The fantastic Discovery guys came down to Bodrum to help us with our snagging issues and got a huge amount sorted in the 3 and and a bit  days they were here. They were on the yacht very early in the morning to try to beat the heat, difficult as soon as the sun rose it was hot and 41C by midday, they worked through until about 7p.m every evening.  We ran the A/C on the yacht but many jobs were above deck.  I kept them plied with water to try to stop their brains shrivelling in the heat…..Thank you so much John Eustace and Ian for working so hard to get as much as possible done.  They flew out on Friday leaving us at 11a.m after an early morning test sail. 

We have spent the last two days washing down the yacht and putting things back in order.   I put Jonathan up the mast, see picture, so that he could give that and all the stays a wash; they were black from the air pollution when we were sailing near Istanbul a fine black dust settled on everything.  So he spent an hour or so being a trapeze artist with a full bucket of water and yacht cleaner.  We then scrubbed the decks and polished the stainless steel.  The best stuff for cleaning the stainless steel is ‘AUTOSOL’ it gets everything off and makes it sparkle and protects it.  I have found household stainless steel cleaner does not do the job as well. We are just about back to normal.  The dingy covers have been made, sunscreens which let in light and you can see out of have been made for the large deck saloon windows to fix around the outside.  A brand new Ensign pole, stronger and longer has been made, our biminey is being sorted, the workman-ship and fastness of service is second to none and far cheaper than the UK. 

Antonia and her friends Kate and Georgie arrive tonight and tomorrow we hope to get sailing.  We plan to head south as the Meltemi is up again so battling against the northerly is not such a good idea.