Spontaneous decision

At very short notice Albert and I decided to jump at the opportunity of sailing from Rhodes in the Aegian Sea on the SPV Star Flyer. This sailing ship is the sister ship of the Star Clipper, on which we have already had two wonderful cruises, and is built and decorated exactly the same.

So we flew out to Rhodes on Saturday 24th July landing at 5.15 pm and were picked up at the airport to be taken straight to the ship. Actually, the port in Rhodes looks fascinating with an enormous fortress stretching around the port so it was a pity that we didn't have enough time to take a look around. It is of course home to the Colossus of Rhodes which was considered as one of the wonders of the ancient world but which was destroyed by earthquakes around 220 B.C.

Arriving on board

At the gangway we were warmly greeted by first officer Yuriy, who remembered us from our first cruise in the Caribbean. We are not sure if it's a good thing that we were remembered after such a long time but for our part we were very happy that Yuriy was on board with us again! Although we had not been on board the Star Flyer before it was all so familiar that we felt at home straight away. A cool drink at the Tropical bar was just what we need after our journey. We sat for some time enjoying the surroundings and watching the other paasengers embark.

After the usual embarkment process we went down to our cabin on the clipper deck and immediately unpacked making ourselves comfortable in our home for the next week.

Sailing away

Once everyone was on board we all got together on the sundeck to watch the sails being raised to the music of Vangelis - Conquest of Paradise. It doesn't matter how many times I have seen this, the experience of it all always manages to raise the hairs on the back of my neck and it never loses it's appeal. And so we set sail to Fethiye on the Turkish coast.

Fethiye is a lively Turkish market town situated right in the middle of the Turqouise Coast in the south western corner of the country. It is built on the site of the ancient Lycian city of Telmessos which was devastated by a series of earthquakes. Behind the harbour there is a ruined medieval fortress known as the Knight's Castle.

Before leaving the ship to explore the town we took part in the compulsory life boat drill, gathering at the muster station wearing our life jackets and learning what to do in case of an emergency. When all formalities were over we left the ship with the tender and spent a pleasent time wandering around the pretty basaars. We then took a taxi to the public beach where we could relax in the sun and swim in the sea before taking the tender back. To be honest the beach at Fethiye was not particularly nice but we were to learn that it wasn't the worst beach we would see in the Turkish Riviera!

Evening entertainment

It is always amazing to see how the chef is able to produce such fantastic food for so many guests in such a small galley. Nevertheless we were treated to an absolute culinary delight of choice for up to six courses. The crew then presented the Star Flyer fashion show of the good quality t-shirts, sweatshirts, shorts, belts, shirts and more available in the Sloop Shop during the cruise.

During the week we were entertained each evening with a pirate night and crab race (real crabs racing towards an outer circle), a ship's quiz, Turkish folklore and belly dancing, a talent show presented by the crew and passengers, and a music quiz. Each evening after the entertainment show Jozsef the "one-man-band" played great music for the guests to enjoy dancing on deck under the stars and the moonlight. A few times during the week Danny the head barman also entertained us with his very impressive voice singing Frank Sinatra's "I did it my way" among other songs.

I have thought many times how amazing it must look while sailing in the moonlight with the sails up, the masts lit and the passengers dancing in the Tropical bar!

The route

And so we spent the week sailing overnight to next port and either exploring the towns or enjoying the beaches during the day. Our voyage took us from Rhodes to Fethiye (Turkey), Dalyan River (Turkey), Marmaris (Turkey), Bodrum (Turkey), Patmos (Greece), Simi (Greece) and back to Rhodes. In total we sailed 364 nautical miles, the longest distance between destinations being Patmos to Simi with 95.7 nautical miles.

One of the best destinations in our opinion was Dalyan River with its beautiful scenery, the tombs carved into the cliff faces, the reed beds on the river banks and the 4 kilometre long Istuzu beach. The delta and the beach are among the last remaining habitats for sea turtles and many species of water bird. It is prohibited to visit the beach between 8.00 pm and 8.00 am as the turtles hatch and make their way to the sea guided by the moonlight. Dalyan literally means "fish trap" and fish have always been plentiful in these waters.

We also had the experience of a mud bath covering ourselves from head to toe with wet mud and letting it dry in the sun and looking like aliens – hilarious fun!

In all honesty we were not so impressed with the Turkish coast. Apart from Istuzu beach the beaches we visited were not particularly impressive although the sea itself was wonderfully cool, clear and refreshing. With the Star Clipper Cruises though it is not necessarily the destinations which make the cruises so special. Life on board, in our experience, is fun, entertaining and interesting. We have met many lovely and interesting people from all over the world and have enjoyed many great conversations.

The experience of lying in the nets under the bow sprit while the ship is sailing with the waves directly below is also something that one could never forget.

Cruising on the Star Clipper or the Star Flyer is addictive and, as many other passengers have also said, it will certainly not be our last time on board these wonderful vessels.