Sunday morning 5 April and the weather has closed in overnight to bring heavy rain. We are in an exposed anchorage and decide we will not stay and take the river trip as 2 days of rain are forecast. Soon after breakfast the wind starts to make its familiar slight sound in the rigging and within 10-20 minutes we are hit by a sudden big gust spinning Matelot around on her anchor. We see the landscape flying by through the windows and hear the unmistakable rumble of the anchor dragging over rock. We are on deck in seconds, engine on, anchor up and heading out to sea. This is no place to be right now. We decide we will sail around the headland to the more sheltered waters of Skopea Limani in the Gulf of Fethiye where we will rendezvous with DB at some stage. Dalyan will have to wait for another day and next time we will go to Ekincik Limani at the head of the bay.

We are unprepared for the stunning beauty of Wall Bay, named after the ancient stone wall which dissects it. The water is bright yellow on the surface due to pollen dropped from the surrounding pine trees, and emerald green underneath. Richard carves tracks through it as he paddles ashore to tie up stern to on a couple of bollards. This stunning place reveals itself while we swim and wash hair in the sunshine.

By 1.00 am the familiar sound is back and we are being hit side on with wind gusting over the ridge behind us. We spend the remainder of this night awake on anchor watch with the sound of the water lapping on the shore not far away. It is a long night. The next day we accept the invitation from the Wall Bay Restaurant and tie up alongside on the pontoon. Deep Blue arrives a couple of hours later and over the next day or so several more boats arrive. The weather forecast continues to defy all the predictions until Wednesday when it finally looks like it is clearing a little but the wind is still howling. Not to worry, we get some odd jobs done on board and finish polishing the other side of the topsides.

Once Wedneday dawns we are ready take a walk and we head past lovely Ruin Bay over the ridge towards the site of Ancient Lydae. We are sidetracked along the way by a lookout over a beach and we climb down through the rocky forest trail, dropping on to a dried up riverbed which leads to the turquoise waters of the beach. We stop on the way to pick wild laurel leaves (bay tree), chamomile daisies, oregano and sage. We surprise a tortoise out on his morning stroll and stop to chat for a while. The water is so inviting, it is not long before we are all splashing about pretending it is not absolutely freezing! Fortunately the stones are warm from the sun and we soon dry out and break open our sandwiches. What a truly special day. We all decide this is a place we would love to bring visitors to. The only down side is the familiar sight of lots of plastic and other rubbish caught up in the driftwood along the beach and the spots of diesel tar which Andy and Richard both get on themselves.

We remain alongside this pontoon until Thursday and can truly recommend the genuine kindness and hospitality as well as roast leg of lamb done Turkish style by the Wall Bay Restaurant. It is a magical setting by the open fire looking out over the water and well worth a stopover.