Captains Log Star date 14 April 2010
 
A Good Day--The Birds-Dinner to die for--A soulless marina--No Wind
 
I apologise for not keeping up the log but internet has not been the best this year but we are now in the new marina at Didim (D Marine) were things could not be better.
 
I received an e mail from Hasan saying that we would have a good day, he was not wrong our passage to Kapi Creek in Gocek was the best this year a steady wind, clear sky’s and a quiet sea meant that the problems of the last couple of days faded into insignificance.
We arrived at late afternoon in what is one of our favourite spots and were soon partaking of the usual Mashona cocktail.
Unknown to us friends that had read our log thought we were in Gocek bay and spent the whole day looking for us around the marinas, sorry Dennis and Linda we hope we can meet upon our way back down.
I knew something wasn’t right when the restaurant owner started putting all the cushions into plastic bags, bad weather coming he said, not according to my weather forecast said I. At midnight we were taking in all the cockpit seats and closing the hatches, it rained all night.
Leaving the anchorage at 7ish we set our course for Symi a few miles out we saw the first signs of the thunderstorms lightening and squalls. Turning on the radar we could see it quite plainly, trying to go around them as the whole area as far as we could see was just one mass of rain and storms.
Luckily the thunder seamed to pass either to port or starboard and we just got the rain, torrential at times but surprisingly no line squalls so we did manage to motor sail virtually all the way.
We saw many small birds pass us by brown heads size of a sparrow with a white flash on the wings and chest, migratory we supposed.
It wasn’t long before the first one landed and quite happily sat in the corner of the cockpit, then another and yet another and so on, at one point we had nearly 40,some behind the outboard most perching under the solar panels and another gang in the dinghy.
Our friend in the cockpit must have put the word out as he/she was joined by 8 friends.
Kath being a softie started feeding them, half a loaf later, the rain had stopped a weak watery sun came out but the passengers had no inclination to leave (they knew when they were on a good thing)
It was only when we turned the cape to head north to Symi that they departed leaving behind their calling cards all over the deck.
 
Symi is a particular favourite of mine especially the cheaper fuel, pork chops and Metaxas brandy.
There now is a new harbour master in the port and a berthing control person!!! I know Symi well and I also know that the bottom of the harbour is littered with debris getting your anchor fouled happens more often than not.
Everybody know has to moor either bows or stern to, I don’t disagree with that as it is frustrating when you arrive and there isn’t enough space because people are alongside but earl April isn’t quite the height of the cruising season.
We again met some old friends Eric and Shamira from Shameria 11 and Dick and Ginger from Alchemy they recommended a new restaurant.
Now the skipper prefers his dinner on board mostly because he can fall asleep afterwards in comfort (Kath says he is to mean to eat out) despite that we decided we would try Stavros’s taverna. We certainly were not disappointed his cooking was outstanding, we had many courses of different fish all cooked perfectly and very different from what we had anywhere else, Grouper, Sea Bream, Octopus, Prawns all with so different flavours.
Talking to him afterwards he was telling me that he is going back to the old recopies of Greece using olive oil, honey and other spices. Certainly he has got it right if you are in Symi give him a try you will not regret it. The restaurant is on the same side as the harbour master just before the ferry terminal.
Gale 7 from the North West meant that we had two nights there but we enjoyed it immensely.
The next morning an early start turned into a prolonged departure as we fought with the anchor which had caught someone else’s, not a raised voice was heard much to the dismay of some neighbouring yachts who thought it wasn’t fun if there was no shouting and gnashing of teeth. Luckily it was very calm and we were able to manage without any damage to either yacht.
We motored through the Symi gap again into a north-westerly nowhere near as strong as the previous days but enough to make it not that pleasant, Kinidos cape was rounded just after midday and as the wind was getting stronger and we didn’t fancy another five hours to Didim we called into Kos.
We have always liked Kos especially as a few years ago we spent an Easter there and had a wonderful time.
How things change! The marina staff are still very friendly and the facilities are still good but there was hardly anyone there just pontoons full of empty charter boats to me the life of a marina or port is the hustle and bustle, talking to people, swopping stories giving or receiving information, this has disappeared from Kos ,what a pity.
I am sorry to say it was a soulless place.
We are now in the new marina at Didim, built by the Dogus group it is there latest addition
Although it isn’t by any means full yet it will, it will be a great addition to cruising around this part of the Turkish coast.
The rally this year will be guests of the marina during its journey down South.
 
Tomorrow we head towards Samos and will probably stopover in Pythagorean.