16th - 17th April 2006 - Andros towards Ayvalik in Turkey

Posted at 5:06 AM, Monday, April 17, 2006

Hi Jude / Pat - just to let you know we did get your nice comments but somehow deleted them when I edited this specific post.  Thanks for the comments and apologies for the deletion.

Started typing this on Sunday 16th, 1500 Greek time, as we continue to motor across an absolutely flat deep blue Aegean Sea after departing Gavrion on Andros Island at 0700.

If you ever plan to visit Gavrion we'd all recommend the 'To Kovaui' taspas bar along the front almost opposite the main ferry jetty.  There seems to be only one labled restaurant amid lots of bars here, and it happen to be a scruffy Pizza parlour.  'To Kovaui' appears to be only a cafe / bar - but it serves superb tapas food - and enough on each plate to make up a meal.

We pigged out, drank beer, plus wine, and the bill for the four was less than 40 euros. 'To Kovaui' is run by a non English speaking Anna -  who wears her jeans far too tight. So gentlemen, it's well worth the visit.

We were also not aware that it was Gerrys birthday today -  the 16th.  He chose to spring it on us over breakfast this morning .  I have to say after last night - he is certainly is looking much older .......... so we'll be sharing a few beers later to remove some of his wrinkles.

Anyway, since we left earlier today we've barely seen a ripple of wind.

Complete opposite to the meltemi we've had for the previous 48 hours and a good job we re-fuelled.  It's turning into a hot hazy day as we now motor northward to clear the top of Andros and angle up north east to pass Khios and Lesbos en route to Ayvalik in Turkey.

We've lounged around beering, reading, napping, just going forward each time a new pod of dolphins (obviously equally bored) came to leap around our bow wave.  The water is so clear it is easy to get super shots.

We decided to go straight through from Gavrion to Ayvalik on the Turkish mainland, bypassing our planned stops on either Thios or Lesbos islands so we can make up the time we've spent sheltering in Gavrion.  The total leg Gavrio to Ayvalik is only 130 miles, so if we maintain current boat speed - an economical 6.5 knots - we should arrive in Ayvalik by 0500 Monday morning.

We'll then sort out how best we can all get to visit Istanbul - train / plane / bus / hire car etc.  We aim to all go together for a couple of days at least before the guys get onto their Heathrow plane mid-afternoon Wednesday.  Sue and I can then return to Ayvalik.

There are another 3 yachts aiming to join the fleet like us from Ayvalik - so we'll hopefully get a chance to meet them whilst we chill away the week before the rally fleet leaving from Istanbul gets down to Ayvalik -  on or around the 26th.

We motored all Sunday and by early evening - boredom had obvously set in.  Our mature crew first invented this new playmate.

And you'd be surpirsed what they can can do with the wax covers of Baby Bell cheese whilst Gerry tries to give Marcus a corkscrew labotomy.

Now updating this bit at 1900 Greek time as we've just slipped past the top of Khios with the sun is setting behind us and for the first time seeing the Turkish coastline about 30 miles to our east in the evening haze.  Nice to see it at last after covering 75% of the length of the Med  in two weeks just to get here.

Stop press.  Just had text confirmation from a pal that spirits and wine are relatively expensive in Turkey so we've again adjusted the plan to stoppover at Mitilini on Lesbos, even if we arrive there in the early morning hours, so we can top up the booze locker at reasonable prices.  

Were intercepted by a Greek patrol boat as we coasted along close inshore off the bottom end of Lesbos around 0100.  They came out of nowhere, swiped me with a searchlight and then zoomed off at high speed before I even got my night vision back!    With Turkey only 10  miles across the water and a very sensitive relationship twix the two countries, I guess such patrols are inevitable.   

We got everyone up as we glided into Mitilinis outer harbour at 0230 this morning, and moving on into the inner basin we tied up right in the heart of town.  Bit noisy despite the late hour.  Bit stinky also - obviously sewage is discharged at night into the harbour.  Pheeew.

Lots of friendly locals, clearly all with disfunctional noses, offering to take our lines and welcome us ashore.  But the waving glasses of beer led us to question the late night competence to take a rope or tie a knot.  We did it all ourselves - and then all crashed out.

I'm now finishing this entry off and it is Monday 0730 Greek time.  The rest are still fast asleep.  The harobur smell has at least reduced if not gone. Mitilini appears at first glance to live up to what we've read from the pilot.  A 'bustling, shabby, but kind of grows-on-you oriental infuenced town' full of back alleys and people.  Once everyones awake we'll go find somewhere to source alcohol stocks and then looking at what appears to be a seond calm day, fire up the engine one last time for our very last 20 mile leg to Ayvalik in Turkey.  

Cheers

JOHN