Lady Bear Adventures
12 ton Hillyard 1956
Our journey begins in Orhaniye Bay Turkey
On Thursday the 8th July 2010 we moved onto our new boat ‘Lady Bear” an old classic wooden vessel.
Captain..... David ( Daddy )
Crew ....... Manda (mummy)
Lorenzo (6 yrs)
Arthur (5 yrs)
Many months of searching, June 2010 we headed off to Turkey.
10th July Our journey begins
We arrived at the boat very excited to be able to stay on her now she was ours at last . We had been in Turkey since 23rd June doing all the paper work and exchange, staying at hotels, but now ladybear was our home until we sailed her back to Italy. We unpacked our things and made our first evening meal .
Slept well in the cabin with Lorenzo who woke up at 4am to say,
“We’re in the cabin, night! night Daddy!” And then got the giggles.
Slept well in the cabin with Lorenzo who woke up at 4am to say,
“We’re in the cabin, night! night Daddy!” And then got the giggles.
After all the heat I got chilly in the night and cuddled up to Lolli. Artie and Dave slept in the saloon.
1pm. Force 6 winds. The morning was calm, hot and bright,
Our first day out on Her and I must admit I was a little nervous. Poor Dave had to do everything as I didn't have a clue. Just getting out from the mooring, the mooring line wouldn’t sink like it was suppose to, we managed to cut straight through it, which didn’t get us to a good start. This is when I discovered we have a rope cutter to protect the propellor , so thats why it didn't get tangled! oops!
We motored until we were almost out of the Bay, which must have been about five miles. (Orhaniye Bay is a large bay.) It was very busy with many other sailing boats and water jet skis racing about. I felt very uncomfortable, as they came very close. I think I was making it worst for Dave, as he was trying to get use to the boat with me shouting next to him.
"Oh mind that one! oh they're close!!"
Our first day out on Her and I must admit I was a little nervous. Poor Dave had to do everything as I didn't have a clue. Just getting out from the mooring, the mooring line wouldn’t sink like it was suppose to, we managed to cut straight through it, which didn’t get us to a good start. This is when I discovered we have a rope cutter to protect the propellor , so thats why it didn't get tangled! oops!
We motored until we were almost out of the Bay, which must have been about five miles. (Orhaniye Bay is a large bay.) It was very busy with many other sailing boats and water jet skis racing about. I felt very uncomfortable, as they came very close. I think I was making it worst for Dave, as he was trying to get use to the boat with me shouting next to him.
"Oh mind that one! oh they're close!!"
Dave got the Genoa sail out, that made the boat rock at first as the wind pulled at it, but it soon settled once the wind pulled us into our first sail. And then we glided in silence.
Lorenzo was excited to be listening to his music in the saloon; Arthur sat on the coach roof of the aft cabin pointed at the passing boats, hillside and cliffs, shouting, “Look Mountains!!”
I was over come by sleepiness; with all this rocking I had to lie down, while Dave did all the work.
Dave worked hard on winching up the sails to discover the starboard winch was jammed making it impossible to pull the sails. So he decided to turn back and anchor behind a small island inlet, but it was deeper here than he thought and when we were reversing onto anchor some other boat came right up behind us, Dave tried to get out of their way and decided to bring up the anchor when the tender got caught on our rope cutter, so we watched as it floated away. Some very kind man jumped on his dingy and fetched it back to us. Deciding its too busy here. we got closer to Orhaniye village where it was shallow and closer to the market and shops. At least here we could get our supplies for our journey.
It is so beautiful here the clear deep blue water surrounded by green and lush hillside and the ascending rocky dry mountains above .
There is a shallow sand bank in the middle of the small cove that many people walk on like they were walking on water.
Our neighbouring boat was Sandpiper owned by Martin he came over for a drink and then Dave Artie and Martin went out back to the market for more suplies while I watched the sunset.
The day was long and hot, the sun was setting, as we settle down in the cockpit to talk of our first day on Ladybear.
Monday 12th July
6am in the morning and Dave and Artie are scrubbing the decks just as the sun is rising.
We are all up early due to the big posh yacht next to us called the Gin Palace, which was getting his anchor up which rattled, banged and clanked, through the water at 5.30am.
Orhaniye Bay. We waved good bye to Martin, and we were on our way.
Just before bed a good night story.
Next morning
We stopped at Marti Marina 1/2 mile out to use the internet so we could sort out the insurance for the boat and details for exchanging boat documents. We needed to post it off by courier and get it sent back to us as soon as poss, We couldn't leave Turkey without it but they said we would have to courier it ito Marmaris. We also needed to contact easyjet and emaile Jon and Don to ask if our bag had turned up, could we leave them they're number so at least we may get the bag when we got back home.
OH! By the way DON'T get Easyjet travel insurance they told us we must phone them within two weeks of the bag disappearing phoning from UK only. We paid 35 pounds for insurance and it was useless and then we had to struggle without our things and Dave had no clothes at all, we had to buy him some in Marmaris while we waited for the boat sale to go through. We lost equipment,eg, knife, oilskin jackets' lamp, bedding, clothes, kite, toys etc.
We ended up having lunch at Mari Marina, well the cafe there gave my boys a free bowl of pasta and Dave had to have a beer of course. Turkish people have been so welcoming and friendly and they love kids, more so than Italians.
Sails up and off to Symi Greece........link here to read more.
There is a shallow sand bank in the middle of the small cove that many people walk on like they were walking on water.
Our neighbouring boat was Sandpiper owned by Martin he came over for a drink and then Dave Artie and Martin went out back to the market for more suplies while I watched the sunset.
The day was long and hot, the sun was setting, as we settle down in the cockpit to talk of our first day on Ladybear.
Monday 12th July
6am in the morning and Dave and Artie are scrubbing the decks just as the sun is rising.
We are all up early due to the big posh yacht next to us called the Gin Palace, which was getting his anchor up which rattled, banged and clanked, through the water at 5.30am.
Lolli is listening to Bob Dylan while Artie irritates him by singing badly.
Everything all tided up or stashed away, food cupboard full and we were ready for our first real trip to Fethiye, it should take us a few days, stopping at Marmaris to sort paper work out. 
We will miss the people we have met here, Dorothy and Alan. At least I managed to get one of Alans lovely prints of his paintings.
The family with the three kids at Gelin Tas apartments.
The family with the three kids at Gelin Tas apartments.
And of course the little motels by the bay here Iskele. Great pool!!
It was the boys first time on the dingy and they loved it, and Lorenzo handled getting on and off the boat really well.
We had been to the market several times today on the dingy as we were anchored up close in the bay. The markets in Turkey seem to open at sunrise and finish well after sunset. The kids had a good day played on the swings, ate icecream. And we found Four euros in the sand by the park. So a good day.
Just before bed a good night story.
Its lucky we have a good Captain ! Ah!!
Next morning
We stopped at Marti Marina 1/2 mile out to use the internet so we could sort out the insurance for the boat and details for exchanging boat documents. We needed to post it off by courier and get it sent back to us as soon as poss, We couldn't leave Turkey without it but they said we would have to courier it ito Marmaris. We also needed to contact easyjet and emaile Jon and Don to ask if our bag had turned up, could we leave them they're number so at least we may get the bag when we got back home.
OH! By the way DON'T get Easyjet travel insurance they told us we must phone them within two weeks of the bag disappearing phoning from UK only. We paid 35 pounds for insurance and it was useless and then we had to struggle without our things and Dave had no clothes at all, we had to buy him some in Marmaris while we waited for the boat sale to go through. We lost equipment,eg, knife, oilskin jackets' lamp, bedding, clothes, kite, toys etc.
We ended up having lunch at Mari Marina, well the cafe there gave my boys a free bowl of pasta and Dave had to have a beer of course. Turkish people have been so welcoming and friendly and they love kids, more so than Italians.
Sails up and off to Symi Greece........link here to read more.
