Given the trauma of the previous week we decided to have a few quiet days back in a couple of our favourite places, Bum Sting and Kapi Creek. Our attempt to moor up in Bum Sting had to be aborted as my first experience of swimming with the lines to tie us up to the rocks was a failure! The combination of me not really knowing what I was doing and the increasing wind meant that Jacques was struggling to hold the boat in place whilst I faffed about so we called off the venture and went to Kapi instead!

There is always something going on in harbours, marinas and quays and Kapi gave us a treat that day! It is not uncommon to find families on boats with their pet dogs but it still a delight when you see one trotting around a boat or the jetty.

I had noticed a Dalmatian prancing along the quay who was then joined by a small pug like dog from another boat. They promenaded together, the pug running to keep up, and they seemed happy in each others company.

I watched as they parted company and the Dalmatian launched himself back on to his boat (just behind us) a little overzealously and found himself skidding straight off the boat platform and in to the water!! This is obviously a regular occurrence as he then swam to the swim ladder and climbed back on the boat! Amazing!

It soon became clear that little Puggy was missing her new friend, so close and yet so far! I watched as the pug considered her options for boarding the Dalmatian’s boat and after some tenuous first attempts decided that she would paddle board her way! Or at least use it as a bridge to bring her within a few steps of her landing pad!

Once Puggy realised no one was coming to rescue her from the paddle board she went to seek human help back on the boat and there ensued a Benny Hill type of chase with the two humans chasing her around the boat and the Dalmatian (now on a lead tied up n the cockpit) whining and crying every time Puggy ran past him!! Eventually the humans caught her and lifted her to the safety of the quay!!

The next day the wind had dropped so back we went the three miles to Bum Sting to try again! Just outside the bay was the magnificent Maltese Falcon yacht! Incredibly impressive, 88 meters long and at a cost of $75 Million to buy!

Able to reach top speeds of 18 knots, the Maltese Falcon has more than proved herself out on the water, having won many sailing regattas including The Superyacht Cup 2010 and the Perini Cup several times.

And a snip to rent at $500K per week! This is the shot I took of it and below is a professional one showing her sailing!

On arrival in Bum Sting, I was ready to swim to tie up, swim shoes on, gloves on, possible rocks to tie on to were identified. All good! Just then a nearby gulet boat sent two of its crew in a dinghy to tie their ropes just along from us. I’m not one for batting my eyelids but I did manage to wave and catch their eye – my intention was to just ask for a ‘lift’ to the shore thus overcoming my sloth like swimming pace but what fabulous guys! They took our ropes and tied them on for me! Wonderful!

We had our own ‘swimming pool’ and access to a tiny beach – stunning!

To celebrate, Jacques had his first attempt at making pizza in our new oven. Although the flour was ‘not quite right’ and the oven did not heat to the lava temperatures of the pizza oven at home the outcome was a resounding success!!

Whilst this was happening, we employed our new ‘anti-wasp’ technique of hanging a soaking wet green towel (has to be green!!) on the rails and the little darlings flocked to it and away from us!!

Now we were settled we decided to remain in Bum Sting for a few days until heading back to Gocek to pick up our friends after the weekend.

This gave Jacques a chance to use his super hookah diving system to check out something that had been bothering him!

When the diver in Skopea Marina came up from freeing the line in the prop a few days before, he had said something about ‘there may be a little bit more still there…..’!! Although the prop had been working OK it needed to be sorted so now was a great opportunity. It took Jacques about an hour in total underwater to get all of the remaining rope dislodged and cut away. This included having to use an allen key to undo the anodes completely – not an easy task under water! What Jacques returned to the surface with were two fairly large rings of rope that had fused into a hard rubber type substance from the heat of the prop – I have no doubt it would have caused major issues if left where it was!

And so to Gocek to collect our friends, the Knight family who were joining us after a few days in the steaming heat of Istanbul!

The Knights spent a week with us last year in Greece but due to the weather conditions did not get to see many islands so we were thrilled to be able to show them some of our favourite places as well as couple of new spots for us!

Most evenings found us in glorious bays and having dinner on board. A nice treat for our regular Chef (take a guess who!) to have a break as both Rosario and Gary are great cooks!

The Chefs were allowed some relaxation time too!!

Back in Bum Sting, where in fact Kyle did get stung on his arm despite our new wasp distraction technique, but thankfully that was after he and Jake had used their magnificent swimming skills (they are both part time lifeguards) to take our lines to shore and secure us! Always useful to have a bit of sibling rivalry and no need for kind strangers to help this time!

The video is of the brothers’ first line tie up in the Yassica Islands near Gocek. They did a great job but after two days one of the lines broke having been razored away by the sharp rocks! No damage done and Gary swam out to replace the line around the rock with a super knot! We knew we would have to re-think our materials for future ventures involving lines to shore.

Also whilst in Bum Sting we spotted an enormous turtle and then ensued many attempts to see it again, the boys taking the snorkel gear and heading out around the bay. The turtle was found and then with the use of the GoPro camera underwater, incredible film and photos were taken!

In the next bay the boys also had fun on the paddleboard…….

Now you see them…….

Now you don’t………

This was during our stay in a small bay near Fethiye, a first time for us, where we also had a visit from the Supermarket boat – in fact two of them! Carrefour versus Migros!

The boys were desperate to go visit given the low stocks of soft drinks on Mossy Joe so Jacques launched the dinghy and off they went heading to Migros which was the larger option. However, when they arrived it seemed that every boat in the bay had the same idea and the queue to get on board Migros was like the tussle at the New Year sales but with dinghys!

So the shopping ended up taking place on the smaller and less manic Carrefour.

We had many other firsts during this week including using our BBQ! We had managed to buy superb beef burgers in Gocek which was amazing as they are not a common product in Turkey. Gary did a great job of cooking them to perfection.

More foody firsts included Jacques’ stuffed tomatoes and peppers with wedges of potatoes!

Pancakes for breakfast – please note my contribution to this meal was that I cut up the fruit!

And Rosario made a fantastic Banana Loaf! So Yummy!!

We said a sad farewell to our friends back in Fetihye after a wonderful week full of laughter and adventures.

Life had another surprise for us that same evening in the shape of friends we had not seen for about seven years but who just happened to now be living about 20 miles away!

More on this and the fun fun fun, the 10,000 steps and general nonsense involved in exiting Turkey and entering Greece next time!

Plus Jacques bought me a new dress!! A green one!!

Take Care, Sail safe and Be Kind.

Tracey xx