To wake up with views of islands in all directions was lovely.
Bow spit
We got up to a lovely warm day and had breakfast up on the deck whilst watching four yachts motoring around being chased by a helicopter - we assumed it was some sort of marketing photo shoot.
"How the other half live" - anon
After breakfast our next stop was Gocek marina, I later found out that this is one of the places the rich and famous go to play and dock their yachts - no massive surprise there, you could see some serious money in the harbour!
This one had a helicopter on the back!
"Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it." - David Lee Roth
Bow spit
We got up to a lovely warm day and had breakfast up on the deck whilst watching four yachts motoring around being chased by a helicopter - we assumed it was some sort of marketing photo shoot.
"How the other half live" - anon
After breakfast our next stop was Gocek marina, I later found out that this is one of the places the rich and famous go to play and dock their yachts - no massive surprise there, you could see some serious money in the harbour!
"Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it." - David Lee Roth
Gocek was lovely with little shops, bars, restaurants and a marina. The people were friendly and happy to advise you on where to go and what to do.
Great name for a restaurant!
Being a Muslim country the call to prayer takes place five times a day, this dog liked to sit and howl along to the call like his life depended on it - very funny to watch him!
Marina
Mum at the marina.
We walked to the far side of Gocek and found the little houses serviced by a canal system and small speed boats - one can go from ones yacht to ones Venice style villa so easily here dahling!
There are even roundabouts on the waterways.
The staff in all the shops were really welcoming and often gave you free gifts or little pins with the lucky eye on. The Turkish seem very superstitious and keen to share luck with you for the day. On a few occasions some of our group were the first customer of the day and a lucky ritual of putting the money on the floor, kissing it or wiping it on your face seemed to be performed in order to bring luck for the trading day.
"I believe in luck and fate and I believe in karma, that the energy you put out in the world comes back to meet you." - Chris Pine
After lunch and a nap on the boat we motored out to a little bay. It started to rain, so the crew put the gulets' rain jacket on (plastic sheeting on the deck and rolled down the marquee sides at the back of the boat so we could all stay outside and dry and were not confined to our cabins or the salon.
The sheetings purpose was two fold - to stop us slipping about and to stop a leak that had appeared getting into the bedrooms!
Boat tent!
"There is no such thing as bad weather , only the wrong clothes" - proverb
"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add colour to my sunset sky." - Rabindranath Tagore
As there are so many boats around here the locals have found an enterprising way to make money and this works well for those at sea, with shops and ice cream boats coming round...
We had a lovely evening, eating the delicious food and laughing about the best way to find a sailor for one of our party whose boating nickname was apparently 'deck fluff' and who advised us that when looking for a boating chap to date findasailor.com did not have any sailors on it - be warned.
The next day we sailed out to Cleopatras bay ...
Great name for a restaurant!
Being a Muslim country the call to prayer takes place five times a day, this dog liked to sit and howl along to the call like his life depended on it - very funny to watch him!
Marina
Mum at the marina.
We walked to the far side of Gocek and found the little houses serviced by a canal system and small speed boats - one can go from ones yacht to ones Venice style villa so easily here dahling!
There are even roundabouts on the waterways.
The staff in all the shops were really welcoming and often gave you free gifts or little pins with the lucky eye on. The Turkish seem very superstitious and keen to share luck with you for the day. On a few occasions some of our group were the first customer of the day and a lucky ritual of putting the money on the floor, kissing it or wiping it on your face seemed to be performed in order to bring luck for the trading day.
"I believe in luck and fate and I believe in karma, that the energy you put out in the world comes back to meet you." - Chris Pine
After lunch and a nap on the boat we motored out to a little bay. It started to rain, so the crew put the gulets' rain jacket on (plastic sheeting on the deck and rolled down the marquee sides at the back of the boat so we could all stay outside and dry and were not confined to our cabins or the salon.
The sheetings purpose was two fold - to stop us slipping about and to stop a leak that had appeared getting into the bedrooms!
Boat tent!
"There is no such thing as bad weather , only the wrong clothes" - proverb
"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add colour to my sunset sky." - Rabindranath Tagore
As there are so many boats around here the locals have found an enterprising way to make money and this works well for those at sea, with shops and ice cream boats coming round...
We had a lovely evening, eating the delicious food and laughing about the best way to find a sailor for one of our party whose boating nickname was apparently 'deck fluff' and who advised us that when looking for a boating chap to date findasailor.com did not have any sailors on it - be warned.
The next day we sailed out to Cleopatras bay ...
...and the ruins of Cleopatras baths.
[source]
"I will not be triumphed over." - Cleopatra
Lovely and clear to snorkel in.
We had a canoe over to the baths and through the ruins, I managed to get stuck in the shallows, but manoeuvred around and got out in the end. After lunch a couple of us had a snorkel and a look around at the fish and sea grass and plant life. The weather was good and we were nice and relaxed. We had a good giggle at everyone trying to get in and out of the canoes, especially the chap who ended up lay in the canoe shuffling himself around in order to get into the seat without ending up in the drink.
Coming out of the bay there was a lovely little island, which I would have loved to canoe out to if I had had the time...
The lunches and dinners the chef who was also the Captains wife, was producing in her tiny kitchen were amazing. Lunches were vegetarian, but there were no complaints even from the big guys. Dishes included green beans in tomato sauce, pasta with mint, bulgar wheat, rice with a savoury flavour, spicy lentils, roasted aubergine and tomatoes, cauliflower in a spicy sauce. The flavours were just amazing and the food so fresh. Her dinners included BBQ fish or chicken, lamb kofte and lots of meze dishes with it including salad, beans, yoghurt dishes, dolmades and so much more.
"Food is for eating, and good food is to be enjoyed... I think food is, actually, very beautiful in itself."- Delia Smith
The meals were made all the more by good company shared.
"It's easy to impress me. I don't need a fancy party to be happy. Just good friends, good food, and good laughs. I'm happy. I'm satisfied. I'm content." - Maria Sharapova
[source]
"I will not be triumphed over." - Cleopatra
Lovely and clear to snorkel in.
We had a canoe over to the baths and through the ruins, I managed to get stuck in the shallows, but manoeuvred around and got out in the end. After lunch a couple of us had a snorkel and a look around at the fish and sea grass and plant life. The weather was good and we were nice and relaxed. We had a good giggle at everyone trying to get in and out of the canoes, especially the chap who ended up lay in the canoe shuffling himself around in order to get into the seat without ending up in the drink.
Coming out of the bay there was a lovely little island, which I would have loved to canoe out to if I had had the time...
The lunches and dinners the chef who was also the Captains wife, was producing in her tiny kitchen were amazing. Lunches were vegetarian, but there were no complaints even from the big guys. Dishes included green beans in tomato sauce, pasta with mint, bulgar wheat, rice with a savoury flavour, spicy lentils, roasted aubergine and tomatoes, cauliflower in a spicy sauce. The flavours were just amazing and the food so fresh. Her dinners included BBQ fish or chicken, lamb kofte and lots of meze dishes with it including salad, beans, yoghurt dishes, dolmades and so much more.
"Food is for eating, and good food is to be enjoyed... I think food is, actually, very beautiful in itself."- Delia Smith
The meals were made all the more by good company shared.
"It's easy to impress me. I don't need a fancy party to be happy. Just good friends, good food, and good laughs. I'm happy. I'm satisfied. I'm content." - Maria Sharapova
We motored to the captains favourite bay and parked up for the night, in the morning we moved to a small bay and had a down day.
The plan was to move on - a long sail of around 4 hours to get us close to Marmaris. There was some really bad weather out at sea though and rather than risk it the captain decided to shelter in a bay for the day and night to let the bad weather pass. It was too cold and rainy to swim so we relaxed and read for the day.
"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
We were really glad we hadn't tried for Marmaris though as one of the other gulets had tried to make it there and it took them over 24 hours to get there and everyone was sea sick - I had no desire to repeat that! Despite us sheltering in a bay the crew had to move the gulet more inland at 2am and 5am to protect us. Going so early in the season meant the sea and weather could be a little rough and a little more sun would be more guaranteed later in May or June.
We ended up spending a lot of time in Gocek!
The far side of the harbour looking out to sea.
On the marina side they had a great container to stop people just dumping used boat items and rubbish. So important to keep our seas clean for so many reasons!
I'll take that one there, on the left!
"I haven't bought a yacht or an island or even a palm tree." - David A. Siegel
[yet]
The plan was to move on - a long sail of around 4 hours to get us close to Marmaris. There was some really bad weather out at sea though and rather than risk it the captain decided to shelter in a bay for the day and night to let the bad weather pass. It was too cold and rainy to swim so we relaxed and read for the day.
"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
We ended up spending a lot of time in Gocek!
Oops there goes by another fancy yacht!
And one of a more normal size!
The far side of the harbour looking out to sea.
On the marina side they had a great container to stop people just dumping used boat items and rubbish. So important to keep our seas clean for so many reasons!
You could also tie your wish to a tree - what a lovely idea!
"I haven't bought a yacht or an island or even a palm tree." - David A. Siegel
[yet]
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