Saga Ruby Captain's blog

The two hundred and twenty mile run was accomplished in just over fifteen hours, the hour back on the clock working in our favour. Not unexpectedly the pilot boarded well after we had entered into the harbour, and confirmed my suspicions as to the berth as it was the only one left available.

The view to starboard was of the very large grain silos, not exactly pretty, however the other side looked over towards the dry and barren hills that dominate the new city of Agadir. The last was largely destroyed in the earthquake of 1960.

The folks all filed off to the tour buses, dodging the disguised cargo berth dockside obstacles on the way, the odd missing manhole cover, the crane rails with sprouting grain and the uneven tarmac. A few went off on an overnight excursion to Marrakech, we’ll pick them up tomorrow in Casablanca, (I’m assured all in one piece) while others went of to Tourandant and city ‘sights’, that also included a ‘Horse Fantasia Show’.

I seem to remember from a few years ago going to see something similar, old chaps with characterful faces wearing colourful national dress on galloping horses, plus loud bangs from ancient rifles and plenty of dust. Not for those who want a little peace and quiet, and best not to sit downwind.

We had an early sailing, just after lunch, in order to get up to Casablanca for a full day call. Seas initially just a little choppy from a freshening breeze, but that soon died away to leave an increasing northwesterly swell. More was to come.

The fine sailing conditions continued as we passed to the south of Tenerife, then up to the north of Las Palmas and eventually transiting between Lanzarotte and Fuerteventura before arriving off Arrecife as the dawn was just beginning to break.

The pilot, who I hadn’t seen for many years was very quick to recognise me and remind me of the time I had arrived on Christmas Day in the mid 90’s….when all the bridge team were wearing father Christmas hats. Very festive.

During the intervening years the port has expanded considerably, new jetties, longer pier and now yet another berth being built for the mega ships much closer to the ‘metropolis’ of Arrecife.

We were the only cruise ship on this day however, so the passengers had all this space to themselves. The tours went off on time and the shuttle bus regularly ran the few miles around the bay to the town.

Again the weather just continued to be perfect, quite hot with a dry northeasterly breeze picking up accentuating the feeling of atmosphere against the background of the dry brown and arid mountain landscape that dominates the area.

Hardly surprising that the local water supply could give us less than ten tons an hour during our stay.

We sailed just after five, off to a very different style of cultural experience. I have warned them.

Having past the island twice already, we finally made our call in La Gomera on Friday. The port of San Sebastian has been enlarged significantly over the past few years and an extension to the jetty has only been completed in the last few weeks.

Even so, this is a port that is treated with respect by the approaching mariner as a dangerous north setting strong counter current is experienced within half a mile of the entrance. Strong enough to catch the unwary Master and I gave the Staff Captain a practical demonstration during the darkness of our approach, having to vigorously counter its affects just as we were embarking the harbour pilot.

The weather was again superb, blue sky, hot sunshine and a cooling breeze from the northeast. I stretched my legs by taking a brisk walk into town for an hour, climbing a considerable number of steps to gain a better view of the bay. It was hot work, but rewarding enough, despite the cars that raced up the same hill as I came down.

Considering it was meant to be ‘siesta’ time there appeared to be plenty of rapid movement up the narrow one-way road. Down below things were a little more relaxed, just a few bars open, local folks relaxing in the park or on the black sand beach nearby.

The ferry terminal though was fairly busy most of the time with fast craft coming in from Tenerife and around the coast, most having to dodge the visiting yachtsmen who seemed to hog the middle of the entrance channel. One poor chap, no doubt endeavouring to keep clear, ended up with the wash of one ferry hoisting him unceremoniously up onto the rocks, where he precariously stayed until a port authority tug vessel came and pulled him off. 

Only favourable comments were received from the passengers, particularly those who ventured on their tours into the greener centre of the island. As the sun descended to the horizon behind us we sailed towards our last Canary destination.

During the night we passed La Gomera again, sailing in superb clear conditions and passing south of Tenerife. In the darkness we approached the busy capital, one cruise ship ahead and another astern, all with the same ETA. Interesting, but not unexpected.

There was no drama and we berthed as the sun was making its magnificent appearance over Las Palmas in the east, in good time to get the morning tours going. 

From a cool start the day heated up considerably and by the time we had our weekly crew fire and boat drill it was uncomfortable for the chaps in their fire suits. Those who were chosen to take a lifeboat ride probably faired no better as there was little wind over the water.

Passengers who remained on board, meanwhile, relaxed mainly in the shade except those desperate to take their tan back home. Those who took tours up into the National Park and Mount Teide had a much ‘fresher’ day and very much more comfortable than the ones who just took an amble in the city.

We had fuel bunkers to take during the afternoon and the large bunker barge that lay alongside all afternoon didn’t depart until well into the evening. A local folkloric show, with dancers and singers in national island costume, entertained after dinner finally departing down the gangway as we prepared to sail, gathering at the bottom to take a group photo with the ship in the background.

We sailed at first east before turning to the south, heading for the island we had passed twice already.

Heading south from Las Palmas, we crossed to the south of Tenerife and passed by the ‘shadow’ of La Gomera before heading up to the capital of La Palma, Santa Cruz.

Like the other western Canary islands, La Palma is high, so high in fact that there are many international observatories situated in the clear atmosphere of it’s peak almost 8000 feet above the sea. The largest geographic feature is the Caldera de Taburiente, a volcanic rim six miles in diameter breached to the west by an enormous canyon.

I took the afternoon walking tour up to the north east coast, the first part of which took us on a trail into a laurel forest, the second, a short jaunt above the sea.

Not particularly taxing for most, but an education non the less as our German lady guide was very chatty and quite happy to talk about her own goats, rabbits, dogs, cats and the ‘good life’ style of living that she and her husband had fallen into since arriving on the island by yacht over twenty five years ago…..after having sailed around the world over a seven year period.

The scenery was delightful and varied, one minute luxuriant vegetation, then banana plantations as far as the eye could see until the black rocky coast gave way to the ocean. The quieter life of ten or twenty years ago is being eroded however, by the increasing tourism and the improvement of the road infrastructure paid, no doubt, by the European taxpayer.

Apparently there is large unemployment, but I have to say that I could see some fairly expensive houses dotted around the countryside and many new buildings in the capital. Our last stop was at a viewpoint above a caldera that lies above Santa Cruz.

A new estate had been carved into the step side below us, a touch worrying I would have thought, but perhaps they get a ready supply of hot water. 

After three days at sea reducing the latitude, many of our newcomers spent the morning searching the horizon for the eagerly anticipated land ahead. We were a few hours late arriving as we had made an unexpected diversion over twenty-four hours before in order to rendezvous with a Portuguese military helicopter.

All rather hush hush of course, but it was a touch of excitement for those who could peak out of their portholes and see a great white light just above their heads. There was talk the next day of UFO’s appearing in the night.

The weather had become really rather splendid the afternoon before and Las Palmas did not let us down, with temperatures up in the high 70’s. All the tours managed to get away and the crew were glad of the close proximity of the local shopping centre and nearby beach on the other side of the narrow peninsular on which the port lies.

Apparently one gentleman became detached from his tour and had to be returned by taxi, much to his wife’s consternation no doubt. I doubt if he will do that again. Meanwhile the military, just across the harbour, were practising wire descents from a large helicopter onto a patrol boat secure alongside.

Rather odd really, as soon as they had landed on deck the helicopter landed on the quay next to the ship and the guys all trooped ashore. Perhaps it was a precursor to actually practising at sea when things can get a little more ‘difficult’.

So we sailed just about on time and the passengers had great views of the coastline as we headed south and then west. The southern part of the island, with its many bars and hotels, was ablaze with light.

I don’t often compile a blog on a sea day, but as tomorrow I go on leave I thought I’d sign off, having allowed Kevin to write Lisbon’s blog. We couldn’t have asked for a nicer day really, sun shining, light breeze, and calm seas. The only give away that it is October is the temperature and the time of sunset.

Sailing north through the Bay of Biscay was a relatively calm passage, a couple of hours of a force 6 just after Cape Finisterre, but that was it. And of course as a British Seafarer I shouldn’t forget that it is Trafalgar Day.

The Battle of Trafalgar was fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars (1803 – 1815). The battle was the most decisive British Naval victory of the War, 27 British ships led by Admiral Lord Nelson aboard HMS Victory defeated 33 French and Spanish ships off of the Southwest coast of Spain, just west of Cape Trafalgar. Not a single British vessel was lost.

The victory confirmed naval supremacy that Britain had established during the past century and was achieved in part through Nelson’s departure from the prevailing naval tactical orthodoxy which involved engaging an enemy fleet in a single line of battle parallel to the enemy, instead he divided his smaller force into two columns directed perpendicularly against the larger enemy fleet, with decisive results. Nelson was mortally wounded during the battle, becoming one of Britain’s greatest war heroes.

We do not really celebrate, or even for the most part remember, Trafalgar Day anymore. Its popularity as a day of celebration waned after the 1st World War, when the general perception of war as a source for glorious victory was replaced by a more somber view of tragedy. But it would be nice to think that the famous message hoisted on HMS Victory lives on, at least in spirit, in us all in a modern Britain; “England Expects That Every Man Will Do His Duty”.

I’d like to thank you all for reading the blog over the last 2 ½ months, I expect to be back on the Saga Ruby on 5th January for the start of the World Cruise. In the meantime I’ll hand the keyboard, and the ship, back over to Captain Rentell. I know it’s a bit early but have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

We approached Lisbon on a cool morning with the sun just beginning to rise above the horizon.  After passing the statue of Henry the navigator during pilotage up the River Tagus the Saga Ruby berthed opposite the statue of Christ the Saviour a, smaller but very similar to the famous South American version.

The site of Lisbon itself has been settled by various people since around 700BC and its architecture it a real mix of historical cathedrals and parks, along with more modern shopping centres and office blocks. 

The docks are around a twenty minute drive from the city centre and host a range of vessels from container ships and tankers, to cruise ships and even warships regularly tie up for their ship’s company to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Portuguese capital.

Of course the dockyard isn’t the only type of Port readily available in Lisbon.  Even the small delis stock a wide range of ports from the Douro Valley.  Starting at around €7 for a basic Tawny many places also offer Vintages, some dating back to the 1800s, which can reach hundreds of Euros for a single bottle.

Arriving in Lisbon also meant that I had come to my final stop before disembarking in Southampton.  My time about the Ruby has been a highly memorable experience, having learnt an awful lot about how the passenger branch of the Merchant Navy work and also having met some remarkable people among the passengers, many of whom were either ex-RN themselves or have family members in the service. 

I would like to thank each one of them for sharing their stories, experiences and advice with me, as it is my personal belief that as the Royal Navy moves into its future with new ships, aircraft and submarines, the lessons which have been learnt in the past remain invaluable, not just in ensuring the continuation of our traditions, but also in an operational context to ensure mistakes of the past are learnt from and are not repeated and successful operations may be used to guide us as to the best method of tackling new challenges.

Finally, I would like to thank Captain Angove, his Officers and Crew for allowing me the opportunity to serve with them and for helping me to understand how the Merchant Navy works, explaining the differences in operational methods between civilian and military shipping.

Yours Aye,

Midshipman Kevin Diaper Royal Navy
MV Saga Ruby

We arrived in good time to pick the pilot up for Gibraltar having escaped the weather brewing in the Gulf of Lions that was due to hit Menorca shortly after we departed. All we experienced of the weather system was the tail end of the occluded front sweeping the western Mediterranean, giving rise to a grey Sunday morning that quickly brightened up over lunch for the afternoon.

The pilot’s Irish accent was instantly recognisable as Martin Breen’s on the Pilot boats VHF and was a familiar face having been someone I’d sailed with when he Captained this ship in 2006. The run through the anchored vessels within Gibraltar’s port limits allowed the Bridge Officers who new Martin to catch up and exchange pleasantries, before getting to business and putting the ship alongside so the passengers could go ashore.

The skies were devoid of cloud and the sun still had another 40 minutes before it would rise, by the time we were all fast and the gangway had been landed. The temperature was a mere 14 deg C (57 deg F) this morning, stark contrast to some of the warm weather we’d been experiencing in the Mediterranean over the last two weeks.

And it was the weather that everyone was asking about with our imminent return to the waters of the Atlantic due before the day was out. Fortunately I could, with confidence, assure the passengers that the passage to Lisbon would be calm and that it was looking quite promising further north in the Bay of Biscay, however I was also quick to add that I make no promises though, knowing how quickly it can all change.

Just before 2:00pm our half-day call was at an end, and with everyone all aboard the lines were let go and an

easterly wind performed the duties of natures tug, allowing the Saga Ruby to ease away from Gibraltar harbour in the afternoon sun and enter the Straights of Gibraltar and head west into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Saga Ruby was scheduled to arrive the same time as two other cruise ships, Bleu de France and the Seaborn Sojourn, so to ensure we were not last on the list we increased speed slightly to arrive 15 minutes early! The Seaborn Sojourn had similar ideas and was in a better position to tactically out manoeuvre us and arrive at the pilot station 30 minutes early. How annoying!

Mahon is a small port and as such has limited resources when it comes to pilots, so to ensure that the Saga Ruby was next we stopped one nautical mile off of the entrance between the two channel buoys and maintained position using occasional bursts of engines and the bow thruster in a similar manner that dynamic positioning vessels maintain position when working in the North Sea, albeit without the computer guidance.

At 7:15 am, 15 minutes late, the pilot boarded and we proceeded in towards our berth. They had just finished dredging the berth that we were going to use in January so whilst the chart indicated 7.5m of water I was assured that in actual fact it was 10 m deep (the ship had a draft of 8.5m). Unfortunately the berth we were to use is normally used for ferries, so in addition to being a bit short in length there was a ramp jutting 60 feet out of the berth that I needed to keep the stern as close to as possible.

If that wasn’t enough 40 feet ahead of our intended position the water was too shallow for the ship, so it was going to be a tight squeeze. The weather was favourable though so I decided against using a tug.

With the vessel all tied up with out too much fuss just opposite “Pedros Boat Centre”, and the bow intruding across the boat centres moorings by 50 ft or so, the gangway was run out and our passengers prepared for a day on Menorca.
 

Mahon, or the Puerto de Mahon, to give it its full name is Menorca’s Principle City. It originated as the Mediterranean Portus Magonis, bearing the name of the Carthaginian general Mago. Under the Romans it was a Municipium (privileged town).

The Arab pirate Barbarossa besieged and captured the place in 1535, and in 1558 it was sacked by corsairs. The British, after their seizure of the island in 1708 declared it a free port in 1718. After a brief time in French hands, and being recovered by the British it was ceded to Spain 1802.

Departing the berth proved more problematic that arriving. The depth of water under keel just off of the berth was shallow, so when manoeuvring the transverse thrust and torque created by using the engines in opposite directions was not sufficient to lift and keep the stern clear of the unfendered ramp astern of us.

Despite several attempts I reluctantly had to use plan B, a tug, to pull the stern clear of the ramp sufficiently enough for the vessel swing through 180 degrees and proceed to sea.

By now we were a little late leaving and the pilot was getting agitated as the Seaborn Sojourn would be delayed by a few minutes (what goes around, comes around), so he disembarked part way along the harbour allowing me to finish the 6 miles out to sea with the setting sun illuminating the ruins of the forts San Felipe and Marlborough at the mouth of the harbour.

Our route to Palermo from Katakolon incorporated passage through the Messina Straights. Having departed in good time from Katakolon and managed to pick up an unexpected push from a current, we arrived to pick the pilot up a couple of hours earlier than originally expected which enabled the transit to be conducted in daylight, thus allowing our passengers to see the operation.

The Messina Straight is the narrow stretch of water between Sicily and the Italian mainland that at the northern end narrows to 7 ½ miles in width. Pilotage for the 10 nautical miles where it narrows is compulsory, but normally conducted at full sea speed in a typical Italian manner involving heated VHF conversations between the Pilot and ferries that cut across your path with regularity.

Once through Messina having passed a five masted tall ship called the Royal Clipper, the pilot disembarked and with time up our sleeves, we headed towards Stromboli to see the volcano.

Stromboli is the most Northern Island of the Isole Eoile, and abruptly juts about 3000 ft out of the sea. Formed from a single volcano cone, the island consists principally from solidified lava, presenting a rocky cliff faced coastline. The volcano is still active and the ancient crater is in almost continuous activity centred on the northwest side of the island in a depression named Sciara Del Fuoco.

As we approached the island from the southeast, the silhouette could be visualised against the moonlit night sky, like a black pyramid sat upon the still waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It wasn’t until we had reached the islands western most point though that the orange glow of the lava could be seen reflecting off of the smoke emanating from the crater.

The volcano was not as dramatic as you would see in films, probably to the relief of the 400 or so inhabitants of the island, but several flare like plumes of hot molten rock did provide something of interest to look at and at one point the flame red glow of a piece of cooling lava could be seen bouncing down the side of the volcano having been ejected from within.

When I arrived on the bridge in the morning as we approached the port of Palermo, the Chief Officer Rhys, and Midshipman Kevin seemed very excitable as the Saga Ruby was heading towards three minesweepers with their “vessel engaged in mine clearance operations” lights on. Once it was established that it was only an exercise the Saga Ruby proceeded towards the entrance to the port to pick up the pilot and it was only a short time before the vessel was tied up alongside ready for our passengers to start exploring Palermo and Sicily.

Phoenician traders founded Palermo in the 8th century BC. It later became a Carthaginian settlement until its capture by the Romans in 254 BC. The city decayed under Roman rule but prospered after AD 535, when the Byzantine general Belisarius recovered it from the Ostrogoths. The Arabs conquered Palermo in 831, and it flourished as a centre of rich trade with North Africa.

Palermo was thus quite prosperous when it fell to the Norman adventurers Roger I and Robert Guiscard in 1072. The ensuing era of Norman rule (1072–1194) was Palermo’s golden age, particularly after the founding of the Norman kingdom of Sicily in 1130 by Roger II. Palermo became the capital of this kingdom, in which Greeks, Arabs, Jews, and Normans worked together with singular harmony to create a cosmopolitan culture of remarkable vitality.

Norman rule in Sicily was replaced in 1194 by that of the German Hohenstaufen dynasty. The Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperor, Frederick II, shifted the centre of imperial politics to southern Italy and Sicily, and the cultural brilliance of his court at Palermo was renowned throughout Western Europe. The city declined under succeeding Hohenstaufen rulers. It was conquered by Frances Charles of Anjou in 1266, but Angevin oppression was ended in 1282 by a popular uprising called the Sicilian Vespers.

Palermo then came under Aragonese rule. After 1412 the crown of Sicily was united with that of Aragon, and subsequently with that of Spain. Palermo declined during this long period of Spanish rule. In 1860 Giuseppe Garibaldi seized Palermo, which the following year joined the united kingdom of Italy.

With all aboard at 4:30 pm, the Saga Ruby made light work of backing out and turning in the harbour under her own power before proceeding out to sea.

Arriving to pick up the pilot in Katakolon once again highlighted the anathema that Piraeus is when cruising around Greece. The pilot was quite a jovial character who was genuinely pleased by the fact that the gale force winds of yesterday had petered out to nothing more than a strong breeze, allowing our visit to take place without issue.

Katakolon is the seaport to the ancient treasures that lie beyond and a short walk along the seafront gives you an impression of the relaxed Greek lifestyle. Travel to Pylos, a small pleasant bay on the southwestern coast and Hora, the home of the Mycenean Royal Palace from the 13th Century BC.

Olympia is situated in a valley in Elis, through which runs the Alpheus River. Not a town but the ancient sanctuary of temples and buildings to honour the games and the mythological gods of ancient Greece. The games began with a ceremony and sacrifice to the gods and celebrated every four years.

A national shrine of the Greeks, Olympia contained many treasures of Greek art; temples, monuments, altars, theatres, statues, and votive offerings of bronze and marble. The Altis, or sacred precinct, was a level space of 660ft long by 580ft broad and contained the principal monuments of religious worship.

The most celebrated temple was the Temple of Zeus, dedicated to the father of the gods. In this temple was the gold and ivory statue of Zeus created by the Athenian sculptor Phidias in the 430 BC and considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Next in importance to the Temple of Zeus was the Heraeum, dedicated to Hera, the wife of Zeus. In this temple, probably the earliest Doric building known, stood the table on which were placed the garlands prepared for the victors in the games.

Approximately 400 ships visit Katakolon each year. Given its unimposing size this number is quite staggering but testament to the popularity of the nearby attractions.

Where yesterday Patmos was Greece at its most serene and tranquil, full of natural beauty, with overtones of spirituality, Piraeus is quite the opposite. The port is busy and industrial, with ferries and cargo vessels jockeying for pilots and permission from VTS to enter the port.

Once through the harbour entrance it is not much better, with the port somewhat undersized to permit more than one vessel to manoeuvre at a time, having been conceived in a period when vessels were being built a lot smaller. Architecturally lacking, the façade of the buildings around the port are more reminisce of North Africa than that of the grandeur and elegance you would associate with Ancient Greece. But you do not go to Piraeus, to see Piraeus; you go there because it is the port for Athens.

The pilotage into port is only a couple of miles which including mooring would normally warrant about half an hour to accomplish. For Piraeus you have to allow two hours in order to fulfil the rigmarole that I can only describe as “organised chaos”.

Having been here on a few occasions now it makes you aware of what to expect and I would assume that the root of the problem stems from the fact that Greece has hundreds of islands within its boarders, each one with its own ferry service attempting to maintain a line of communication to the centre of administration. And of course each ferry wants to arrive and depart at the same time, evidently the same time the cruise ships also like to arrive and depart!

Having endured the hurry up and wait treatment for nearly two hours the Saga Ruby was all fast and securely alongside the berth in time to disembark tours at 7:45 am. Tours today included trips to see Ancient Corinth and the Corinth Canal as well as tours to see Athens with the Acropolis standing high on its flat-topped hill, 500 feet above sea level, and dominating the skyline of the city as it has done for over 2400 years.

To sum Patmos up in a few words you would say it was “idyllic and charming”. Patmos is what you would expect a Greek Island to be like having never previously been to one before but having watched old Hollywood films.

Patmos is a tender port, for a vessel of our size and to put the island into perspective, they discourage vessels carrying more than 1800 passengers from visiting, as the local infrastructure cannot cope.

Having anchored in the relatively deep anchorage 2 cables (2/10ths of a nautical mile) from Aspri point, in almost perfect weather conditions, Dirk the Staff Captain set off in a tender to set up the shore party and to reconnoitre the landing area in the harbour village of Skala. This was the first time the Saga Ruby had visited the island and we couldn’t have hoped for a better day.

Patmos is the smallest and most northern island in the Dodecanese archipelago being just 11 square miles in area. Most of the islands inhabitants live in the town of Khora, which is situated at the top of the hill in the south of the island some 600 ft above sea level.

Khora Town has built up around the massive monastery dedicated to St. John, which for all intent and purpose, looks more like a fort strategically placed in order to gain view over the seas around the islands and obtain early warning of raiders. Nowadays it provides an excellent vantage point to give early warning for invading tourists on cruise ships.

Patmos was successfully settled by Dorians and Ionians but received scant mention by ancient writers. Under the Romans it was a place for exiles, the most noted of whom was St John the Apostle, author of the Fourth Gospel, who was said to have been sent there in 95 AD. It was here that in a cave he was said to have written or dictated the Book of Revelations. The Cave of the Apocalypse, as it has now been called, is about half way between Skala and Khora approximately 15 minutes walk from the tender landing.

During the Middle Ages Patmos was deserted, probably due to the Saracen raids. In 1088 the Byzantine Emperor, Alexius I Comnenus granted the island to an Abbot, who founded the monastery. The Autonomy of the monastery was confirmed under Venetian rule (1207-1537), and during the Turkish occupation (1537-1912) annual tribute was required from the monks.

With the Sun low in the sky and the cliffs and rocks starting to wash with rusty colour, the Saga Ruby weighed anchor and reluctantly saluted goodbye to the small island.  Picking her path carefully through the returning fishing boats, and keeping close to Ilias Point as we rounded to head west, the Monastery of St. John could clearly be seen long after our departure, until the island disappeared in our wake.

Arriving into Marmaris during the hours of darkness is quite interesting from a navigational point of view. There is a narrow cut to navigate through which is only about three ship lengths wide and with the exception of one solitary light either end is not marked. In the dark up until about 1 nm you cannot visually make out where the Buyuk Bogaz (the name of the cut) is, as it is masked by the 600 ft cliffs on either side with the 1500 ft plus mountains of the mainland in the background veiling shore lights and stars from view.

Only when turning towards the cut about one mile south of the south-western tip of Vildiz (the mountain land mass that partly encloses the eastern part of the bay), do you start to see some of the shore lights through the gap in the sheer sided rock. Of course in this day and age radars and electronic charts take all the stress out of navigating in these situations, though not the sense of foreboding as you steer towards the shore lights between the two sheer cliff faces obscuring all but the stars overhead.

Once in the Bay of Marmaris having done the hard bit, the pilot joins to politely inform you of the obvious “head towards the lights of the town and berth on the quay that forms the outer harbour wall for the large yachting marina”. In fact this took two pilots, as we also had a trainee pilot board to offer his assistance.

With the Saga Ruby moored alongside, having carefully followed the pilot’s instructions, it was evident from the noise of the local nightlife, that Marmaris is quite a popular tourist destination. One of the pilots informed me that by 3:30am all the bars and clubs would close so there was only another 30 minutes left if I wished to go ashore! I decided to give it a miss and instead went to bed.

Marmaris is located in Southwest Turkey in the Mulgla Province. Little is left of the sleepy fishing village that Marmaris was just a few decades before, with tourism being its main source of income. It is also quite a popular port of call for yachts of all sizes with its natural harbour being almost enclosed by mountains providing ideal shelter from strong winds.

The marina, which we overlooked from the berth, was filled with yachts; their white masts standing like a forest devoid of foliage, with small Turkish courtesy flags providing a splash of red against the blue sky.

Amongst the shops and restaurants ashore stands a small castle that has been under renovation since 1979. There has been a castle in Marmaris since 3000 BC according to the historian Herodoctus, but this latest rebuild was built in 1522 during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Sulyman the Magnificent.

Despite the obvious noise and trappings of this popular tourist resort all the passengers I spoke with had only good things to say about the port with the tours getting a very positive response. All aboard was at 8:30pm, the Saga Ruby set out to sea shortly afterwards sounding her horn to briefly drown out the Saturday night party music emanating from the bars. But first the Buyak Bogaz, once again in the dark!

The pilot embarked at 8:00am in the morning, which was a nice sociable hour for a change. The pilotage into the harbour is quite short and straight forward under normal conditions, however the near gale force winds from the West served to make it a little more interesting and for once the compulsory tug had to earn its pay in assisting us alongside our berth.

On the berth opposite us was one of the big cruise ships, which served to provide us with a windbreak for most of the day until it departed at 4pm. It was called the Costa Fortuna, which sounds like a bad advert for a cheep holiday, but for once the presence of one of the big boys served a purpose, other than that of congesting the streets with its cargo.

The Island of Rhodes itself is the largest and most easterly island of the Dodecanese archipelago in the southern Aegean Sea. It is separated from Turkey by the Straights of Marmara a stretch of sea only 8.5 nautical miles across on average.

The harbour at Rhodes Town on the northwest tip of the island was originally constructed in ancient times and is most famous for being the site of the Colossus – a large statue of the god Apollo and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Legend has it that Apollo blessed the isle with sunshine and beauty and true to the myth Rhodes is reputedly the sunniest place in Europe, with an average of 300 days of sunshine each year, even when its windy apparently!

The Palace of the Grand Masters, constructed by the Knights of St. John in the 14th Century, dominates Rhodes Town itself, with its fortified walls extending around the old city and its Keeps standing vigil over the town and the Straights of Marmara. Another historical site of prominence on the island is the Acropolis of Lindos, perched high on the cliffs above the town of the same name further along the southern coast.

Our late stay in Rhodes permitted those of a mind to, to walk around the old town at night when the throng of tourists had largely departed and most of the shops had boarded up. Seeing the old town this way is a completely different experience by all accounts, allowing for a more genuine atmosphere without the humdrum of the day detracting from it.

At 11:00pm the Saga Ruby set off across the Marmara Straights towards Marmaris, only 22 nautical miles away.

Valletta is one of the more spectacular ports to arrive into, with its forts and walls built for defence in a time when the Mediterranean was a little more hostile to foreign visitors to its countries instead of welcoming them as a source of revenue. The knights of St. John in built Valletta, Malta’s capital city, in 1565 and named it after the French Grand Master of the Order, La Vallette.

Being located in the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta has had its fair share of occupation, being in a key location for both trade and strategic purposes. In fact looking at its history reads like the who’s who of Military powers.

Archaeological remains of structures on Malta are assessed among the oldest in the Mediterranean region. Neolithic temples, dated between 4000 and 3000 BC have been found and there is evidence of bronze-age occupation. Malta was colonised by the Phoenicians in about 900 BC, and then in turn by the Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans. The Arabs took control of the island in 870 AD and introduced Arabic.

Malta was joined, politically to Sicily and ruled by a succession of feudal lords between the 9th and early sixteenth century. In 1530, Emperor Charles V of Spain handed over the islands to the knights of St John who fortified the islands, and ruled over them until 1798 when they were dispersed by Napoleon. The Maltese rebelled against the French and the British blockaded the islands until they were seized in 1800.

The Maltese people requested the protection of the British Crown in 1802 on condition that their rights and privileges were preserved. Malta’s status as a British Colony was recognised in the treaty of Paris in 1814.

Malta was again besieged during the Second World War, from June 1940 until its conclusion, gaining the George Cross in the process. Malta finally became independent in September 1964, and became a Republic within the Commonwealth in 1974.

This time visiting Valletta we berthed on the Deep Water Wharf just across from some old goods sheds now being used to fabricate props for films being shot on the islands.

One of the tours for the passenger here was to visit the ‘Silent City’ of Mdina, Malta’s former Capital and is one of the finest ancient walled cities in the World if my memory serves me correctly from a previous holiday I took here. But for those not on a tour the weather was certainly good for exploring the city of Valletta, 79 degrees F and barely a cloud in the sky, with a strong breeze to cool down anyone walking.

With 4:00pm’s afternoon tea came time for us to depart. With only feet to spare ahead and astern, sandwiched between a small coaster and the dock behind, and 18 knots of wind pinning us on the berth, I regretfully had to use a tug to help the Saga Ruby un-berth safely.

Once the stern had lifted sufficiently to allow the ship to move astern and clear of the fast ferry alongside its berth, the starboard engine was employed and the tug assisted to bring the Saga Ruby first astern and then around towards one of Malta’s Dry Docks. The bow thruster was used to help the swing, with the bow swinging clear of a large MSC passenger vessel that was on a berth astern of us.

With the turn nearing completion the engines were operated to propel us ahead and the tug let go. With forward momentum building we sailed past the Logos and Bleu de France towards the harbour entrance, saluted by the sound of canon fire from above high on one of the harbours fortifications.

The passage from Cadiz to Palma was completed in near gale force winds. Fortunately the wind was from astern so the relative wind strength felt onboard was no more than that of a breeze. And whilst the sea looked visibly rough due to the wind waves, the absence of any significant swell allowed the Saga Ruby to cut through the water as steadily as if she was travelling in the sheltered waters of a fjord.

With the wind still blowing quite strong on arrival at Palma, the Saga Ruby was practically alongside by the time the pilot boarded as the small pilot boat could not cope with the seas outside the shelter of the harbour. Once alongside and securely moored our passengers made ready for going ashore to explore Majorca.

Majorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands, contains two mountainous regions each about 50 miles in length. These occupy the western and eastern thirds of the island and are separated by lowland that terminates in Palma Bay. The city of Palma itself lies on the southwestern coast of the island in the centre of the 10-mile wide Palma Bay.

Little is known of Palma before 123 BC when the Romans conquered Majorca making the archipelago a Roman Province. Attacked by the Vandals in the 5th century, it became part of the Byzantine Empire a century later.

In the 8th century it fell to the Arabs and in 1229 James I of Aragon conquered it. On his death Majorca became independent but was again incorporated into Aragon by Peter IV in the 14th century. In 1469 Majorca became part of the Spanish monarchy upon the marriage Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile.

The old quarters of Palma have many notable homes built in the 16th and 18th centuries. Historic buildings include the Gothic Cathedral, Bellver Castle (on the hill of the same name), Almudina Palace, former residence of the Arab dynasty, and the town hall.

At 5:00pm it was time to depart, and despite the persistent wind, the sun shone for most of the day allowing those inclined to top up on their tan. With the sea still subject to the weather systems that caused the strong winds of the day before, the pilot disembarked shortly after casting off the lines, inside the harbour.

Once outside the harbour the rough short seas made for an uncomfortable movement, and would remain that way for the 30 miles or so before the ship could round the headland and head in an east-south-easterly direction towards Malta, putting the weather on the quarter once again.

Cadiz lies on the northern extremity of the Isla de Leon, the peninsula forming the southern entry point to the bay of Cadiz. Cadiz, a provincial capital, is the oldest city in Spain having been founded by Phoenicians around 1100 BC, where it soon became a flourishing market for Amber and Tin.

Spanish treasure fleets used Cadiz as a base after the discovery of the Americas, which soon made the city one of the wealthiest in Europe.

Often referred to as Tacita de Plata, Cup of Silver, Cadiz has a luminous sheen in the sun, especially when seen from the sea. This can largely be attributed to extensive number of whitewashed buildings often in the Moorish style, centred around the 13th century Cathedral, which dominates the Cadiz skyline.

Cadiz was also the port where I joined the Saga Rose for the very first time on December 1st, 2004.  Fortunately the weather was a lot better this time in Cadiz, with clear skies and light winds for our arrival in port. The sun had not quite risen when we picked up the pilot and we had to wait a short time for the Aurora to turn inside the ports basin before we made our approach.

With the Aurora still making her lines fast on the adjacent berth at a right angle to our intended destination, the Saga Ruby started to manoeuvre off the berth by turning to port using a combination of engine and thruster movements at slow speed.

The occupants of the Aurora were presented with a close view of the classic curves and lines of the Saga Ruby’s stern with the swing carrying the stern just 70 ft from their starboard side as we cheekily came to rest alongside, in prime spot at the end of the “Darsena Commercial”.

The port of Cadiz provided our passengers with the ideal base from which to explore, not only Cadiz itself, but also the beautiful Andalusian city of Seville. Or for those who like a glass of Sherry now and then, a tour to Jerez might be preferred, with an opportunity to sample some of the local produce.

After a day basking in the sunshine, the Saga Ruby sounded 3 long blasts on the whistle in traditional fashion and left the port of Cadiz, bound for the Mediterranean Sea.