Istanbul

Len and Sergei on the ferry boat going from the European bank of the Bosporus over to the Asian side. We had hoped to take Charlie up the Bosporus to the Black Sea, but the meeting of Heads of State caused the Turkish authorities to close the Bosporus to all sea traffic and we were advised to leave the marina quickly so we wouldn't be "locked" in for three extra days. The traffic on the Bosporus is formidable with massive ships going up and down and fast ferries crossing all the time. We felt good that we didn't have to endure the trip after all. For all sailors: the Atakoy Marina in Istanbul is a five star marina that is beautiful, guarded, with all facilities and cheap. It is very modern and friendly to foreign yachts, even a small one like Charlie.

Limnos Island

This is Charlie anchored in Myrini Harbor on Limnos Island on the day before we head for Istanbul. The Greek church on the hilltop is the guide for the harbor entrance. The seas outside Limnos are rough and short and the coast line is very rocky, so you have to watch carefully for the opening which is hidden behind a large rocky cliff. We have one anchor line out and one line from the bow to quayside because there was a strong side wind. The harbor is empty of other boats, but Limnos is beautiful and the girl in the laundry was lovely. She returned our dirty clothes all ironed with tissue paper between each piece(including the socks).

The Sea of Marmara

Skipper Richard on the HOT Sea of Marmara between the Dardanelles and Istanbul. The container ship behind me is typical of the traffic on that sea. At one point, we counted 9 ships coming toward us and 4 ships following us. We couldn't relax because they move so fast. As we approached Istanbul, we were obliged to cross over the shipping lane and head at right angles for Istanbul. It was like trying to cross a super highway on foot and we had to weave in and out of the shipping traffic.

brother Len

Len has been on all the Charlie trips. He started with me from Scheveningen in Holland and he has been to Istanbul also.

Sailing? Sailing?

Now who really likes sailing? I know I can pretend to love it, but really, really, I would rather poke hot pins in my eye...