The family aboard Stroemhella

To my surprise, we have been spending the past few days with six of us aboard Stroemhella, plus a plentiful suppply of large suitcases, children's colouring books, ipads, spare shoes and blow-up life-jackets. It is all working wonderfully. The triumphant peak was yesterday, when we sailed (extremely slowly, wind force 1 to 2 !!) out of the marina towards distant Samos, on the hazy horizon. Weather delightful, picnic lunch on board (prepared by David and Christiaan), sea calm as calm, Nathan and Judy dozed off after lunch...

We have appointed Isaak our Cabin Boy but he prefers his own title of Able Bodied B.
He has been learning the ropes (please laugh at this joke!) and proves very adept at assisting David to hoist the mains'l and other seamanly activities.
When there is nothing else to do he practises gymnastics wherever possible. Nathan scurries around, climbs aboard virtually unassisted, and exhibits complete confidence.
On the right you see Isaak colouring.

Here he is tring to invent a good name for this species of dinosaur...
And here he is exercising.

Meanwhile Nathan aquaints himself with every wheel and winch in sight and longs to be as old as his brother...

We didn't get very far on our sail because the wind dropped, the water turned into glassy smoothness, nothing moved.

So we turned round and chugged quietly back to the marina. And had a splendid fish supper in one of the excellent Turkish fish restaurants here. Nathan fascinated by the fish swimming silently in the aquarium. Isaak fascinated by the motor-bike cyclist's helmet on the table beside its owner ... who kindly invited him to try it on. Which he dared to do. Everyone thought he looked very cool!
Back home along the seafront, where the pavement is being broadened and beautified. The boys hopping and skipping, me and Christiaan walking morec sedately. David and Judy made a detour to buy, guess what ... Turkish delight! It is so delicious here. Why else does one come to Kusadasi??
We have now had four nights sleeping on the boat, pretty peaceful, the boys adapt most excellently.
Today, gales arrived: the wind howls through the boats' rigging, two trees have crashed down in front of the canteen, foam sprays up from the waves, the rain is now pattering gleefully upon the coach roof (translation for uninitiated: top of the boat, like the deck). I am happily inside. The other five went to explore nature. Maybe the storm is local...?
Tomorrow we fly northwards to the Netherlands. I hear at night in Amsterdam the temperature is around freezing. Think I'd rather a rainstorm in Kusadasi!