Mindemoya Log: June, 2006
With the saildrive seals replaced, we began June feeling perky. We made our way to Chios Island where we tied to the outer breakwater quay of an unfinished marina. We’ve stayed in these before in Greece. They are built with EU loans for 75% of the cost and Greece is to provide 25% so the marina can be managed to make money. So they are built with good protection and no infusion of local funds and so are never finished. You can stay in them free, as there are no services. The one just north of Chios main harbor contains several derelict ferries, some fishing boats and miscellaneous other boats. We waited here for Sara’s sister Cynthia to arrive for a week’s holiday with us.
The day after her arrival we headed north to Lesvos with blue skies, steady barometer, and no wind. A lovely motor. We followed a channel to the Yera Gulf and anchored in a small side bay near Skala Loutra, our home for the next 3 days. We launched the dinghy and went ashore to explore the little village and walk up to a little chapel. Stopped at a small family-run restaurant where the brother was back from Australia for 6 months to help his brother and wife run the establishment and learn English. Was wonderful Greek food, very inexpensive.
The next day we caught a bus into Mytilini, the capitol, to rent a car for 3 days and explore the island. Lesvos is one of the most interesting islands, scenically, historically, and culturally. We attempted to do some trekking through the olive groves of the south. Finding the paths proved harder than the actual trekking. One such attempt found us up a very narrow street that ended with a tree. Thankfully Doug is good at backing. The trek itself was lovely along a shaded stream through many olive groves. Easier to find was an ancient Roman aqueduct that still crosses a small valley. We should have skipped the tacky village of Agiasos on the northern flank of Mt Olympus, famous for handmade carved wood products. Soon we learned that handmade doesn’t necessarily mean “locally” as many of the items were obviously from India. On the north coast we visited Petra and climbed the 114 steps to the church on top of a rock with spectacular views. Mithymna, aka Molyvos, is the most picturesque village from its castle-topped hill to its little fishing harbor.
Western Lesvos was different from the rest of the island. The landscape became drier and barer and devoid of any trees except the petrified kind. Skala Eresou on the southwest coast was a lovely resort town built over ancient Eresos, the birthplace of the lyric poetess Sappho. Of her works only one complete poem exists, but the many other fragments of poems show her to have been a wonderful lyric poet. Her style was often copied even during Roman times. We walked the silvery-brown sand beach and indulged in Austrian apple strudel.
We spent some time in Mytilini, visiting the shops, the cathedral and the large grocery stores. And we drove north along the east coast with many fishing harbors and pebble beaches. We had seen much but it was time to head back to Chios. That evening Doug made 5 trips ashore to fill our water tanks from the spring. Luckily we were anchored close to the shore but even so it was a three-hour job bringing 70 liters by jerry jugs back and forth by dinghy. We have been in several harbors this summer without potable water so it is important to get water when you can. Generally, the larger islands have potable water that is available to all for free from community fountains. Alas, the smaller islands, due to increases in tourist traffic, depend on water imported by small tanker.
Chios Island, about half the size of Lesvos, had its own distinctions. We found the 11-century World Heritage-listed Nea Moni/Monastery in a beautiful mountain setting. Further west on a precipitous cliff, Anavatos with its abandoned, gray stone houses stood sentinel to one of Chios’ great tragedies. Nearly all the inhabitants perished in 1822 when they chose to hurl themselves off the cliff rather than be taken captive by the Turks. In the south we visited two medieval villages. Mesta was a village completely enclosed by massive fortified walls with only four gates for entry and inside a maze of streets and tunnels, good defense from pirates. The huge central fortification tower had been turned into a massive, beautiful church. Pyrgi was very different with its unique building facades, decorated in gray and white geometric designs. Both of these villages were producers of mastic and thus were spared the 1822 massacre because the sultan was fond of mastic chewing gum. Mastic is still used in pharmaceuticals.
Sadly Cynthia left us after a very short week. We had seen lots of two Greek islands even if the weather wasn’t good for sailing.
Then we headed back to Mytilini to fuel, which is much cheaper in Greece than in Turkey. Diesel cost us about one euro per liter or about five USD per gallon. Unfortunately this fill-up cost us much more. As Doug was returning the hose to shore, he hit his glasses with the nozzle and popped a lens into the harbor. It sank immediately into the murk. Mytilini has to be the dirtiest, smelliest harbor we have experienced. Doug immediately asked Sara to dive in and get the lens, but she wouldn’t even entertain the thought of diving into that cesspool. Marriage has its limits.
Next day we sailed to Molyvos, where we spent a couple weeks last year at a yoga workshop. We found the quay nearly filled with huge fishing boats being repaired. Two sail boats were bow-to the quay. There was room for us but we needed to also go bow-to as it is shallow at the quay. Normally we go stern-to so we had to circle the little harbor to assemble the stern anchor and rode. Soon we heard, “Mindemoya, you can tie here to this fishing boat”. A coast guard officer was on that boat and ready to take our lines. Doug maneuvered us nicely and we slipped side-to. Certainly was easier and kept us safe from the north winds. A lovely Greek dinner at our favorite restaurant along the quay made our last night in Greece special.
In the morning there was not much wind but we left anyway. No wind in the harbor made an easy get away from the fishing boat. Motored all the way to Bozcaada, about 30 nm. Arrived at 1400 and began laundry immediately. Had been saving it so took four buckets that day and three the next. While it was drying, we walked around the little village on this island and explored the castle built originally by the Venetians and enlarged by the Genoese and then the Ottomans. Bozcaada was the staging area for the Greek attack on Troy.
The Dardanelles was next, about 12 nm away. It is one of the busiest stretches of water in the world with a ship passing every 10-15 minutes. The most we saw at any one time was eight as we entered. We happily stayed out of the shipping lanes and hugged the south coast. Doug helmed most of the time staying at the 20 m or less line, which at times gave us counter currents up to 7.2 knots or about a half knot faster than our normal speed. Thus, we made good time reaching Canakkule in about 3 hours. We were very happy there was no wind against us. The current is reported to be 3-4 knots against in the shipping lanes.
Canakkale was about a third the way into the Dardanelles at the narrowest point of the channel. We stayed at the marina there so we could visit Gallipoli the next day. The tour took us across the Dardanelles by ferry and around the peninsula by bus. Our guide was excellent, explaining the beaches where the Anzac troops landed on April 25, 1915 and which ridges they attacked in an effort to control the peninsula. There are over 30 cemeteries for Turkish solders as well as over 30 for Allied troops, French, English, Australian, and New Zealanders. All we saw were well maintained. Many monuments mark ridges or valleys where thousands died. Gallipoli is a pilgrimage site for many from Australia and New Zealand because so many families lost someone in that campaign. Of the 5,800 who originally landed at Anzac cove, only 1,400 survived to be evacuated. The small museum was well organized and letters from soldiers to families at home made this conflict come alive for us. We seemed to be on sacred ground. Over 500,000 lost their lives here in 8 months of 1915. What a senseless loss of lives on both sides. The Turks have placed a large sign on the hillside as you approach Canakkale that says “Stop Traveler, many brave men are buried here”.
Early the next morning we set off into the Dardanelles continuing to head north. Saw a Turkish warship cross towards us and into their base. All were in dress whites lining the decks. Must have been something special. Again we were blessed to have no wind so hugging the south edge at about 20 m depths gave us good progress, often at 7.0 knots over the ground. We left the Dardanelles in about 4 hours and continued along the south coast of the Sea of Marmara until we found an anchorage off Karabiga. It was pleasant to swing at anchor off the beach and relax for the afternoon.
Crossing eastward we motored and then sailed. A pod of 15 – 18 dolphins escorted us for over 30 minutes. Sara sang to them and they played and played in our bow wave. Must be nearly as thrilling as swimming with them. We have seen many dolphins in the Dardanelles and Sea of Marmara.
Erdek is a small Turkish resort town not yet discovered by foreign tourists. Its town quay can accommodate 6-8 small yachts with 3-4 meters at the quayside so we were able to go stern-to without a problem. Large and small fishing boats and ferries take the rest of the quay. Along the edge are tea gardens filled with Turks drinking their sugary tea. In this lovely setting our refrigerator stopped cooling. A hunt for ice was illusive. Grocery stores said no. Restaurants were amazed to learn we wanted 2 kg and gave us two hands-full. A high-school aged lad took pity on Sara and walked several blocks to a small mini-market and the man came with a disposable ice tray of cubes for one lira or $.66. They were pleased to have solved the problem. Little did they know how far from solving we were.
Now the run for Istanbul and refrigerator repair. Stopped one night in a small bay near Saraylar on the northern coast of Marmara Island. We were off a small beach but in sight of the marble quarries and the marble loading operation. Three ships were being loaded as one waited nearby. Outside the harbor four more ships waited. This is the only harbor we have ever seen made of marble. Beautiful and incredible. Marble has been quarried here since ancient Greek times. About as prevalent as the marble are some specie of jellyfish. These are not the stinging kind. They are transparent with what appear to be four valves in their center. Doug got one in his cupped hand and it did indeed feel like Jell-O. At the beach the children swam with them with no ill effects. Muslim beaches are most interesting. Males swim in normal swimsuit attire, girls swim in more modest garb and the older women, in the heat of the day, sit on the beach in long skirts, long blouses, sweaters and scarves. It is a modest culture.
After 9 hours of motoring the 54-mile across the Sea of Marmara and through the shipping lanes, we arrived in Atakoy Marina just southwest of Istanbul proper. We stayed 4 nights in the modern, 700-slip marina complex. Unfortunately, the marina seemed to be built on a sewer outlet, which could be unpleasant during the heat of the day. We arranged for the refrigerator repair immediately and they came the next morning. They checked everything and added gas and it seemed to be working.
Our three days at Atakoy were filled with cleaning and repairing the boat, gathering good Turkish food, and in between times, socializing with the rally participants. But most exciting was the arrival of our crew for the rally, Pat and Lyn Salathiel, our friends and neighbors from Traverse City.
The participants in lieu of the established Black Sea Rally, which was cancelled, have planned the Western Black Sea Rally for 2006. The commodore for that rally has been most helpful and gracious. He keeps his boat at Atakoy and has met with us a couple times sharing information on the various countries and sailing hints. Our little six-boat rally, with Mindemoya as the smallest, will leave June 27, 2006 to motor up the Bosphorus into the Black Sea.