Keci Buku to Bozborun

Friday  4thSeptember

 

Balina looking across to Bozborun

 Hmmm! And we thought that Turkey was meant to have wind??Well there ain't none in these parts!  We woke up to see Balina on what resembled a mirror. The scenery was beautiful so we thought we would hang around in the area for a few hours and relax. So after our coffee, Marco decided it was time i learned to dive off the boat. No, not the sort of diving with a wetsuit and tank - I can already do that thanks! No, being able to actually dive head first into water is one of two childhood things I can't do. The other is ride a bicycle - I know, cruel parents! Anyway, learning to dive off the boat took about ten minutes and consisted of me working my way up from the bottom rung of the swim ladder to the top. Piece of cake! Don't think I'll be diving off the deck anytime soon though. Afterwards we had breakfast and said goodbye to Keci Buku - for now. Another place though on our list of places to return to once we become liveaboards.

We motored out into the Hisaronu Gulf. We intended to have lunch in a bay called Sailor's Paradise which had a restaurant, but first wanted to visit Bencik, a sheltered cove across the bay. We managed to sail for most of the way over but dropped the sails and motored into Bencik, avoiding the sunken rock which was marked by an extremely rusty looking red can. Bencik was beautiful and peaceful. It would have made a fabulous lunch stop - if only we'd had any food! I trust by the time we do this ''for real'' we will have learned the art of provisioning. Retirees cannot live in restaurants every day, and liveaboards won't get very far on half a pot of Greek yoghurt and some dry crackers.

Spot the gap to reverse in to.

As it was, and being as we are only on holiday and therefore decadently eating out whenever we fancy, we motored up to the top of the bay, back out again and headed across to Sailor's Paradise. Again, it was a bit confusing to see where the entrance was until we were quite close, when it became more obvious. Binoculars help when you are a way out! We followed two other yachts in and waited for them to moor up, then took our turn. Lazy lines are used here so I played it thick (not having to act much when it comes to lazy lines I'm afraid) and, as Marco reversed into the space, a man from the restaurant jumped aboard and took the lazy line around the cleat at the front. There was a bit of a hashing of stern lines when Marco threw it too high and it hit the bimini, coming back down on his head with a thud. Second time lucky and we were all moored up relatively hassle free.

We sat at a shady table outside away from the small flotilla that seemed to have taken over the main restaurant. We waited a while to be served but when the food arrived it was amazing. King Prawns in garlic butter with bread to mop up the juices and a large Efes beer to wash down lunch. Marco decided on the lamb roll, which turned out to be 'lamb 'n' fat roll'. Conveniently, there was a rather hungry looking cat sitting right next to our table (trained to look out for those who order lamb roll, no doubt) so it was the cat that ate rather better than Marco. After paying, we went for a swim, then dropped the lazy line (so easy hah!) and motored out.

The wind was patchy but we managed to sail with about ten knots on a close reach until we had to turn the peninsula to get down to Bozburun. We motor sailed in order to keep some control as we went pas the Atabol Kayasi - a rock just under the surface which has apparantly claimed a lot of yachts.

Having successfully passed the danger (which was marked by an isolated danger sign), we started looking for the islet of Kizil Adasi which we wanted to go around so that we could approach Bozburun from the south. Once on the approach, we could see there was plenty of space to moor stern-to within the harbour so we motored in and dropped 40m of chain and reversed in. The harbour master appeared, to catch our lines, one of which  naturally got wrapped around the wrong side of the pushpit.  One of these days, we'll do everything right!

Bozburun is a lovely little village with numerous shops, three mini markets and several restaurants. We went for a walk around the harbour, avoiding all the waiters who came out trying to get us into their place for dinner that night. As we got the end of the harbour, we came across a restaurant called (imaginatively) Bozburun. We went in and the friendly owner offered to show us the meals being prepared for that night's dinner. We watched as a young Turkish chef filleted fresh fish, chopped fresh veg, and marinated fresh meat......one dinner for two - sold! We booked to return at 8pm and retraced our steps back to the boat. By this time, our peace and quiet had been invaded by a huge catamaran which had moored right up next to us. Catamarans must be lovely, comfortable home-from-homes inside but the racket they make when the 'crew' switch on the generators is enough to put me off. I wouldn't like hearing that every night - it's bad enough having to hear someone elses. 

One of our water tanks had run out of water and it took us (read - Marco) ages to work out how to switch to the second tank - so while he huffed and puffed, I made us a G&T and we sat at the bow, looking across to Bozborun  before heading off for dinner. The food at the restaurant tasted as good as it looked, especially the meze which was some of the best we'd had on this trip (although we tend to say this every night). After a lovely chicken casserole, fried squid in garlic and a bottle of white wine, we wandered back around the town to Balina 95TL worse off and polished our evening off with a large Baileys. 

Really - if we really do this  liveaboard thing, our annual booze quota will have to be scaled down dramatically!