Turquoise Coast Holiday. A private sail with Gordon and Isabelle aboard the T.G. Ellyson was for me a trifecta. Having been born of Turkish parents in the USA, and knowledgeable of Turkish history, customs and language, I can state that this is a first rate way for the first-time traveler to meet Turkey, its ancient and manifold history, its culture and hospitable people and delicious, healthy, cuisine. This experience combined the three best things about Turkey into one: its history/geography, cuisine, and people. Our travel advice is to bring only those who are flexible, adaptable, and curious. In addition, being able to climb steep mountains without becoming breathless comes in handy...Gordon's nickname, by us, is "The Billygoat." Isabelle is a charming presence along the way whose easygoing manner is appreciated...as are her skills in French, food preparation, and swimming...which she and Julie did on three occasions. Tali Arik and Julie Bolton, Las Vegas, Nevada, May 2005

P.S. Please be on time...that is, Gordon time...(he WAS a Naval Academy graduate!!)

Turquoise Coast Holiday. Our week with you was everything we had hoped it would be and more. We found you to be not only an excellent host and skipper but also a gem of a tour guide. Thank you for taking us to so many ancient sites. Thank you for walking with us for hours and telling us the history and pointing out items of interest that we would otherwise have missed. We gained a wealth of knowledge and experience from you and are extremely grateful. We'll sail with you again, and we would happily recommend you to anyone. Most sincerely, Susan Oliver, Kodiak, Alaska, June 2005

Turquoise Coast Holiday. Of our four weeks in Turkey, the week aboard the T.G. Ellyson was, without doubt, the best. The accommodations are beyond comfortable, the company enlightening and entertaining, and the scenery breathtaking. Gordon's knowledge of the ancient sites, and his obvious love of them, was a bonus. The climb to the Lion Tomb, off the beaten path, was the best. Bill Oliver, Kodiak, Alaska, June 2005

Turquoise Coast Holiday. Actually I have to thank you for lots of things but, first, although you're known to be impatient, you've been very patient with me. Thank you for tolerating my faults patiently. I have really felt like being on holiday instead of working and really enjoyed to know you and be here. Besides these you're really a very good captain, tourist guide, and, most important in my opinion, a very good teacher. Thank you for taking me to Kastellorizon. It was my first time in a foreign country and it was excellent. I'll always remember my experience here. Very glad to have met you. Thanks for everything. Hersey icin tesekkurler. Seda Karakurt, Izmir, Turkey, June 2005

Turquoise Coast Holiday. My vacation has taken me from Portugal to Turkey, through cities and ruins, inland and coastal. However, the best part of my vacation has been my trip with you. I've seen little-known harbors, learned about history, and enjoyed daily gin-and-tonics. But best of all, you've inspired me to learn more about sailing. My boat will be getting a lot of use once I get back home. Thank you for making this trip so memorable and enjoyable! Best wishes for success. Diana Streat, Seattle, Washington, June 2005

Turquoise Coast Holiday. The nine days I spent on the boat were incredible. My expectations were high and they were far exceeded. The sailing, sites, meals, and conversation will be something I'll always remember. Gordon is a great skipper and we always felt safe and under control even in rough seas. I'll miss the daily 4:00 PM beer and pound cake but hope to come back someday and do this again. Gordon, best wishes to you and your family. Dave Sliwa, Seattle, Washington, June 2005

Turquoise Coast Holiday. Thank you for the great time, Gordon. I appreciate the culture and history to which we were exposed. Sorry for the sand in the dinghy and for being such a girl on St. Nicholas Island (aka Spider Island). Heather Lynch, Seattle, Washington, June 2005

Turquoise Coast Holiday. Gordon, Serendipity is the word that best captures the essence of this trip. I knew it was "right" when a computer search for my former co-worker led me to you, and our charter around the Lycian coast has surpassed my expectations. The sites were wonderful, the accompanying history was amazing, and the local color made it all the better. Thank you for your patience and understanding with the novice sailor as well. You and the T.G. Ellyson will receive my highest recommendation. Derek Streat, Seattle, Washington, June 2005

Greece And Turkey At Once. This is my second trip of a lifetime. Sailed with Gordon six years ago and have dreamed about coming back. This time was a whole new amazing adventure. I especially liked our stay in Selimiye at Aurora Restaurant. Perfect swimming and relaxing to say nothing about the wonderful meals would be wrong as well. I have the dubious distinction of being in a storm bigger than Leni and Neal's but always knew Gordon would keep us safe no matter what - I said my prayers. Thank you for the perfect gift of memories! Diane Miller, Canyon Country, California, June 2005

Greece And Turkey At Once. I couldn't have asked for a better college graduation gift. The experience with Gordon this past week will be one to talk about forever. We went to one-hut ports (Loryma) with amazing swimming, food ports (Selimiye), and larger city ports (Kos). All different but equally beautiful. My camera is full with postcard type pictures that will be gracing my desk top forever. Thanks, mom, for taking me here. Thanks, Gordon, for keeping us safe, being an intelligent tour guide, and for being pleasant company. Serefe! (Cheers!), Jolynn Miller, Canyon Country, California, June 2005

Greek Island Hopping In The Cyclades. The captain gave the four of us a warm welcome on his boat. Throughout the trip his seamanship was exemplary. Isabelle took pains to care for our particular likes with wonderful breakfasts and lunches. Place all this in the Cycladic isles and the result is a treasure trove of indelible memories. Philip Woollam, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 2005

Greek Island Hopping In The Cyclades. Thank you Gordon and Isabelle for a wonderful, memorable, week. The TGE is a lovely boat and the winds cooperated. We enjoyed Delos, Mykonos, Paros, and Santorini. Warmest greetings to your lovely family. Tina Freeman, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 2005

Greek Island Hopping In The Cyclades. Thank you for the wonderful sail around the crystalline Aegean. The islands were all magnificent, if barren. When we got to actually sail, it was amazing - T.G. Ellyson is a wonderful boat. Thanks for everything. Greetings to your family, especially Sian and William. Olivia Woollam, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 2005

Greek Island Hopping In The Cyclades. Gordon, please remember to wear your sunscreen and drink water! Thank you so much for the wonderful memories aboard the TGE. Isabelle, merci beaucoup pour les repas magnifiques. Vous etes tres gentile. My best wishes to Jenny, Sian, and William. I'll never forget y'all. Jennifer Kilbourne, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 2005

Greek Island Hopping In The Cyclades. My friend Eric Schultz and I have just finished a lovely sail with Gordon Abercrombie aboard the TGE. It was a superb sail! We visited some lesser known islands where we enjoyed a slower-paced and more relaxed environment. Gordon is a wonderful captain who really knows his stuff, as the last day of our journey we encountered the dreaded meltemi winds. These winds had our boat rocking on waves eight to ten feet, but Gordon negotiated them superbly and pulled us safe and sound into the port of Piso Livadhi on Paros. We can't wait to sail with him again. His first mate, Isabelle Outin, took great care of us, too. Carolyn Colmer, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, July 2005

Greek Island Hopping In The Cyclades. Gordon's knowledge about this part of the world is outstanding and added to the enjoyment of our journey. Our trips around the islands to explore the chora and kastro of each were great fun. Keep searching for that elusive "ultimate" octopus salad, Gordon! Like Santiago searching for his big fish! And thanks, Isabelle, for the great breakfasts and lunches on the boat as well as the fun times ashore. Safe passage back to Turkey! Eric Schultz, San Francisco, California, July 2005

Greece And Turkey At Once. Dear Gordon, Thank you so much for a fantastic week - despite the heat, inadequate walking shoes, stye in my eye, I loved the sailing, the Byzantine and Rhodian ruins, and all the stray dogs and cats. Your sailing is seriously impressive and your crew person (Brigitte Pelletier) a great star. You both made us feel welcome and comfortable. Love, Patsy Plender, Kent, England, August 2005

Greece And Turkey At Once. When you are in Kumlu Buku//Don't ask yourself "What shall I do?"//For you'll not be bored on a boat steered by Gordon//With lovely Brigitte as the crew. Richard Plender, Kent, England, August 2005

Greece And Turkey At Once. A fantastic start to our summer holiday... yummy food, lovely ports, beautiful weather, interesting ruins, and expert sailing! The seas were stunning - every swim a treat! Thank you for a great week! We will definitely return! Love from Amy P. xxx Amy Plender, Kent, England, August 2005

Greece And Turkey At Once. Leni was appraised by the world's wealthiest individual (from his helicopter) on our way out of Gocek. I found a new way to wake Gordon at 6:00 AM; drop a pocketful of coins on deck. Brigitte was a wonderful cook and crew person. Gordon is still a grumpy old sea dog. Survived a storm at Ciftlik. Had another great time (our fourth). Neal Whisenand, Palmdale, California, October 2005

Greece And Turkey At Once. Many new Turkish bays visited. Plus Simi, Greece. Had a great filet of beef at Megri's in Fethiye and fantastic cheesy-steak at Aurora in Selimiye (where Neal extended himself entertaining others hoping for a quiet dinner). Enjoyed Cleopatra's Bay and Recep the proprietor/entertainer and hope to see his floating restaurant again. Got loads of rest. Read four books and listened to two others on iPod. Took one hike which just about did me in. Fortunately Brigitte had water to occasionally trickle on my back. Thanks again, Gordon, and glad we met/were nurtured by Brigitte. Leni Whisenand, Palmdale, California, October 2005

Dear Homo Sapiens, There is no need to continue reading this page. What follows is intended for search engine robots and spiders and not necessarily for human beings. Further information concerning yachts in which to sail Greece and Turkey may be obtained by clicking on the teal links immediately above. Thank You. You may be searching for a crewed charter yacht in which to sail Greece. Or you may be searching for a yacht in which to sail Turkey. Or you may be searching for Turks who sail Greece, or for Greeks who sail Turkey. In all of these events you have come to the right place. We have crewed yachts in which to sail Greece as well as crewed yachts in which to sail Turkey. A quick review of the foregoing guest comments is adequate testimony to these charter hosts. While we know of Turks who have sailed Greece and deal with them on other web pages, what follows deals instead with two Greeks who sailed Turkey in the early 19th century, both women. They sailed the Aegean between the Peloponnesus and Anatolia during the Greek War of Independence from Ottoman Turkey. At that time both the Peloponnesus, then known as the Morea, and Anatolia were Turkish, as was all of the Aegean in between. Laskarina Bouboulina was born in Istanbul in 1771. She was the daughter of Stavrianos Pinotsis, a sea captain imprisoned there because he had taken part in a failed uprising on the island of Hydra. Her father died soon after Bouboulina's birth. Mother and child returned to Hydra, soon relocating to nearby Spetses. There Bouboulina was twice wed and twice widowed on the death of her husbands at the hands of Ottoman corsairs. On the second occasion in 1811 Bouboulina was left the mother of seven children. She was also left a wealthy woman. She used her fortune to build four ships, including the warship Agamemnon (245', 18 guns) completed in 1820, augmenting a flotilla of armed merchantmen already a part of her estate. In 1818 she became the only female member of Filiki Eteria, an underground organization preparing for revolution against Ottoman rule. She funded purchase of arms and ammunition brought in her ships to Spetses where she had organized revolutionaries under her command. On 13 March 1821 Bouboulina hoisted her own Greek flag to Agamemnon's masthead and the people of Spetses revolted, later taking part in the unsuccessful siege of Nauplion and in successful sieges of Monemvasia and Tripolis as well as in the battle for Argos. The victim of a family feud, Bouboulina was shot to death in 1825, her last words said to have been "Help me stand, I want to see the sea before I die." The second of our two Greeks sailing Turkey was Manto Magdalena Mavrogenous, also a heroine of the War of Independence. Mavrogenous was born in Trieste in 1796, the granddaughter of Nikolaos Mavrogenis, a resident of Istanbul, dragoman of the Ottoman Empire's Navy, and Prince of Wallachia. At the age of thirteen her family returned to its home on the mid-Aegean island of Mykonos. Manto meanwhile remained in Europe for formal education, studying Greek philosophy, history, and languages, including Turkish. Like Laskarina Bouboulina, Manto Mavrogenous took up arms in 1821, using the family fortune to acquire weapons and ships. With her encouragement, European friends also contributed money and weapons. She persuaded prominent citizens of Mykonos to take up arms. Under her leadership the islanders successfully defended Mykonos when besieged by an Ottoman naval flotilla in October 1822. She had earlier equipped and armed two ships which joined forces with units from other Greek islands participating in actions off the Morea and near Chios. In her later years, Manto Mavrogenous lived on the island of Paros where her home now stands as an historical monument near the Church of the Virgin Mary in Paroikia. Should you be searching for these islands and places, well, we can show them to you. There or elsewhere we can put you aboard a crewed charter yacht with an experienced crew able to sail Laskarina Bouboulina's tracks along the Peloponnesus and across the Aegean to the Dardenelles and able to sail, as well, Manto Mavrogenous's routes through the Cyclades and Eastern Sporades. And that experienced crew can further discuss the fascinating lives of these two Greek heroines. An experienced crew of a proper yacht available to sail Greece and Turkey. Contact us today at tgeweb@aol.com