Shire didn't know about this until he arrived at the anchorage five days later.
The anchorage was built next to a desolate island thirty nautical miles from the Dardanelles Strait, discovered by the British to have deep waters without reefs.
Most importantly, fresh water springs were found on the island.
This meant the fleet could replenish fresh water nearby without needing to transport it from Malta Island.
(Note: Malta Island was a British colony at this time, gaining independence in 1964)
The British even sent engineers to the island to build roads, transport water, store it, and then distribute the water barrels to small boats each day.
When Shire first arrived at the anchorage, he was almost shocked by the scene before him:
Under the cries of seagulls, hundreds of ships of various sizes, transport ships, trawlers, and minesweepers were arranged in a large circle like a harbor, with various warships in the center.
