Istanbul to Bulgaria through the Bosphorus May 2010
We left the anchorage near Kalamis marina at 0530 on a Sunday morning to miss the rush hour ferries crossing the Bosphorus to Istanbul, we had a great time motoring up the Bosphorus and not experience anything like the adverse currents we had heard about and been apprehensive about. The scenery was ever changing and the Bay at Bebek was a pleasant surprise, we did not go into the marked channel and most of the boats were on moorings so think any anchoring would be a challenge and imagine that in any wind other than NE to SW would make it lively especially with ferry and tanker wash, but it did look inviting. There were many interesting looking wooden houses called Yali's (Greek word meaning waterfront) amongst the most expensive houses in the world, between 20-60million US dollars,built as summer houses. The tankers passed us in a steady stream and apart from a couple of local fishing boats there was not much crossing traffic. The weather was calm and the day bright so we were lucky enough to be able to choose an anchorage, we chose Poyraz arriving in the tiny fishing village about 1030 with the rest of the day ahead to relax!

HA! How wrong can you be! It turned out to be the anchorage of your nightmares. First every sailing boat for miles around it seemed congregated in the harbour before setting off on a race down the Bospherous - the beach started filling up - then the all available space in the harbour, there were swimmers,paddle boats, kyaks,jet skis,runabouts, inflatables,power boats of all sizes, fishing boats, day charter boats with revellers, and us. We seemed to be a magnate for the dolphin paddle boats, some just curious and wanting to practise their english, some getting too close for comfort and some wanting to climb on the bow just to dive off!!! One of us had to be on deck all the time, by 8pm there was silence, even the single handed fishing boat who came up close and personal earlier and had to reanchor, took off.

In the Black Sea!!
Another early start about 55nm to go and looking for the promised southerly, the seas were calm no wind till midday then 15kts of easterly and by early evening the seas had built up to nice chop so we anchored in Igneada just next to the harbour wall, the wind dropped to nothing and we had a peaceful night.

Same again next day another 54nm (thank goodness for the long summer days) we were in Burgas, Bulgaria by 1530, our first port, we tied up at the customs wharf number 6, having been instructed by the Port Control when to turn when to slow down and when to go astern of the anchoring tanker. The officials were there to greet us,(no uniforms) check in was without a hitch and Graham had to go to the office to complete procedures. We then moved around to the Yacht club layed mooring berths. It is a small club with an active kids dinghy sailing group. There are not many secure all weather anchorages along the coast as shown in the cruising guide, which is a little out of date. There is a larger marina in Sozopol about 26euro per day, with two fingers having side on pontoons like in Australia. We took the bus to Sozopop for 4lev pp one way, it took about 1hr, it is a small place with the old town on the peninular, it is noted for its remaining wooden houses the ground floor of stone and upper floor of timber. We had seen everything we wanted to by 2pm and were back on the boat by 3.30.

We had a look at Varna but were not tempted to go there by boat, the marina is concrete jetties at the side of the main harbour, a very busy port we went by bus which was 12lev one way it took about 2.5hrs, we did not buy a return ticket as the buses ran every hour through the day we didn't think it necessary but when we returned to the bus station it was full, luckily we found the other bus station at the back of Carrefour in the new Mall, we had no trouble getting a bus there. There are a couple of chandlerys at the marina in Varna, but have not found one in Burgas. Whilst in Varna for the day we did walk through the town and visited the Assumption Cathedral built in 1886, it contains finely carved iconastiasis and a bishop's throne, some interesting murals and stained glass, but no rows of seating for worshipers to listen to sermon.
After our 10day stay in Burgas we checked out early in the morning and set off for Igneada just over the Turkish border we had no wind at all not even a ripple so decided to anchor for the night and hope for wind the next day.

Back in Turkish Waters - Wind nw light so wing and winged but of course just as we had settled it changed to NE 18kts! and rising so sail change again, the Black Sea gave us a taste of how quickly it could change - the seas became a turbo charged washing machine and it was the first time since the Gulf of Carpentaria that we wore our harnesses! Such a confused sea - we were really happy to be back in the Bospherus even to be in Poyraz Harbour by 2030hrs.

Back down the Bosphorus we crossed to the starboard side of the channel directly from Poyraz had a great run down to the first bridge at Rumeli Fortress where we crossed the shipping lane and continued down the port side of the channel, thinking it was better to cross here then near all the ferry crossings at Kadikoy/Eminonu/Karakoy. We had current fluctuating from 2kts to 4kts causing strong eddies near the Bosphorus bridge, we were doing about 9kts by then. There was a light northerly so we were able to sail from the bottom of the Bosphorus to Tuzla where we dropped anchor at 1450hrs! The last two images are of the anchorage, very muddy bottom good holding sheltered from NW N NE to SE only open to S-SW.