David's Diary: Friday, July 11, 2003

Jocelyn Turns Fourteen

Yesterday, we sailed from Bozburun to Bozuk Buku. The entrance to Bozuk Buku is hard to see and very narrow. But once you are inside the bay opens up and there are several places to anchor. There are also several restaurants that are open in the summer. The owners of some of them came around asking us to dinner or trying to sell us groceries. It must be tough making a living off the tourist trade. Since most charters and tourists arrive only in July and August, there are only two months for these people to earn their living.

Marmaris

Today is Jocelyn's birthday and we promised Nabiha and her that we would go to Marmaris and let them go out to a disco. We pulled our anchor up at 9:30 and motored out of Bozuk Buku. We followed the coast line and then turned the corner that led past islands and into the large bay off Marmaris. We arrived at the modern marina in Marmaris just after 14:00. The marina is surrounded by upscale shops, just like the one in Bodrum.

Jocelyn Opens Her Presents

The birthday girl opened her presents and then we went exploring into town. Marmaris is a major tourist centre. There are many gulet charter boats moored there and a long beach where people hang out during the day. Behind the waterfront is a warren of little streets, lined with bars and discos. It was dry, dusty, and deserted in the hot mid-afternoon heat.

Jocelyn is Fourteen

We had a late dinner and it is after dark when we finish. Karalee baked and iced a special birthday cake for Jocelyn in Dragonsinger's tiny galley (imagine the oven on for an hour in 40C heat). We lit the fourteen candles and Jocelyn had no problem blowing them out. After dinner, Karalee and I stayed up until midnight with Jocelyn and Nabiha. The two of them headed off into town with instructions to have fun and to be home by 4:00 AM. We would never have done that in Canada, but we feel they will be safe here.