Turquoise Coast Holiday. Gordon, While we may not have together solved the world's problems, you did give Karen and me tremendous insight on Lycian civilization. Your knowledge was first rate. The towns of Myra and Xanthos were perhaps the highlights from a historical perspective. The food on board was great and your restaurant selections first rate. Your first mate Brigitte Pelletier was superb. You were great shipmates, help mates and soul mates! Well Done notre Capitaine! Warm Regards, Jeff and Karen Dwyer, Washington, D.C., June 2009

Greece And Turkey At Once. Dear Gordon, Mandy and I began our marriage with our honeymoon on board the T.G. Ellyson -- we return to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary on another wonderful adventure with you aboard the TGE. Thank you for sharing with us your remarkable knowledge of ancient history of the Mediterranean, Turkey, the Datca Peninsula, and the Aegean. You bring alive the ancient ruins with your explanations of how successive civilizations built upon sites that served religious, defensive and cultural purposes. At every port and bay we visited your Turkish and Greek friends rejoiced in seeing the "black mast" and her captain. There is no better way to enjoy this marvelous part of the world! We look forward to our next adventure with you. Fond Regards, Clark Nichols, Seattle, Washington, June 2009

Greece And Turkey At Once. Dearest Gordon, You are amazing at sharing with us a truly unique holiday, both with your knowledge of the wonders of ancient Turkey and your dry wit and savvy sailing skills. We will most certainly be enjoying more adventures with you in the future. Fond Regards,Mandy Nichols, Seattle, Washington, June 2009

Greece And Turkey At Once. Dear Gordon, You have amazed us with your extensive knowledge of the ancient and not-so-ancient history of this most beautiful sea and its islands and mainland shores. Thank you for your generosity in letting us see this part of the world with new eyes. This is Jim and my first sailing trip and first time in Turkey or Greece. I cannot imagine a better guide to its history and beauty. Best, Jan Hughes, Austin, Texas, June 2009

Greece And Turkey At Once Dear Gordon, Thank you for a most enjoyable and educational sailing trip along the Turkish coast and the Greek islands. Your knowledge of the history of this area is phenomenal, and your ability to guide us to the most important historical sites brought the history alive for me. I have always had an interest in knowing more about this cradle of civilization, and you have made it happen. Jim Hughes, Austin, Texas, June 2009

Greece And Turkey At Once. Dear Gordon, Thank you for everything. You are an amazing character, kind-hearted and full of energy!! I traveled with you from Bodrum around the Greek islands and unfortunately had to cut the trip short in Simi due to family troubles. I will keep you informed about the health of my father. So far he is in stable condition. You have taught me a lot, especially how to moor, trim the sails, and sometimes work the helm. I will continue to crew yachts but will never forget my time working with you. Thank you. I wish you all the best and my love to your family. Take care, happy sailing, and please keep in touch.Melissa Goring, Surrey, England, July 2009

Greek Island Hopping In The Dodecanese. Dear Gordon, Thank you for a very enjoyable sailing trip. I always felt at ease with a highly capable captain at the wheel and enjoyed your vast knowledge of the Greek islands and Turkey. Your choice of restaurants was excellent! It was a wonderful experience which I will never forget.Marlize van Schaik, Cape Town, South Africa, July 2009

Greek Island Hopping In The Dodecanese. It was a very interesting, entertaining and enjoyable 2 weeks on the T.G. Ellyson. I sincerely appreciated your passion and knowledge about the history of this area. I think my favorite islands were Nisiros, Arki, Leros and Lipsi although I will have to ponder this when back home - will keep you posted. Your choices of restaurants were excellent, and dinners were relaxing, as were the G&T's before hand. I really enjoyed your company and your suggestions. Best of luck with your move and with your future. Neels van Schaik, Cape Town, South Africa, July 2009

Greek Island Hopping In The Dodecanese. We spent a very special two weeks on the T.G. Ellyson. Thank you Gordon for sharing so freely your knowledge, insights, wisdom and passion for the areas that we traveled. I learned a lot. The choice of places we visited ensured a diverse range of experiences. My personal favorites were Nisiros (1), Selimiye (2), Arki (3), and Leros (4). Simi will always have a special place in my heart. Take care and lots of love. Sandra van Schaik, Cape Town, South Africa, July 2009

Greek Island Hopping In The Dodecanese. I hoped for and got a very special experience. We had a lot of fun, ate well (rating octopus salad along the way, among other food items), learned a lot and are leaving TGE with many fond memories. One area you introduced me to is the Turkish coast which is special and calls for another visit. Favorite spots: Selimiye (Aurora Restaurant), Nisiros, Leros and Arki. Thanks also to Melissa Goring for her sparkling personality and cooking skills highly praised by all. Piet van Schaik, Cape Town, South Africa, July 2009

Greece And Turkey At Once. Dear Gordon, Wow is not a word we often use, but when everything exceeds expectations we're not sure how else to put it! From the stories you have to tell to the history of everywhere we visited, it was always entertaining. The choice of ports, even though we were harassed by the wind, was always perfect. It's hard to pick favorites but I'll try a few. We loved Simi and its great little restaurant "La Vaporrette." We had a romantic evening there. Ogun's Place was great, too. The best dining was definitely at "Outa Lapee" in Rhodes Town. And our favorite swimming was at Loryma in the little cove we discovered. We can't thank you enough for making the last week of our honeymoon so special and such a memorable experience. It was a pleasure meeting and sailing with you. Dave and Caroline Apel, New York City, July 2009

Turquoise Coast Holiday. Words are inadequate to describe this spectacular voyage! Captain Gordon is so knowledgeable about both seamanship and history. He made those ancient peoplescome alive in a way I couldn't if I had been visiting on my own. The ship is so beautiful and so well cared for - I felt my dad's presence whenever we set sail. He would have loved this. Brigitte is the best hostess - she took my huge water demands in stride. (Happy Face) I'll stop here and just thank you from the bottom of my heart for one of the best travel experiences I've ever had. Donna Cooper, Provincetown, Massachusetts, August 2009

Turquoise Coast Holiday. I have loved every moment of this voyage! Gordon and Brigitte made what would have been a wonderful trip into an extraordinary experience. Don't miss swimming over the ruins at Aperlae; Myra, Andriake, Xanthos, Patara -- all were amazing. Be sure to hike to ancient Lydae -- the heat was brutal but you will be the only people exploring this ancient city! Scaling the cliff face to reach the tombs at ancient Myra was another great adventure. The swimming and snorkeling were wonderful. Finally, I was not expecting this to be such a gourmet experience; we had fabulous meals in the most beautiful settings. Thanks so much for these memories which will last a lifetime. Joan Butterton, Newton, Massachusetts, August 2009

Turquoise Coast Holiday. I've taken many vacations, but none of them has been quite like this. The ancient ruins and the fine dining were excellent, but the magic really came through in little things: the enchanting atmosphere of a home within a ship, or looking up at the numberless stars in the night. This is one trip that you cannot afford to miss. Derek Butterton, Newton, Massachusetts, August 2009

Turquoise Coast Holiday. Although Joan, Donna, and Derek have already mentioned the delicious food, intriguing history, and fantastic people this trip has brought to us, they failed to mention the few down points of this trip. The first of the down points we experienced immediately after arrival. This was the intense heat. The heat persisted throughout the entire trip, making some of the longer walks excruciating. The second was seasickness, eight hours of my stomach being flipped over was not fun. The third and final down point was that some people may find the price of the delicious food too high. Despite these down points the trip was definitely a positive experience which I will never forget. Adrian Butterton, Newton, Massachusetts, August 2009

Greek Island Hopping In The Dodecanese. We have enjoyed all the places we've traveled and greatly appreciate Gordon's thorough knowledge of the places, people, and tavernas. We also appreciated Brigitte's care of us. We'll never forget this trip, which is our honeymoon! Vicki Berkley, Denver, Colorado, September 2009

Greek Island Hopping In The Dodecanese. Gordon's deep knowledge of the history of this area and his connect with wonderful people in what appear to be out of the way places was just one of the many things that made our honeymoon a delight. Brigitte was wonderful as cook, supporter of all we needed, and as an overall smart, cool person. Jim Berkley, Denver, Colorado, September 2009

Greece And Turkey At Once. Captain Abercrombie possesses a masterful command of the T.G. Ellyson at sea, and of Turkish and Greek history - a perfect combination that made for a perfect trip. Thank you Captain Abercrombie. Lewis Self, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2009

Greece And Turkey At Once. A perfect week! Captain Abercrombie combined a love of the sea and the Turkish and Greek coasts with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history and the current status of the area. Great company, food off the charts, and an introduction to the islands and coast that will make me return in the future! Steve Savran, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2009

Greece And Turkey At Once. My third sail with Gordon for which I invited two close friends, Lewis and Steve. This has been my favorite itinerary so far, Bodrum to Gocek with stops at Nisiros, Selimiye, Loryma, and refueling at Simi. The ancient ruins at Knidos were particularly evocative. We enjoyed splendid hospitality and food every evening. The daily gin and tonic has punctuated the day's work. Gordon's hospitality, deep love of this part of Turkey and Greece, and intimate knowledge of its past made the trip exceptional! My only regret is that my lady Julie could not join us on this sail as she has the previous times! Next year, Insallah! Tali Arik, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2009

Flat Water Sailing. Little wind was made up for by the fine company and good cheer of Brigitte and Captain and Chief Archaeologist Gordon. We look forward to a return trip. Bruce Gordon, Free Union, Virginia, October 2009

Flat Water Sailing. I knew when I saw T.G. Ellyson on the web, and read your writing, that we were in for something very special and unique. The actual experience far surpassed anything I could have imagined or hoped for. Thank you for Ahmet (Seagull Bay), Ali (Cold Water Bay), Brigitte (Pelletier), the history and archaeology, the boat, the beauty, and you! We will never forget and hope maybe to cross paths again. With great thanks, Megan LeBoutillier, Free Union, Virginia, October 2009

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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 crewed yacht charter cruising in Greece and Turkey may be obtained by clicking on the teal links immediately above. Thank You. Are you searching for a crewed charter yacht cruising Turkey or Greece? Could you be thinking of a cruising holiday starting in southwest Turkey, of a cruising vacation sailing from Gocek, Turkey? Of a crewed yacht cruising from Gocek, Turkey to Greece and back? If so, you might like to charter a yacht with a crew having knowledge not just of the nautical route, and not just of coves and bays along the way, but also having knowledge of local history and culture, knowledge which might make the nearest cove not merely a swim stop but once an anchorage for triremes of the Athenian Alcibiades poised to intercept Phoenician flotillas coming to the aid of Spartans, a cove nineteen hundred years later frequented by galliots of Aruj Barbarossa, lurking in wait for Venetian merchantmen, a cove three hundred years afterward charted for the British Admiralty by Francis Beaufort aboard H.M.S. Frederickssteen. Exploring history, yes, but while basking under a warm sun and swimming in crystal-clear seawater. And while dining on superb cuisine of fresh produce, fresh seafood, and fresh fruit. Dining doesn't get much better. Not long after Beaufort this part of the world became the destination of explorers such as Edward Forbes, Thomas Spratt, Charles Fellows, and Heinrich Schleimann, as well as of the artist Luigi Mayer whose landscapes do more than museums to tell us how it once was. Not the first but undoubtedly the most thorough and most lucid of explorers along these shores was England's George E. Bean. Between 1947 and 1977 this six foot six inch former Wimbledon tennis player fluent in both ancient Greek and cosmopolitan Turkish may have examined every ancient site on the coastal fringes of Turkey and on nearby Dodecanese islands of Greece. More importantly, he published his extensive findings in a series of highly readable books which tie to history all of his many discoveries. George Bean's histories read like prose, and they are indispensable to anyone with an educational interest in this part of the world. Charter a sailing yacht to cruise the coast and islands George Bean explored. With his books in hand. Sail Alexander's Path down the coast of Asia Minor. Cruise Cleopatra's Honeymoon Route along the coasts of ancient Lycia and Caria and among Greek Dodecanese and Sporades islands. While you holiday or honeymoon. Honeymoon or have a holiday with family or friends while proceeding leisurely from one historically remarkable locale to another. But don't believe everything you read. In recent years it has become fashionable for later archaeologists to take unseemly issue with some of George Bean's findings without at the same time introducing plausible or meaningful corrections of the record. Petulance. Yes, charter a yacht to cruise the coast of Turkey and among nearby Greek islands. Starting in Gocek. Are you searching for Gocek in Turkey? Well, it is about forty-two nautical miles ENE of Rhodes Town and about fifteen road miles from its own international airport at Dalaman. In Gocek we can put you aboard a sailing yacht for an extraordinary vacation. We can put you aboard a charter yacht and show you Alexander's Path south from the Troad and east along the coasts of Caria and Lycia, show you Cleopatra's Routes up the Turkish coast and among Aegean islands, and show you where to find an incredible variety of history in the Bean guides. Contact us today at tgeweb@aol.com