April started with the removal of the main water tank. No mean feat. This is the second time the tanks have failed since new. (After the farce of getting new tanks from Sweden last time I decided to encase them in GRP.) On board Catana ( Göran and Pia) for dinner - to extract me from the chaos on Bluesipp.
Electrical installation continued! I got the water tanks back and the electrics finished before meeting Christel in Antalya.
The final job before launching was to replace the toilet seacock with a good solid Blakes affair. We launched on 17April and were back on G pontoon by 1400 hours. The weather was damp but not windy.
A break in the work for a jolly breakfast and a bithday party in the Navigator in the afternoon
A lovely bouquet
And my first Nokia Mobile.
Also my first digital camera (Olympus) - not shown as it was busy at the time.
The engine room was clearly still in pieces!
Again Hasan had come up trumps for a double birthday party and cakes with candles.
Sadly I have lost the name of my co-celebrant.
At last the weather took a turn for the better as many boats prepared for departure. Some worrying rumours and counter rumours about the cost of Greek cruising permits.
Strong winds were still forecast as the larger yachts declared open "house" at a general farewell party.
Christel photographing Toucan Tango (Anne and Garry)
and then relaxing with Paul (Jidda Jinn) and me aboard the huge catamaran Vision (Frank and Tari)
Jollifications continued well into the evening
luckily our very good friend Stuart (LadyAeolus) managed to avoid repeating his famous gangplan walking trick.
Finally on 29April with most jobs done and many farewells Bluesipp dropped her moorings and the voyage began
Trish waves us away at 0700 on a beautiful calm and blue morning
Farewell Kemer
and goodbye mount Bey Daglari (aka Diddly Dag)
