|
Kusadasi, Turkey -October 30, 1997
Position: Kusadasi, Turkey -October 30, 1997 At our anchorage in Bedimli we found an isolated spot on the shoreline, roughly described in the cruising guide, that had hot springs coming out of the rocks plus an ancient deserted bath house. It was a fun exploration and we all waded in to warm our fee in the hot spring. The city of Kusadasi is one of the most popular stops on the West Turkish coast. Nearby are ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. A city with history dating to 7000 B.C. and for many years a major seaport of the Med. Its real growth was in the first century A.D. along with the growth of Christianity. The city had a population of 250,000. This was a large market and commercial port connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa; often described as the greatest metropolis of Asia. Ephesus began to decline as its harbor was ruined by centuries of silt accumulation at the mouth of the river and now lies 3 miles from the sea. The loss of being a seaport plus disease and pollution took its toll and those surviving moved to other areas. Most of the city was built by the Romans when the Roman governor of Asia had his residence in Ephesus. The marble buildings and statues were built by rich residences to gain prestige and to honor past kings and gods. Along with the population decrease a major earthquake in 1400 A.D. ruined most of the buildings and the city became overgrown for 500 years. In 1950 a restoration was started and is now the largest city of ruins on the Turkish coast. It was one of the most interesting sites of antiquity on our trip. Our guests, Walter Corcoran, Rita Mulloy and the Crowthers, left us in Kusadasi for their return trips to the states. We again have wonderful memories of new adventures and enjoyment with friends aboard the SeaQuell. Since the first week of Oct. the shops and tourist activity changed and most will be shut down by Nov. 1st. On Oct 26th we started west for our return to the Caribbean. We have additional sailing crew joining us in Athens and Gibraltar. Since Oct. 15th the weather has changed with fronts continuing to build into gale force winds out of the north. If a sailing trip is planned this far East, it should be completed by the first part of October. It will be nice to find the warmer weather of the Caribbean. June is leaving us in Athens for Minneapolis on November 1st. She anticipates the possibility of rough seas on the extended passage - in other words you might call her chicken or smart??? We will talk to you again from Gibraltar. (Back to Ship's Log) |
