We awoke in the morning with Sea Cloud already tied up to the dock in Bodrum, a lively town on the Aegean coast of southern Turkey. Bodrum is known for being a Mediterranean cruise destination, with a welcoming culture, delightful cuisine, and complex history, continuing a long tradition of maritime connections with foreign lands.
In ancient times, the city that is now known as Bodrum was called Halikarnassos, which was founded more than 5,000 years ago. Halikarnassos was a prized location because of its strategic location, sheltered harbor, and protective mountains, and as a result was invaded by many civilizations over thousands of years including the Persians, Greeks, and Crusaders. Many of the attacks on Halikarnassos occurred by sea, and it is therefore fitting that the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology is located in a Crusader castle on what was once an island in the middle of the harbor.
Founded in the 1960s, the Bodrum museum houses shipwrecks and artifacts discovered by local sponge divers and excavated by archaeologists over the past 50 years. Two of the museum highlights are the Glass Wreck and the Uluburun Wreck. The Glass Wreck is so named because its cargo was a load of raw glass ingots and crushed glass bottles dating back to the 11th century A.D. Archaeologists believe that the ship was intentionally loaded with broken bottles and heading to a glass factory in the Black Sea, an early example of bulk recycling!
Discovered in 1982, the Uluburun shipwreck dates to the Bronze Age (15th century B.C.), and is one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in the world. It was carrying not only a load of raw metals, including copper and tin (the two ingredients required to make bronze), but also gold, ivory, and glass, making up what archaeologists believe was a royal gift from Egypt.
While the group was ashore, the crew took on a load of provisions, including fresh fruits and vegetables, always a treat while spending time at sea. Over a delightful lunch of spicy Turkish wraps and baklava, everyone was abuzz with excitement about our tour of Bodrum castle, shopping in the textile, leather, and craft shops of the quaint old city, and rushing back to the ship in time before she made sail!
The sea breeze typically dies down in the evening, making it difficult to get underway; Captain Pushkarev was expecting to furl the sails and use the main engine but luckily, the evening forecast predicted sustained winds through morning and we are keeping the sails aloft. Standing on the monkey deck, the sails aglow in the moonlight, we are now sailing overnight to the west, due to explore some of the last untouched islands in the Cyclades.
