Sahula Passage Report No. 34
Sigacik, Turkey - Winter 2009-10
Sigacik is "home" till April 2010. Winter is officially October to April. Sahula is the guest of the marina management and owners. They could not be more welcoming. Cuneyd, the manager could not do more for Skipper. He was a master on merchant ships until his wife persuaded him to take a more homebound job. The marina is the work swansong of Husnu (74), its architect. He is currently building an earthquake proof, energy efficient retirement home nearby.. Skipper was also welcomed by Getin, a member of an Istanbul shipping family and part owner of the marina. It is impressive that these people are concerned with the environmental and social impact of their work.
Their awareness will be important to Sigacik. It is a small (pop. 2000) fishing and rural town relatively free of tourism. Its old town is uniquely surrounded by an intact ancient wall with arched gates. It is the site of new "ancient" Teos which moved when "old" Teos was devastated by an earthquake in the eons of time. The new marina (500 berths) and a proposed passenger ship terminal could lose "new" Sigacik to modern mammon.
Usually a cruiser nestles for the winter with fellow sailors in a crowded marina. Skipper's experience is to be somewhat different. There are no other English speaking yacht crews here apart from Ozkan on Kayitsiz III. If Skipper is going to be a member of a Turk community then learning basic Turkish is going to be a priority. Finding a teacher is a challenge in a community with only a primary school. English is taught at a secondary school in Seferihisar, some five kilometers distant.
Another challenge is to have basic repairs done on Sahula. Usually, work is done in a "sunayi," a part of town dedicated to small business in the trades. The nearest "sunayi" is in Seferihisar. Ozkan assures Skipper that that is no problem. Ozkan is an Izmir local. Skipper assumes that a local metal work industry services the local farming community.
Sahula has no shower aboard. Cuneyt approached the nearby hotel who readily agreed to a hot shower. However, a shower aboard seems a priority and a hot shower a considerable challenge. Equally, an onboard heater is critical to ward off the expected winter cold. Both these items while necessary here are also needed in later cruising in Europe and Patagonia.
Skipper has now heard that family and friends planning to visit cannot be here this year. Plans are therefore made to walk the Lycian Way from Fethiye to Fineke over two weeks in late October.
It was time to broaden the horizon. On the third day Ozkan returned to Kayitsiz III to prepare her for the long winter. He would live in his chic apartment in hometown Izmir (pop. 3 million) Skipper had his first foray beyond Sigacik, accompanying Ozkan home.
The agora in ancient cities was were traders gathered to do business. Izmir's "Agora" is where wealthy Izmir-ites preen in and before, shops that are beyond most Turks. It is a citadel to the economic divide. It exclaimed the "Mc-World.," a modern, western Turkey. A bland cultureless place.
Konak, suburb in "old" Izmir, was different. It exclaimed cultural Turkey in a maze of noisy, narrow lanes bursting with colour and entrepreneurial spirit. A huge market selling everything. It included a ships chandlery and metal working shop making, inter alia, stainless steel stoves.
Kate, a nanny, is a young Australian married to Englishman, Mike. Both are working at a nearby tourist hotel. Skipper met them on the return bus to Sigacik.
Gideon, a retired Israeli, lives in Sigacik. His boat (57 feet) is in Izmir. It seems that Sahula attracts yachties passing by.
A sheet previously caught around the propeller pulling Tanya (motor) off alignment. A knock resulted when the shaft hit the stern tube (where shaft goes through the boat) Ozkan assisted to realign the motor and shaft.
A strong northerly pinned Sahula against the concrete wharf testing the fenders. Sahula awaited a lull and moved to a seemingly more protected berth. Juggling wind and construction work proves to be a challenge. Stern line is to an anchor in a concrete culvet.
Skipper and Ozkan are invited to dinner at Mustafa (85, sailor) and his daughters apartment. Friends of Ozkans, they live near Sigacik. Turkish hospitality at home.
"Chai" - that word that transcends language - a standard invitation if meeting a Turk. Skipper can have numerous cups a day.
Skipper bused to Bodrum to visit Thomas, a cruiser friend (Nahda Brahma) and Astrid his partner. Bodrum, an old town (with a superb castle/underwater archeology museum) is a mix of tourists and history and culture. Harmony VI (Vasco de Gama Rally) and three Japanese friends (Sho, Sam, John, retired businessmen with families in Japan), on a circumnavigation, were anchored in Bodrum Bay. Thomas co-opted a local dinghy so he, Skipper and Astrid could make a surprise visit and enjoy a Japanese meal aboard. Sam does superb watercolour paintings.
Some things never change. In ancient times bringing a new ship to water meant a sled on rolling poles. Skipper watched a 50 m newly built yacht, wend its way, upon a huge sled (steel and timber), yanked and towed by caterpillar tractors (not slaves!) over continually laid boards, down a winding hillside street to the waters edge. Turkish shipbuilding skills are handed down father to son or apprentice, from ancient times ensuring little change in the art. Labour is poorly paid and available. Technical colleges for trades are uncommon.
Buses are the breath and life of Turkish transportation. Trains, city or country, are almost non-existent. Skipper negotiated four buses to travel from Sigacik to Bodrum. Three were between Sigacik and Izmir Otogar (bus terminal). Connections are without delays due the frequency of the services.
A haircut is a haircut, except in Turkey. In the latter parts of the process the Barber produces a small flame and proceeds to burn off offending hairs around ears and face with a quick hand movement that ensures the hairs singe rather than Skipper sacrificed.
The Piet Reis (ancient Turkish navigator/cartographer of the Mediterranean) NGO promotes marine science. Ozkan was invited to relate his global adventures to an Izmir audience. The attendees clapped when Ozkan revealed Skipper's voyage (and age!) and feted with a superb meal. Circumnavigations remain, to Turks, an adventure outside of reality.
Izmir bookshop increased the shipboard library by five new books: modern Turkish politics, Attaturk and Ottoman history and two Turk author's novels. English books are not readily available.
Musketelle (NZ; Peter and Barbara) anchored off Sigacik. Skipper enjoys news of cruising friends. They will winter in Marmaris. The cruising fleet are "nesting" in various marinas: Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye, Finike and Alanya.
Sunday, day of rest. Skipper enjoys a surprise visit and lunch in Sigacik park, with Yilmaz and Belma.
In the afternoon, Cuneyd, Savas, Aysel invite Skipper to visit ancient Teos and "chai" (Ayik Teos restaurant) watching the sunset over the bay.
It is time to leave for Lycia to walk the ancient roads and trails. Sahula is safely under the watchful eye of ex-merchant ship master, Cuneyd.
Next report Lycian Way.
Best
David
November, 2009
Sigacik
Turkey.
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