Alanya new marina

It gets worse – an 0400 departure from Kemer, we motored out into the
night in a long line of boats, as the joker boat (RIB) extricated us all
from our berths. We managed about 3 hours of sailing in 13 hours on the
68 mile passage to the new marina at Alanya.
There was a lot of confusion at the entrance as we waited for
instructions to enter. First we were told we would be on lazy lines ( a
line attached to a block and chain at the bottom of the harbour), then
we were told we would need to anchor and tie back, so to have the anchor
ready to deploy. Then we heard that a diver was attaching the lazy lines
as boats were entering, coming up to shout 'No anchor, no anchor!!'
We ended up on the brand new pontoon with a lazy line. The pontoons are
literally being finished around us, the water supply being plumbed as we
tied up, with extension leads for a limited electric supply to some boats.

The showers and toilets have been constructed, but the cubicles are
being installed around us. The water still somewhat cold though for
showering. The chandlery opened as we arrived, you can walk across the
mud and enter through the non-existent doors or windows. They were
unpacking their first deliveries as we arrived. It's as if no-one
believed 65 yachts were coming until they arrived outside the
breakwater. It will be great when it's finished and no doubt Hasan (of
Antalya and Kemer fame) will make it a very popular marina for
liveaboards and sailors throughout the year. It's rumoured that the
tennis courts are already finished. Bizarrely, the flowerbeds are
perfectly manicured among the construction works.

As there's no hot showers or shore electricity supply at our end of the
pontoon, many yachts run their engines or generators for power – from
6am in the morning! Don' they have any batteries???

There was a great cocktail party and dancing at the marina on the first
night. The ladies shared one toilet with a shower curtain across it with
much humour!
Next day we took the shuttle bus into town about 3 miles away, and we
did a walking treasure hunt. We were very attentive to detail, as the
prizes are a boat haul out and in (worth 500 euros), 2 tins of
antifouling, or a weekend for 2 in a hotel. It was 31 degrees and very
humid so we hope we win. The town is very pleasant, but it is quite
touristy, and full of shops selling T-shirts, scarves, trinkets, and
tourist tat. There is a beautiful old town and castle on the promontory.
The rally dinner and flag ceremony was at another beautiful beach side
location last night, a restaurant called 'Green Beach'.

Today we awoke to a welcome rain, and the temperature has mercifully
dropped to not sweaty. We have a day off today, with a pot luck supper
tonight, where everyone brings a dish to share at the party. Hopefully
the rain will have stopped in time for our trip to North Cyprus tomorrow.