The start of EMYR 2008 is on Tuesday 22nd April 2008 and we are very excited about the progress of the plans. Eight yachts will sail to Mürefte as a first passage and will be joined by many yachts along the coast of Turkey until 68 yachts will arrive at Kemer on May 11th. We will already have 14 yachts here at Kemer to make a total of 82.

We thank everyone for checking the information on the entries list attached and sending us the corrections. It is very important that the authorities of the countries that we visit have the correct information. It is especially important that we know the ports where yachts and each individual will be joining and leaving the Rally.

We are working closely with all of the marinas and harbours to finalize plans for our visits. All are planning very special times for us.

There is a meeting scheduled at the City Hall in Kemer on 13th May 2008 Tuesday to “Introduce” the international portion of the Rally, review plans and procedures for the Rally, and answer questions. All Rally participants should attend.

We are pleased that the Turkish Coast Guard will be accompanying the Rally throughout Turkey from Istanbul to Iskenderun. Their escort is always appreciated. Please make them welcome along the way.

The Rally Manuals are complete and being sent to be distributed to the yachts with the rally bags at their points of entry. Each couple on the yacht receives one manual. Extra manuals can be ordered before your arrival at Kemer for US$20.
Tours in Israel can be paid by credit card (US dollars not required for Israel only).
We will have 6 groups determined by length of yacht with motor yachts integrated into all groups.
We will have 6 willing and able group leaders. Groups are already announced on the EMYR web site and group leaders will be announced during the first part of the Rally. Big Easy Too, Dorothy & Jesus are accepted to be our Group Leader again as they were the Group Leaders of Group 3 at EMYR12.
Crew lists for Countries forms that are necessary to give authorities in all countries, can now be found on the website and in the EMYR Manual. You may complete this on your computer and make copies for yourself instead of handwriting one for each entry. Please don’t send to us, keep it with you to provide on your entry.
At Girne, Cyprus, 4 groups will be going to the new marina, Delta Marina and 2 groups to the Old Harbour.
There will be specific plans for queuing for food and drinks since this is a concern when serving this number of people. Please follow the plans so that some of us are not ‘over served’ while others “go without’! Starting from Mürefte, all drinks at the rally dinners must be paid for individually as served if we are not invited by the locals.
The tours in all countries are being finalized and we will have a preliminary sign up for the tours when you arrive in Kemer. There will be a volunteer in your group to collect the marked pages for the tours from you to make a short report. 6 Groups report will be given to the person who will be volunteered. The full report will be sent to the ports when we are at Kemer.

Prices of fuel are fluctuating greatly day to day. We will be updating the fuel prices on the website as we get them from the marinas but expect them to change!

If there is anyone on your yacht with a medical background, could you please inform us (It will be kept confidential unless needed)?
Is there is anyone with musical ability who would be willing to help some singing or entertain us? (It will be kept confidential unless needed)?

Please check that:
□       Your insurance is in force in the areas where we will be travelling and be aware that most policies do not cover damages from any acts of terrorism.
□       Your Turkish transit log and Turkish Visas are valid through May 25th.
□       You have US dollars to cover all tours and fees (credit cards acceptable in Israel but US dollars preferred). Cost of the tours is posted on the website.
□       Your flares and fire extinguishers are adequate and current.
□       You have your pirate costumes ready!

Please re-read the December and March newsletters since they contain valuable information that we are not repeating here. They can be found on the website at www.emyr.org .

We are working diligently to make this year’s EMYR as organized and efficient as possible in order that all of us may enjoy it as much as possible. Please follow the recommendations for berthing, queuing for fuel, food and drinks and all other activities. All of the organizers at the harbours are working to provide berthing space for us but there will still be some harbours that will require double tiers of yachts. This means being considerate about helping others to anchor/moor, sharing electrical hook-ups and walking over the decks of other yachts.

We will continue to monitor the political/security situation in the countries to be visited but at the time of this writing it remains stable.

The latest list of participants and latest group assignments is attached. There might be some changes and you will receive the updated list again.
The marinas at Jounieh, Ashkelon and Herzliya are full service marinas. In some marinas, such as Girne, Lattakia, Mersin and Haifa, services are very limited. In the marinas or ports of Alanya, İskenderun and Port Said, there are no services at all. Please limit your expectations in those harbours and accept that you have to use your own yachts’ facilities as much as possible.
This is a rally organized by yachtsmen for yachtsmen, a non-professional, non-profit-making concern and we are all guests at the ports we visit. As guests of our generous hosts, it is incumbent on us to respect the laws, customs, and navigation rules of our hosts. Our hosts have gone to a great deal of effort to put on planned events. We should make every effort to attend all sponsored activities. As yachtsmen, we should always leave a clean wake and be especially sensitive to discharging heads in the harbours. The conduct of the yachts is controlled by the Rally Manual, which is issued to each yacht at the port-of-entry to the Rally or at Kemer and is also announced on the web site.
SY Mashona is now at Çanakkale and will be at Ataköy Marina within few days. You may read Dave’s articles for their cruising on EMYR web site www.emyr.org “Daily EMYR News” section. Your articles will be announced at the same place if you e-mail to Rally Secretary Faruk Günlü. There will be eight yachts flying 6 different country flags meeting at İstanbul. Keith, SYAnatol is on the way to İstanbul, Marlen & Jean Claude, SY Anthea, have already arrived at İstanbul on 27th February 2008, Anton, SYDivine wil be at İstanbul within few days, Marion & Hans SY Los Gorriones have arrived at İstanbul on 13th April, Dave & Kath, SYMashona are at Çanakkale on 13th April and planning to arrive at Ataköy Marina on within few days after Mürefte visit, Enrique, SY Silent Wings is sailing to Istanbul, Zdenka & Miroslav, SYSnow White are also sailing to İstanbul, Richard & Ann, SY Zephyros, are planning to be in İstanbul on Wednesday 16th April 2008.
We may circulate one more Newsletter at the beginning of May 2008 before the rally starts the International Part at Kemer and you will receive the latest information from the countries.
We look forward to seeing you on the XIX. EMYR Rally and enjoying the great experiences that we will be having together.

Kath & David Gerrard Hasan Kaçmaz Shirley & Geoffrey Withrington SY Mashona UK SY IBIS II, Turkey SY Three Sheets, UK