Boats On The Bosphorous: December 2015

Welcome

We'll periodically post images of vessels that drift past our perch on the Bosphorous. If you are a new arrival, the Bosphorous is the waterway (straits) that divides Europe from Asia and cuts right through the middle of Istanbul. You could swim from Europe to Asia (or vice versa) in about 30 minutes - if you could survive the boat traffic and/or the pollution.

The blog's perch is about half way up (or down) the Bosphorous - not the city's most supreme view. Yet, it's not too high, not too low - good enough to afford a decent view. Then again, anything better in terms of view will cost you upward of a million. Dollars. No... more. Much more. This view is free.

The aim here is to provide regular images and - where possible - further details regarding boat traffic between the Black Sea, the Marmara and points beyond.

It's not CIA - although they used to maintain a prominent viewing location (and probably still do) - The transit through the Bosphorous is Russia's traditional outlet to the world's oceans - most other Russian outlets ice over in the winter. But, there is no hidden blog agenda, no intent to spy. This is just our view and publicly available data related to those views: Boats on the Water. Passing by. Happened to catch them ....

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Kurtarma 7

Kurtarma 7 - one of the fleet of Coast Guard boats tracking Agean Navigator - maybe suspects something? or just doing her job...

VM Forar

That's Lifter in the back

Name: VM Forar
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Cook Islands
Date: 29 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, chilly

Lifter

See also VM Forar for more images

Name: Lifter
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Antigua
Date: 29 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, chilly

Aegean Navigator

The Greek flag is more or less visible, and there is another lesson in foreign alphabets here: the Greek does spell Agean Navigator (and you can read the home port of Piraeus as well)

Name: Agean Navigator
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: tanker
Flags: Greece
Date: 29 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, chilly

Monday, December 28, 2015

Ionic Huntress

The "pilot on board" flag is nicely visible in full color despite the overall gray from the fog. As is the text just under the bridge as well as the name on the bow if you look carefully.

Name: Ionic Huntress
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: cargo
Flags: Marshall Islands
Date: 28 Dec 2015
Weather: morning foggy

MSC Ilona

Kinda like the way the Turkish flag goes a step beyond silhouette. The fog also seems to give a better sense of the massive size of the thing.

Name: MSC Ilona
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: cargo
Flags: Germany
Date: 28 Dec 2015
Weather: morning foggy

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Heroi Stakhorskyi

This was kind of a two-fer (Heroi is also seen in the Angelica An shots)
Tried to isolate Heroi in the top two images but Angleica An looms in the background.

Name: Heroi Stakhorskyi
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Ukraine
Date: 27 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, chilly

Brightway

Name: Brightway
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Belize
Date: 27 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, chilly but pleasant

Angelica An

Name: Angelica An (Heroi Stakhorskyi in the front)
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: tanker
Flags: Malta
Date: 27 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, chilly but pleasant

Local Ferry: Goksu

Not sure about the new model of the passenger ferries. Yes, they have a design/style all their own, but the classic design is so much more ... well ...classic.

Local Fishing

Just a collection of local fishing boats. All facing the same way - into the current. Hope they caught something so that we can get to work grilling them in a day or two! (We're looking at the Asian shore - more or less Vanikoy behind them.)

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

nova

Name: Nova
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: malta
Date: 22 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, cold

MS Discoverer

Name: HS Discoverer
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: container
Flags: Malta
Date: 22 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, cold

Hicri Kaan

Name: Hicri Kaan
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: tanker
Flags: Panama
Date: 22 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, cold

kavarna

Name: Kavarna
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: St. Kitts
Date: 22 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, cold

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Aegean Myth

Both the Greek flag and the "pilot on board" flags are fairly obvious in the stern details photos.

Name: Aegean Myth (and Seba M in the background)
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: tanker
Flags: Greece
Date: 16 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, cold and overcast

Seba M

Name : Seba M
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: bulk carrier
Flags: Lebanon
Date: 16 Dec 2015
Weather: overcast but clear

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

CE Breeze

The Liberian flag is pretty clear.

Name : CE Breeze
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: tanker
Flags: Liberia
Date: 15 Dec 2015
Weather: overcast with open spots

MSC Hannah

Name : MSC Hannah
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo/container
Flags: Panama
Date: 15 Dec 2015
Weather: overcast, slightly cloudy

Kumsal 1

Doesn't look like there any many clients on board - assume she is heading "home" to dock

Name : Kumsal 1
Heading: back & forth
Type: local tour
Flags: Turkey
Date: 15 Dec 2015
Weather: overcast with open spots

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Sea Empress

Name : Sea Empress (and probably Ada Zeynep in the background)
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: tanker
Flags: Malta
Date: 12 Dec 2015
Weather: clear, cold and overcast

Friday, December 11, 2015

Grand

Name : Grand
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: cargo
Flags: Malta
Date: 11 Dec 2015
Weather: heavy drizzle

Flinter Sun

Name : Flinter Sun
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: cargo
Flags: Netherlands
Date: 11 Dec 2015
Weather: heavy drizzle

Star Harmony

If we are going to continue with this (and it looks like we will), it seems we are going to need a new data category to accompany the name, date and etc ...
The weather has turned decidedly wintery recently: a certain amount of dedication involved in getting out there to shoot a boat.

Name : Star Harmony
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: cargo
Flags: Panama
Date: 11 Dec 2015
Weather: heavy drizzle