Sozopol, Bulgaria: Saving
the best for last
A windy day in the picturesque town of Sozopol
Black Sea Logbook Entry
Date: 9/8/2010
Distance: 39 nm
Sailed from: Sveti Vlas and Burgas, Bulgaria
Lat: 42°25.2'N
Long: 27°41.3'E
We both instantly liked Sozopol and were
glad we ended up here to wait-out the first gale of the season. Several
yachts had attempted to outrun the gale by sailing south today, but wind and
rough seas on-the-nose pushed them back to this protected harbor with its modern
marina and sturdy sea walls. Soon after checking-in at the marina office,
David found Hristo on Alexandrina, his Greek fishing boat which he uses
for day charters. He served as the Bulgarian point-man for the KAYRA Black
Sea Rallies, and we had been corresponding with him by email before our
arrival. A quiet and friendly Bulgarian and former race skipper, he knows
more about yachting in Bulgaria than anyone. He also served as David's
informal consultant during several Bulgarian wine tastings onboard Gyatso.
David was quick to justify extending his research beyond what was needed for
updating pilotage information: "Is there a better way to pass the time
while riding out a gale?"
We back-tracked to Burgas by taking the
convenient bus which leaves every half-hour from the tree-lined square in
Sozopol. Burgas itself is a nice city, like Varna but
smaller. From Burgas, we rented a car for two days so we could explore the
coast and visit towns we missed by boat. We were also glad to have a car
to make our way through the commercial docks to the Burgas Yacht Club which was
hosting an international youth sailing regatta. We had seen the lasers,
optimists and other one-design classes on the water two days before. They
had to cancel the regatta early due to the weather, so the teams from Turkey and
Greece were packing up their gear while the race committee finalized the
results. We were glad we pushed on to Sozopol after watching the local
yachts surge on their moorings and the Black Sea rollers crash into the large
breakwater, sending spray over the top of the two-story high cement wall.
We would not have felt comfortable here in such conditions.
Back in Sozopol, we could watch the wind and
waves batter the coast from the relative comfort of one of the many restaurants
perched on the cliffs above the beach. The tourist season was beginning to
trail off here and the summer heat wave finally broke for good. We took
long walks through the windy, narrow streets in the historic section of town,
admiring the classic Black Sea-style (Ottoman) architecture. The choice
for food, including delicious white feta-like cheese and tasty fish dishes,
reminded us that we were not far from the influences of Mediterranean Turkey and
Greece.
We waited a day longer than several other yachts
before heading south. We had the most experience with the large swell that
hangs around after wind events on the Black Sea and knew what a difference a day
makes. With reports of 5 meter seas at the entrance to the Bosphorus, we
were in no hurry to arrive there in such conditions. The shipping traffic
is enough for our nerves to handle. On Tuesday, 14 September, we departed
for Igneada, Turkey with a brief stop in Tsarevo to clear-out of
Bulgaria. After spending six days in Sozopol, we agreed with Hristo that
this is the nicest harbor in Bulgaria. We were glad we saved the best for
last.
Our Black Sea voyage continues in Igneada,
Turkey...
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