Kas to Deep Bay, Gocek

Saturday 25 May

As usual we changed our plans - first, on Friday afternoon despite a cloudy start to the day the sky cleared and the wind picked up - so much so that there appeared to be waves in the marina.  And then the Captain was undecided whether or not he wanted to watch the Champions League Cup Final - two German teams at Wembley? So another walk into Kas in the morning, another afternoon surfing a sunbed by the pool and then dinner in a restaurant at the end of our pontoon with a huge screen and we watched the Cup Final with a lovely family from Munich.  We were all delighted that Bayern Munich won and thoroughly enjoyed our evening. I hesitate to say that it was one of the best football matches I have seen played at Wembley.

Sunday 26 May

We set off early - not east, but west back to Gocek as our friends Geoff and Anne had contacted us to say they were in Deep Bay not far from Gocek and the Captain has decided, having had the teak deck repaired over last winter, that he wants to get a protective cover made and we can arrange this in Gocek.  Then maybe we will head back east ........

Leaving Kas Marina

Unfortunately although it was completely calm in the marina when we got out of the bay the sea was quite disturbed and we were heading into wind.  We had one of the worst trips we have had for a long time and by the time we got to Fethiye Bay the wind had picked up and we were heading into a force 4/5.  The trip took at least one hour longer than it should have done (8 hours in all) and it was almost impossible to move around the boat - we skipped lunch - that's how bad it was.

Our adventure continued when we finally reached Deep Bay - became quite farcical and I dont think you could make it up.  Deep Bay has mooring buoys (because of its name, obviously) but also has bollards on shore so you can take a stern line to shore.  So first with a strong wind still blowing we attempted to pick up the buoy which we managed on the second attempt - not bad - but with the port thrusters working overtime to keep us down wind of the buoy.  Then we decided that we did need to take a line to the shore as we were very close to a small sailing boat and we were slightly concerned that the buoy we had picked up had printed on it '35' and 10 tonnes' - we are 50 and 30 respectively - and as the wind was strong we thought we could end up dragging the buoy.  So - the Captain initially attempted to row to shore in the dinghy - but one of the rowlocks is missing from the dinghy - he thinks it is at home waiting to be modified - and the outboard engine was in the deep locker on deck - he tried a sort of Indian squaw manoeuvre but he just went very quickly backwards - twice he attempted this despite the fact that I had offered to swim the line ashore. It would have been hilarious if it hadnt been such a long day.  I did then strip off and at the Captain's suggestion with the line around my neck - still not sure whether he had some other idea in his mind - I started to swim ashore. Against the wind and in very deep water and a line around my neck, which didnt want to stay there and despite being told the line floated it didnt want to come with me at all, I really thought I wasnt going to make it - and when I finally did climb up the rock I thought I my heart was going to burst.  The Captain had moved the end of the line which was on the boat to the bow to make it easier and then kindly came to rescue me in the dinghy holding on to the line - I thought he was coming to check on my tying up so initially was quite indignant rather than grateful.

The story gets worse.  We got back on the boat and then the Captain tried to move the shore line back to the stern of the boat - the wind still blowing strongly - and - he dropped it! I think my reaction could probably be heard all around the bay - a Victor Meldrew 'I dont believe it' but possibly with another word inserted in it.  I had risked my life to take this line ashore and he dropped it.  So then we both got back in the dinghy and this time succeeded in our Indian paddling to rescue the line and bring it back to the boat.  We were amazingly still talking - possibly because the Captain had actually used the 'S' word - Sorry.  After all this he then decided to see if the outboard was working so we could go and have a drink with Geoff and Ann.  It didnt and at this point we gave up.

Sequel in Deep Bay
N.B. the shore line

Monday 27 May

Refreshed after a reasonable night the Captain managed to fix the outboard and we whizzed across the bay to Bula for coffee and then G&Ts before returning to Sequel to sleep off the G&Ts and later Bruce went to collect Geoff and Anne so they could join us for the evening.  I was quite pleased that I didnt have to get back in the dinghy with them much later and after a few bottles of wine.

Tuesday 28 May

A return to D-Marin in Gocek to wash the salt off Sequel - completely encrusted after Sunday's trip - some fresh water and supplies and a meeting with the cover people.