Here we are in Didim, Turkey. The marina is just 10 years old and has a good reputation for quality work. There are some very big boats here for winter laid up on the hard. Michael and Meiissa left us for a 4 day trip to Istanbul on their way back to Texas. It will be strange not having them around.

You need an agent to clear in here and we have Atilla. He was very efficient and saved us from what I'm sure would have been an unnerving situation. He has also got us 12 months Turkish residency so we can come and go for that time with no complications and makes us entitled to the Phizer booster vaccine here which is brilliant. We had to be photographed and finger printed. The Turkish people we have met or interacted with so far have been super friendly and helpful and going to extra trouble to get things right for us no matter if it is the health spa, boat works or shopping.

The marina has a very sophisticated Yacht Club with gym and spa. I've had a massage and facial already and am going to sign up for pilates classes (short reprieve at the moment as the person is away for a week!) the Yacht Club has 3 or 4 different restaurants or eating areas round a pool with views out to sea. there is a little "local" Sailors Pub for the yard workers and anyone else that has a rather loose set menu with items available that are not actually on the menu - not sure how that works yet. It's a good little spot for a quick meal and a wine. Yes, there is alcohol everywhere and very little evidence of head covering etc (art least around here).

The second day we were here we went for a walk around the marina and yelled Kia Ora at a Kiwi boat only to find they were actually Australians. They invited us to the Friday night dock BBQ and we met about 15 other people including another 2 Aussie boats. Since then we have been back and forth to each other's boats and another BBQ. Some of them are heading off from time to time but are basically here for winter. They have done one very good 7 day tour all together and are planning others that we will be involved in too.

Yesterday we had lunch with a couple who have recently bought property in Moore Park Beach and plan to live there. I saw that Emma was in Turkey on an email correspondence re Villas plumbing in MPB so I contacted her and it turns out that she and Don live half an hour from the marina and have booked a three day stay at the Yacht Club over Christmas! What a coincidence - we swapped a few MPB stories with them as they know people there that we do. They were locked down there and only got back to their place in Turkey via Emma's residency card. They are going to come on a few day sails with us.

**** (Keykay) and Cora have joined us as professional crew. We first met **** about 3 years ago in Spain when he was running a 620 sailing Lagoon and then saw him again here and there. It was he who recommended that we leave Chat Eau Bleu in Torrevieja one time when we flew home and it was his brother who kept an eye on her for us. Luckily for us he and Cora were just finishing up on another boat and agree to join us. He is very knowledgeable on this model boat including the Simrad navigation system and the eplex system that manages the boat functions. Very good help for us.

The first morning we were here at about 8.30 am lots of sirens and boat horns were sounding for a full minute. We had no idea what it was and wondered all sorts of things, as you can imagine. Turns out it is the commemoration of the time and day that Ataturk died (1938). They really revere him here as the Father of modern Turkey. He pulled Turkey together after the Ottoman Empire folded and stopped the French, Russians and British from carving the place up between them. He created a modern economy with industry and trade - an amazing man. Lots of streets named after him and statues around. The man from Nautica Marine even has Ataturk's birth year in his email address!