As expected this boat, er, Yacht, is amazing. The group is wonderful- not a dud amongst us- everyone is getting along-I mean, there are inter-family dynamics but as a group it's pretty perfect. Lots of laughter and joy and silliness. I've been nothing but happy for days.
Mornings begin with swimming laps (at least for me) and breakfast of eggs, toast, olives, cucumbers and tomatoes. Sometimes yogurt and fruit, always tea and coffee. The first day i was the first one up at 5am, today i woke up at 9.... There is a large 12 person table where we share all our meals that are prepared by Mettia, our large round non English speaking, kind eyed chef. As we speak he is down in the kitchen chopping mint for our mid day meal.... the food is always fresh and delicious, well cooked and there is way way more then any of us know what to do with. We've considered asking them to make less food, but that seems far too rude, and we wouldn't dare...
Our Captain is Bajarin- Baja for sort. He's 36 and been a captain for 8 years... we met his daughter and wife who came aboard when we docked in a small fishing village that he's from (dad/ carter think St Barts circa 1981) We have two deck hands, a 16 year old plump and super sweet boy named Hussein, and another man who is our waiter, bartender, he cleans and takes care of us. (it's a funny thing having "help" and i'd be lying if I said there aren't some on this boat who are more comfortable with it then I...) Normally we just motor along, but today we put the sails up and went for it... Patricia said she's never seen a boat like this actually "sail"- we decided since we have a young captain he's not yet sick of the work and still loves his job, he gave us the thrill of the sails up. (plus he loves us cuz we are obviously awesome)
The first night I slept in my cabin, it was kinda stuffy so the last two nights I've gotten into my homemade sheet sleeping bag (which, was literally the best thing I've brought- SOOOO glad i took the time to make it), then I bundle under 4 or 5 blankets and my pillow and the wind flips and flaps, and the sea laps at the boat and I sleep like a fucking baby. The first night there was wind so loud and strong that Mimi gave up and went in... but I maintained and the payoff of waking up looking out over the sea to the sunrise was beyond anything I can explain... while you are all watching Game of Thrones, we are floating IN it....
Everyone usually takes a morning dip before we push off and we cruise for anywhere from a half hour to even three hours (as we did the first day and will do again tomorrow when we travel over into Greece). Each morning a couple of us do our exercises, sit ups, stretches etc. And then we sun. Sun, nap, read and chat. The old ones and I sit in the shade- the young ones lie in the sun. There is a fantastic awning that they pull over the deck where was can sit on our loungers next to the ladies in the sun and all talk and chat and relax.
Mid day there is a stop in a village, or like today a 10 minute walk to a small Bazar (where I've decided to skip.) it's HOT mid day so I tend to find some shade and a pal to talk reflect and relax. Lunch is served between noon and two- depending on where we are going and have been... and it's always fucking good. Yesterday it was an eggplant, tomato, beef situation over rice/ almond pilaf- with salad, yogurt, and a bean and squash side dish. It was, BEYOND delicious... really really amazing. If we want it wine is served and long after the meal we sit and chat and laugh- often we swim, always I take photos.
Wifi is terribly sporadic- and mostly we go to villages just to get wi fi and then shove off again. The boat doesn't get it all that often, and when it does it's slow. Its been fairly hilarious to pluck 11 americans into a wifi free zone, it's like a bunch of addicts jonzing for their fix- Dede must ask every hour or so- "is the wifi back??"
Thing is- we like the quiet coves where we are secluded and don't hear or see other people. But the trade off is no service. The first night when we were just outside Marmaris we were in the same proximity as a floating party boat. For most of the night it was deep in the distance, but when I woke up at 5am feeling stuffy I heard the ungt, ungt ungt of the base and thought I'd go investigate. And there it was, not 100 yards away from us with its blue and pink neon awfulness pulsating thru the night like a bad floating rave. At one point it was so close the I could make out the people on deck laughing whooping, screaming in their drug addled haze. It was hilarious... While i was standing there Jamie, (who has slept every night on the deck) woke up and he and I snuggled in and talked an laughed and whispered till others woke up at 7a. (And when the party boats music stopped sharp at 8am- we decided they were amateurs.... we would have partied FAR harder then they....) But their noise made us SURE we didn't want to be anywhere we would have to deal with that shit again.
The seclusion of a private cove aboard this floating 5 star vessel is about as luxurious as anything I've ever dealt with. Granted there are some aboard that have been on far fancier digs, but theres not a bitch amongst us who wouldn't admit: this doesn't suck. And when we do find ourselves complaining, for example "theres another boat in our cove!!!" we all look at each other and some yells "hashtagyachtproblems" and then we all laugh... or "we've run out of white wine"- thats a: #yachtproblems... it's so silly, but so so funny. You know what Jamie is like when he gets going.... we've been howling.
In general there is a lot of laughter aboard this wooden gulet. Laughing watching Jamie dance or someone tell a scathingly embarrassing story, or hastaging this or that.... just all a lot of simple, silly fun.
Evening falls and the water gets calm. Dinner is served around 8ish and it has been grilled fish, and lobster, shish kebabs and pasta. There is grill rigged to the front of the boat and the captain mans the grill. Again there is way way way too much food, but the crew takes all our left overs and so nothing goes to waste... and the chef repurposes, often days we recognize yesterdays sauce as a base for todays side dish...
Before we left we decided that at least one night should be birthday party- so last night was the night. Missy had brought some streamers and balloons, and we all pitched in and bought her a new ring when we were in LA, and had brought it with us.
It was Gracie and Fiona's job to take her to the front of the boat as the decoy while the rest of us scurried and decorated. She came back and we all sang happy birthday and laughed at her while she did the now classic, steady herself, tilt her head slightly back, pull out her phone, and attempt to take a photo... we were taking photos of her, taking photos of us.
We put her at the head of the table with her silly birthday candle glasses- which she wore all too eagerly, and we feasted. After we ate dede opened her gifts. Dad, you will remember the large red ring she always wears- it's beautiful, but it was a Bob (her ex) promise ring, that she still wore only cuz it was beautiful, but she wasn't thrilled with the meaning. I don't think any of really knew that- and when she saw her new ring, dude she took the red ring off and she motioned like she was about to throw the old one into the water- we all screamed and howled and, of course she didn't, but later in the evening we decided it would have been pretty bad ass if she had actually checked the fucker. (but as she put it she thinks she'll sell it and do something nice for her granddaughter instead) The new blue magic ring is so beautiful on her finger, and she just loves it so much- it was so so dear to see her with it. We all sat there and toasts were made and sweet tears of love were shed. Jamie made a toast to mom and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. We all agreed she should be here, and in a way that she was. We all told our favorite Dede story which ranged from putting Patricia in the BACK of the green pick up and driving her up to grizzly, or asking Jamie if he thought maybe he was gay and Jamie dissolving into tears because no one had ever asked him before and he hadn't told anyone- her quote at her only daughters wedding "don't beat her up and don't bring her back" or the time while driving 100 miles an hour, and passing a speed limit sigh that read "40" she looked at me and said, "that can't be right..."
The Captain had a cake made for the party and as soon as we took a bite we stopped, cake in mouth and looked at each other. Whomever made the cake, god bless them, had mistaken salt for sugar and the cake was, well, inedible. We howled with laughter, it was awful. There was no way we could tell them, and knew it had to appear as though we enjoyed it- the crew is SO lovely and the chef especially, we couldn't bear letting them know how bad it was....so while Jamie, Missy and Natacha distracted them, we got a black plastic bag and threw the extra cake away and enough from each plate to make it look like we devoured it.... was as funny as anything that has happened yet.
We laughed, and cried and toasted. We turned on turkish pop music and danced... we poured Raki (turkish sambuka) and watered it down for Grace. We made mocktails for Deeds and toasted her long amazing life, and her impact on all of ours. Not least of which was this trip. We realized sitting there that Missy had been the flower girl at Gracie's wedding. That Claire had been the flower girl at Missy's wedding (which Gracie officiated) and that Grace had been the flower girl at Mimi's wedding... It was pretty amazing to have all these amazing people sitting around the same table, tucked into a cove in the corner of the world. (And, Carter you should know to keep it alive, you'll need to marry Natasha so Naomi can be the flower girl at YOUR wedding. Sorry, but it's been decided.)
So thats it for now- I hope you are well- doing what we do when life is normal. Today i am enjoying one of the perks of working so hard- alas what we all work so hard for- until I see you next I will remain, floating along into the night, under super bright stars and a very bright midnight moon. Content just drifting along, safe, happy warm and loved with old, dear friends.
So fun. So special. Magic.
More soon
xoxoxo
Chase
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