EMYR
Thursday 29th May 2008
(Berthed in Lattakia, Syria)

It seems a while since leaving Girne (N Cyprus). The 108 NM overnight passage towards Mersin, where the Rally yachts arrived safely last Tuesday, 20th May. The people in Mersin were extremely friendly. The harbour can be directly accessed by the public and it seemed everyone in Mersin wanted to know where we come from and what our name is. When elder statesmen of Mersin thought young folk might be overdoing it with their questions, they were quickly moved on. We think the people are just really friendly and the local kids cherish the opportunity to practice their 'school' English.
Our hosts, the Mersin Chamber of Shipping & the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, were absolutely marvellous and generous to us. The Tuesday night 'welcome' cocktail turned out to be a visit to the newly built (to be finished next year!) marina facility, followed by cocktails, informal dinner and live entertainment 'Mersin' style. The bus we took home in the early hours of Wednesday morning rolled back to the town quay to a rousing chorus of old rugby songs and we people were very happy (to say the least!). The next morning most people went on the organised day tour. Sue & I stayed on Ticketeeboo to recover, in readiness for another splendid formal dinner, which awaited us at the end of the day.
On Thursday afternoon, the Rally yachts left Mersin towards Iskenderun, another Turkish harbour, virtually bordering Syria. Indeed this part of the world was part of Syria until as recently as 1939! We had a brilliant 80'ish NM overnight sail, accompanied by our best friend 'Mr Moon' arriving Iskenderun just after breakfast time the next morning, Friday 23rd May. Quayside space, being in relatively short supply, means yachts were berthed (nose-to-nose) two-deep from the quay, nice & snug-like! On the Friday evening we were guests of the Iskenderun Chamber of Shipping at another splendid dinner. The following day (Saturday 24th) most of us took the organised tour, visiting Titus Tunnel, Antakya City Mosaic Museum, and saw the temporary closed St Peter's Church (from a respectable distance!) before returning to the quayside for a marvellous cocktail evening and pot-luck informal dinner plus impromptu disco-style quayside 'hip-wiggle' evening's entertainment.
Early Sunday afternoon, most yachts set off from Iskenderun towards Lattakia (Syria). We set off at about 3 pm and got just outside the harbour entrance when we saw Mashona coming back with a dicky donk, so we stayed to provide some help getting them sorted. As it turned out Concerto also had a little alternator problem and before we were able to get on our way everyone began returning because strong winds and heavy seas were making the going a bit bumpy for the impending 85NM overnight passage. Syria had to wait an extra night to welcome the Rally yachts. During the early hours of Monday 26th May, whilst storm-bound in Iskenderun we witnessed an astonishingly heavy lightening storm which no doubt cleaned everyone's decks free-style. The following morning catamaran Tucanon reported being rescued by Joe & Christina (catamaran Zea) when they noticed Tucanon heading onto rocks with a dragging anchor in tow! Their anchor when the wind changed during the storm. Fortunately Joe & Christina launched their dinghy and came to their rescue before serious damage was inflicted by the innocent rocks! From all accounts Joe & Christina were well and truly soaked and their dinghy became half-full of water whilst carrying out their intrepid successful rescue during the down-pour.

One day late, on the afternoon of Tuesday 27th May the Rally departed Iskenderun for an uneventful 85NM overnight passage towards Lattakia (Syria), arriving at the allotted times the next morning, to a Syrian Navy Coastguard welcome party. When trying to berth, s/y Anthea picked up a belt from the seabed. Jean-Claude was not an 'appy man' for a little while, blaming any local man with pants hanging round his knees. The organised tours took people to Crak des Chevaliers, Palmyra, Damascus, Alleppo and Homes, during the three days we were there. If you happen to be turned-on by very old rocks, bones and stones, then I can suggest you should perhaps try to visit Syria, sometime.

Best wishes and regards to all our friends.
Sue & Alan
All ticketeeboo on s/y Ticketeeboo.

PS: Special mention to Kim Watson who gets a mention. I understand Kim is following the Rally and likes reading what Steve, Pam, Richard, Diana & Jerome are getting up to on USA s/y Eirene. (Being naughty, like most of us!).