Turkey VI - Marmaris, Turunç, Ekinçik and Dalyan.

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Turkey V - From Marmaris heading west.

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Turkey VII - The Carian Coast, Marmaris to Gümüsluk.

Log Entry Monday 4th June - Always plenty to do on a sailboat!

Our children often say "what do you have to do all day?"

There is always work to be done, today it is the task to replace the mattress on the double bed. We purchase a 2m x 1.4m x 10cm of ridged foam from a local upholstery store, they wrapped it well and placed it in a water proof sack to stop it getting wet in the dinghy trip back to Sailaway. The bed is not square so the foam has to marked and cut to size, it then fits inside the pre made mattress cover.

Once complete the issue is then, as any where, where do you safely dispose of the old foam and waste - job done!

Log Entry Saturday 2nd June - back to Marmaris, David's week soon over!

We are a little quiet this morning, as the evening was prolonged, thankfully, we only had one and a half hours to Marmaris? We developed a real craving for a "Full English Breakfast" we knew we could satisfy our needs in Marmaris so we left earlier than required. David released us from the buoy and we were soon underway.

At this time in the morning the water was busy with the tourist traffic, trip boats etc, but no issues.

In no time at all we were at anchor and the anchor ball up, we like to sit for an hour or so to ensure our anchor is set well. Then we know that when we return Sailaway will be where we left her!

Then it was all ashore with David and his bags for our "Full English" which was remarkably good!

Log Entry Friday 1st June - We return to Turunç, David's flight leaves tomorrow.

We have a strong head wind forecast today so we leave early for Turunç, by 0600 hours we were underway.

There was no wind at all so we had to motor, still the conversation passes the time quickly.

In time we came to Turunç, David takes Sailaway into the small harbour and positions her to allow Ann to get a rope onto the mooring buoy where we had sat two nights before.

We plan to eat ashore tonight and celebrate the close of David's visit, we have a few hours to pass, that is an easy task.

We had popped ashore earlier to find a good place to eat, we chose one of the beach side restaurants, we travel back early evening leaving the dinghy on the beach in front of us. At least we would have no trouble finding it!

Time soon passed unfortunately, the food was good, typical Turkish, the beverages possibly too good!

Log Entry Thursday 31st May - We make the trip up the Dalyan river.

We had to be on the concrete quay for 0900 to meet our skipper, the boats are run as a consortium from a small office next to the cafe, one hires the boat, it is not per person.

We are soon on our way, our skipper explains to me that this is his first year as a trip boat captain, he shows us his nearby fishing boat, not enough fish and all too small he tells us?

His route takes us not straight over the bay as we see others doing but around the cliff side allowing us to see caves and rock formations, even slowing down to allow us to photograph.

As we approach the entrance to the Dalyan river we see the pontoon where the larger trip boats from around the area transfer their passengers into the smaller boats. As we make our way behind "Turtle Beach", a nesting area for Logger Head turtles all seems very quiet, but colourful.

We are asked if we would like to see turtles, we clearly say "yes" and we are taken to another wooden boat moored between two piles driven into the river bed.

Here there is a guy entertaining turtles with crabs on strings, the turtles are quick but come clearly into few. The difficulty was catching them on camera?

The gent then climbs on board each boat in turn and explains about the "blue crabs" the favourite food of the turtles. He makes fun of one of the children allowing the crab to grab his cap. Then of coarse we are asked if we would like crab meet, cooked and picked up on the return journey, we order one portion, my favourite fish and leave the stage!

We then make our way slowly up river through the reed beds, ever growing in height.

The traffic in the channel, for some reason is controlled by a gate, lowered to allow us past then raised up again, there is a sign refusing "motor boats" access?

Life on the riverside looks quite busy, we now pass many hotels and restaurants even a couple of boat yards with "work in progress", eventually being dropped off on a small pontoon to visit the ancient city of Kaunos which is of Roman origin.

The area has only recently been recognised as a "tourist attraction" with restoration ongoing.

The site boasts a temple, market place and a theatre.

From here one can see the coast line in the distance and the waterway making it's way in land, a medieval fort stood high on the hill top. At one time this town sat on the coast and it's original harbour lay below us under restoration.

Once back on the boat we carry on up river to the town of Dalyan and the Lycian Rock Tombs, the resting place of the wealthy of the time.

We are allowed as much time in the town of Dalyan as needed, we are dropped off on a restaurant pontoon and given a hard sell from the proprietor. We prefer to eat in town, the banquets they were trying to sell were ridiculous in size to us irrespective of price?

We climb back on board our transport and make our way back to Sailaway, Turtle Beach now quite busy with tourist, a strong westerly wind making our return journey wet from the spray. Our boat engine began to over heat at full power, but once out of the bad water it seemed to resolve itself with lower speed?

Once off the boat we revisited our local cafe for a couple of hours and dinner, we left David on watch!

Log Entry Wednesday 30th May - Once again we head for Ekinçik Iskelesi and the Dalyan river.

Our progress today was a little slow to start, we had perhaps over indulged in the cafe?

Once ready we leave Turunç and make our way across the great bay.

The forecast, nor reality was not good for sailing, our canvas was up and down, engine on and off. Eventually we gave up completely and motored on.

Just as we turned north into the bay in which Ekinçik Iskelesi sits the wind began to come back "sods law" we call it?

By the time we had our anchor down the wind blew hard into the bay, creating quite a bounce.

The town of Ekinçik looks small from the waterside, a few hotels on the beach, there was a quay full of small wooden boats used to navigate the Dalyan river. I wave one over and agree a price and a time for our trip tomorrow. We wait until the wind, and the waves drop and we head over to the cafe after dinner for a "nightcap".

Log Entry Tuesday 29th May - Turunç, looks quaint, worth a visit.

We wake in the morning to find that we have company, another sailboat tied to an adjacent buoy, we agree to spend the day here and visit the attractive town.

David and Kevin lower the dinghy and get our transport ready.

The town is not too busy, it has a refuse collection area along the quay, so we take our garbage. We continue on to the small bay at the south of the town, we are stopped by security and told it is a private area for complex guests only. We chat on and he agrees that we can walk around the waters edge but not wander into the complex - we agree.

A cave had attracted our attention as we came in, we walked around as far as possible, returning back we thanked the guard.

We made our way into town, the weather does appeared to have settled now, the daily temperate's increasing.

The town is colourful and friendly, David would like to find some gifts for his children. Before we head into the shops we sit down for refreshments and a spot of lunch.

It is then into the "fun" with all the shop keepers and cafe staff fighting for your attention.

We walk on until the shopping is done then sit down at one of the cafes, it was a number of hours before we left the establishment, the conversation excellant!

Log Entry Monday 28th May - Our plan is to make for Ekinçik and the Dalyan river, that was the plan!

We leave Marmaris not too early, once our anchor is up and secured we exit the Limani, David surveying our progress.

The winds were forecast to be light and variable, for once the forecast is quite accurate? We make our way under sail as best possible, but as we get into clearer waters the wind fall further. We revamp our plans and make for Turunç, a small port just outside of Marmaris Limani.

It takes a couple of hours to make our way there, there are buoys provided in the harbour, we secure Sailaway to one.

It is a quaint, busy little resort with a constant stream of water taxis making there way to and from Marmaris and of coarse the associated trip boats - enough going on to keep the mind occupied.

Log Entry Saturday 27th May - Our first visitor of the year, David, Kevin's brother arrives.

David, Kevin's brother is on his way, having never been on a sailboat before we plan to spend two nights here in Marmaris allowing him to settle to life on board then move on Monday to the Dalyan river.

We are expecting David between ten and eleven pm, so we wait in a cafe/bar as planned just adjacent to his drop off point. Kevin appears very excited about the coming week? Eventually our mobile rings, it is David, some how they missed the planned drop off point but Kevin knows where he is and leaves to bring him to the cafe. Needless to say, the evening went on a little, still no hurry tomorrow.

We spend the next day showing David around Marmaris, the new park etc.

It is then down the waterfront for lunch and a cooling drink.

With a few needed, additional provisions from the supermarket it is then back on board Sailaway. David is quite taken by the sea toilet, quite fearful of it in fact, he is also extremely interested in the going's on around us, ashore also?