I am finding that as my journey feels like it is coming to an end, so my dreams are starting to remind me of issues back home that have been put on hold, this makes me feel a little depressed. However, as I am learning quite quickly with this boating lark, there is always something to move your mind onto something else, even if it is some incompetent, arrogant, tourist twat making a hash (and I am being kind here) of leaving the pontoon. A side wind blows him dangerously close to Esper and Liz, Mum, Dad and myself try desperately to protect our vessel from damage.
Things become quite heated as Jamie tries to take control of the situation, however the pilot’s refusal to listen to any instruction puts not only himself into more bother but also his daughter in danger as she tries to step over onto our boat. We fend off his boat but not before he leaves us with a little present for our troubles: whilst being told NOT to put his boat in gear by Jamie at least ten times, he puts it in gear and his prop snaps our front mooring line. This is right after doing the same to his own.
This of course puts us into emergency mode and the wind soon catches Esper and as the <Expletive Removed> motors off without even so much as an apologetic glance back over his shoulder, we are left trying to steady our boat. We soon find ourselves sideways onto the pontoon, engine on with no wheel to steer ourselves away. Nothing had been stowed and the bill hadn’t been paid – all this was done in record time by the competent crew and I take the helm, wheel now attached, and motor gracefully out into the open seas.
I must admit, we did laugh later at Liz’s face as she stood at the helm, arms out, shoulders shrugged, animatedly explaining to an irate Jamie that without a wheel she couldn’t steer the boat.
Seeing as our exit was so sudden, we hadn’t explained to Jamie that we thought heading back to Fethiye was a good idea. We knew rain was on its way tomorrow and thought the town could provide more entertainment during poorer weather.
Remember what I said before about the Yin and Yang of life? Something good always comes from something bad. Well this morning’s sharp exit from Tersane was met with 25 knot winds and after more rope tugging and winching we were once again sailing. At one point we hit 7 knots. When you interpret this speed to solid ground, it doesn’t sound much but as the boat heels over to 35° and Liz shouts to Jamie that she is struggling at the helm, I find the now familiar taste of adrenalin pumping through my body. Sailing, flying, sighting turtles, dolphins, climbing up to tombs, hiking over to lost settlements or swimming under a boat in freezing water induces the same chemical reaction in all of us – it is how we interpret it that matters. Excitement and panic are actually the same thing, our ability to turn one into the other is all in our minds and as I see the grin on Jamie’s face while we carve our way through the white horses (OK, ponies) I find it easy, turning my frown upside down flips the fear on its head – this is fun! Give me more!

That night, for our final evening meal together, we revisit the restaurant that introduced us to dining in Turkey 7 days ago. If you ever visit this fine eating establishment, I recommended the octopus starter. The day’s events had taken its toll by about 8pm and we turned in early, for my final sleep on Esper.

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Great write up Tim, can’t wait to go now…