Boats On The Bosphorous: June 2016

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 ....

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Astra

It would be interesting to know why Astra had such "tight" security - accompanied by our familiar Coast Guard 8.

Name: Astra
Heading: South/Marmara
Type: tanker
Flags: Marshall Islands
Date: 29 Jun 2016

Basic Brave

She's apparently headed to Baltimore. Us, too - more or less. Might be safer than flying out of Istanbul these days (but she'll arrive too late for our business - due July 17 and that is 17 days from now)

Name: Basic Brave
Heading: South/Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Panama
Date: 29 Jun 2016

Monday, June 27, 2016

NCS Beijing

Name :NCS Beijing
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: carrier
Flags: Panama
Date: 27 Jun 2016
Weather : Nice

Basic Rainbow

Name : Basic Rainbow
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: carrier
Flags: Panama
Date: 27 Jun 2016
Weather : Nice

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Nazim Imamoglu (Again)

Name: Nazim Imamoglu (again)
Heading: South/Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Turkey
Date: 22 Jun 2016

A589

Name: A 589 (was USS Safeguard)
Heading: South/Marmara
Type: Navy
Flags:Turkish
Date: 22 Jun 2016

Britta Maersk

Name: Britta Maersk
Heading: South/Marmara
Type: tanker
Flags:Denmark
Date: 22 Jun 2016

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Keswick

Name: Keswick
Heading: South/Marmara
Type: LPG tanker
Flags: Bahamas
Date: 21 Jun 2016

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Nene Hatun

Docked at Kurucesme Park. Viewed from the water side.

Name: Nene Hatun
Heading: Docked
Type: Coastal Security
Flags: Turkey
Date: 15 Jun 2016

Tacanuyaso.M.S

This handsome private vessel was docked in Kurucesme, nestled between Nene Hatun and Savarona when we cruised past around noon today.

Name: Tacanuyaso
Heading: Docked
Type: yacht
Flags: Cayman Islands
Date: 15 Jun 2016

Savarona

We were on a tour boat today, up and down the Bosphorous - a pleasure we experience a few times a year. Slightly south of our position, on the waterfront at the Kurucesme Park, we caught 3 vessels from a different angle.
There is a ton of information online about the Savarona: initially purchased for Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first President of Turkey, a few months before his death in 1938, the yacht retains its position as one of the longest in the world.

Name: Savarona
Heading: Docked
Type: yacht
Flags: Turkey
Date: 15 Jun 2016

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Sandra

Again: data not certain.
Looks like a general carrier and probably Russian.

Name :Sandra
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: ??
Flags: ??
Date: 09 Jun 2016
Weather : Nice

Glory Amsterdam

With Sandra in the background
Zoom in to see many men on the deck near the bridge

Name :Glory Amsterdam
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: carrier
Flags: Panama
Date: 09 Jun 2016
Weather : Nice

Uranus

The name is very clear, but we cannot find her: the online data shows that she is in China (not possible)

Name :Uranus
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: carrier - probably
Flags: ??
Date: 09 Jun 2016
Weather : Very Nice

Monday, June 6, 2016

Nord Hummock

Name: Nord Hummock
Heading: South/Marmara
Type: tanker
Flags:Denmark
Date: 06 Jun 2016

Haci Mehmet Kaptan again

Name: Haci Mehmet Kaptan
Heading: South/Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Turkey
Date: 06 Jun 2016

We last caught Haci Mehmet Kaptan back in March 2015 - but surely she has come and gone several times sine then. It is like the warships that went past yesterday when we didnt have a lens: so much traffic, so few chances to catch them.