December 10 update begins here

Life at Kemer Marina is somewhat like summer camp, with myriad organized activities throughout the week.   That may not be some people's preference but we are finding some of the activities to be quite enjoyable.  Nearly 70 boats are spending all or part of the winter here, with the UK, Germany, The Netherlands and the US well represented.  The winter will pass quickly in the company of these nice people.

Two trips highlighted October and November:  to Northern Cyprus by boat and to Cappodocia by car.  In both cases we were joined by Richard and Martha of the sailing yacht "Transit", whom I have known since we met in Fiji in 1999.  

We visited Cyprus to see two cruising friends who have completed a circumnavigation and are now residing in near Girne.  The island is quite charming and our friends' hospitality top-notch.  We also filled the diesel fuel tanks, as the cost in Cyprus is "only" $2.40 per gallon, compared to $4.00 in Turkey.  With a 1,000-gallon capacity that's quite a savings!

Cappodocia is in a mountainous area of Central Anatolia.  In this area wind and water have eroded the soft volcanic rock into unusual landforms.  Man has carved dwellings, churches, monasteries and stables in the hillsides, and has also created extensive underground cities.  To enjoy this further, we took a trip in a hot-air balloon (see photos).  Our hotel rooms were in caves, although with quite modern furniture and fixtures.  The area is one of the more unusual I have seen.

Another aspect of Cappodocia is its long history:  archeologists indicate that the area was occupied as early as 9,000 BC.  It is located on the "Silk Road", the land route  between Europe and the Middle East.  A well-restored caravansary illustrates the night-time accommodations for the camel trains and also serves as a site for frequent performances by whirling dervishes.

Closer to Kemer is Mount Olympus and an "eternal flame" which has been burning at least since recorded history began, and probably earlier.  In mythology Bellarphon, mounted on the winged horse Pegasus, slew the dragon-like Chimera at this site.  We visited it on one of the Sunday Walks (see photos).

Turkey's history spans many centuries and many civilizations.  More recent epochs included the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Selcuk and Ottoman periods; the present Republic of Turkey was established in 1923.  We look forward to exploring more of Turkey during this winter and also hope to travel to one or two European countries by land.

I flew home for Thanksgiving and a few weeks of shopping, medical appointments and catching up with friends.   I'll return to Turkey on December 17.

September 20 update begins here

Knot Yet II departed Abu Tig on June 16, arriving in Port Suez the following morning.  The crew included Roki, who had crewed on another yacht for a couple of years, and Bob and Judi of the yacht "Long Passages", who left their boat in Abu Tig to take this "preview trip"  

Prior to transiting the Suez Canal the boat must be measured according to a complex formula to determine the transit fees, which in our case were $280.  Of course, agent fees, port clearance fees, immigration fees and the ever-present "baksheesh" increased our cost to nearly $500.  Cigarettes are part of the baksheesh currency, earning the Suez Canal the nickname "Marlboro Canal" among yachties.

The canal transit took two days, with a mandatory stop at Ismaelia, which turned out to be one of the more attractive cities we'd visited in Egypt.  We had dinner ashore with friends from another boat.  The second day we arrived in Port Said, where we spent another night.  Port Said was teeming with people, even late at night; we were told that part of the reason was the beginning of school holidays.  However, we've noticed that lots of cities in this part of the world come alive at night, after the heat of the day.

We left Port Said at first light and were very excited to finally be in the Mediterranean Sea.  Our next stop was Larnaca, Cyprus, our first taste of Western civilization in  many months.  Western prices prevailed also, giving us a bit of a shock.  The marina was adjacent to a beach and to downtown, making a delightful setting for walking after spending a week on the boat.  We also drove to a marina in Limassol to visit some other yachtie friends.

The final leg of this year's major journey was from Cyprus to Park Kemer, Turkey.  A relatively new marina with fine facilities awaited us and we are most happy to have arrived.  Thus far this year we've traveled 5,400 miles and are ready for some rest, relaxation and land travel.  

After week in Kemer, my friend Dean arrived from California and we cruised the "Turquoise Coast" of Turkey, from Kemer to Marmaris, stopping at many beautiful coves and bays along the way.  We flew to Istanbul, doing a "whiplash" tour in a day and a half, before Dean returned home.  We have since been cruising the Aegean coast of Turkey, journeying as far as Kusadasi.  Ancient Ephesus is nearby and our tour of that city and the nearby house of the Virgin Mary were enjoyable and inspiring.

Another interesting land trip was a visit to Pamukkale, where stone terraces look like snow or glaciers.  This is the result of underground mineral water with a high calcium content pouring over the terraces and evaporating, leaving deposits of calcium. This occurred over several thousand years, of course.

We have now returned to our base in Kemer, where we will spend the winter.  We will do some more cruising in this area and perhaps take a trip to Cyprus before the season is over.

May 28 update begins here.

We very much enjoyed Abu Tig Marina and the adjacent resort city of El Gouna.  The oldest part of the resort is 10 years old; this marina has been open for 2-3 years.  The marina boasts several restaurants and an excellent bakery; nearly everyone stopped cooking on their boats!

I'd promised Rut a visit to Thailand after we arrived in Turkey.  However, he asked that we visit in April during the Thai New Year's festival, so we did.  Many Thais return to their villages during this three-day festival so we were able to see many of his friends and relatives.    

Enroute to Bangkok we toured Cairo and were very impressed with the Pyramids, the Sphinx and other archeological treasures; a few photos are on the page Photos 2003-Oman to Turkey.

Unfortunately, when we applied in Bangkok for a visa for Rut to return to Egypt his application was refused.  The consulate stated that Cairo had issued instructions not to issue any tourist visas until June, six weeks away.  No other explanation.  So I returned to the boat alone toward the end of April.

While cleaning in the engine room I got into a very awkward position and felt a "snap" in my right hip.  (This is NOT the one which had dislocated twice this year, but the much more stable one which has been in place for 15 years).  X-rays revealed that the head of the prosthesis had rotated within the pelvic socket and surgery was required.  I decided to return to Bangkok for the surgery; I had consulted an orthopedic surgeon there in April and was very impressed with his education (Johns Hopkins) and experience as well as with the hospital, which is quite modern.

My decision was a good one.  The surgery was brief and successful; he was able to use the stem of the old prosthesis so the operation was shorter and less invasive.  And the recovery has been just remarkable:  I was walking and putting full weight on the operated leg the second day after surgery and was discharged in less than a week.  A continuing program of exercising and walking has strengthened both legs incredibly quickly; the surgeon expects me to walk without crutches at the end of the third week and will release me from his observation!!

Current plans are to return to the boat in mid-June and proceed onward through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea, visiting Cyprus enroute to Turkey.

April 4 update begins here

We departed Phuket for Sri Lanka on January 16 and arrived on January 23.  This was the first ocean passage for both Rut and Andrew; we had delayed our departure for the full moon so that the sea would be a little less intimidating at night.  They both suffered from a bit of seasickness; medication purchased in Galle has alleviated that problem.  The passage was uneventful except for "flying fish night", when over 50 landed in various places on and in the boat.

Sri Lanka was a surprise:  a much more interesting country than envisioned.  Formerly Ceylon, it won independence in 1948.  The first impression is the incredible amount of traffic, ranging from pedestrians (who seem oblivious to all other traffic) to bicycles, three-wheeled "tuk-tuks", cars, pickups, trucks and buses.  The rule appears to be "might makes right-of-way", with the buses being at the top of the traffic chain.  Almost all roads are two-lane with minimal shoulders so traffic is a continual game of "dodge-em".

I did have a little setback while in Galle:  I fell and dislocated my left hip, which was the one replaced the second time in 2000.  It was easily relocated without surgery in Colombo and I have since been protecting it with a hip brace which I had on board.

Rut and I took a 3-day van tour into the hill country, terminating at Kandy, the second-largest city in Sri Lanka.  Impressions included stick fishermen; surfers; a Buddhist temple with a graphic depiction of Hell including the ways to get there; curd made from buffalo milk mixed with palm honey; Rut's first sight of high mountains (1200-1400 meters), waterfalls, terrace farming, and tea plantations and a tea factory. In Nuwara Eliya (6182 ft), we purchased some warm weather clothing (Columbia, Helly Hansen, London Fog and many others are manufactured in Sri Lanka).  We purchased some other clothing in Kandy, also at very good prices.  Kandy's attractions include a good handicraft center and an amazing program of traditional dance.

The highlight, however, was the Buddhist temple which contains a relic of Buddha's tooth.  This was especially meaningful for Rut; the strain of Buddhism prevalent in Thailand emanated from Sri Lanka.  

Andrew had taken a tour with Sri Lankan friends (that he had met playing cricket in Galle Fort) to Yala National Park where he saw several wild animals including nearly a dozen elephants; activities included a night safari.  He also visited Colombo.  We all enjoyed Sri Lanka very much but were ready to leave by February 10.

The trip to the atoll Uligan (or Ulegamu) at the top of the Maldive Archipelago took just under three days. We did not have the expected calm seas until nearly two days out of Sri Lanka.  Instead we had a fairly good-sized swell coming at the stern quarter.  Even with the paravanes we were rolling quite a bit.  The sailors loved the 20-knot winds, but I didn't like what they did to the seas.  However, as we neared Uligan at the top of the Maldives the seas flattened considerably and we enjoyed a good ride. This is a picture-perfect atoll with a fringing reef with turquoise waters, gorgeous beaches, lush greenery; the scenery is reminiscent of the Yasawa Islands in Fiji.  The officials who came to the boat for inspection and check-in, were quite pleasant and (unlike Sri Lanka) didn't have their hands out.  The abundant sea life included dolphins and large turtles. During our stay we especially enjoyed a traditional dinner ashore, with barbecued fish, salads, curries, two rice dishes, a few types of fish balls/cakes and lots of roti.  When we shopped for fruits, we shopped at the source (see photos).

The next leg was the  longest of this year's planned journey, from the Maldives to Salallah, Oman.  It was a 1200-mile trip and took seven days and one hour. We have enjoyed mostly calm seas and fair weather and saw one pod of whales as well as many dolphins.

Oman was quite interesting; much more prosperous than any country we've visited since Singapore.  The first indication of prosperity is the newness of the cars and trucks and the absence of motorbikes.  Next, the buildings are largely in good repair and few are in need of paint.  Lots of new construction as well.  It's the first Arab country we've visited and both clothing and architecture were different and interesting.  Men in long white robes and women in black from head to toe with only a slit for the eyes!  There's a lot of land around structures; quite strange compared to California!  The Omani's were very welcoming, although security at the port was quite tight.  During our one-week visit we saw warships from Spain, Italy, France, the UK and the USA.  

Andrew, who had joined the boat in Phuket, decided to leave the boat in Oman and return to California.

Rut and I departed Oman on 3 March in the company of three other boats for the trip to the Red Sea.  The area off the Yemen coast is rather noted for piracy, although the incidence of piracy on yachts over the last three years is about 1%.  Nevertheless we did travel in company and were glad we did.   

We did have one uneasy moment:  the lead boat, Beyond Capricorn, radioed that some suspicious boats were approaching them.  Each seemed to have 4-5 people in them and they were sort of hovering around about a mile from the boat.  We were rather spread out but I increased speed and headed toward Beyond Capricorn while they turned and headed back toward us and the two sailboats.  In the meantime one of the suspicious boats approached Beyond Capricorn more closely.  The Aussies came out on deck with a flare and removed the cap as if they were prepared to ignite it.  The prospect of a flare being tossed into their gasoline-powered boat discouraged the suspicious characters and they departed quickly!  Later in the day I became concerned as two boats approached us but it soon became clear that they were pulling in fishing nets.

Our first port in the Red Sea was Massawa, Eritrea.  Original plans had included calls at either Aden or Djibouti.  There was no need to do so for refueling, and reports from friends indicated that neither was a particularly attractive or interesting place to visit.  We arrived at an island near Massawa a little over six days after departing Oman and stopped for a celebration dinner on Beyond Capricorn before continuing to the harbor the next day.  On arrival there we were delighted to see many other boats which were known to us, with a few others arriving the next day.

A moment of reflection:  the first full day we were in the Red Sea, after the strong winds and currents of the Straits at the entrance had subsided, everyone expressed excitement and wonder that we actually had reached the Red Sea and that the land on the left was Africa.  A sense of wonder and accomplishment was shared by all; we had no idea of the sights we'd see in the next weeks!

Eritrea is one of the poorest countries in the world, and fought Ethiopia for nearly 30 years to retain its borders and the access to the Red Sea.  Evidence of the war could be seen in Massawa, most notably in a former bank building which was heavily damaged by explosives.  Massawa is one of two port cities in Eritrea, with rather primitive port facilities.  The capital, Asmara, is about 2.5 hours from Massawa, and was quite different.  It is a Mediterranean city at a high altitude in a country which is mostly desert. It was rather cosmopolitan and did offer lots of imported Italian food in the supermarkets and some mediocre Italian food in the restaurants. The pastries in the coffee shops were marvelous!  A contrast to the cosmopolitan shopping and Italian influence was the open market, which occupied most of three blocks.  One block was entirely devoted to grains, many of which I didn't recognize.  Another block was full of fruits and vegetables.  Rut replenished the larder.

The trip back to Massawa was nerve-wracking as we traveled down the two-lane switch-backed mountain road in very thick fog.  But the fog did answer our question regarding the vegetation at that altitude; we'd wondered where the moisture came from which sustained green plants at a particular altitude above the desert.

We continued our trip up the Red Sea, stopping at some islands formed by reefs, called "marsas".  While taking a shower in calm conditions at the second of these I again dislocated my hip! A retired physician on a nearby yacht attempted to relocate it but was unsuccessful.  With help from many friends we were able to continue to the next anchorage through an exciting reef-lined channel and the following day to the ancient city of Suakin (Sawakin), Sudan.  Other yachties had arranged for us to be met by a ship's agent who also arranged an ambulance.  The nearest hospital was in Port Sudan, a 40-minute drive.

The hospital was a bit primitive but did have skilled personnel.  No gurneys, though, so all transport was people carrying the stretcher.  No elevator either, so I had to be carried up and down stairs a couple of times!  The x-ray department was in another building and the ambulance had left so they had to seek other transport.  I ended up on a stretcher in the bed of a small pickup!!  X-rays showed the dislocation and it was the usual short procedure to get it put back together and the brace on.  The orthopedic surgeon was experienced and skilled and I felt I was in good hands. We spent the night in the hospital and returned to Suakin the next day.

We spent another two days in Suakin; people really enjoyed shopping at the local market.  The town is quite small, and many got rides back to the dinghy landing in a donkey cart.  Donkeys, goats and camels are quite prevalent.  The ruins of the ancient city of Suakin date from the 10th century BC, and are notorious as the last slave-trading port in Africa; this trade continued until the end of World War II!

From Suakin we continued up the coast to another large marsa, where we spent nearly a week waiting for favorable winds to continue further north.  As this is written, we are enroute on a two-day trip which will take us to Hurghada, Egypt, and the nearby Abu Tig Marina.  We're looking forward to washing the accumulated sand and salt spray off the boat and enjoying a little civilization.