I was beginning to regret my decision to strike out alone. I was halfway up a steep bank, the spiky brush was scratching my ankles, the sun was high, and I had one small bottle of water and some melting chocolate to keep me going. Then I met a tortoise. Happily going about his business along the path. I’d never seen one in the wild before, so it was worth a minute or two of contemplation, at least, I thought as I sat down. That’s when I caught a glimpse of the yacht below –the one I’d left because I wanted a walk, not a post-lunch siesta on board. And now I had my reward – a wildlife encounter and a bird’s-eye view of our boat, the Grandi, sitting pretty in its own private cove.
We were into Day Four of our coast to coast cruise, and we’d moored for lunch in Marathounda Bay on the Greek island of Symi. We swam, snorkelled and canoed – all the kit is available on board – but the temptation of a view from the point was too much for me. So while cast and crew snoozed, I motored ashore for a yomp. After all, when you’re being transported in a floating photo opportunity, you should step off from time to time, to take the odd snap.
Indeed, this was no ordinary sailing holiday. This, I realised the moment I clapped eyes on the Grandi, in the tiny Turkish fishing village of Gemusluk a few days earlier, and later that day, when we sailed off for a torchlit barbecue supper on a remote Turkish beach.
It’s a classic five-sailed wooden schooner, or gulet as they are called in Turkey. A boutique hotel with sails, if you like, this stylish vessel turned heads at every port we pulled into. Tussock Cruising is the company that owns a fleet of the yachts and operates the cruises. The course charted for this trip took us down the rugged south-west coast of Turkey, and back via a smattering of lesser-known Greek islands, in the capable hands of Captain Ali and his nimble Turkish crew (one of them is a trained chef and cooks the delicious fish, meat and vegetarian fare we are served three times a day – with a Turkish pastry workshop thrown in for good measure). The crew are all dedicated fans of sailing, and race the yachts every year in the Bodrum Regatta. You can even book during Regatta week in October, crewing and experiencing the tension of a big-boat race first hand. Outside the holiday season (April to October) crews work on their yachts, repairing, fine-tuning and polishing these sleek beauties.
Find your sea legs
On board, there’s an indoor saloon and loads of deck space, but it’s worth investigating all the nooks and crannies of your cabin, as it has been devised by a storage genius. Not spacious, I’ll grant you, but who wants to sit in a cabin when there’s so much to do out on deck?
Like lending a hand when the command comes from Captain Ali to hoist the sails. Now don’t be thinking dinghy-style light-as-a-feather and up-in-five-seconds affairs. These things are huge, some more than 700 square metres in surface area.
The crew – Halcan, Zafer and Huseyin – were almost yanked off their feet by the sheer effort involved in raising them to their full height. The sails need to be strong, as Tussock’s robust yachts can reach speeds of 12 knots. It’s a powerful sensation, pounding the waves as they did centuries ago, before engines.
And bad weather, rather than ruining a holiday, becomes an adventure at sea. A violent storm blew in one night and rather than cower indoors, we all grabbed waterproofs and went up on deck. Forks of lightning flashed behind dark island shapes, illuminating our rain-lashed faces. Anchoring up was fun that night.
So, by all means, offer to assist by pulling on a rope or two, if you feel the need to earn your sailing stripes. My efforts lasted precisely five minutes. The crew is so adept I felt redundant in seconds. Much like their ability to mind-read. No sooner had you thought about strolling to the on-deck fridge to get a beer, than one of the lads was bringing one over.
I decided it was best to concentrate on the other sporting options (other than the yacht’s supply of competitive board games, that is). And far from being cooped up, as I’d expected I might be, I had the chance to stretch my legs a fair bit, in and out of the water. This pleased me no end, because as I don’t really do lounging, except between activities.
High and dry
Symi was an island well worth exploring, from its stunning harbour, Yialos, ringed with 18th Century neoclassical houses, remnant of a prosperous sponge-trading past, to Panormitis, the mosaic-tiled monastery where old man Gabriel is in charge, with his straggly grey beard and equally straggly grey robe. A chain of ruined windmills overlooks the harbour. I climbed the hundreds of steps (375 in total) through the skinny winding streets of Horio, the old town, to take in the ruins, and more spectacular views.
Nissyros was a highlight. This volcanic island has a crater that steams with still-hot sulphur springs. The village perched on its edge has a population that has dwindled to 38, a local guide, Vassili, informed us. He pointed out ancient egg-shaped cisterns which help with the water shortage. We sipped Sounada, a deliciously cooling almond drink, in the shade of the village square, before descending to the dusty moonscape of the crater floor to feel the heat of the bubbling pools, hot enough to boil an egg. Later, for another post-lunch workout, I climbed a winding path to the top of a hill behind the port to look down upon the brilliant white houses clustered below, and beyond, the island where pumice is produced, the island’s main source of revenue.
I might give Kos a miss next time, mind you. As I stood by a 500-year-old plane tree, under which Hippocrates was believed to have taught his students, a child shouted, ‘Look, you can see McDonald’s from here!’ I was never so relieved to have a beautiful yacht to return to, and wild tortoise encounters to come.
See www.tussockcruising.com or call 020 8510 9292
Activities
On-board canoes and snorkelling equipment. Special themed holidays include nature, archaeology, cookery and photography cruises.
