Left Marmaris and worked our way to Knidos

Being a girl

After installing our new bimini and extension and the interior curtains, there was no reason to hang around Marmaris.  We left Yat Marin marina in Marmaris and motored to 25 NM to Serce Limani, where we stayed for 2 nights.  As to the quality of the jobs performed in Marmaris, I would rate it "about what I expected."  The bimini and extension are constructed in a heavy white vinyl that the shop ordered just for us.  The vinyl that was normally stocked was too thin in our opinions; we would rather pay a little more and have better quality that will last longer.  The zipper compartments on the underside of the bimini that fit on the stainless steel frame were heat welded, not stitched.  This is something that we insisted upon.  Stitching will leak; heat welds will not.  The cost was about half the cost of obtaining an original factory replacement from Amel.   The curtains were made from the same custom fabric as the original curtains.  Luckily for us, the original owner left enough fabric on the boat for this replacement job.  The lining used by the shop in Marmaris is nowhere near the quality of the original lining on the curtains made in France, but I was realistic and did not expect that same high-quality material.  Bill ordered the proper lining material online and I will replace the linings next winter.  At least those old faded curtains are gone and the brighter print curtains make the interior of the boat look nice.   BTW, we also have a complete set of the original Amel curtains for the entire boat.  But I don't care for that pattern or colors so we will save those until it is time to sell the boat and the new owner will have brand new original curtains.

Presenting my award

On the first night in Serce Elisabeth dressed up and acted like a diva and presented us with 'awards.'  

Presenting Bill's award

Zach are a good sport about it, but not having sisters he really wasn't accustomed to this type 'girl thing.'  

The expert charterers

During our 2nd day in Serce Limani a charter boat of 5 Australian men anchored way too close to us.  We and 2 other boats were on swing anchors in the far western tip of this long narrow bay.  There was ample room for the 3 of us to swing at anchor.  Until the Australians arrived and anchored in front of us and took a stern line ashore.  I watched them anchor and make a large curve around backing to shore; this would later give them problems.  One of the swing anchored boats left soon afterward.  Just before dark we heard men yelling our boat name and ran up on deck to discover that our stern was practically on top of their bow.   They thought we were adrift when we swung so close to them when the wind changed direction.  

Charter boat; beware!

We were not adrift and our anchor had not budged.  They had anchored inside our swing range.  Freaking experts did not know what they were doing. This problem was really our own fault because we should have asked them to move rather than let them anchor so close.    Now we needed to move and it was almost dark.  We took in 11 meters of chain; swung the stern to the opposite side of the narrow bay; let back out that 11 meters of chain plus 6 more meters; and tied a stern line ashore.  We did it this way to help keep the chain from curving around boulders on the sea bed.


The next morning these expert charterers attempted to leave and discovered their anchor was wrapped around boulders.  I feared that would happen when I watched them do that big half-circle backing to shore the previous afternoon.  Took over an hour to free their anchor chain.  Then we weighed anchor with no problems and also left the bay.  Checked our electronic chart when we pulled anchor and confirmed that our anchor had not budged from where we had set it 2 days prior. 

Needs a daylight viewable DS.  Good thing this girl never
gets seasick.  This is what she does while sailing.

We motored to the bay at end of peninsula because there was supposed to be an ancient fortress to climb up to.  But we could see from the cockpit that the fortress was not impressive -- just walls.  So we continued on toward Datca.  The wind changed direction numerous times, always on our bow.  Finally we changed destinations and sailed towards Bozburun.  We encountered difficulty tying the stern line ashore in the small bay where we first attempted to anchor.  The current was too strong and kept turning the boat parallel to the side of the bay and we needed the boat stern-to towards the side of the bay.  We declared it not worth the trouble and motored on to the main anchorage at Bozburun, which thankfully is a lovely swing anchorage.   Total mileage for the day was only 24 NM.

Knidos merchant bay.  Can see stone breakwater on right side of bay
entrance.  Left side of breakwater is sunken.  Beware during entry!

Just as we finished pulling up the anchor in the first bay, the electric windlass quit working.  At least it broke at the most opportune time; it could have quit on us when there was still lots of chain to pull up.  I very slowly motored in lazy circles while Bill diagnosed the problem and effected repair.  The electric contacts on the control board had melted together.    We have carried a spare control board for this Lofrans windlass since Bonaire in 2007.  Carried that darn thing 3/4 way around the globe and finally had a need for it.  Bill replaced it and we set anchor......near S/V Songster, a boat that had transported on the same ship with us through the Somali pirates last year.  We briefly caught up with Jackie and Brian.  Glad to see they are both doing so well, and Songster looks really great.

After a couple of nights in Bozburun we motored 21 NM (and actually sailed for awhile!) to Kargi Koyu, where we stayed for only 1 night.  We liked this anchorage very much.  It would be untenable during southerlies, but was wonderful while we were there.  The water was so cold and felt wonderful on that hot afternoon --- 104F and 72% humidity.  The kids and I got into the water for a couple of hours.  Zachary swam much of that time while Elisabeth and I floated in the shade next to the boat.

Knidos theater and city ruins as seen from our docked boat.

Then on to Knidos, only 18.2 NM (on Sunday 15 July 2012).  The weather had become exceptionally hot and we figured if there were any cooling breeze anywhere, it should be at Knidos way out on the very tip of the Datca peninsula.   Maybe some wind would pass over the sea and be a bit cooler.  The plan was to arrive shortly before noon in hopes that charter boats would have left by that time and more charter boats would not be arriving until later in the day.  We wanted to be on the restaurant dock because too many people we know have dragged anchor in the notorious bad holding of this tiny ancient harbor.  

The Camel Hump at Knidos.  This was the bit of land (almost like an island except for the narrow bridge of land connecting it to the peninsula)  on the southwestern side of both the military harbor and the
merchant harbor.  It was directly across from the theater.  The city was built on both the Camel Hump and on the mainland peninsula.  Supposed to have been a very beautiful city.  It would have been spectacular sitting in the
theater and watching the stage with the Camel Hump in the background across the tiny harbor filled with ships.
The buildings house researchers and archaeologists working at the site today.

Our plan worked well.   We stopped well outside the sunken rock breakwater wall and lowered the dinghy.  Bill and Zachary went to the restaurant dock and inquired about available docking space, cost and electricity.  It was extremely hot and we desperately wanted air-conditioning!  Docking space was available as long as we didn't mind allowing 2 or 3 boats to raft up on our side as more boats would arrive later.  That was okay with us.  Cost was 45 TL per night.  Bill and Zachary returned to BeBe and we entered the harbor and docked.  Piece of cake.  

The water is so clear.  Knidos ancient merchant harbor.

And THEN the dockmaster told us that the shore power was for using battery charger only.  For 45 TL!!!  That was not good news.  But the power was insufficient voltage to allow us to use air-conditioning anyway.  We continued to watch the voltage and when it climbed high enough (as the evening cooled down) Bill moved our dinghy against the water discharge on our hull; we shut off the forward cabin and turned on the air-conditioning for a couple of hours.  We really needed to cool down.  My blood pressure got up to 212/96 which is an unprecedented high!  The only reason had to be the extreme heat.  This little heat wave is causing temperatures 12 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the normally hot temps for this time of year.  104F with 72% humidity is too hot!  That kind of heat is dangerous....especially for us old folks.  So, the dockmaster would have to live with us cheating on the air-conditioning for a few hours.  Once cooled off we were all happier with the world.  But we decided to stay in Knidos for only that 1 night and would search out a dock with shore power the next day.

Mainland side of the tiny military harbor.  The first nude statue of a female
was located on the right side background of this photo.  It was beautiful
Aphrodite.  The statue was carved by a Greek artist and intended to go to
Kos.  But the people of Kos were appalled by the idea of a nude female
statue, so it remained in Knidos and became a huge tourist attraction in
ancient times.  Had a door on the rear side of the mounting so tourists
could view her beautiful posterior. 

The restaurant had plenty of large fish for dinner that night.  The price was 120TL per kilo and you pay for the entire fish.  That would have made a fish dinner cost around 600 TL ($335 USD).  That is way, way, way too much for a fish dinner.  The Med is over-fished and as a result fish usually is quite expensive.  We will pass, thank you very much.  Berthing at the dock does not require eating in the restaurant.  When we were here last year the berthing cost only 25 TL but did require eating at the restaurant.  Now he charges 45 TL but does not require eating at the restaurant. 



The kids were not really impressed with Knidos.  They walked around a little bit once the sun had gone down.  And I made them read the guide literature about this site.  Sooner or later they each will write a blog about what they saw and what they remember about the history of this place.

Mainland section of ancient Knidos.  It was a large city built up far around the hillside and also on the opposite
Camel Hump too.  Our boat is docked on the opposite side of that dock.  Restaurant beneath the trees.

Ancient tiny military harbor on north side at Knidos

Bill and I had visited Knidos in late May last year when on our way to Samos, so there was nothing new for us to see here.  Visited Knidos 30 May 2011   I won't write again about Knidos except to say that this is not the location of the original ancient Knidos.  The original ancient Knidos was situated on the northeastern outskirts of present-day Datca.  Knidos was moved to this peninsula tip location because this was considered a superior port location for trading.  Plus, marble was a big trade item to Egypt at the time.  The marble was in the ground near the peninsula tip.  Why bring heavy marble all the way to Datca area; it was much easier to bring the olive oil and wine to the peninsula tip and all 3 major exports could be shipped easily from this location.   Plus, the northern small bay here was the military bay; and the southern bay was for merchant ships.   The military was already here and would provide protection for the merchants.


The next day we motored 40 NM to Selimiye in hopes of finding shore power for air-conditioning.  The little heat wave continues.  Local people say these little heat waves typically last about 2 weeks so we can expect abnormally high temps for another 10 days or so.