Cruising is definitely a bi-modal lifestyle. The first mode is usually called 'The Season' and consists of travelling constantly, discovering new ports, living at anchor, swimming and diving on the anchor, and all the other activities related to moving about in a yacht. The second mode is called 'Wintering', and involves finding a safe (and hopefully warm) place to secure the yacht over winter. It may be in the water, at a marina for example. Or it may be on the hard, in a boat yard.
Our last port of call during 'The Season' was Marmaris, a town well known to us. Its a great source of chandleries and has a wonderful saniya (Turkish small industry centre) where you can get anything made, and buy most industrial things. We paid to stay on the dock at Pupa Yacht Hotel for a few days, while various trades-people visited, then we anchored out in front of the hotel.
Marmaris is the centre of yachting activity in Turkey, and has many large marina's. The most famous and popular is Yat Marin, which is the winter home for many cruisers. It has a large, vibrant community that functions all through the dormant winter. However, it is expensive to stay there, and we choose a cheaper option.
This winter, we will be staying on the hard in a primitive Turkish boat yard at Bozburun. So we said good-bye to our friends, Eddy and Hilde, and travelled south to Bozburun.
We pulled in for one night to the municipal dock. These docks charge to stay there (50 TL per night here) but do not provide all the amenities of a marina. In this case, just electricity and water were provided.
Next day, we cycled around to the boat yard, Locaturk Marin. Its around a small headland, about 4 km by bike. Its a primitive boatyard, employing hydraulic skids to drag the boats out from the water.
Tomorrow, 10th October, we will haul out, so we had a good look around the 'extraction point' first. Its a little scary, not like the travel lifts we are used to.
There was a huge new boatshed in the corner of the boat yard. We wandered over, and the security guard allowed us to look inside.
The boat shed was built by one man to build one boat. The boat is to be the largest gulet ever built in Turkey. It will be 140 m long and will cost initially over USD$100,000,000. It will be one of the largest wooden ships built.
We weren't permitted to take photos of the large ship. Currently only the ribs and keelson are completed. The framework of the ship is enormous, surrounded by massive scaffolding. Standing on the keelson, I imagined that this must have been how Jonah felt in the belly of the whale. Clearly, money is no object. The immaculate purpose-built boatshed even had marble detailing along the foundations. An extreme example of Turkish one-upmanship.
We vacated the municipal dock just before twenty or so flotilla boats pulled into the anchorage. Flotilla's are expeditions organized by the charter companies for people who want to sail but do not have much experience. So half a dozen boats all sail around together, led by an experienced skipper. These flotilla's are a definite hazard if they anchor near to you, and in a small harbour, they mean endless crossed chains and hung up anchors. We escaped just in time, to enjoy a day of quiet before we haul tomorrow.
So we enter our winter mode, throw off the exuberant and extraverted activities of 'The Season' and enter into the reflective meditations of 'Wintering'. Its a time of repairing and making good, travelling home for weddings and celebrations, family and friends. We are looking forward to it.
Our last port of call during 'The Season' was Marmaris, a town well known to us. Its a great source of chandleries and has a wonderful saniya (Turkish small industry centre) where you can get anything made, and buy most industrial things. We paid to stay on the dock at Pupa Yacht Hotel for a few days, while various trades-people visited, then we anchored out in front of the hotel.
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| Anchorage outside Pupa yacht hotel |
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| View from the mooring over to Yat Marin |
This winter, we will be staying on the hard in a primitive Turkish boat yard at Bozburun. So we said good-bye to our friends, Eddy and Hilde, and travelled south to Bozburun.
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| Farewell meal with Hilde and Eddy |
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| Pavlov departing Pupa anchorage |
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| Our sail-past Jabirou, Eddy & Hilde's yacht |
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| Leaving yet another anchorage |
Bozburun will be our winter home. Its a delightfully beautiful bay enclosed by several islands. It is a small town, and will be very quiet over the winter months.
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| The enclosed bay of Bozburun |
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| A very calm and protected winter anchorage |
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| The town is quiet small, mainly tourist accommodation. |
We pulled in for one night to the municipal dock. These docks charge to stay there (50 TL per night here) but do not provide all the amenities of a marina. In this case, just electricity and water were provided.
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| Megan, arming the Bromptons, dockside |
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| Picturesque dock at Bozburun |
Next day, we cycled around to the boat yard, Locaturk Marin. Its around a small headland, about 4 km by bike. Its a primitive boatyard, employing hydraulic skids to drag the boats out from the water.
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| Pavlov will go somewhere here |
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| This empty hardstand will be packed with gulets over winter |
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| Primitive come-along to haul the boats out. |
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| A Gulet being dragged out on the skid |
Tomorrow, 10th October, we will haul out, so we had a good look around the 'extraction point' first. Its a little scary, not like the travel lifts we are used to.
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| We will moor here before being dragged out. |
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| This gulet is waiting to be hauled |
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| View from the 'jetty' back to the boatyard. |
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| Poor little jelly fish trapped in the debris. |
There was a huge new boatshed in the corner of the boat yard. We wandered over, and the security guard allowed us to look inside.
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| Brand new boat shed. |
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| Its absolutely enormous! |
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| This is the front entrance |
The boat shed was built by one man to build one boat. The boat is to be the largest gulet ever built in Turkey. It will be 140 m long and will cost initially over USD$100,000,000. It will be one of the largest wooden ships built.
 |
| Large ship is on the left, hidden by scaffolding. This is the tender! |
We weren't permitted to take photos of the large ship. Currently only the ribs and keelson are completed. The framework of the ship is enormous, surrounded by massive scaffolding. Standing on the keelson, I imagined that this must have been how Jonah felt in the belly of the whale. Clearly, money is no object. The immaculate purpose-built boatshed even had marble detailing along the foundations. An extreme example of Turkish one-upmanship.
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| Stillness at dawn |
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| Looking towards the municipal dock and mosque |
We vacated the municipal dock just before twenty or so flotilla boats pulled into the anchorage. Flotilla's are expeditions organized by the charter companies for people who want to sail but do not have much experience. So half a dozen boats all sail around together, led by an experienced skipper. These flotilla's are a definite hazard if they anchor near to you, and in a small harbour, they mean endless crossed chains and hung up anchors. We escaped just in time, to enjoy a day of quiet before we haul tomorrow.
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| Still and calm, a perfect anchorage. |
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