On the Move Again!

Leaving Finike

On 11th April 2015 we left Finike marina where we had been for the winter. We had a short motor/sail to Kekova Roads to give us chance to check the new sail etc. There we met up with Tracey and Mike on Rio Luna who had left Finike a few days before us.

 Setting off on the next adventure!

 First stop - anchoring off Ucugiz in Kekova Roads - a favourite spot last year.

Kastellorizon

 A fantastic walk up from the town and then across the island, we found a concrete road at a derelict monastery and followed that through army practice grounds. Met one other person who was out jogging and he assured us that the road would take us back to the port. So we walked and walked until we looked down onto ...a tarmac road? no too big, more like a motorway - it had white lines down the middle ... no it was a runway!

 Oh hello!!

 Long evening shadows when we eventually got back to the port!

Wonderful wild flowers at their best at this time of year.

Gocek

 A peaceful anchorage off the town of Gocek

 The little ferry that trundles back and forth between two of the marinas. I always think it looks like something out of a children's story book.

A favourite lunch - pide (Turkish pizza) at the Kebab Hospital in Gocek  (such a strange name for a restaurant!) A plateful like this costs £1.70!

The next leg of our journey

 A long sail ahead of us so we left Gocek at 03.00 in the morning. An interesting exercise following lights and pre-prepared passage plan as there was hardly any moonlight that night. This was sunrise at about 06.00. We motored out of Gocek bay until sunrise then as we changed course we put the sails up and sailed for the next 9 hours - a good wind, in the right direction - a rare occurrence so much appreciated!

 A well-earned beer for the skipper in Pedhi bay on Symi. We had tried anchoring but the holding is poor and the winds were getting up and forecast to get stronger so we went alongside on the new quay. Glad we did considering how the weather changed.

 This may look sunny and lovely but the boat behind us recorded winds gusting at 57 knots.

We stayed put in this bay for several days waiting for the wind to calm down. We had been joined by two other boats - Australian "The Wombat" with Graeme (Scotty) and Heidi on board and the British boat "Sky Song" with Michael and Christine on board. They were both really lovely couples and we met up each evening for drinks. We had such a good week and hopefully we will stay in touch.

 Out of Pedhi we followed the red and blue paint dotted footpath up to the church at the top and then down the other side into Symi town. This was one of the "donkey paths" that ran between stone walls.

 Looking back down into Pedhi bay and this wasn't at the top! Again, lots of wild flowers blossoming along the way.

 From the blue and white church at the top looking the other way down into Symi town.

 Back in Pedhi, the fishing boats stacked with lobster pots ready to go ....

 ......all shapes and sizes!!