Patmos, Samos, Kusadasi, Cannakale, Kusudasi

Our budget is tight but we still find a few Euros to purchase a new radio for the boat so that we can plug in our Ipod. Its a good price and a good brand and we make the decision to get it. However, naughty Richard also breaks out and buys a 'present' for the boat and here are his 'not sorry now' photos.




Motoring out to an anchorage near the edge of Patmos we have a little sing song up on deck and attract some swimmers to see what the racket is all about! On the song list is "Amee My girl....!"









Pippy does not sleep well on our last night in Patmos. The wind is howling and moaning all night as though all the Greek Gods are having a huge party. The forecast says we will have more wind for our sail today so perhaps a little anxiety is causing this and we all know how small anxieties are enhanced in the wee small hours of the morning. Anyway, nothing to worry about because while writing this we have had to turn on the engine to clear the top end of Arki as there is not enough wind to lift us over.

We have so many fond memories of Pip and Jess Milne on the boat on Arki Island, we sit and reminisce as we clear past the northern point and look back. We are sailing in light breezes mostly and it is delightful under the canopy of the bimini which is now strengthened with an additional bar going back to the solar panel arch. The cool sea breeze flows freely through and on some days it is possible to feel too cool. It is only when approaching land that the wind suddenly takes on the heat as though it is coming from a furnace. Needless to say we love the sailing most, passaging our home from place to place. There is a distinct absence of other yachts at sea this year. Sometimes we have to really try hard to see another sail in the distance. It doesn't seem possible that we are so close to densely populated places.

At around 10.15 am and just past Arki Island, we are astonished to first of all hear, and then see, 4 fighter jets, flying so low to the water at top speed, across our bows. They disappear off to the south and we wonder what mission or exercise they are on. It makes us realise that we have not been checking in on the news lately, so perhaps its time!

We take a brief overnight stop in Samos Harbour of Pithagorion where we get blown and howled about all night, except for a brief break when we go ashore for an hour around 9 pm. The town wall is packed with yachts racing on the Agean Regatta and they look just like boats on the Coastal Classic - after the race! We just manage to download a weather forecast and discover the NZD has been on a bit of a lift lately. The next morning we are off towards Kusadasi and back to Turkey to check out properly.

We have been blown a little off-shore on the way north from Bodrum, but it has been a lovely experience nevertheless.

It is an 8 hour bus trip, but we take one last sight seeing trip further north to visit Cannakale, Troy and Gallipoli. What an experience it is visiting Gallipoli and standing on the place where it happened. We stand there in the heat (39 degrees) and try to imagine what it would have been like for the soldiers in this battle at this time of year.





Chunuk Bair is particularly important for New Zealand because the NZ Expeditionary Force managed to capture hold it for two days, but this whole area is also a very important Turkish Memorial because it was Ataturk who led the forces who recaptured it.







Back in Kusadasi, Sunday morning and we are leaving as soon as this is published. Today we check out of Turkey for the last time and head out into the Agean for a Greek Island adventure.

Pippy makes the most of the coolness before the sun gets up and goes for a brisk walk up the hill. On her return there is a small booth on wheels parked at the marina gates with people crowding around it. Of course this calls for an investigation and it turns out that this booth is selling the 'best' simits in the whole of Turkey. Pippy finds out that they are supposed to be eaten with a special kind of cheese, so buys two plus the cheese and presents Capn Buck with his breakfast. Nothing doing he says as he gets out his Kellogs Bran Flakes, you can have both of them thanks! mmmm yummy Pippy does not mind at all, they are delicious!