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April 2008
40 16.756N 26 32.080E
Dardanelles.
We arrived in Istanbul without any major problems we had a consistent good wind with us all the way.
It seams only a short while since our departure from Cyprus and yet it has been nearly three weeks.
We have sailed probably more in this period than we have over the last 2 years good southerlies have been the norm.
We are here to start the 19th East Mediterranean Yacht Rally which we will lead down the Western Coast of Turkey.
We are 8 boats starting here Snow White, Miro and Zdenka from Chezech , Anatole, Olly ,Lesley and their crew Bobby and Mike from the UK, Zephyros, Richard and Ann again from UK, Anthea, Jean Claude and Marlene from Switzerland, Silent Wings, Enrique, Amparo and their crew Pepon,from Spain, Divine Anton and Gerda from Holland, Los Gorriones, Hans and Marion from Germany and of course our new Charlie and Alan from Ireland so we are a truly international rally.
It is at present a small group but other boats will join us on the way with 81 boats leaving Kemer for the international leg.
We said goodbye to our friends Gwyn and Mandy they will rejoin us in Cyprus for our onward journey to Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Egypt.
Our time in Istanbul was spent site seeing and meeting the other boats we had an enjoyable evening at the sailing club hosted by Teoman Arsay and his friends lots of vino and Raki . Hasan and Umut also joined us for the start of the rally.
The final night before departure the management of Atakoy marina whose guests we had been invited all the participants to a cocktail party were we presented the commemorative plaques to the manager and our representative.
An easy sail mostly with the aid of the engine saw us all in Mureftte at about 16.30 the wind picked up for the last half hour and as soon as we where moored increased dramatically we of course didn’t mind we were nicely moored up and well protected.
This is the third time the rally has visited Mureftte and the people here are most welcoming and friendly the harbour which is little more than a fishing harbour is clean with plenty of room for visiting yachts it boasts a small restaurant and you can have fuel and water delivered if you wish there are plans for power in the future.
We had two nights here the following day being spent visiting Gallipoli and the nearby countryside.
Gallipoli is the site of the ill fated first world campaign to capture the Dardanelles and therefore to take Istanbul and link up with the Russian allies.
The allied force consisted of French English Indian troops along with Australia and New Zealand (the first time soldiers from these nations had fought for the commonwealth).
The attack was launched on April the 25th 1915 but a combination of unexpectedly hostile terrain and ferocious defence soon stopped any potential advance.
The ANZAK forces overshot their planned landing beaches and came ashore at Ari Burnu their advance to the heights of Sari Blair was halted by a Turkish division led by a Colonel Mustafa Kemal (later to become the father of modern Turkey Ataturk.
The campaign continued with heavy loses on both sides before the allies withdrew.
We visited both the allied and the Turkish cemeteries and the words inscribed at ANZAC cove written by Ataturk were to me one of the most moving pieces of poetry I have read.
‘Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country
Therefore rest in peace
There is no difference between the Jonnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side.
Here in this country of our.
You, the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears
Your sons are now lying in our bosom, and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.
Following the visit we had our customary rally dinner in the nearby marina restaurant,
We presented plaques to the Governor, Municipality and our representative the dinner was a lively affair especially the local musical group who preformed ‘Lets just say very loudly.
This morning we slipped early because our passage is about 83 NM we have a good wind with us now as well as the benefit of a positive current 8.6 knots on the clock and we are skipping along.
Dave and Kath
S/Y Mashona