We finally got away on Friday morning. There were of course a few last minute things but it all got done. We said a sad goodbye to Ken who has had his boat on the hard near us for all these weeks and came for coffee each day. Bruce, an Aussie we met in Rhodes, had just arrived to be hauled so maybe they can cheer each other up. We only went a short way around to Kazikli, Ali Dave Bay to try things out and had no problems with generator, water maker or air con. The anchorage was nice but muddy water (good for anchoring not so for swimming.) There are a few cute little restaurants with their tables on individual home made pontoons but the environment was a bit dirty and smelly - fishing villages. They sound picturesque but often suffer at the ambience level. We left for Iassos the next day.

We've been to Iasos before and really liked it. This time the red buoy marking the channel entrance and underwater causeway remains and shallow ground was missing. As we arrived a boat was being towed off. Lucky we knew to stay close to the ruined tower! Once again we were the only boat there apart from the locals. The weather is great now so we swam - just because - the water was not very clear. Peter and I went to see ruins that we missed before. Very interesting and about 5000 years old in places with many many modifications, additions and changes over the years. There was a dig in progress while we were there. You could easily see how deep they had dug to expose the ruins and the different years and civilisations they showed up. I think it is my favourite so far. A lovely setting in amongst old olive trees. We were the only people there and it is right in the little town.

Next we moved on the Salin Adasi Island to shelter from westerlies for a few days. There is a Russian super yacht hiding here - owned by the biggest stainless steel guy in Russia. You can google all this from the name of the boat: the "Titan". This little bay is really more of an indentation and had no name on our Navilly app so we named it PECA Bay for Peter, Enrique (Kiki's full name), Cora and Alice (my first name). It now shows up on the app with all the wind info and sea bed type etc. A fun thing to do.

We are anchored with a line ashore again. It's funny - we'd stamped our feet and said we weren't going to do it but now we love it! It's very common in the Med because of lack of space in anchorages and flukey unpredictable winds. It keeps the boat in one direction so many others can line up without having to leave swing room so there's more usable space and no need to worry where you might be facing from one hour to the next - especially nice overnight! Now it is summer someone just swims ashore with the chain hanging off the buoy and the floating line from the boat and secures the chain around a rock and lets the buoy come down the line to indicate that there is a line there. Very easy and the reverse to bring it in. There are always plenty of rocks but you can use a tree (some places fine you for that - damaging trees), or even bury an anchor. Our "rock" at Iasos was in fact a bit of ruin fallen from the castle above! Thanks, poor slave, who carved it all those hundreds or thousands of years ago.

Here we are back in Bodrum, anchored right under the castle with a line ashore to the castle. Many more boats here than last visit at New Years. Kiki and Cora have been ashore for top up provisions and say it is vastly busier. We'll go in the morning tomorrow. Meanwhile we have been over to the dock to pick up a Simrad expert who is helping with the down structure scan component that is not working properly. Halil from Modern Marine in Didim set it up for us - good service!