facilities and then visited the town. It is a strange place with no soul.

After spending the morning in Lakki sorting out emails, booking flights to UK and ringing on Skype we left to go South before the strong winds at the weekend. We managed to sail after leaving the bay of Lakki and headed south along the east coast of Kalymnos. We finally reached the fjord of Vathi where we anchored. We met Manolis on the quay who was interested in the PC navigation system in exchange for taking Alex fishing. He is a professional fisherman so should be interesting. The plan is to take Alex into Kalymos to get the right bait and then take the dinghy and try and catch something. So we shall be in Vathi for an extra day whilst Alex enjoys himself and then we shall head for Kos to wait out the storm and finalise the contract for the winter.

Manolis was a no show so no fishing. Instead we wandered round the village that was very charming. We left late morning and managed to sail with all sails, spinnaker and then did a fancy manoeuvre in Kos harbour to anchor. We had decided to stay in the harbour for the night before finalising the winter contract and leaving for Nisyros to sit out the strong southerly due at the weekend. We again met Jim from Orchid. We visited the town and found internet so Caryn was able to alter her UK return to the right date.

We walked to the marina and confirmed our booking for the winter. Jespan was in the harbour so we went to see them as again we had last seen them in Messolonghi. After a little shopping we left the harbour for Nisyros as we wanted to be tucked up there safely during the coming strong winds. The trip took nearly 4 hours under engine but we got a spot on the South quay next to Laerke who had arrived from Kalymnos.

It was a quiet day with plenty of rain overnight and in the morning. Svein worked on flush deck hatches to make them waterproof so hope it works. The test will be tomorrow.

It rained during the night and we had thunderstorm overhead but the hatches no longer leak!!! The harbour is full of people waiting for the bad weather to pass and there is not much happening on the island. We have spent a great deal of time watching the Rugby World Cup and Svein fixed the cable for the antenna so we have good reception on board again.

A very wet day so we stayed on the boat and relaxed. The departure date for Alex is approaching so we must move on. The holiday has already nearly drawn to a close.

We left Nisyros and motored to Symi harbour after an uneventful trip although there was a good deal of swell during the crossing. There are still some scattered showers but as we had not seen rain since May it is appreciated. The locals are all saying that this bout of rain has come much earlier in the season than in previous years. Even in Symi one can feel the season drawing to a close with far fewer tripper boats although there seems to be a never ending stream of yachts.

We are still in Symi harbour. Svein has found a very good chandler so has bought new manual pump for cockpit bilges and also some fishing gear. We had some fun and games when a charter boat tried to leave the harbour. He had placed his anchor chain at right angles and half way up the harbour so inevitably we were over it and had to go out to release him and then reanchor.

It is time to leave Symi and return to Rhodes so that Alex can catch his flight. We motor sailed across and Alex caught a yellow fin tuna (that we lost) and then a 1.5kg tuna that we managed to land. We anchored outside the harbour and were invited to dinner in Per and Elly’s new house in the old town along with Captain Jacques, his guests and Per’s brother and his wife. The tuna was cooked on BBQ and everyone (10) managed to get a slice. It is a lovely house and our housewarming present went down well. We had made a cord mat using the Napoleon knot.

Alex had an early flight today so Caryn went to the airport with him whilst Svein helped Per take Sybaris on land for the winter. We all met up at the house for lunch together with Keith (Castor and Pollux) who was over from Marmaris renewing his visa. In the afternoon we moved into the superyacht quay for at least one night. The good weather is back with lots of sun and we are now getting used to being just the two of us on board again. We now have two weeks to wait before we take up our winter mooring in Kos marina.

Despite the weather forecast there were fairly strong winds when we left Rhodes and that enabled us to test the new main sail and at one point we were sailing with mizzen, main, stay sails and genoa. We had a good sail down to Lindos although there were a great deal of gusts. We anchored in the bay with a line ashore and can now look forward to a week’s relaxation after all the hard work. The boat looks great now and she moved very smoothly through the water today.

After a quiet night on board we relaxed on the boat and took advantage of the crystal clear water and swam a great deal. We took the dinghy into shore and found an internet cafe on the waterfront and caught up on our emails.

Whilst relaxing on deck we noticed that the bilge pump in the engine room seemed to be working overtime. Svein checked axle and saw that it was time to change the stern gland which he did. Unfortunately it also has a problem so that will be the first thing we order when we get back to Rhodes. Despite the tripper boats it is a quiet and calm anchorage with none of the winds encountered in Rhodes.

A new day and time to go sightseeing day. We started with a dinghy run round the bay and into the next ones and found some interesting places. Once back in Lindos bay we climbed up to the town and found the bar from last year. Caryn treated herself to a fish pedicure which was very interesting and very good. Whilst checking on the internet we had the sad news that our friends on Tribal Kat had run into difficulty off the Yemen coast and that the boat had been found drifting with blood and bullet holes and no people. We can only wait for news from either mutual friends or the newspapers.

A quiet day on the boat and Svein serviced the gearbox. We again swam a great deal and went into the beach for internet to follow up on Tribal Kat.

After one week it is time to return to Rhodes to prepare for our visitor. We managed to sail under spinnaker most of way and only hit the strong winds outside Faliraki. We had dinner on board Sybaris (who had also arrived) and learned the final outcome for Tribal Kat.

The next day was a girl’s day out so Elly and Caryn spent the day in town checking out the shops. with Elly. Caryn managed to buy some items for Svein and also herself and then returned to the boat to prepare the dinner for Sybaris who were coming to eat on board.

Alex (Caryn ‘s son) was due to leave France today but we received a call to say that he had missed his flight. Fortunately he has managed to get a flight for tomorrow so will arrive only 12 hours late. Alex was due to leave France today but missed his flight. Caryn managed to cancel his ferry bookings and get a partial refund and find a direct flight to Rhodes for the next day. Took the washing in and did some last minute shopping. It was an exhausting as walked everywhere and some distances were long and uphill. We had dinner on Sybaris.

Whilst waiting for Alex to arrive in the evening we visited the Turkish Consulate to enquire about visas if we decide to stay in Turkey this winter. Caryn then took an interesting trip to the airport on the bus as it was packed like sardines. It is not a dedicated airport bus but serves all the hotels on the west coast. We had a quick meal in town before getting back to the boat. Now the adventure can begin.

We were lifted out early and then unfortunately had to wait several hours for the water and electricity to be connected. One this was achieved Caryn scrubbed down the undersides that were only covered with slime and a few barnacles so the antifouling from last year had held up well. Svein started working on the topsides and found that the bolts holding the backstays of the main mast were rusted so had to be changed. He managed to find a very good stainless steel shop and bought new ones so already by the evening the starboard ones were changed. We decided we deserved a meal out (particularly as it is no fun trying to cook on land) so we explored the local back streets and found a superb Greek restaurant. By the end of the day we were satisfied with what we had achieved. Although it is hot and windy there is a nice beach within the boatyard so it is easy to cool off.

Caryn managed to paint the first coat of paint on the port side before the heat got too bad and Svein sanded the topsides and changed the bolts on the port side for the backstay. Found a small restaurant where we had gone for a pita gyros and where we were plied with drinks by one of the locals. We also discovered that the owners of the taverna come from Nisyros

Another day and the starboard undersides got its first coat and Svein painted port topsides first coat. He had found new green paint at €6 a litre and it is the same colour.

On the third day Caryn managed to apply the second coat of anti-fouling to both sides. Svein applied the first coat of paint to starboard and the second coat on port. Sybaris arrived and we all had dinner at Drachma restaurant.

As the undersides were finished Caryn could now turn her attention to her duties and this involved a big shop at Lidl. Elly and Caryn shared a taxi both ways and managed to get everything that was needed. Meanwhile Svein finished the port topside painting and placed the aluminium strip at the waterline. He also put on the new fancy name tape on the starboard side of the boat.

The next day Caryn had promised a cheesecake so that Sybaris could welcome their family with it so whilst Svein was busy installing the rest of the name tapes she made the cheesecake. Svein also prepared the dinghy ready for antifouling and did some minor repairs that it needed. The antifouling was also completed and name tapes were also put on the dinghy. Once the work on the boat was completed we delivered the cheesecake to Sybaris, who had got a place in the harbour, and then we went into town to find internet and have a meal. On our return to the boat we cleaned up and prepared for the launch the next morning. We also took advantage of the water supply and did some hand washing. The major wash will have to be done next week in the laundry we return to Rhodes to pick up Caryn’s son.

We were ready early to launch but eventually we went in the water at 13h00 just as the wind picked up. We filled with water and washed the boat down before leaving to go to anchor in the bay. There were strong winds all afternoon and we will head to Lindos tomorrow to relax.

The strong wind led to some fun and games in the evening at the anchorage as one of the regulars (who lives on the island and leaves his boat in the bay for the summer) dragged. No-one on land seemed to care other than to tell Svein to move the boat as a ferry was coming in. We roped in a neighbouring French boat to help out and we hoisted our anchor and then using the dinghy took a rope to the distressed boat and pulled him out again so that it could be re-anchored. We dropped our anchor again and then the Frenchman on board “Mabel” fixed her anchor and brought our dinghy back to us. All in all a fairly stressful 30 minutes but all is well that ends well. The ferry duly arrived and the boat would have been in the way of his manoeuvre. Svein went to the yard to try and find someone but the office was closed although the people on their boats had watched the rescue and promised to let the owner know what had happened. As usual in the heat of the moment we could not take any pictures so only have a picture of the boat after the event. To end the story the night watchman at the yard telephoned us to hear what had happened and shortly afterwards the owner arrived to spend the night on board. Once the disco on the cruise ship closed we had a quiet night and were up early to leave the anchorage. Just before leaving Svein went over to Mabel and spoke to the owner just to ensure that there were no problems.

We left Alimnia bright and early heading for Symi. We tried to sail but it was impossible as the wind was not strong enough. We anchored safely in the harbour and settled in for a relaxing break starting with a dinner on shore and plenty of swimming. There are plenty of boats at anchorage so there is plenty of entertainment.

After two days in Pedi we decided to go to Symi town to stock up as drinks were particularly low. We took the hair raising ride into the town and wandered round. We ordered our stocks and arranged for them to be delivered to the bus in time for our return journey. This gave us time to have a light lunch before heading back. We also found a new hat for Svein and a bikini for Caryn.

Spent another quiet day on the boat with plenty of swimming and noticed that the number of boats had decreased dramatically.

Finally came the time to leave and we headed out of the bay. After 2 hours we were able to hoist the sails and continue under sail to Rhodes. We initially anchored outside the harbour with a line ashore but local tripper boat complained so we went into the bay outside Nereus boatyard.

Svein visited the boatyard and arranged for a lift out. We then went into town and bought the paint for both the top and under sides. Lift out tomorrow morning and then the hard work starts.

On leaving Chalki we decided to explore the uninhabited island of Alimnia that lies between Chalki and Rhodes. We were afraid that the anchorage would be crowded but were very pleasantly surprised to find only 2 other boats there.

For once a bit of history. The island is an extraordinary place with its own wells so therefore very green but has been completely deserted since 1960. There are many abandoned houses (said to be owned by Chalki fishermen) together with 2 churches that are complete with their icons, altars and bells. There are some goats that wander round but that is the only life we saw whilst we were there.

Apparently during World War II the bays were used by the Germans to hide submarines and we think that we found some anti submarine netting that could be strung across the entrance on the beach. It was the only explanation we could come up with for the metal circles that were strung together. There were also signs of barracks to house the troops at that time complete with bullet holes and crude drawings on the walls. Initially in 1944 the inhabitants were deported for the first time as a punishment for aiding 7 British commandos who were caught trying to sabotage the submarines. The commandos were taken to Thessalonika where they were executed.

We anchored in the South bay in clear water and on the first day took full advantage of it to cool down. Svein did a little snorkelling but it was good to relax and enjoy the scenery.

After a good night’s rest with no tugging ropes or squeaking pontoons we watched the other boats leave and a few others arrive but there was really not much traffic and plenty of space for everyone. In the afternoon we lowered the dinghy and went off to explore. We started by investigating the crane that we could see in the water and found that it was part of a sunken barge (which Svein later explored and filmed with the underwater camera). We then took the dinghy around to the North bay and explored the first church and the deserted barracks walking amongst the pine trees and along the beach. There was even one house still equipped with bedding and crockery although also full of goat’s droppings. Another short ride in the dinghy as we reached the little hamlet settlement that was complete with paved walkways and houses that were cabled for electricity but all was abandoned. There was also a 2^nd church here and even a bread oven.

It really was an idyllic spot that we have found and hopefully we will be able to return in the near future but after a second night here it was time to move on.

After a good sail we reached the bay of Livadia on Tilos in the early afternoon and anchored off the beach. There were not too many boats when we arrived although quite a few arrived in the later afternoon. Nothing seemed to have changed since our last visit and for the first night we did not bother to go ashore. We spent the day and evening gently recovering from the previous night’s festivities. The next morning we decided to stay another day as we had no fixed plans until the middle of September. We lazed on the boat and took full advantage of the clear water to cool down in. In the evening we took the dinghy ashore and wandered the streets. We made an unsuccessful attempt to dine in one restaurant that said they were open but continued to ignore us after we had sat down. After a short wait we left and went to the town square where we had a drink and then found a new restaurant upstairs over the supermarket that had a fantastic view over the bay and all the activities. We watched the local ferry come and disgorge the holidaymakers and after the meal made our way back to the boat for a good nights sleep.

The next day we decided to explore some of the other bays in Tilos and duly set out to find them. Unfortunately the two we visited we were unable to anchor in as they were very deep and there was a great deal of swell so we decided to head for Chalki. We had a good sail until we reached the SW corner of Chalki and then we encountered a tail wind and a great deal of swell that made the latter part of the trip very uncomfortable. We eventually anchored in the bay outside the harbour with a line ashore although the first anchoring attempt failed and we brought up a mooring chain and a deflated marker buoy. The second attempt was successful and we were safely anchored for the night.

We enjoyed the anchorage so much that we stayed there another day and took the dinghy into town to stretch our legs a little and hook up to internet. Whilst on land an enormous ferry came in to the harbour and it really looked as though all the boats on the quay would be hit. It was a very weird optical illusion.

After a quiet night at anchorage the next day Svein checked on the quay to find out the conditions and discovered there was water available with no limit. At last a chance to wash down the boat after the salt sprays endured whilst in Nisyros. We waited until the quay was free and duly made our way over there to have the wind pick up just at that moment. We had to take 3 attempts to get the anchor to take and finally we were moored. Just as we had finished the owners of the boat next to us returned and prepared to leave. We were able to get the mooring that we wanted at last alongside the inside of the hammer head so were securely fastened. The wind blew up and we suffered very strong gusts from the west for several hours that pulled on the ropes but there were no problems. Several boats came into shelter and there was some fun and games on the quay getting everyone settled in. We duly paid our dues (€12) and filled with water, washed the boat down and put the urgent washing into soak overnight.

After a fairly bumpy night we decided to stay at quay another day and Svein did some odd jobs on the boat. Our neighbours from Athens kept Svein supplied with real expresso coffee something he has not drunk for some time. A lunch on land and a lazy afternoon swimming from the quay. It really is the good life. In the evening we had the pleasant surprise of being offered a free night at quay.

Early the next day we said goodbye to the neighbours and headed the short distance to Alimnia the subject of a separate chapter.

What an experience! After the strong winds that had kept us in the harbour we were getting ready to leave when we heard about the celebrations for the 15^th August and we were persuaded to stay a few days longer. It was obviously a big occasion as the harbour was overcrowded and there were boats anchored outside (a first for us since we have been coming here). In addition there were calls from people asking for hire cars and hotel rooms although everything had been booked for months. Anyway Mike had promised to drive us to the festivities to be held at the Kyra monastery on the way to Nikia. After a little bit of a muddle we were eventually collected at 19h15 and driven there in his father/s 1991 Subaru that he had brought back from the States and was still using. We arrived early on site but it enabled us to see the surroundings, visit the church and the monastery (that is kept in pristine condition by donations) and to see the preparations and the band warming up, The food that would be served was all cooked by volunteers from the town of Pali. As there was still fasting the meal consisted of a salad followed by a bean dish (the meat dish would be served the following day at lunch). Everything was cooked in very large pots over an open wooden fire and was delicious. There must have been between 500 and 600 people participating. The music was non stop and everyone danced all the traditional dances that seemed to go on forever. We eventually left at 1h30 but heard the next that some had got home at 5am. On the way back we visited the monastery of St John the Theologian that overlooks Nikia as Mike was very proud of the fact that after 8 years the access road had at last been tarred.

The following day we said our goodbyes and left the harbour to continue our journey and headed for Tilos.

Plenty of movement in the harbour  with boats coming and going. Crazy Dreams has arrived so our 3rd meeting this summer and an excuse for Caryn to have some drinks with them and to eat out.

Caryn took the bus into Mandraki to post a letter to Alex with all the details of getting to the harbour from the harbour and then did some shopping in preparation for Svein’s return.

Ginny arrived today in time for the Sybaris celebration. The wind has started picking up so put out an extra rope. Our dinghy was borrowed by a neighbour to help a third boat that was in trouble as he had dragged. Caryn was busy getting the boat ready for Svein’s return tomorrow.

Svein was collected from the ferry by Mike (Eagle’s Nest) and as he arrived on the quay Sybaris also arrived. Svein was very tired from a 30 hour journey but many were awaiting to see him and give him a drink. After a liquid lunch on Crazy Dreams  we both retired to have a snooze before meeting up for a farewell dinner.

Crazy Dreams has moved on and today is the day for the birthday celebrations. Caryn made an orange cheesecake for coffee on board Sybaris. The celebration started with a coffee and cake session on Sybaris and then drinks to end the evening with a delicious diner at Aphrodite.

Ginny and Sybaris have moved on but we are expecting Miss Cat who will get some birthday cake. Went to the beach with Svein for a reviving swim.

Again a trip to the beach as it will be a few days before we can get there again with the winds that are predicted. Charisma arrived late and moored beside us.

The wind has steadily picked up during the day and was reading 30+ by mid afternoon with the prospect of it rising later in the evening as the peak was forecast at 3am. We are safely moored and not feeling it too much as it is NW. A few new boats have turned up and they must have had a hairy sail. After 24 hours the wind is still blowing and the sea is sometimes coming over the digue. A charter boat left has they were due to return their charter boat. We are very glad that we no longer have the deadline problem and can just wait out the wind before moving on.

It has been a quiet time whilst Svein has been in Norway. An opportunity to clean and check out the storage cupboards and to visit the beach to swim and read in the shade of the trees. The weather has been very hot and sultry with winds of all forces and from all directions but apart from the daily worry of other boats dropping over our anchor everything has been snug on the boat. A visit to Mandraki to top up the telephone and wander round the town has been the most adventurous outing unlike the horrors that awaited Svein on his arrival in Norway. Fortunately he and his family are all safe and well. Svein seems to be in need of a holiday on his return at the end of the week as he has been driving great distances round Norway visiting the family in their various homes but he has also managed to spend a few days in the family cabin in the mountains. Hopefully the temperature shock will not be too drastic when he gets back. He will need to be on form as it will be a busy time meeting friends in Nisyros to celebrate the birthdays of Elly and Per on Sybaris. After that we have no plans until the middle of September when Alex (Caryn’s son) will come for a visit.

We left Turgutreis with no wind but eventually got some side wind so hoisted sails. We spoke to Keith and Angie on VHF as we passed each other (they were on their way to check into Turkey).  We rounded the head after Kos town and hit  winds 25+ and then nothing!. We had winds from all directions today which meant we managed to sail a good bit of the way. With just two yachts on the water we had a very close encounter with an Italian boat under engine (whilst we were sailing) that had nobody on deck as a lookout. Caryn managed to attract their attention whilst Svein was fixing the bilge pump in the engine room. They hit the davit fixture but it was a very close call. We  came into Kardamena to find the harbour full but after some negotiations with the harbour police we managed to get a mooring amongst the tripper boats although some of them were not pleased. Whilst there we decided to do a shop and were kindly lent a car by Veronica. The boat is now stocked up again (we were down to our last 6 beers!!!!) before leaving for Nisyros. We had dinner at our usual haunt in town. The evening however was very tense as the town was  teeming with English students living it up after their exams who were up until 6h30 the next morning. There is no way that Caryn is going to spend  2 weeks here on her own with the boat whilst Svein is in Norway.

We left the mooring and made our way to Pali on Nisyros where we were due to meet Prydwen. We arrived late morning to be welcomed with open arms by everyone. It was good to be back. Jean Francois and Francoise had already arrived together with Corinne and Philippe Jeantot who are on their way to Thailand the long way round. Svein worked on satellite telephone problem for Philippe and we all had dinner in Aphrodite. Nikos presented Svein with eggs from his farm.

Time to tidy the boat but only managed to wash half the floor before the heat got to be too much and got the washing done. With the sunshine the first load was dry by midday. It is very hot despite the breeze. Corinne and Philippe left for Crete and Svein helped Jean Francois with his computer. Michael  (from the car rental company) asked him to paint a sign for him. We had drinks on Prydwen after Francoise and Caryn had been to the beach where Francoise had her first swim of the year. We had dinner at Antonio’s and came home with a bag of home grown tomatoes.

Finished the washing and washing the floor before the heat set in. Svein completed the sign for Mike and we all swam off the beach. Had drinks on board C’est la Vie and  finished with a meal at Aphrodite. Unfortunately we have been told that we much leave the harbour for 24 hours as there is a regatta coming. We have had confirmation that Sybaris is on its way so Prydwen has decided to stay and see them. We shall both leave tomorrow morning and anchor of the island of Yiali.

The anchorage is beautiful although the island is very scarred from the excavation of the sand. We went ashore and found a strange phenomenon in the water – bubbles of air coming  through the sand.  We had a BBQ on the beach and managed to get a very good sunset photo. As soon as the regatta leaves we shall return to Nisyros and get the boat settled in before Svein leaves for Norway.

We waited until 10h30 for the  regatta departure. We thought that as there was quite a bit of wind in the bay we would have a good sail across and  prepared all the sails. As soon as we hoisted the anchor and were underway the wind dropped so we motored back to Pali.  We moored on the North wall of the harbour.  Sybaris arrived and we all had dinner together with Prydwen at Aphrodite. Temperatures are rising again.

After a quiet day with visits to the beach we all had a farewell dinner for everyone on board Sybaris with orange cheesecake, far breton and nasi goreng.

Prydwen left to continue their travels. It has been very difficult to finalise how Svein is going to get to Kos to catch his plane as there are uncertainties about the ferries and the taxis so when Sybaris offered to take him as they were going to spend the night in Kos it was the perfect solution. Svein went of board and they left for Kos. It was apparently a bumpy ride that took 6 hours as they battled winds that at one point were 32 knots. In Nisyros it was windy and unpleasant on the beach. Svein caught his flight after a long wait in the airport so he will probably arrive very tired.

The time had come to leave Turkey so we left Marmaris heading for Bozburun which should have been our last port of call. Unfortunately although we had good winds to start with it soon changed to head winds (20-29 k) that we battled against as well as stormy seas so we halted for the night in Serce Bay. We anchored with line ashore but after a while moved to try to find calmer spot as the wind was not dropping. In the end we copied the gullets and ended up with line ashore from bow so lined up with shore facing into wind. The wind eventually dropped at midnight.

We left early the next morning to head for Bozburun to check out and this time we had calm seas and head winds no matter which direction we headed. We anchored outside the harbour and after lunch and a snooze for Svein we went ashore.  Caryn caught up on emails whilst Svein checked out the checking out procedures. We discovered that if we wanted to  reclaim VAT it can only be done in Marmaris, Datca or Bodrum so we shall now make our way to Datca over the next few days. We went ashore for dinner at Osman’s and also changed some books . The temperatures are definitely rising.

We decided to stay in Bozburun another day and in the evening we were invited to dinner by the owner of Osman where we dined with the staff and ate a very tasty local fish.

In order to try and beat the head winds we left Bozburun early and although we managed to unfurl the genoa for a short time we motored most of the way and eventually anchored outside the new Datca harbour that has been completely refurbished. We explored the town a little but must now go to Bodrum as the customs office does not have the right stamps!

We continued down the coast line but stopped for the night in the anchorage of Knidos because of the strong winds.

In the morning we left the bay under engine and again had very strong gusts heading for Bodrum that increased as we rounded head and crossed the bay. We managed to unfurl the genoa for a time.  Arriving at Bodrum we entered the marina and refuelled at the fuel quay and then treated! (being the operative word) ourselves to a night in the marina as we thought it would be our last night in Turkey. It turned out to be very expensive with staff that were not very pleasant and the marina was like an oven.  Fortunately we did have the shower block to hand and made very good use of its excellent facilities although it worked out that each shower was very costly taking into account the cost of the night (€77). We tried to find an agent to check us out – one wanted 120€ and another 170€ – and we were told that the VAT could not be reclaimed as we had dealt with companies that were not recognised for non VAT products!!! We had a lunch in town and wandered round it again in the evening when it had cooled down. During the day we had read 40+ in the cockpit in the shade. We surfed the web for most of the day and caught up on emails. It is a very busy town and  crawling with tourists. The choice of gullets available for hire was incredible. Certainly not our favourite town and we sincerely doubt that we will return there.

Hopefully our final day in Turkey so after a shower we sorted out the marina and left heading for Turgutreis. The forecast had suggested supposedly lesser winds but it was not to be. We battled against them for 3 hours but then anchored outside Turgutreis harbour. This is a very nice harbour with very nice and helpful staff. We took the dinghy in and started the checking out procedure. It was very simple. We paid a small agent’s fee to the marina who prepared the papers and then took them to the customs building within the marina complex and went from one guichet to the next getting the stamps and removing a page of the transit log each time. It took 15 minutes and that was because one of the officers had to be woken from his nap and he was sleeping soundly and it cost 55 Turkish Lire (25€). Once the check out done we went to do some last minute shopping for vegetables and Caryn then left Svein at the pool and went to spend the remaining lire at the hairdresser with a pedicure, manicure and haircut.She still did not manage to spend everything so there will be some in the kitty for the next trip but the sour taste of Bodrum was removed and we were left with a pleasant memory of our last day in Turkey. Back on the boat decided to open a bottle of champagne to celebrate our Turkish trip and dined on local lamb with potatoes and squash cooked in the Cobb.  There was a classical concert in the harbour but unfortunately it was sold out and we were not able to hear much from the boat.

We tried to leave Kastellorizo early but the neighbour had managed to put his anchor over ours so we were delayed a little in leaving the harbour. We started out motoring with no wind but that soon changed and for a short time we were able to motor sail but even that did not last long and we ended up with very strong winds on the nose (20+) and a very bumpy sea. So much so that we shortened the journey and stopped for the night in Cold Water Bay. Firstly we anchored in Karacaonen Bay but we changed to anchor behind St Nicolas island when the swell entered the bay and we were rolling like crazy. George came and greeted us having remembered us from our previous visit and we treated ourselves to some pancakes from the pancake boat. Just right to finish off dinner.

After checking the water pump axle and greasing the propeller axle Caryn swam ashore and released the land line. We motored out of the channel and starting making our way towards Marmaris. The swell was still very bad and with strong NW winds forecast we decided to put into Kizulkuyruk bay again to wait for a calmer sea. We anchored amongst the gullets that had a never ending dance of entering and leaving the bay with their different customers. It is a pity that one cannot impart the sense of smell in pictures, film or video as the day we have spent in the bay has been a bouquet of smells. The strongest has been the scent of pine that wafts over boat every time there is a strong gust of wind. There have been some very strong gusts into the bay so very glad that we were not fighting them at sea. It should be calmer tomorrow so we can continue on our way and reach Marmaris where we shall pick up the new sail and fill diesel as well as stocking up on the engine spares that we need.

We have had a change of plan. After checking the diesel we have decided to go into Gocek to fuel as we want to be sure that there is enough to get us to Marmaris with no problems. We had a dicey exit from the anchorage as Caryn had to raise the anchor whilst Svein was taking in the line ashore and then we had to store the dinghy in the davits whilst underway and all this during strong gusts of wind and anchored between big gullets. In fact we even thought that one had put his chain over ours but that was a false alarm. On arriving in Gocek we filled the tank and all the cans and then anchored for the night in Gocek bay and got it right after several attempts

Very bright and early Svein started the engine and weighed anchor (06h00) to get as far as possible before the strong NW winds hit us in the afternoon. We motored for a few hours and round the head and crossed the wide bay where there are military restrictions. We were able to unfurl the genoa for a time that increased our speed by nearly 1 knot but had to furl again on the approach to Marmaris. We finally anchored in the bay outside Pupa at 13h30 just before the winds started. We stayed on the boat in the afternoon as Svein took several naps to recover. We saw Alex from North Sails who sailed passed on a catamaran that was trying out their new genoa. We also saw Orion in the distance.

Before going into town to see North Sails we packed up the main sail in preparation for fitting the new one. Svein saw Ginny leaving the bay early. We went into town and arranged an appointment with North Sails. We did our shopping and then North Sails drove us back to Pupa and fitted the main sail. North Sails took back the staysail to adjust. This will  take a week. We went over to Orion for drinks in the evening

Our wedding anniversary today. We went into town to pay for the sail and declined the compressor. We visited every chandler looking for spinlocks without success and went to Yacht Marina to change books and have a swim in the afternoon.

We finished the evening with a very good dinner at Pupa to mark the occasion.

Today we took the boat out into the bay to try out the new sail. We had very little wind but managed to stay on the water 7 hours before coming back to anchor nearer to Yacht Marina.

A new day and we decided to go into Yacht Marina to get a good internet connection and to have a swim.  We are just filling in time now until we get the stay sail back and can check out of Turkey and back into Greece before Svein goes to Norway to visit his family.

We left Port Sevento early and motored over to the island of Kastellorizo – the last Greek island opposite Kas. We walked the island exploring the nooks and cranies. Sybaris arrived with their guests. We did a little shopping (mainly pork products) and had dinner with Sybaris and learned a great deal of the Greek locals feelings regarding the economic situation. It is a truly quiet island that has many visitors that are Greeks who have emigrated to Australia and elsewhere and come back to the family home.

What a fantastic day. With the guidelines from Darren we started out early with Elly and Per and drove by Kapusta Beach where the Saklikent Canyon ends and then visited Letoon , Xanthos (both historical Lycian sights). Letoon had temples dedicated to Leto and her two sons Apollo and Artemis. Xanthos, on the other hand, was the largest city of the Lycia nation and large remains have been excavated including an amphitheatre. It was also the town where the citizens jumped into the river from the cliffs to avoid being captured.

It would also seem that this area is the tomato growing area and there were kilometres of plastic warehouses and all the roads were filled with tractors filled with tomatoes. Even the air was filled with the smell of fresh tomatoes.

We then continued on to the entrance of the Saklikent Canyon where we had a lunch before braving the cold water. Svein and Per were brave and crossed the torrent to wander up into the canyon whilst Elly sat at the water’s edge with her feet in the water.

From here we finished the tour with a trip to the Yaka National Park whilst passing through ruins of Tlos the old Lycian capital and stopped at a fantastic restaurant/hotel. Here there were waterfalls everywhere and tree houses had been built for people to relax in whilst eating and drinking. The bar even had trout swimming through it. A fantastic end to a very rewarding day. We returned to Kas to return the car and after a quick session on internet and a light snack we went back to the boat.

Stopped for the night in an idyllic bay in Bestas Limani. Originally only boat in the small bay but later on we were joined by  two others for company.Thee is a  fresh water spring in bay. George helped us with the line ashore. The only inconvenience was the boats selling ice creams, bread, pastries and pancakes that came by and were very insistent. Their goods very expensive.

We left the bay early with George handling the line ashore. We motored out of the bay and then had a light tail wind so we hoisted the spinnaker. We sailed under spinnaker for 3 hours but our speed dropped so much that if we had continued it would have taken 26 hours to reach Kas! Svein was eventually persuaded to start the engine and we reached the anchorage outside the new Kas Marina at 17.20. We discovered that anchored beside us was Sybaris who had just dropped off guests. As it was St. Hansen (the longest day in the calendar) they invited us over for a typical Swedish dinner.

We took the dinghy to get ashore and took the bus into Kas town. After a pedicure and a few other bits and bops the girls met up with the boys and Tom Erik our Norwegian friend who now lives in Kas and who we had not seen since he left Port Napoleon in 2008. Elly and Caryn did the town whilst the boys went back to the boats. After several hours and a few purchases including a much needed pair of swimming trunks for Svein we went back to the boat to get ready for dinner in town. We met up with Tom Erick and his friends Mark and Darren. Darren was mine of information and helped us plan our tour of the local sights. We picked up the hire car and returned to the boat ready for our adventure the next day.

After our visit of the cultural Kas we arrived at market day. Elly and Caryn visited the market and stocked up on fruit and vegetables. Caryn also bought some scarves for the family in Norway. She made a strawberry cheesecake for dinner with Sybaris and tried her hand at sun drying tomatoes on deck. With the price of tomatoes at 50 cents a kilo it is a pity not to try but we must wait and see how the experiment turns out. Cary  took a deserved swim afterwards. Svein visited Tom Erik’s new boat and returned to ours for drinks. As our dinner finished quite late we decided not to visit the concert in the harbour. 

Time to leave the anchorage outside Kas Marina and motor to Port Sevento opposite Kas harbour. A truly lovely spot with beach and jetty. We filled with water and washed the deck down at last then spent afternoon on the beach just like a holidaymaker.

Whilst Sybaris left with their guests we decided to stay another day here as it was so peaceful. Svein got out the sewing machine and made a cover for the new outboard. #whilst we were having lunch we saw several calamari swimming round the beach area. We preferred to swim from the boat. Svein took the dinghy into Kas town to get bread and post the cards that had accumulated. It Took him just over 6 minutes to do the journey. Whilst we were at the jetty we were ticked off by an off duty coastguard that our Turkish courtesy flag had to be changed! We are not the only people who have had this experience and it is true that all the Turkish flags on the boats or buildings are always in pristine condition.