Our plans to head North from Bencik changed with a weather forecast of 30+ knts from the SE in a couple of days. There aren't many places to hide from a SE wind on the Datcha peninsular, so after a 4 boat discussion. we decided to head to Dirsek. Dirsek is a bay where we can anchor with stern lines to shore against a large hill blocking the Winds from the South East. Perfect! or so we thought.
Dirsek on a calm day
After a light wind sail we arrived in the bay in plenty of time to get secured. Amanda swam ashore with the stern lines for the first time this season and with our anchor taut against them in 13m depth and 50m chain out we felt secure. We had Pip and Paula on Julia Too on our starboard side and Carol and Charlie on Lysander on our port side. Steve and Kristy on Dash were a bit further along the hillside. As the wind picked up we started to get some gusts and decided to take our bimini down to reduce flapping and possible damage to it. Despite having our stern to the wind and a large hill, we started to get severe gusts mainly onto our Starboad side, but also from the port. These gusts built up, we were experiencing zero wind and then Bang! a 30knt short gust. Some of these were whipping the water up into a salty spray and the boat heeled well over each time they hit. Some of them were rotating gusts as they sped across the bay. Eventually the wind started to impact our little flotilla. Firstly Julia Too lost their windward line off the rock they were tied to, they up anchored and reset using a spare line from Kerensa. Next to go was Kerensas windward line, also lifting off the rock it was tied too. Kerensa drifted into the side of Lysander. Fortunately we had forseen the risk and both boats had fenders out ready for such an eventuality. We had to wait until a break in the gusts to get Kerensa off Lysander, whilst hoping we didn't cause their anchor to drag. The gap in the gusts eventually happened and we lifted anchor and reset position again, this time using a bit of the space where Julia Too was previously. They had moved only 30m further away and were experiencing far fewer and lighter gusts now. So far all this happened in daylight but next to have an issue was Dash, pulling the rock they were tied to into the sea at midnight. This was followed by the same thing happening to their other line at 0230hrs! All boats got out with no damage fortunately but there was a distinct lack of sleep that night. Overall the gusts were broadside to us for around 12hrs before they died down. Unfortunately any photos we took really didn't do the situation justice.
White dot was our location
The next day, having had enough of Dirsek, Dash and Kerensa headed back East to Sig Limani, one of our favourite spots around here. Lysander and Julia Too headed off to another bay for Charlie to try out his new wingfoil, we will catch up with them in a few days.
From Sig Limani both crews from Kerensa and Dash walked over the hill to Selimiye, a nice town with a few waterfront bars and restaurants. We had a lovely evening and followed it up with a Turkish breakfast the next morning ashore at a local place, sitting under a very old olive tree.
Breakfast!!
We have now moved to Orhaniye to shelter from the next winds blowing through, we will be here for a couple of nights, before resuming our passage north.
