Stormy day

A Cruise Ship is leaving the bay, it is hard to distinguish the "tiny" ferry in front of the 300 meter long vessel. This day of March 28 was quiet stormy and the light disputed the sky to the clouds for the whole day.

Evening route

On the pale evening winter sun the Mary Schulte is living the harbour at low speed while ferries crossing the bay have to sail around to avoid her path and other mooring ships.

The ferry to the north shore

The trip across the bay lasts around 20 minutes, sometime the captain having to tack between heavy ships preparing to dock or leaving the harbour, or just mooring in the bay waiting for they turn to approach the huge cranes. We can distinctively see the fog due to the pollution comming from the heaters of hundred thousands of housholds and offices. The harbour stays in the very center of the city and even if the port of Aliaga 80 km north is becoming a very busy alternative the frequentation is still high in the Aegean city.

Carferry

The bare decks of the carferry Esenköy remain silent, even the waves frapping the hull in a lazy rhythm do not succeed to awake the mass of steel of the old lady. She seems deserted right now but in less than an hour the barriers will open and she will be assaulted by trucks and cars and hundreds of passengers rushing up the long and straight stairs leading to the upper deck and to the saloon with his hot glass of tea and cups of Turkish coffee awaiting. Late comers will probably not find a place for their cars and have to take the ring and its 50 km to meet the city south-west end.

Ferry's passengers

A couple sit on the stern deck of this old classic ferry. In 20 minutes ferries link north and south sides of the bay sparring time and proposing fresh orange juice and tea along the way. We get sometime very close to container ships and have to tack between the giant vessels. I will come soon with some more photographs of the bay and these impressive vessels.