The latest news update.

Saturday 11th July 2009

A wonderful start to the season with my daughter, Tania, getting married in May. This was a wonderful time with a meeting of the whole family some who had not seen each other for over 20 years. Everything went so well with even the weather being kind to us.

David took us fishing on Brighton Marina wall. A couple of fish but typical English weather, cold, wet & windy.

Arrived back on the yacht just in time for it to be lifted out in Marty Marina for some small work and antifouling. Regina accused me of eating some cakes she had baked but I was innocent. WE HAD A RAT ON BOARD!!! Luckily another yacht in Egypt also had a rat which was caught with a trap. I had bought 2 traps and put them out overnight. Next morning we had caught it thankfully. They can cause an enormous amount of damage. It had started to eat my flags and droppings everywhere.

Now enjoying the Greek islands of the Dodecanese and the southern part of the Eastern Sporades. I had forgotten how nice Greece was with the little blue and white churches dotted everywhere and all the houses painted in blue & white. The islands have lots of nice sandy beaches which is something Turkey lacks.

This area is noted for strong wind, the meltemi, and these usually start about now. So far, in nearly 8 weeks, we have only had 2 or 3 days of wind. It has been delightful with a slight breeze to cool us. The sea temperature is now about 25 degrees. It pays to be lucky.

We have headed north with the early southerly winds up to Samos visiting Kalimnos, Leros, Lipsos, Fournio and Samos. Now working our way south with the northerly winds and are now in Patmos. Next will be Arki and revisiting the islands we went to on the way up. Tried some Sea Urchins, see picture. very fishy & salty, not very nice. A lot of work for very little.

Next winter will be in Yacht Marine marina in Marmaris for a complete refit. An exciting time with new decks, solid cover for the aft deck, new carpets, bilges and ballast removed for cleaning etc. etc.

Wednesday 15th April 2009

Well another long time between writing up the news page.

Now back in Turkey after a warm sunny winter spent in Egypt.

To continue the story of the trip from Turkey to Egypt and back:-

The trip from Suez to Aqaba was uneventful apart from an incident with a coast guard lieutenant when  he came on board and told us in the afternoon that we could not stay another day in the anchorage at Tiran Island. Our next stop was Dahab, about 30 miles north up the Gulf of Aqaba but the weather was a bit rough and we were going to stay another day to let things settle down. We decided it would be OK so we set off into heavy seas. We would arrive in the dark but I knew the anchorage well so no problems. As we were leaving the straights of Tiran Sybaris got a phone call from the lieutenant to ask if he had left his very expensive sun glasses on my boat during his visit. We found them and they were very nice ones. The lieutenant now said we could stay another night in the island but we said no as we were on our way. (Per had given the lieutenant his telephone number to advise us of an alternative anchorage, although he did not) It was arranged that someone from Dahab would collect them. When we got to Dahab the port police came out and before all the normal formalities asked for the sun glasses.

Aqaba was its usual nice self but with an delightful added bonus. Regina flew out to Aqaba to join me for the winter. Thing went well considering two good cooks on board and we ate very well. Colin and Erika went off for a few days and did Wadi Rum, Petra & the dead sea so gave Regina and me few quiet days.

The trip back south was nice and we stopped in several lovely new anchorages. The last one was on a reef at the bottom of Sinai and as Sybaris and I were coming into it we both caught fish at the same time. Neither of them were Tuna but nice white meat fish. This is always fun, as when you catch a fish you always call the other boat on the radio to tell them. Sybaris was about 2 miles behind and when I called he laughed and said that he had also got one. Both were about 4 or 5 kilo.

I spent December in Abu Tig Marina from where my two crew departed. Colin for England and Erika to travel across the desert and staying at some remote oasis.

   For Christmas two boats, Dragon Song & Eeyore cooked a very good Christmas dinner and the turkey was cooked in my oven as it was the biggest. The tables were on the quay side and  unfortunately in was not very warm but everyone enjoyed themselves. Per & Elly from Sybaris came over from Hurghada for the evening.

      Bill serving the meal                             All wrapped up including the meal.

Regina and I spent a quiet New Year with a very good meal at a local restaurant, one of the few not having parties, The next day Regina went back to Austria for 5 weeks to go skiing. Wish I could still ski! Regina arrived back at the beginning of February.

Moved the yacht to Hurghada marina to get some work done.

Bought new chairs for the saloon with new cushions made by Shaban the local upholsterer.

Regina made new curtains for the aft cabin and a new table cloth.

Bed Mattress repaired by Shaban.

Injectors serviced, they had been done in Turkey but not done correctly. Pressure setting should be 175 bar but was between 195 & 225 bar.

Fitted new wind generator.

Workshop shelves under the bench all rebuilt and old stern tube greasers removed.

Shelves for the cupboards in the forward cabin built.

Painted the saloon roof outside.

Painted the front of the saloon and the wheelhouse outside.

Repaired and painted the navigation light boxes and navigation lights.

Steve White, a friend of Colin who came out with me, came to crew for me getting back to Turkey at the end of March. By the time he left he could tie a bowline knot but he did help to drop a nice Tuna back in the sea. Thank you Steve for crewing on the trip, you were a great help. Hope you remember how to tie a bowline.

The trip up the Gulf of Suez was predicted by the weather forecast to be little wind. It was for 2/3rds of the way then blew over 25 knots on the nose. As it was dark we sheltered in a bay and continued next morning even though the wind had not dropped. It is always better to be in bad weather in the daylight.

The canal was uneventful but we waited in Port Said for 2 days for good wind across to Finike in Turkey. Then there was a weather window where no wind was forecast so we left at 5 in the morning and apart from about 6 hours at the start it stayed flat calm and minimal wind. Wonderful for a motor yacht.

On the crossing we were stopped by an Italian warship and told they wanted to visit us to take photos and give us presents.  This sounded strange but it turned out they were part of an operation called 'Active Endeavour' who's aim is to combat terrorism and any other illegal activities in the med.. A Lieutenant and a camera man came on board and presented us with medical kits. leather gloves, sweat shirts, woolly hats, back pack, caps, mugs etc. all marked with 'Active Endeavour'. For anybody interested see www.oaeenow.com or www.shipping.nato.int

        The Lieutenant & Regina                                                          Their launch                                                              Destroyer D560

Arrived in Finike at 11:45 in the evening and anchored outside the marina for the night. 41 3/4 hour trip, a record time. Checked into Turkey in the morning and Steve departed to return to England.

An exciting May as my daughter Tania is getting married so I am returning home for that on the 13th May for a week.

Now a slow trip back to the Marmaris area.

Monday 27th October 2008

5 months since my last update! I did not realise it had been that long but then during the summer working on the boat and relaxing in quiet bays for weeks at a time, time just slips by.

On my way to the Red Sea again.

Now well on my way to the Red Sea again. I have two lovely crew who joined me in Marmaris and Gocek. Colin and Erika. Colin is very good about the boat and Erika loves cooking. Erika being Hungarian and having lived in most parts of the world can cook Hungarian food as well as Mexican and all varieties between. I have never eaten so well.

We departed Turkey in a not to good a way. Because my Turkish visa was due to run out before we left I had checked the boat out in Datca several weeks early and then stayed in Turkey illegally. The Turkish coast guard never check papers so it should have been OK. When I eventually got to Kaş, the last Turkish port before going to the Greek island of Kastellorizon and leaving Turkey, the coast guard checked my papers for some inexplicable reason. I had already pick up Colin & Erika but made the mistake of saying I picked them up in Gocek and not here in Kaş so was fined 135 lira for that and then had to check the boat in to Turkey and immediately out on the same day. Then to cap it all I fouled a very strong fishing net and had difficulty breaking clear of it. Thankfully I have the expensive but very good Stripper rope cutters and they got me clear. Later I found that the net had actually broken a blade from the rope cutter. I do not have good memories of Kaş as this was where I nearly sank a small gullet.

Next stop was Cyprus. We, that is Sybaris and I, Sybaris being the yacht who I am in company with, went into the new marina of Latchi on the NW corner of Cyprus only to find it full even though we had booked. they did squeeze us in alongside other boats but then wanted to charge for 5 days  as this is apparently the minimum charge. Spent most of my time there doing police forms and customs. We wanted to go to Paphos on the SW corner but that was full so we anchored outside the harbour. We then had to do all the same police paperwork again. Next day to Larnica stopping in a bay for one night on the way.

We have friends in Larnica now and had booked the Marina several months ahead. But even here it was packed solid but we did get a spot OK to stay for a week. This seems to be a recurring story as all the marinas in Turkey are full and have waiting lists. No spaces even for visiting yachts. A very good Carrafour supermarket here which has some nice things. Bought cutlery when here in April and now have bought new crockery. Square plates, white with a black squiggle across them complete with cups of the same design. Now have to get the galley redone to store them properly. Bought supplies for going down to Sudan this winter so I have food packed in everywhere.

The crossing to Port Said was perfect for a motor yacht. No wind and almost flat calm. I have been told many times I am lucky with the weather and so it seems. Erica is still producing some wonderful food.

Did the first half of the canal yesterday and now in Ismailia. Sybaris crew and Colin have gone off to visit Cairo for 2 days. Next stop Port Suez and then down the gulf of Suez and up the Gulf of Aqaba to stay at the Royal Jordan Yacht Club in Aqaba for a week while everyone goes visiting. I hope to go to visit Lebanon for a few days. It is supposed to be very nice like Syria.

The Summer

I went home to see my wonderful daughters and lovely grandson and granddaughter in June and had a really special day. What a lucky man I am to have such a lovely family. I stay with Justine in Brighton and Justine and I go to see Tania, Cameron and Lauren and Tania's new fiancée for a day or two at the weekend. Now I not only play with the children but I can now play, on the computer, with a superb model helicopter. And maybe later with the real thing!

Work on the boat was the normal painting and antifouling which I have long given up doing myself. I had to have a survey this year for insurance and thankfully that only found a few minor problems that were were easily fixed. I did strip and service the water maker and fitted new membranes to it so that now works properly. I also had a new passerail made in Teak with stainless fittings. It looks really smart and compliments the side ladder I fitted last year.

Saturday 24th May 2008

Forgot to mention the wonderful sword fish I caught along the southern Cyprus coast. 6kg. We ate it in the evening and it was delicious.

I regret it when I catch a fish. They look so vulnerable on deck and it seems a shame to kill them. I seem to be the lucky one catching fish so now do not fish that often.

Friday 2nd May 2008

NOTE:-  see http://sailingsybaris.spaces.live.com/  for many more pictures and description on the Syrian adventure

Sitting on the yacht in Latakia, Syria after 9 days travelling around the country. Syria is a wonderful country, very green and friendly people and everything so clean after Egypt. It has an air of peace although not quiet in the towns with taxi horns going all the time. The ruins are spectacular and mostly in good condition.

We, that is my crew, Steve, and Per and Elly from sailing yacht Sybaris went by train to Aleppo, bus to Hama with the water wheels and a day trip to see the dead cities, then bus to Palmyra where we arrived in a sand storm visiting Homs and the almost perfect citadel of Crac De Chevaliers on the way. Bus from Palmyra to Damascus and returning to Latakia by plane.          

The hotel in Aleppo was in the old Souq and was a restored old house around a courtyard. The Souq was a most interesting place as it was where all the local people did their shopping and not that touristy. It had a sense of peace and was unhurried. It was also very clean as we were able to sit on the road side and drink tea from one of the stalls.

From Aleppo by bus to Hama where all the waterwheels are that lift water from the river to the irrigation channels. They are up to 30 ft in diameter and quite amazing how they are built entirely from wood. The country is keeping them in good condition as part of their heritage. We did the lot, seeing 17 in all. We bought Syrian simm cards for our mobiles in Latakia and were having problems with calls. When we got to Hama we located the operators main office only to be told that where we bought them they had not done the registration correctly and we would have to buy new simm cards. We argued the case and eventually as a special case they reconnected them so they worked ok. I had occasion to go back there with another query on the phone and met a nice 22 year old young lady and exchanged numbers. She was very helpful and when we were in Damascus gave us lots of tips of places to visit and to eat at.

Then to Palmyra. This is amazing as it has not been ransacked for its stone and large parts have been put back together so it can be seen as it was. We arrived in a sand storm and the coach had to stop on route until it eased off. Luckily it stopped overnight.

Damascus has a special feel to it. A nice feeling of friendliness and peace.

           Aleppo Hotel                                            Palmyra  amphitheatre                                Old A60 Austin Cambridge taxi

        Palmyra burial tower                             Cuddly baby camel                                   2 houses in the dead cities (first semi detached?)

               Hama water wheels                                                    Oasis at Palmyra                                    Tea in the oasis

                         Selling  some sort of drink in the souk                                                                   Tough guy Per

                                                            Palmyra ruins                                                                            Crac de Chevalier

Costs are still very low. A 4 hour 1st class train ride was £0.70. 70 English pence! as someone said you cannot get a platform ticket for that in England.

Syria still not easy to get into unless you get the paperwork right and when you leave the immigration come on board, stamp your passport and give you your exit papers and expect you immediately to cast off and go. But it is well worth the trouble.

I am a bit late in putting this on the web so I am now in Fethiye, Turkey,

Quite a trip from Hurghada, Egypt. Port Suez, Ismailia on the Suez canal, visit Alexandria, Port Said, Cyprus, Syria and to Turkey in 6 weeks.

Sunday 5th April 2008

Well I am now on my way back to Turkey for the summer visiting Cyprus and Syria on the way. Myself and my friends on Sybaris and another yacht stopped half way along the Suez Canal at Ismailia and went overland to visit Alexandria. This turned out to be a wonderful city and well worth visiting.

The town is very clean and not touristy. Everyone is very friendly as seems the Egyptian way. Travelled by train from Ismailia but we could not get first class so went 2nd/3rd with the locals, an interesting and worthwhile experience with vendors selling everything imaginable but not pushy. We had booked a budget hotel and when we checked in, it was not the best but would do for one night. 85 EGP (£8) per night. Two of our friends decided not to stay and find somewhere better. They rang after 1/2 hour and said they  had found a wonderful place for only 220 EGP. When asked to make certain it was EGP not dollars they assured us it was ok. So off we troupe and on entering the lobby it certainly looked in the dollar class and so it turned out to be (£110). However we stayed, had some real luxury and a wonderful buffet breakfast. It was really nice to luxuriate in a bath with lots of hot water in the evening and get rid of the travel dirt. It turned out to be well worth the money.

Visited the library, which is very impressive and modern. It has a wealth of old and modern books which can be accessed from the internet on www.bibalex.org if you are interested. The old library was burned when the roman's burned the old fleet of ships and the original library caught alight by accident. It is said the Cleopatra cried at the loss of the old documents and books and even the roman emperor at the time was upset at the loss.

Nice old castle and in excellent condition. Unfortunately it was a Friday and I think every child in Alexandria also visited it. The noise was incredible. The children love asking your name and want to have their picture taken. Some speak English and are very proud of it. I now know what it is like to be a celebrity with every one wanting to talk and make contact with you. On the train they even passed over a pen and paper for you to just write anything on it in English.

Steve & Jo went to visit Cairo & the pyramids while we went to Alexandria and had a great time. On their way back they sent an sms saying that the coach had broken down. We were coming back in a hired minibus and saw a coach broken down. Stopped on the off chance and there they were, so they came back with us.

               Captain & Children                              Alexandria harbour                           Three Egyptians on the train

    Beautiful doors                             Our Hotel                                               Tea on the train                                   Fun lady on the train

                  Steve & Jo my crew                                            Typical fruit stall                              Inside the Library

Wednesday 2nd January 2008

Christmas and the new year are over and wondering what 2008 will bring. nothing spectacular planned as yet apart from returning to Turkey for the summer.

Christmas eve dinner was in a local hotel, one of the only ones with Turkey, and the food was outstanding. A couple of photos of the spread. it was a buffet and all you could eat for £25.

Father Christmas arrived on a camel much to the delight of the children there.