Turkey Flotilla Charter

Sunsail Flotilla in Turkey | From Kas

Contributed by Carolyn Dales

Saturday, June 16th

After a lengthy, harrowing ride to JFK, we did board our Turkish Airlines flight. The food and movies were quite good. The flight was 9 hours to Istanbul.

Sunday, June 17th

Customs was a breeze. We managed to get all4 of us in one taxi, and arrived at the Sari Konak Hotel before noon. If a Turk did not speak English, he would get on his cell phone to someone who did, hand the phone to you, take it back after you had your issues resolved, and find out in Turkish what had transpired. The hotel manager was very helpful, and soon we were off on foot to the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Cistern. All were built around the 6th Century. At each location we picked up nice informative English-speaking guides.

Last we toured the mosaic tile museum. By the time we finished, it was time for happy hour on the hotel terrace, which had a marvelous view of the Blue Mosque. We had dinner at Zeyrekhane restaurant, which proved to be excellent. The entire area was steeped in history plus there was a great view of the Marmara Sea from our table. After another quick trip to the hotel terrace for a photo op, we called it a night and fell asleep immediately. 

Monday, June 18th

We were up by 6 and off to the airport and Dalaman, where we met up with our other 2 crew members. The Sunsail driver took us all to Gocek, where we took the ferry to the main part of town and had lunch at a waterfront café. Suzanne and I went to the Internet Café and sent a few e-mails, and then joined the others to do our provisioning. After moving aboard “Lady Jill,” a Dufour 45, we had a nice Turkish dinner near the Sunsail base.

Tuesday, June 19th

After check out with our Flotilla leaders, John, the Captain, Pippa, the Hostess, and Dave the Engineer, we sailed down Skopea Limani. We made a lunch stop at Tersane. Richard became our designated swimmer to tie our stern line to anything available; in this case a rock. We swam and had a nice lunch, courtesy of Suzanne and Debbie’s culinary skills. We ended up in Kapi Creek, stern to a very dilapidated dock. We had group “happy hour” and then group dinner. There were 8 boats in the Flotilla crewed by 25 Brits and the 6 of us. Everyone was very friendly.

Wednesday, June 20th

Our lunch stop today was Olu Deniz, where the movie “Blue Lagoon” was made. We had to anchor outside and take the dinghy and kayak in. Jim and Suz took the kayak and moved as fast as the rest of us with the 2.5 hp finicky, outboard. It was pretty, but flanked by an extremely crowded beach. We anchored stern to in Cold Water Bay, and had Wild Boar Stew for supper. Our boat had dinner, with wine, breakfast, and 2 loaves of fresh baked bread, all for $77.

Thursday, June 21st

At 7 a.m., Pippa and about 20 of us, hiked up a large mountain and down the other side to the ruins of Karakoy, a Greek Village from the 17th Century. The church was fairly well preserved, but the town buildings had only walls left standing. The Turks apparently chased the Greeks out in 1923. We left for our 35 mile sail to Kalkan before 10 a.m. The wind was kind of fluky after the first half hour so we motor sailed, then as we turned the corner into Kalkan Bay (Yali Limani), the wind piped up and we flew in on a beam reach at 8 knots. We were tied stern to a dock in town. We celebrated Suzanne’s birthday at dinner, and had a marvelous cake. The Turks really know how to bake.

Friday , June 22nd

Today we had another 30 mile sail to Gokkaya Limani. This time we sailed almost the entire way on Genny alone, and even ended up with a reef in it. We were still doing 8 to 10 knots, surfing down the 2 meter swells. A wonderful downwind sail. We arrived at the anchorage at 4 p.m. and had a great lunch in a magnificent setting. Supper ashore was very tasty, and later we went to the bar and most of us experimented with a Turkish Water Pipe. It was very smooth and had a honey taste.

Saturday, June 23rd

After breakfast, we took a water taxi to Demre, and a small bus to the tombs at Myra, a very prosperous city built in 5 BC, and destroyed by an earthquake in 141 AD.
The amphitheater was rebuilt so gladiators could use it. There, you could speak in a normal voice and be heard from bottom to top and visa versa. Most of the tombs have been robbed by now, but the sculpture is amazing. Next we went to the Cathedral where St. Nicholas was supposedly buried in 4 AD. After that we stopped briefly at a Sulphur spring, (supposedly all curative)where Suzanne dunked her sore toe. We were back by 2 p.m. and motored to Kalakoy where we climbed to Kalakoy Castle and more tombs. The local, scarf selling ladies, accompanied us to the top of the castle, ruins and tombs. A good thing too, it was neither obvious nor easy. We had a fabulous dinner at the Hassan Deniz restaurant, with a home cooked meal made by Hassan and his wife. The fish soup was tomato based broth with onions, potatoes, basil, then a whole fish lying across the bowl.

Sunday, June 24th

In the morning Hassan took us in his Gulet, to the sunken city in Kekova Roads, and then to Tersane Beach, on Kekova Island, where there were additional ruins, both on land and under the water. Some of us snorkeled. He then took us back to our boat. When we paid him for the trip, he gave us more bread and personally brought his wife and little daughter to see us off. Our next destination was Polemos Buku, about an hour’s motor away. Following us were” Sanga Sea”, “Lady Agatha”, “Marmalady” and “Chinook”. Ashore we were headed to snorkel another sunken city. Our directions were to, pass the camel, go through the lava rock bed, watch out for the livestock, follow the dry, red dirt, river bed, and when you get to the water, turn right. We turned right, but the path became non-existent. Richard and Jim took a lower path and discovered an ancient Roman arch spanning a chasm with water running under it. After a lot of climbing we found a place to get into the water and snorkel through the ruins and finally met up with Jim and Richard. 19 of our group had chosen this anchorage, and we all enjoyed a chicken dinner. When we tipped the owner, he presented us with large dishes of delicious, ripe olives.

Monday, June 25th

Kas was our next destination. The wind was decent for most of the trip although we had to tack the entire way. It was hot in town but we did some shopping, and all did well in the jewelry department. A very expensive and not very good seafood dinner at Smiley’s followed. Richard and Jim were carried off to a local bar by trip leaders, John and Dave until 2:30 a.m. The rest of us called it a night about 1:00.

Tuesday, June 26th

We left Kas after a hasty shopping trip, and unfortunately had to motor sail all the way to Kalkan. Across from the town was a lovely bay where we dropped a hook, snorkeled and had lunch. In Kalkan, a well attended Happy Hour was hosted by us (Lady Jill), after our briefing for our trip to Fethiye, a 48 mile slog to windward to start at 6:00a.m.

Wednesday, June 27th

We had a very long motor sail, with wind only while passing Patera Beach. We stopped at Karacaoren Buku for lunch, and did some swimming until the Gulets came in, making it very crowded. The snorkeling was not great, so we headed in to Fethiye. This was a real happenin’ town. Pippa and crew had a large birthday cake for Jim. We ate aboard, making a whole meal out of the wonderful Mise’s. Later Debbie and I went shopping at the Bazaar. Although it was quite late, we never felt the least bit unsafe.

Thursday, June 28th

Everyone but Mark and Jim took a public bus (for 25 cents apiece) to the Lycian tombs, and then climbed up. We met a couple of talented, Turkish art students at the top who were etching historical figures in Granite. Near the tombs, Richard bargained for a beautiful tablecloth, and I found a very pretty pewter tray, at a fraction of U S prices. We met up with Mark and Jim at the water pipe shop where Jim purchased two attractive pipes; one for himself and one for a friend. We then had a very good lunch at Megri’s in the bazaar. After a long, hot walk home, we retired to the pool for a water Volleyball game with other Flotilla members, and a couple of German kids. After a nice dinner at Megri’s, Mark and I found a local hotel bar, complete with a very hospitable bar tender, showing a recap of Wimbledon, in English.

Friday, June 29th

After a quick trip to town and the Internet Café, we set sail in a brisk breeze for Wall Bay. It was a great lunch stop, with nice swimming. That evening, the entire Flotilla rafted together in 22 Fathom Cove, and had a great cocktail party and barbeque given by the lead crew. Each boat invented a fancy drink for the occasion. “Marmalady” took the prize. A joke fest followed. Later Jimmy learned a new card game, “Knock” where one bets stones instead of TL.(Turkish Lira).

Saturday, June 30th

Today was Regatta Day. We went out for a practice sail and ended up too far north when we heard the 6 minute warning. We headed back as fast as possible but ended up quite late for the start. We set off in hot pursuit, however. With a little practice, we got our tacks down to 25 seconds. By the end of the windward leg, we were in third place. Only “Sanga Sea” and “Marmalady” were still ahead. Shortly after starting the downwind leg, the wind died. We tied the preventer to the forward cleat, and held the Genny out with the boat hook, taped to the deck brush. Somehow it worked and we pulled into first place. The wind revived briefly for the beam reach and then totally died. We just barely had enough momentum to squeak out the win. A celebratory dinner in Sarsala Bay followed.

Sunday, July 1st

We left fairly early for Boynuz Buku. After a long, refreshing swim we had 13 guests for lunch to help use up the food supply. All had a great time. By 5 p.m. we were back on the Sunsail dock. At 8 o’clock, the entire group met for dinner in Gocek. After supper, the lead crew presented the crew of “Lady Jill” with the Regatta Trophy. Every boat then received recognition for something. Jimmy got a decorated “barf bag” to hang on his ears if the need arose. Louise, of “Lady Vivian”, got a cook spoon to keep her outspoken husband in line. Andy, of “Chinook” got a tinfoil radio, because of his professional radio manners, and so on. Putting the finishing touches on packing capped off the night, along with the new card game.

Monday, July2nd

We arrived in Istanbul at 11:30 and checked in to the Sultanahmet Hotel. It had a beautiful marble entry way and staircase. The bathrooms were all marble. (beautiful, but slippery when wet) They had a beautiful marble bowl in the center of the shower called a “cesme” for dipping and pouring water over you as you bathe.
Then we set off for the Topkapi palace, which proved to be extremely interesting. After a quick lunch, we went to the Grand Bazaar. What an amazing place, 4000 stores under one roof. More jewelry shopping was accomplished, and Jimmy got some spare parts for his pipes. We got back to Sultanhamet about 7:30, in time to have supper at a small restaurant across from the hotel. At 8:00 and again at 9:00 two dancers performed a Muslim ritual dance, a whirling dervish, which was very interesting. There was also live Turkish music that was very pleasant to listen to. Watching a recap of Wimbledon ended the evening.

Tuesday, July 3rd

We had a marvelous breakfast at the hotel. They had everything imaginable, and some things that weren’t. Our flight left at noon and thanks to 2 movies and many meals, the 11 hour flight didn’t seem too bad. JFK was in it’s usual madhouse condition, however we all survived. After a lengthy trip home, we said “Goodnight” to Jimmy and Debbie and fell into bed to dream about our wonderful adventure in the land of the Ottoman Empire.