Sailing along the Turkish Coast on the CHRISTIANNE was an incredible journey. We experienced the thrill and freedom of sailing on water that changed from aqua to shades of turquoise and deep blues. We savored the tranquility and privacy of stopping at anchorages in secluded coves and enjoyed seeing the views of the mountains and sparkly white houses in seaside towns. Most of all, we loved being with Elizabeth,  Jack and daughter Christianne the boat’s namesake and Hannah feline goddess of the vessel.

Starting from Kusadasi we headed along the Aegean Coast to Bodrum stopping for the first night at a peaceful anchorage called St Paul’s Cove, where supposedly Paul had stopped, to rest his oarsmen during one of his journeys. In these dark blue waters surrounded by rolling hills we were the only boat to spend the night. Another evening approaching our anchorage we saw the ruins of the ancient Hellenistic city of Iassos running from the shore up the hillside. After CHRISTIANNE was securely anchored and  a quick supper, we took the dinghy to shore and hiked to the top of the hill. Here the Turkish flag fluttered in the breeze over the remains of a fort built by the Knights of St. John. Along the way, not a path in sight, we walked among ancient knar led olive trees and large pieces of ruins. In one spot the sand was brushed aside to reveal a beautiful three-color mosaic floor. The next day after a refreshing swim in the crystal clear aqua waters with visibility down 50 ft, it was time to go exploring. We dinghied over an ancient breakwater which guarded the harbor to the ancient town, now the present day town of Asin. This small town was made up of a few white buildings with red tiled roofs and a simple mosque with a stark white minaret. Across the inlet was the ancient city of  Iassos which we had explored the night before from the other side. It was quite a contrast from the crowded and well documented ruins of Ephesus which we had visited several days before. There were only three other tourists and an Italian archeological team who had identified objects dating back over 5000 years. They have identified the Temple of Zeus, city wall, agora (marketplace) and a small theater. It was fun to sit back on the ancient wall and just think about what had taken place about 900BC when the first city was built until it declined in 387 BC. "What was everyday life like in those times?", we wondered. Going back to Assin we had lunch in a restaurant right on the water where the people spoke no English and our Turkish was very limited. We had no problems ordering lunch after being invited into the kitchen to make our choice of mezes (appetizers such as stuffed grape leaves, grilled and seasoned egg plant, yogurt, white cheese, olives and white bean salad).

Soon we sailed for Bodrum but before our arrival came one more exciting adventure; riding with the dolphins. Two sleek smiley faced dolphins swam with us first on starboard then directly off the bow and then to the port side. Sitting on the forward deck seemed like it was just the dolphins and me. The freedom they had and the freedom I felt was something I had never experienced before. Sailing into the harbor at Bodrum was a bit sad because we knew it was the end of our journey. We will have the memories forever.

I am a landlubber. I have been on Minnesota Lakes all my life and love fishing, canoeing, and water skiing. I have been sailing only once on Lake Superior but the only reason I can keep "Port " and "Starboard" straight is because I am a "portsider". So, maybe you can understand my poorly disguised kidlike glee when Jack asked me if I would like to take the helm! At the helm of the CHRISTIANNE! Wow! I did feel like a kid. I felt like smiling and smiling and … I did feel like I was in control… until I had an uncontrolled jibe, and then another. From below deck, some concerned and questioning looks "anything wrong". No, just me at the helm a bit deflated and embarrassed, yet determined to do better and best of all not relieved from duty. I gained a little of my confidence back, along with the appreciation of the power and responsibility of being in charge. Believe it or not I was allowed at the helm several other times and each one was as exciting as the last. I didn’t have to be steering to be awed by the vastness of the sea and what a small part of it we were. It may seem a little odd, but the other time I had this feeling was in Alaska when we were in a helicopter over Mt. McKinley.

I now also have a better appreciation for sailing. It takes teamwork, hard work, brainwork and long work. It is fun and reassuring to see Jack and Elizabeth working as a team, they obviously have been working together a lot. Things can happen quickly and unexpectedly so you need to stay alert, react immediately and instinctively. The brainwork also comes in the planning. Although that had happened long before we boarded the boat, it was obvious that Jack had spent many hours working it all out. There wasn’t any long work on our relatively short voyage, but it was not difficult to imagine some pretty long trips when they were sailing for up to twenty days without stopping. Rotating four hour shifts being at the helm and sleeping could certainly be classified as long hard work.

What a fantastic trip—I will never forget it, and best of all I met three fantastic people.

Return to Travel Log Page| Next Log Entry | Previous Log Entry | Return to Home Page