This is for the non-boaties or anyone who may be amazed that we haven't yet run aground.... I started this weeks ago, but keep changing it as we go along. So here's this week's concept...
Mike's job on the boat is to do everything I can't do, or I just plain ignore. So you can imagine that's quite a workload. Therefore I have graciously taken it upon myself to decide where we shall travel to, heading in a direction that he has already agreed to, after I tell him what that is. Then we check the weather again, and see if I'm on planet Mars, or good friends with Neptune.
There are several tools to help us decide. The first of course are the weather apps. For short term planning we can refer to 'Windy', which shows us the direction and strength of the winds for the next 6 days or so. It's the one I use the most, while Mike prefers the more detailed and specifically boat related, Predictwind. We can use this for longer term passage planning where we can plot and compare routes, but for the short-term trips we are doing at them moment we just use it for weather. It doesn't mean the forecasts are always correct, but luckily so far any variations have been in our favour.
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| A Screenshot from Windy. |
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| A screenshot from Predict Wind. Note the large range of options on the left |
Having seen where the weather is good or bad over the next few days or a week, we can decide if we should stay put, can make a leisurely trip, or a quick one to reach a safe haven without trying to head too much upwind at the wrong time. For instance, we work out we may be able to get half-way to our destination in a few days time, but we will then have to wait out some weather for a few days somewhere because our destination will be experiencing adverse weather. Should we stay or should we go nowww ... 🎼🎶🎙
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| Sample Navionics Chart |
Then it's time to check the charts, and Navionics. Nautical maps are called charts - you're not popular if you get that wrong, believe you me! There is some debate about whether paper charts are still required, given the high quality of electronic charts available. Not gunna get into this, suffice to say we do have paper charts where possible, but use electronic charts in the main for what we are doing at the moment. The difference between land maps and nautical charts is that charts show what is under the surface - 3D if you like - depth, areas that should be avoided, territorial boundaries - particuarly important where Greece and Turkey are concerned. Electronic chart plotters such as Navionics do just that, they are used to chart or plot a course, allowing for weather, hazards or sea conditions. Already installed on the boat is our Raymarine E80 chartplotter (GPS) and we have Navionics on an I-pad and I-phone. We can plot a course, marking way points along the way, which Mike does before we set off. This way we can work out how long our journey might be (given an average speed we expect with the conditions), when we should leave or arrive. We always have the GPS on while underway, and check our speed over ground, depth, whether we are on course, wind, tide, current, and, via AIS (Automatic Identification system) the position of other vessels to avoide a collision our current course. This be can be confusing if it turns out the fast vessel you can't see is a submarine. 😆
The fun bit is checking Navily, the best thing since sliced ekmek. It's not used as widely in Australia, but Navily is THE international cruising guide app for boaties, listing 18,000 anchorages and 1200 marinas. Information is fed in and updated by other sailors (I'm ignoring stink boats now). The information includes what is the best wind and swell direction for each site, what the bottom is - sand, rock, weed - whether there are any buoys or if lines-ashore are required, photos and comments, both positive and negative. So I look for anchorages or bays that we can head for on our journey so we have specific locations along the way. Navily has basically replaced the written guides, which are now quite outdated. Of course, I just have to have the hardcopy pilot guide too, cos you know, it's a real BOOK. This is more helpful in looking at larger sections of the coast, or seasonal weather patterns, but not so much for the fine detail we need for specific locations. This may be incorrect for other coastlines, but is the case for us now.
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| Map screen from Navily showing some of the possible anchorages around Marmaris to Datca. |
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| Detail about Datca North |
Then is the new app, Noforeignland. This is new and some kinks need sorting out, and hence I haven't utililsed all the possible functions like recording my boat track, mileage calculator etc. It's main use for me, and others, is that is provides more details about services and facilities. These include the location of fuel docks, water, blackwater pump out, laundries, supermarkets, dinghy docks, rubbish disposal etc. as well as information about anchorages. When you pull into a new place it can be a challenge to know where to leave a dinghy if you don't want to pay and eat at a restaurant with a pontoonall the time, and Noforeignland helps with that sort of detail. I think you can also stalk your friends in other boats, but strangely I haven't yet tried that. I now use Noforeignland and Navily side by side to get a better idea when planning our destination.
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| Screenshot from Noforeignland- the little icons are used to show shop, fuel, customs etc. See if you can find the one for Blackwater pump out - it's hiding... |
However, the primary and most valuable source is other sailors. As you will now be aware, we spent most of the first few months sorting out where we'll be leaving the boat for winter and the impending birth of Baby Agostinho. Since then we have been following (stalking) the journeys of Finike friends, and meeting new sailors in new bays. Anchorages and destinations are main topics of conversation, outside of boat maintenance. A personal recommendation is worth two in the seaweed, or something like that. We have had lots of suggestions, such as ignore the anchoring point in such-n-such bay, there's an old jetty underwater that you can get snagged in (good to know!), or, the restaurant at the end is a waste of time, but the one opposite is great value, or, even that depsite the difficult entrance that bay is beautiful-not-to-be-missed. I have been given cheat sheets and recommendations in Navily, all of good value, and bascially invaluable. Thanks guys!
But wait - one more thing. After working out your possible itinerary, you remember the blackwater pump out. Yes, poo strikes again. You must have a blackwater holding tank when in Turkey (good thing too). Regardless of it's capacity, you must have this pumped out at least once a fortnight, and have the documentary evidence - or receipt showing when you had last paid to have this done - ready to show the coast guard if they decide to check on you. And they do. If you are due, you need to find somewhere that will do this (or let you pay for the priviledge and then go out to sea to pump it out, cos they don't actually have the facilities do it. Just take your money. )
So we recently had a travel plan worked out, leaving Finike and reaching Datca before winds blew against us too much. Then realised we weren't going to be able to pump out before the fortnight was up, so we changed our plans so we could be in the right place to get pumped out. Unfortunately that meant we would miss the 'weather window', so had to stay in the Gulf of Fethiye/Gocek, to wait out the Meltemi winds that were blowing for a few days, before continuing on. And so this was our latest journey:
Note: there are other tools to use, such as Open CPN, Zulu Waterways, or even Google Earth, but it does depend on where you area and how well developed they are for that part of the world, so I'm only referring to what WE use at this stage.
