Well the weather forecast was for showers but all three of us were surprised with the downpour as we taxied to the Marina early hours of Wednesday morning.  The driver aquaplaned so many times on the freeway we began to wonder if he had a power boat license.....and by the time we got to Kemer itself it was coming down so heavy we were reduced to 5 km per hour and water on the road up to the bottom of the car!

The marina security guards had dived for cover so it took a further 30 minutes to rouse them once we arrived at the gates at 3 am - and we all got absolutely soaked in the 50 metre run along the jetty to the yacht.

The boat looked sad.  The bimini had proven unable to handle the downpour and had inverted and collapsed into the cockpit - ripping away the stiching and was doubling as a very effective water catchment device holding maybe 30 gallons of rainwater! 

Getting onto the boat, under this huge blue canvas water bulging mass, and heaving it upward to release gallons of rainwater over the sides only made us even wetter than we already were.  Luckily it was all quite warm so an hour or so later, with biminin now reinforced with two boat hooks to allow water to drain off easier, we dried off below deck and crashed out at 5 am with the heavens still pouring down.

The rain sadly stayed with us for all day Wednesday also.  Down below all was snug and dry so it was serious book reading stuff and longer than average happy hours at the Navigator Bar in the evening. 

On Thursday fortunately we awoke to a sunny sky and lost no time in stocking up and setting sail along the coast for our closest local bolt hole at Kekova.

Rob proved adept at taking her out of the packed marina with no issues, and we had a great day sail along to Cinevich for an overnight stop.

The three of us continued to have a very relaxed four days sailing about in nice light breezes or lazing around in anchorages, sunning ourselves in 25 - 28 degree heat.  Even the water was still well warm enough to swim - in October. 

I barely  touched the wheel for the whole trip leaving it all to Rob and Gerry to manage with aplomb.  No issues.

Stopped over in Finneke on our return and caught up with Brian off Moonshadow Star - a Farr 54 we'd sailed in company with on Rally Portugal 2004 - and ended the night eating out together locally.

We stripped off all deck gear, moused all halliards, and removed sails for storage below.  Set up the dehumidifier on a timer and organised collection of sail stack and bimini for repair by the local canvas chappie - and off we went on our journey home.

It all went by so quick it seemed like we'd only just arrived when we found ourselves climbing out of the taxi back at Antlaya's airport for the early hours flight home early Monday morning.  These Thomas Cook flights may be cheap - but their timings are definately not the best - and I got the baby from hell sitting alongside and not sleeping for the whole of the 4 hour flight! 

Think we all felt a bit tired staggering off to the office straight from the airport but there you go.............a nice break and Swagmans all set up now snug and safe for the winter months.

Sorry no camera on this trip but if Gerry sends me some of his - I'll post them later.

JOHN