We reach Alanya Turkey 36.33N 31.57E
Pure sailing in the azure blue Mediterranean was a breeze after the testy Red Sea as we took three days to sail north from Port Said passing 50 miles to the west of Cyprus to make landfall in Turkey at Alanya. Arriving at dawn we first caught glimpses of high snow capped peaks to the north and as we closed on the coast we came up to a magnificent ancient Roman fort built on a prominent headland. As we got closer modern buildings on the beachfront came in to view either side of the headland as far as the eye could see.
Pure sailing in the azure blue Mediterranean was a breeze after the testy Red Sea as we took three days to sail north from Port Said passing 50 miles to the west of Cyprus to make landfall in Turkey at Alanya. Arriving at dawn we first caught glimpses of high snow capped peaks to the north and as we closed on the coast we came up to a magnificent ancient Roman fort built on a prominent headland. As we got closer modern buildings on the beachfront came in to view either side of the headland as far as the eye could see.
Alanya is a tourist town basking in the Mediterranean early summer sun and we have already been here a month immersing in C3….culture, cuisine and climate. The sun has not stopped shining and the thermometer sits on 30c plus.
Our cultural highlight was a night at the opera Aida, outdoors under the stars in a 2000 year old Roman amphitheatre, Aspendos, near the ancient Roman built town of Side, where Mark Antony and Cleopatra reputedly honeymooned. Stunning venue and first class Ankara State Opera presentation, even if live horses were used instead of elephants, as in the original production.
Turkish cuisine gets our thumbs up with the fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables being a highlight, not to mention the Turkish delight ! As the waiters earn commission on diners served the atmosphere is entertaining too, they are partial to impromptu dancing around the restaurants, if not on the tables like their Greek counterparts.
Let us assure you it has not all been C3. On arrival we checked in to a brand new marina, Alanya Marina, 3km west of the town and still very much under construction. So much so that fresh water is only on tap 2 hours each day, the shore power system is prone to surges and decidedly unstable, the showers sometimes stop just as you soap up and one breezy afternoon our end of the pontoon came adrift, boats and all!. Hence they are not charging us to be here.
A photo from the Alanya Marina website pre the pontoons going in but shows the great view across the bay towards the town.
The hardstand area is however working well and they have a brand new 100 ton travelift with attractive rates for liftout, so as Muskies waterline was looking a bit furry with tropical marine growth we elected to pull her out for her annual bottom job. We came out for 10 days and spent the entire time working from dawn to dusk. We removed each of our 12 seacock thruhulls and serviced them, we sanded back the bottom, applied a new seal coat primer and then two coats of Hempel antifouling paint. Sanded and polished the prop shaft and Maxprop and applied a new etch prime and topcoat system that we are hopeful will hold the marine growth at bay better than the last product we used. A cut and polish of the topsides paint and she was looking good as we returned to the water.
Musketelle out
Musketelle in, note the change of bottom colour.
We will stay here in Alanya Marina until the first week of July finishing odd jobs that require attention before heading west day hopping along the Turkish coast from anchorage to anchorage rather than stopping in marinas.
We feel we have arrived in Europe even if Turkey is decidedly not Europe. We have both been to Turkey previously and from initial impressions it seems to have leapfrogged forward with the economy showing no obvious signs of recession, but being allegedly the 17th largest economy in the world, it’s a big robust engine.
Although a Muslim country, they seem to mesh capitalism with religion in a much more relaxed and successful way than the Muslim countries we have recently visited. We feel at ease and comfortable here, so far.
Indeed so comfortable that we attracted a neighbouring cruiser cat, Eddie (or possibly Teddy) from the German yacht eXcellente
We expect to be cruising around Greek and Turkish waters until next year and are currently making plans to winter over in this region as this is about as far south as one can get from the icy blasts of the northern winter which will be our first for three years.
We hope to do some extensive land travel in the region to experience among other things Ephesus, whirling dirvishes, camel wrestling and of course Gallipoli.
Tied up in Alanya B&P
