We spent the winter in Marmaris, Turkey. The weather, as you can see, was terrible. Tiger was lucky enough to have a friend all winter, Hannah, from the American boat, Naia. Here they are practising for the next Marmaris Yacht Marine brochure.
Our first job of the year was to antifoul the boat. Tiger finishes the job. By tradition, she has done this since she was three.
Strike! ... Karen and Paul from "Antigua Lady" would organise regular trips to the local bowling alley. Photo courtesy John from Naia.
Hannah and Tiger were schooled together in the "Kids Club" provided by Nazli from the Marina. Here are the girls with Katherine, their very special guest science teacher from "Kimo Sabe".
All of which gave Helen the opportunity to relax and get on with her re-upholstery project for our saloon.
More hard work, regular riding lessons at Felis and Salih's stables out in the country. Hannah, Juliette and Tiger groom Bodyguard while Loris looks on.
Computer classes on board Alexina.
Moshe and Claudia from "Jeanette" gave sailmaking lessons in their loft.
Mr. Bilgin, the owner of the Marina, took all the liveaboards to the Istanbul Boat Show and treated us all to a boat trip up the Bosphorus and a slap-up meal as well as snazzy jackets.
Tiger's Christmas present; an Aquaglide. Guess how many experienced world girdling cruiser's it takes to assemble?
Tiger and Hannah sail off into the sunset.
Safety is ever our watchword. We bundle Grandma and Grandpa into the safety boat and snaffle their Gin.
Hmmmm! Netsel Marina, on the other side of the bay gives an Easter party. Matthew and Pauline from "Pina Colada" push out the boat in the costume stakes.
The children get their own competition. Tiger wins.
The sailing season starts. "Naia" are first off, destination, sunny Ireland.
We take it more easily, visiting Ephesus by land first. Here Tiger is bemoaning the inaccurate reconstruction of these columns. Ionic under Doric, tut tut.
Soon after we are off. A leisurely cruise down the Turkish coast after topping up with beer, wine and diesel in Rhodes. Tiger plays whilst Alexina and Pina Colada rest at anchor on Father Christmas (St. Nicholas) Island. Photo courtesy of Pina Colada, Matthew and Pauline.
With Matthew and Pauline on top of Father Christmas's birthplace. Tiger is improving her photographic skills.
Pina Colada, that well known Ocean Greyhound racing past us as we pass the Turkish Coast in still conditions. They saw dolphins and turtles.
Kastellerizon, a small Greek island off the Turkish Coast. You can just see Alexina and Pina Colada moored stern to on the quay.
Alexina and Pina Colada anchored off in Kastellerizon harbour. Photo courtesy of Pina Colada, Matthew and Pauline.
On the way to Kekova. All the crew out on deck enjoying the views as we thread our way through the many islands. Captain Neco the autopilot in firm charge. Photo courtesy of Pina Colada, Matthew and Pauline.
Ah! Alexina at anchor in the perfect shelter of Kekova Roads. We spent two peaceful weeks catching up on school, completing sewing projects and practicing with our new signal flags. Photo courtesy of "Atlantis" Jean Francois, Isabelle, Baptiste and Alexandre.
Ucagiz in Kekova Roads, home to the notorious "water in the diesel" affair. Photo courtesy of Pina Colada, Matthew and Pauline.
Kemer, where we join the EMYR. But first we have Tiger's seventh birthday to celebrate. Here, Tiger, Damian, Juliette, Soracha and Cian have been having a "grubby child" competition.
The EMYR starts with a series of team building events. It's just like working for a large corporation. Here is Tiger in her new uniform.
But the scenery is much better. Alanya, as we move towards Eastern Turkey. It might look like a Byzantine fort but it is a Seljuk Turk construction.
A fiercely fought prize in the rally is the fishing prize, given to the boat which catches the most fish. We enter into the spirit. Here is Tiger with one of our entries. We consider getting it stuffed.
Leaving Turkey we sail to Northen Cyprus where we moor in the old harbour, meet Heather's Mum. We attend a civic reception in the castle and meet the President, at least we would have done if he hadn't sent the Vice President in his place.
The following day we attend a great pirate party and dance the night away.
Iskenderen, last port in Turkey. Seventy boats all dressed overall.
Culture. We visit old stones.
And museums.
We then sail to Syria through a sea of plastic waste. This is Bashar, the ex-opthalamologist from Surrey. Now President of Syria. His picture is everywhere in Syria. Probably due to the election which was raging whilst we were there.
Crac des Chevaliers in Syria the best preserved Crusader castle in the world. You could spend all day exploring it.
Gothic architecture in the Middle East, the inspiration for Europe.
On the road to Damascus, I think we'll turn right. We did visit the notorious Baghdad Cafe.
You can keep the Parthenon, this is Palmeira, jewel of the desert, bigger and better preserved. We filled our camera before we were half-way round it.
The city walls in Damascus, old and new jumbled together.
We met some extras from Star Wars outside the Mosque in Damascus.
A typical scene below decks during a night passage from Syria to Lebanon. Tiger often sleeps on the floor where there is least movement on the boat.
Beirut - War torn victim or Paris of the East. We could talk about it for hours.
But they knew how to throw a party.
Writing a journal whilst in Byblos.
Soracha from Kari and Tiger seek shelter from the fifty degree heat as we enter Israel from the Lebanon.
Saygin and Kameran from "Tay", the red group team leaders prepare to brief the troops.
Weather discussions with Laurie from "Ruby Royal" and Jurgen from "Ninovan".
Source of the radio voice of the Israeli Navy, our constant companions in Eastern Mediterranean waters. We first heard them as we approached Kekova.
A practised tourist. At Masada.
I know, it's touristy, but you have to do it while in the Dead Sea.
We spent a lot of time on buses and coaches. Here are Anna and Hakan from "Unicorn" smiling bravely and looking too healthy to be true even though their bottoms are killing them.
En route from Israel to Port Said, Egypt. A thirty six hour passage, most of it under sail . Photo courtesy, oops we've forgotten but thanks anyway.
Entering the Suez canal. All the yachts in single file. It was like herding cats. Dave, from "Mashona" unusually needed a gin and tonic after organising it all.
Ho Hum, another sunrise, another continent, better dress overall.
The Cairo skyline. Mysteriously Thalia, Zach and Alyssa from "Sunset Sam" and Tiger get in the way.
Mohammed, our plain clothes security guard that went everywhere with us. Note the suspicious bulge in his jacket that conceals the Uzi.
Feluccas on the Nile in Cairo. They have no engines at all and put us softy yachties to shame..
Sailing a Felucca on the Nile. Little did the pilot know what he was letting himself in for. Used to land lubber tourists, the first time he tacked we yachties all dashed to hang off the rail.
Too much listening to Madness.
The ship of the desert. Yes, we know, it's a cheap caption. A prize for anything better.
The Sphinx. My did this one get us all talking. Sheila, from "She-Cat" who had the misfortune to have done a year at Uni doing Egyptology faced 101 questions.
Helen nearly got arrested for taking this one. It's our escort for the bus.
Leaving Port Said. We are at the front of all the boats. Time to put up the spinnaker. Photo courtesy Eiland, Uli and Imke.
By the time we have got the twisted spinnaker down all the boats in the fleet have passed us.
Still, we have a sparkling sail back to Herziliya, Israel; spent in continous radio contact with the Israeli Navy. We are checked out by one of their gunboats which does not show up on our radar.
Red Team photo in Herziliya at the end of the rally. By this time we are all life long friends and knitted together like a well oiled machine.
Team Mascot gets a kiss from Hasan, the organiser of, and the powerhouse behind the rally.
Gay Pride March in downtown Jerusalem. It raised the hackles of the fundamentalists.
After a series of very long bus rides and a couple of days spent lounging and snorkeling by the Red Sea we arrive at Wadi Rum, Jordan.
Our five star accomodation for the night although it was so hot we all slept under the stars.
Sunset over Wadi Rum. I do not think that David Lean did any better in Laurence of Arabia.
Imke and Uli from "Eiland" enjoy the sunset with us.
The first glimpse of the Treasury at Petra is truly spellbounding.
As was the local geology. Tiger gets a crash course in sedimentary rock formation.
On the way back to Turkey we stop off at Paphos, Southern Cyprus. The small harbour was packed with returning EMYR yachts. We carry on the tradition of Gin and Tonics in the cockpit. Boats Eiland, Images and Ruby Royal.
Back in Turkey we stop off at our favourite place, Kekova Roads and celebrate July 4th. Independence day with a massive dinghy raft and fireworks. We store Alexina in Marmaris and return to the UK for 6 weeks.
Back in the UK we get jobs. Mum helps with Tiger's school.
David keeps us well fed!
My college friend Helen visits with Emily and Oliver.
Marlinde flies in from Holland to see us.
Philip and Katherine from Kimosabi have swallowed the anchor. We visit them in Plymouth. Despite electing for a life ashore, Philip is away in Falmouth sailing.
Back to Marmaris in September. "Mianda" comes sailing with us.
The wind is on our nose, but how can we complain when it is so beautiful.
At Bozborun we have Aquaglide races. Christopher and Henry beat us every time. Then back to the boat for tea and biscuits. The local store stocks fresh mint, a perfect excuse to break out the Pimms for Helen's birthday.
Tiger goes solo for the first time.
Henry frome "Mianda" takes this cracking photo of Alexina ghosting up the Gulf of Doris with twin foresails. Who needs a spinnaker?
Second favourite place, Keci Buku. An island with a castle in the middle of a protected bay with rabbits bouncing to and fro. "Second Nature" , "Mianda", "True North" and "Maritea" celebrate with a picnic, camp fire and sing song.
Maritea, Eric, Celine, Damian and Juliette, not forgetting Leo the dog join us for the Kingfisher Cruise. We explore the river at Bencik. Mysteriously our dinghy, Tommy Thumb gets full of children whilst Maritea's remains a sea of tranquillity (except for a very muddy Leo).
We sail around and into the Gulf of Gekova. Photo courtesy of Maritea.
Damian's fourth birthday, Eric and Celine wonder how two dancing girls have appeared out of nowhere.
"English Harbour", home to the Special Boat Squadron in the Second World War. Their latest recruit.
Juliette and Tiger, very special friends discussing world matters in their own language.
Tiger overlooks Alexina and Maritea anchored in English Harbour.
In the midst of all this fun school continues. Guess the subject.
The Amphitheatre on Cleopatra's Island. An idyllic spot with gnarled olive trees growing through the ancient stones whilst a gentle zephyr of a breeze wafts up from the anchorage below.
Of course, if you see a pedestal (properly called an erecthion) the thing to do is to stand on it and pose. Damian coolly awaits his turn.
Cleopata's Island again, we circumnavigate on foot. Tiger has caught lunch.
Navigation lesson.
An un-named island in the Yedi Adalari group of islands. In Turkey islands can be insignificant enough to have no name but they all qualify for a flag . We stop for lunch, octopus spotting and name the island "Cow and two calfs"
Funny how our dinghy gets all the children. Also, note the condition of the dinghy compared to earlier in the year.
A protected anchorage and a spectacular sunset. Thanks to Eric from Maritea for taking this one.
Clouds are gathering, the forecast is threatening. We head off to a bomb proof anchorage.
Where we amuse ourselves by playing cats cradle with mooring lines and laying out multiple anchors.
Geology lesson aboard Alexina.
By the end of October thunderstorms become more prevalent.
On passage to Simi, Maritea overtake us.........again!
Simi harbour was quiet. We managed to moor Maritea, Alexina, Mianda and Second Nature all in a row. Being a Greek island, booze and diesel are cheap. So we stock up before heading towards Marmaris.
We arrived back at Yacht Marine just in time for Hallow'een
Our new temporary crew member, Hobi Cat, snuggles up to Tiger for the night.
Eve holds sewing lessons in the Kids room at Yat Marine.
Osnat teaches cullinary skills.
Happy Christmas from Tiger, Juliette and Damian.
