This post is just a few days late, but contains some updates. First off, at this time, I usually provide a map and summary of our travels in the year. However, we sailed ZERO miles in 2022. For one reason or another, we never sailed anywhere! We did leave the dock for a daysail, but really – never clocked any miles. We will correct that in 2023. We have plans ……
Secondly, we were recently blessed with the Christmas holiday visit of our daughter Joana and her boyfriend Arend (both coming from the Netherlands) as well as the visit of our son Jonathan (coming from Halifax Canada).
One activity that Alanya is known for is paragliding. Although Jonathan’s knee injury prevented him from taking part, he was an active observer, watching both Joana and Arend taking their first flights.
We had an enjoyable drive up into the mountains surrounding Alanya, and stopped at this restaurant for afternoon tea. What a vista!
Alanya Castle itself is not much to look at, but there are some nice views. There is a very long wall, but not much of a building remaining.
Mamure Castle, is situated about 2 hours drive East of Alanya along a beautiful, but twisty mountain/seaside view road. If you drive too fast, you can actually get seasick on the switch-backs! Mamure Castle was built on an ancient foundation, a previous Anatolian Castle and Roman city, constructed in the 4th century.
Between 1300 and 1308 AD, Karamanoglu Mahmut Bey captured the castle with 35,000 soldiers and restored it to a large extent. That is why the castle has been called Mamure Castle (Mamure means “prosperous”). During that period, a mosque with cupola and outside baths were constructed within the castle walls.
The castle was repaired and enlarged in the 15th and 16th centuries and built on 20,000 square metres, formed in 3 parts. There is a courtyard in the east, a fortress in the west and an inside fortress which was constructed to the south. It has 39 towers and the main entrance is in the north of the courtyard. There is no furniture inside the castle, but it does offer impressive views.
Our friend Kevin on SV NOCONA MOON had recently taken delivery of new sails, new jib and main sails. So, we were treated to an afternoon sail in remarkable winter temperatures.
We had our LazyBoy sofa recovered in India. It was a bargain, but the material was not leather and really did not last with the heat and humidity. The issue was that it was cracking in many places, and although we paid for leather, and we thought it was leather – it wasn’t leather. So, we again unbolted it from the floor and took it to a proper furniture reupholster shop here in Türkiye.
We had it recovered with a “leather-like material” that is 97% PVC and 3% Vinyl Acrylic. This time, we actually paid for a separate, removable, washable slip-cover. Hopefully that will help to keep it looking good. This photo shows both the cover, and underlying material. We are very pleased with the quality of workmanship.
Jonathan brought with him our replacement inverter, so we are back in business again with our 110V distribution. What I believe happened two months ago was that an intermittent short developed inside the inverter. This meant that the inverter wouldn’t run to make 110V AC 60Hz power, and it tripped the 400A Class T fuse protecting the battery bank. When I had no more Class T fuses (these are getting hard to source), then it tripped the BMS protecting the battery bank. Although the inverter is protected by an ANL fuse, this just doesn’t trip fast enough for a LiFePO4 battery bank. So, I have added an additional MRBF 200A Terminal Fuse, (sold by Blue Sea Systems) to the terminal of the inverter. Hopefully, if this new inverter fails in a similar way, with an intermittent short inside the box, it will burn this terminal fuse, before the battery main fuse – and not cause a loss of power to the boat.
