Sailing to the Black Sea - Last Day in Istanbul

Shola
We slept in a bit today after our late and wonderful evening with friends at Bahçeşehir Üniversitesi We departed our hotel at 10:45 am, arriving at our boat to set sail on the Bosphorus towards the Black Sea. We learned that the Bosphorus flows into the Black Sea, constantly contributing copious amounts of fresh water to the giant salt-water mass. Sunlight has difficulty reaching the depths of the seawater, causing the sea to appear dark. Thus, we learned how the Black Sea got its name.

We rode northeast for approximately 50 km to a small town known as Poyraz. On the way, we nibbled on cheese, crackers, and olives while sipping Cay, Turkish tea, and/or pomegrante juice. When we docked, there was a slight drizzle falling. We walked past dozens of fishing boats to the steep steps that led to the town. We climbed up to what essentially serves as the town's center, finding just a few storefronts with fantastic views of the Bosphorus. Some students continued the climb up to where there should have been a lighthouse. We didn't find one, but we did come across several strange graffiti-covered buildings and a fabulous view. Even through the haze, one was able to look back the way we came, down past the village to the Bosphorus as it leads South. The view North looked down a steep cliff to the water of the Black Sea lapping at the rocks. Some of us ventured down the steps of one of the bunker-like buildings. After feeling through the darkness for a while, students and teachers found themselves on the front tip of the land mass, facing East, at a radar device which they figure probably helps guide vessels around the landmass from the Black Sea into the Bosphorus.

After exploring this little town, we returned to our boat for lunch. Apparently, the boat is owned by a restaurateur in Istanbul. His chefs cooked us an amazing multi-course, 3 hour feast. We had mezze to start, consisting of many variations of eggplant, peppers, grilled vegetables, raw vegetables, and salad. Then the carnivores were served beef with mashed potatoes and lamb with orzo, while the vegetarians dined on spaghetti and extraordinarily sweet cooked carrots. We ate most of our food while docked, but the desert portion was consumed back on the open waters. Desert was a rich warm molten chocolate cake with fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, apples, and peaches). A highlight of my day was chatting in broken English and Turkish with the captain of our boat, who permitted me to take the wheel for a little while. Our communication was shoddy, but he guided me as I piloted us under the first bridge back towards Istanbul. At the point where the Black Sea waters meet the Bosphorus waters, we were told there is always a bit of a rough water. Marie, Emre and Barış were on the bow filming when suddenly the boat began rocking severely. Marie and company heroically gripped our impressive camera equipment, including a tripod at full extension. They were flung to and fro while those of us inside were being showered with various foods and beverages. Miraculously, everyone managed to stay aboard and everything stayed dry, even Marie and her tripod. Once we were within the natural harbor, we experienced safe and easy sailing back to the dock. Our last day in Turkey proved to be a great adventure, filled with scrumptious edibles, fun company, and beautiful views.

Nathaniel
Today, we cruised the Bosphorus for the second time on the trip. Since the first time was on the first day, the experience has bookended our time in Istanbul. It was neat to stare in amazement at all of these foreign sites on the first day and then take to the Bosporus after visiting much of what was visible. We also stopped at a small town on the Black Sea that had an awesome view of the sea and the Bosporus. Exploring the dilapidated cold war military installation there was a lot of fun. We went down some creepy pitch black staircases to find an old radar emplacement. It was a good experience for ending our Istanbul journey.

Noah

Today, we were on a boat which went through the Bosporus into the Black Sea. We stopped in a small fishing village at the entrance to the sea. When translated, the name of the village means North Wind. The north wind is very important to Istanbul. It is the main wind which hits the Bosporus and causes the strong currents.

In the village I saw a group of men who were preparing a net to go fishing. They were working hard; I saw in their faces they had worked hard before. Their faces had weathered with the salt and their concentration. As I looked at one fisherman, our eyes met, and I could see that for generations he has been doing this. He seemed trapped in time. In his eyes I saw no strive for salvation. There was no hope for escape. In his eyes I saw the many eyes that came before him. His father, his father's father, and so on.

We saw a sign that "Forbidden Zone." I agree with this sign, in more ways than one.