I was so excited when we finally got our transit log and were able to move.
We’d been in Didim for a few days and were approached by the coast guard who were checking all boats for their paperwork. Our transit log was apparently a day or two out of date which was a huge scary moment for both of us. I asked the coast guard if we could go tomorrow to see Atilla the agent in Didim D Marin marina to renew it. He thought for a second or two and then said “Yes.”
A big sigh of relief all round. “Thank you!”
“But,” he continued. “You must not move from here until it is renewed.”
“We know Atilla and he has our details from when we checked into Turkey,” we replied. “So it shouldn’t be a problem.”
But then the coast guard said it might be difficult to renew tomorrow as Bayram was just about to begin. Bayram’s a muslim holiday and lasts for 9 days including the weekends either side of it, that would mean if we weren’t able to get things sorted out immediately, we’d be sitting in Didim bay for a total of fifteen days.
I need your insurance document
Baz shot off to see Atilla early the next morning. It turned out our transit log wasn’t out of date for a few days.
Atilla said it wouldn’t be a problem to renew the transit log, all he needed was our boat insurance paper documents.
Ah.
Our UK insurance had expired and we were in the process of moving to another (cheaper) Turkish insurance company, but it hadn’t been finalised yet. We hadn’t known about the Bayram holiday, so Barry hadn’t realised the need to complete that process before the weekend.
Our wonderful agent Samet in Finike was handling that and he acted immediately Baz contacted him. The problem however was that although Samet was working, the insurance company had shut down for Bayram. And they weren’t going to open until the end of the holiday.
We had no option but to wait.
Here is a photo of the funfare that started early evening and went on till 3am with people screaming in terror on the rides. And a budgie which came and rested on our bimini frame before heading back to land. Little thing looked so scared and tired.
Will I have my birthday in Didim or Kuşadası?
I don’t exactly know why, but I was truly enthusiastic to go to Kuşadası and I wanted to celebrate my birthday there. Okay, the ancient site of Ephesus is nearby and I’d known about that since childhood so I really wanted to visit Ephesus. But Kuşadası was calling and I was going.
So when, after fifteen days, our updated insurance and transit log were both in our hands, I was so excited! Even when Baz announced that we’d have to leave at 3am the following morning so that we’d miss the worst of the northern meltemi winds that we’d be sailing into, I was still excited.
Er, would you mind moving?
Early that evening we had to ask a lovely couple on a yacht that was sitting directly over our anchor if they’d mind moving forward. They were so agreeable and were happy to either move that evening or at 3am the next day. We decided to do it that evening so we wouldn’t have to wake them up. They pulled 20 metres of their chain up and shifted forwards. We pulled all of our chain and the anchor up and moved to an empty space between two yachts. All ready for an early departure.
I didn’t sleep a lot before that early morning start – I was lucky if I got an hour of sleep. And I hadn’t even made a good cup of coffee with my still much loved *Handpresso coffee machine, before we untied the lines and headed out in pitch darkness.
Not too bouncy
As it turned out the wind wasn’t too bad and the sea state wasn’t too bouncy. Good enough for me to pop down below and make a welcomed coffee for me and breakfast for the two of us.
Passing west to east through the channel between the Greek island of Samos (where we’ve anchored before at Pythagorio), and the Turkish mainland was enjoyable. Mainly because you could almost swim to either shore from the middle of the channel. We passed a few fishermen in tiny boats in the centre of the channel and couldn’t discern if they were Greek or Turkish. They probably didn’t care where the border was. They were going with the fish were biting.
There was a very small Greek coast guard vessel just set back from these fishing boats. In fact, if we hadn’t spotted the aerial system on the top, we wouldn’t have given it a second look. Fortunately, we were safely in Turkish waters so passed by without incident.
After seven hours we arrived in the surprisingly large bay of Kuşadası, passing the fort which we promised ourselves we’d visit while we were there.
Great marineros and fuel assistance
The marina at Kuşadası is one of the Setur marina chain which we can stay at for thirty days without cost as we have a 12 month Setur contract. This was the reason we’d chosen Setur; it allows us to travel up and down the Turkish coast, anchoring in many bays, but also stopping for fuel, water and hot Hollywood showers along the way. Good value for money in my opinion.
Kuşadası marina was a very pleasant experience from the moment we entered. For a start, it is larger than it looks in the photos. The marineros assisted us to the fuel dock and they, as well as the fuel guy, were extremely helpful, pleasant and spoke good English.
On the way to our berth one of the marineros jumped like a gazelle from the fuel dock to their tender and then onto A B Sea’s bow, and stayed with us so that he could tie the slime line when we arrived. The other marinero shot over to the berth in the tender and they both guided and assisted us to berth. It wasn’t long before we were tied up on one of the newer pontoons. Three other new pontoons were being installed while were there.
All we had to do after saying a huge thank you to the marineros, was go to the office, complete the paperwork, and receive key cards for the toilet/shower blocks, and get our water and electricity sorted out.
Then both of us were very ready to return to A B Sea, have lunch and sit back and chill in the cockpit.
Oh yes, and I was going to have a very long, hot, enjoyable Hollywood shower. Wait till you see what the showers are like at Kuşadası. They’re awesome!
To watch this week’s YouTube episode that accompanies this blog just click here.
Until next week, I wish you health, wealth and courage, as you take the actions to bring your dreams to life.
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