40 41N  27 40E

Sea of Marmara just off Marmara Island

16 April 2008  

We continued our transit of the Dardanelles to the town of Chanakale without much problem apart from a small incident were the skipper managed to run aground.

We were carefully following the current line just keeping inside it, when suddenly the depth whet from 24m to 0 and we ground to a halt, consulting the chart we should have had sufficient depth under the keel but obviously a sand bank extended further than shown luckily we weren’t held fast and with some judicious manoeuvring and the use of the head sail and engine we managed to free ourselves thus saving the skipper an even redder face, of course he wasn’t to blame, lesson learnt keep well away from that blue on the chart.

Chanakale is a wonderful town but the marina whilst being situated right in the centre is a little expensive 55ytl a night.

This is the place a couple of years ago we were T boned by a motor boat, they do however have wonderful internet access provided free by the Beledyier (Local Council) so downloading the soaps was not a problem we caught up with e mails and managed to Skype friends.

We were joined soon by the Spanish boat Silent Wings who unfortunately caught a lazy line around the prop, Enrique was soon in the water with a knife and managed to clear it very quickly.

The next day the winds were completely wrong for onward passage blowing a good 25 to 30 knots from the NE.

We had a good look around the town which is really inexpensive if you compare it with the fleshpots further down the coast.

We slipped early in the morning with the promise of fair winds from the SW perfect for our journey we had planned to go to Mureftte on the coast but travelling up the right side of the Dardanelles it meant cutting across the straights and with the wind and wave heights probably stronger on that side we decided that Port Marmara on Marmara island was a better option.

The sea was really awkward coming into the narrow entrance but we managed it the end despite one precarious moment when a side wave caught us we were soon tied to the quay.

The scenery in Marmara Island is quite spectacular more like the West Coast of Scotland the rock is not unlike Torridonian sandstone a deep red colour.
The people here really friendly and make visitors very welcome we soon were visited by some locals who wished us Hozgelniez and a good onward journey.

The main industry of Marmara island is marble and some of the best marble in the world comes from here the Eastern side of the island is dotted with quarries the little port of Saraylar is where it is exported from we have been there before and the quay is made of marble.

Mandy again cooked us a wonderful dinner and we were soon tucked up in bed early sound asleep.
Unfortunately we slept to well which resulted in a late crew call and we didn’t manage to cast off until 7am.

The weather today is 4 to 6 Beaufort from the SW which will siut us well for our passage to Istanbul where unfortunately we will have to say goodbye to Gwyn and Mandy who will fly back to Cyprus but will rejoin us in Girne for the last part of the rally.

We had to motor in a very swelly sea for the first hour but as soon as we were around the point we came off the wind cut the motor and we are making 6 to 7 knots now.

We managed our first contact this morning on the Mediterranean cruisers net 8122 SSB and had a quick chat with old fiends Minda Moya who are near Genoa.

Our expected transit time from here is 8 hrs so we should arrive in Atakoy marina around 6 ish.

Dave and Kath and Tilly (The Navigator