Recent Photos:

Levi running....VERY fast


Amphıtheater ın Knidos

Erik as a pıllar of salt.

Levi's water taxi.

Rachel and Maggie shopping.

Castle at Bodrum


Sea urchins

Lily collecting flowers, everywhere we go.

Maggie plotting our course.

The girls!

Emma exploring at Knidos.

Fruit market ın Bodrum

Morning sunrise, it was breathtaking! Thank You, YHWH!

Knidos...'Neat-O'

Hello!

We've been out of touch for a couple of weeks, traveling through a huge bay. It's called Korfezı Gorkova, and has lots of remote anchorages. It's not hard to find a bay all to yourself, and a lot of bays are surrounded by pıne trees growıng rıght up to the water's edge. Very beautıful, and quıet. We fınally wrapped around to the next bay '??', 'Bay of Doris' ın English at a place called Knidos (or in Sarah's language - Neato). Here's us sitting on the jetty there:


The place has had a lot of prominence ın antiquity. Paul was taken here on hıs way to Rome to be trıed (Acts 27:7) The town was at ıt's peak 80,000 people lıvıng and fıshıng ıt's waters. It was a huge shıppıng port as well as shipwrecks from Egypt to Northern Europe have been found wıth cargo (amorphs) stamped ıdentıfyıng ıt from here. The bıg exports were: wıne, olıves, fıgs, drıed fısh. Now there are only 2!! full time residents living there and you can wander the hills and look at ruins of houses, amphitheater, and temples.

It's a pretty overwhelming combination, being surrounded by all the history here and living in a boat on the ocean. Do you know how you feel looking at the stars on a clear night? How you can almost feel yourself shrink? I guess that's a similar feeling...I know we're small in the world, but this is humbling! I really feel it, all the centuries of people living, working, raising kids, making decisions, it's crazy. We really are specks aren't we? It can't do anything to me but to say 'Thank You, God and Father, for allowing me to be here and to see You here and everywhere!, You are Amazing and Awesome'

The Hems

Ephesus

Hello from Turkey......

We took a detour for a couple of days and rented a car and drove up to Ephesus. We figured we were as close as we would get, as we're heading south and were ready for a break from the boat. It was an amazing experience and really incredible being in a place we've only read about, but I think the thing that will remain with all of us is the lesson we learned while we were there.

We set out on a Friday morning from the hotel and got to Ephesus, and literally as we were walking into the entrance, our camera died. Changed batteries, nothing. Once in a lifetime and we were going to miss getting any pictures! We all started blaming each other on whose fault it must be, frustrated and basically, failed. So, we went back to the entrance and bought two disposable cameras so we'd at least have evidence we were there. İ even drove back to town looking for another digital camera, armed with a credit card.......nothing.

So, we finally decided to make the best of the situation and go for it. Halfway through Ephesus, we met a professional photographer who has worked there for 12 years. We told him our situation, and he called another friend who had a great Nikon camera that accepted our camera card, and he became our tour guide and private photgrapher. Of course, he knew all the best spots for photos and all the background of everything we saw! How crazy is that!

I know nothing's for free and was counting on the big pitch when we left, private tour, camera rental, etc. etc., but none of it! I tried to pay him and he wouldn't take it. He was really glad to help and hoped we'd enjoyed it. Thanks Charles!!

What a great lesson learned about how God works things out better than we can imagine and how we are so quick to put HIM in a box! Shame on us for missing out on all HE wants to do for us when things don't go like we think they should! Thanks, LORD for a great memory......

Until next.........

Hems

Bodrum

We're now in Bodrum, Turkey heading east toward the next bay over called Aspat Koyu.

Yesterday we went to a very cool cave on an Island called Kataraada (black island) where you can swim into the cave and take a mud bath. The mud is exported to Europe and supposedly, Cleopatra stayed on this Island for three years. We had a rough sail back to Bodrum straight into the wind and are anchored back in the bay.

There are night clubs here on the water and they play music until EXACTLY 5:00 am. Just in time for the first Muslim call to prayer! So, we'll be glad to get to a quieter anchorage for sure!

Kids are doing good. Tomorrow is the big outdoor fruit and vegatable market where farmers from all around the area flood in and sell every kind of produce imaginable. It's pretty overwhelming! We'll post some photos as soon as we figure out the new blog.

Take care all!

Hems

Swimming laptops

Hey There!

I know the site looks different, that is because our fearless leader (erik) dropped the laptop in the ocean. so......we are going to be posting and updating this site through internet cafes along the way. it will probably mean less photos etc. and less frequent because we are at the mercy of cafe locations, but we're trying to make lemonade.....

So.........we're havin' fun now aint' we??

E