Turkey - The Carian Coast: Gerbekse Cove to Bozburan
Gerbekse Cove (aka Byzantine Creek) 13nm, 2hrs 30min, motored
Thursday August 22 - Friday 23
Free anchorage, tied back stern to
Thursday August 22 - Friday 23
Free anchorage, tied back stern to
Tank full and pooper emptied we headed south to Gerbekse Cove. We spent 40 minutes surveying the bay and possible anchorages as there was a strong wind blowing straight off the beach which we would be side on to if we tied back to the rocks. We didn't have much choice though so that's what we did, and had a comfortable night if not a tad swelly. Another smaller yacht decided to anchor smack bang in the middle of the stretch of beach, which turned out badly for them when a Gület arrived wanting to tie back to shore and basically ignored their presence and went ahead. The yacht was then forced to tie back to the rocks. Really it's what you have to do somewhere like this when space is at a premium and you don't want to be either on the receiving end of someone's wrath or bulldozed by a larger boat!
The bioluminescence in this place was something else. Imagine you're an alka seltzer tablet being dropped into a glass of dark water and suddenly all the effervescent bubbles light up. That's what it was like. I was creating trails of colourful sparkles with every limb I moved, and they were swirling on the surface even without movement! It was absolutely magical.
Click images to enlarge
The bioluminescence in this place was something else. Imagine you're an alka seltzer tablet being dropped into a glass of dark water and suddenly all the effervescent bubbles light up. That's what it was like. I was creating trails of colourful sparkles with every limb I moved, and they were swirling on the surface even without movement! It was absolutely magical.
Click images to enlarge
Serçe Limanı (Sertchech) 12nm, 2hrs 40min, motored
Friday August 23 - Sunday 25
Free anchorage, tied back stern to in the SW corner
Friday August 23 - Sunday 25
Free anchorage, tied back stern to in the SW corner
Our second day in Serçe we had a visit from the Coast Guard. Two lovely young men approached in a dinghy and asked if I was Turkish because of how I said hello. I can understand their mistake, being so fluent in the language as I am. I'm a great conversationalist as long as the conversation is no more than "Hello. How are you?". Anyway, it seems we passed muster because we didn’t get frisked or cavity searched and neither did the boat. They asked if we preferred Turkey or Greece and of course we said Turkey. It was in our best interests after all, but it was also true. We have been having a truly amazing time with the things we’ve seen and the local people we’ve encountered who are so warm and generous of spirit. We are already looking forward to returning next year and we haven’t even left yet!
Stranger than truth, in this bay I saw a lionfish. Not local to these waters we had been told by Wolfran that one (or I expect perhaps two) somehow made it up from the southern hemisphere to Turkish waters and now they’re breeding like rabbits! I was just beginning to think he must have them mixed up with some other down under type fish when I saw one.
Also, delight of delights, we saw four turtles, hanging out on the bottom, doing tractor marks along the sandy bottom whilst munching seagrass, popping up for air while I swam right next to them. Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me but their images are emblazoned on my mind forever. What gorgeous creatures.
Click images to enlarge
Stranger than truth, in this bay I saw a lionfish. Not local to these waters we had been told by Wolfran that one (or I expect perhaps two) somehow made it up from the southern hemisphere to Turkish waters and now they’re breeding like rabbits! I was just beginning to think he must have them mixed up with some other down under type fish when I saw one.
Also, delight of delights, we saw four turtles, hanging out on the bottom, doing tractor marks along the sandy bottom whilst munching seagrass, popping up for air while I swam right next to them. Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me but their images are emblazoned on my mind forever. What gorgeous creatures.
Click images to enlarge
Dirsek 14nm, 3hrs, motor-sailed
Sunday August 25 - Tuesday 27
Free anchorage, tied back stern to
Sunday August 25 - Tuesday 27
Free anchorage, tied back stern to
Dirsek, just another interesting bay with crystal clear water. This place had unique rock formations above and below the water. I swear there was a retaining wall build into the slope below the boat where we tied back. Most interesting to me were rocks that looked like they were exuding mud, which Colin said were just more rock extrusions. I was fascinated. Colin, not so much.
The bay was huge and there were lots of boats, but it was big enough to be separate from your neighbours. There were lots of comings and goings with boats leaving, new ones arriving, and next to us there seemed an unlikely alliance, a 39’ yacht rafted up with a large motor boat, maybe 60’. Later it was revealed the yacht had somehow lost its anchor whilst mooring and had been helped out by the motor boat until a diver could retrieve it later in the day. Turkish helpfulness in action. They later separated when the anchor was retrieved.
We chatted with our neighbours a little as they swam behind the boat. People have generally been very friendly when we’ve said hello.
From the boat we saw two light globes floating near shore and couldn’t understand why someone would discard them into the water. I swam over to retrieve them and realised they had many small hooks hanging beneath them, and when I pulled one out of the water to show Colin a man a few boats over indicated in no uncertain terms they were his and I should leave them. I asked what they were for and he replied 'fishing'. I had actually worked that bit out for myself but was wondering what kind of fish you would catch with such a device.
At dinnertime Colin, having had his sourdough bread go hard after too short a time, decided flatbreads were the way to go. He’d already made gözleme on the boat but this time whipped up a batch of sourdough crêpe-like things. They were a delicious accompaniment to our chicken salad.
Click images to enlarge
The bay was huge and there were lots of boats, but it was big enough to be separate from your neighbours. There were lots of comings and goings with boats leaving, new ones arriving, and next to us there seemed an unlikely alliance, a 39’ yacht rafted up with a large motor boat, maybe 60’. Later it was revealed the yacht had somehow lost its anchor whilst mooring and had been helped out by the motor boat until a diver could retrieve it later in the day. Turkish helpfulness in action. They later separated when the anchor was retrieved.
We chatted with our neighbours a little as they swam behind the boat. People have generally been very friendly when we’ve said hello.
From the boat we saw two light globes floating near shore and couldn’t understand why someone would discard them into the water. I swam over to retrieve them and realised they had many small hooks hanging beneath them, and when I pulled one out of the water to show Colin a man a few boats over indicated in no uncertain terms they were his and I should leave them. I asked what they were for and he replied 'fishing'. I had actually worked that bit out for myself but was wondering what kind of fish you would catch with such a device.
At dinnertime Colin, having had his sourdough bread go hard after too short a time, decided flatbreads were the way to go. He’d already made gözleme on the boat but this time whipped up a batch of sourdough crêpe-like things. They were a delicious accompaniment to our chicken salad.
Click images to enlarge
Selimiye 7nm, 2hrs, motored
Tuesday August 27 - Thursday 29
Free anchorage, tied back stern to
Tuesday August 27 - Thursday 29
Free anchorage, tied back stern to
Our next stop was not far away and through some magnificent islands and coastline. We’d heard good things about Selimiye but at first it just looked like a massive bay with loads of motor boats and yachts. We got to see its charm over a couple of days though. After trying to find a decent anchorage that wasn’t depth prohibitive we ended up tying back in the NW corner. Some boats must either carry a hell of a lot of chain or don’t let out 5:1 (or even 3:1) because almost everywhere was 30+m deep!
Paddle boarding around the shoreline the next day we felt like we were in a parking lot, with boats anchored everywhere close to town. The parking lot had definitely filled up during the evening, and it made us even happier to be tied back where we were, away from the hubbub. It was easy enough to take the dinghy to the cute waterfront area, and we found a charming little restaurant not far back from the shoreline that had the most enticing looking (and tasting) mezes so we settled on that for dinner, both nights, along with a tangy lemonade that was pink and not at all like lemonade. The girls serving were very sweet and interested to find out of we’d been to Turkey before, and this was the charm that turned us from from wanting to get out of Selimiye the next day to wanting to stay another night.
Selimiye was once upon a time a traditional boat building village, but now the shoreline is a promenade of wall to wall restaurants, pensions and bars. From the water we saw pontoons and piers protruding out from the various establishments, with people on lie lows as close to the water as you can be without being in it. They all looked to be having a wonderful holiday, and at night the shoreline lit up with restaurant dining areas out over the water and came alive with the chatter of happy holiday makers. After fulfilling our mission of buying ceramic fish for home (inspired by one we’d seen at Sevvall, the meze restaurant) we wandered aimlessly along the stone boardwalk that meandered in and out of the restaurant dining areas. We got caught for a while behind a slow moving family with a pram (parents, kids, mother-in-law) and all of a sudden Colin was overtaking and striding out in front. When I caught up with him he said he hadn’t minded walking at a snail’s pace until the old lady farted! Classic Colin.
Click images to enlarge
Paddle boarding around the shoreline the next day we felt like we were in a parking lot, with boats anchored everywhere close to town. The parking lot had definitely filled up during the evening, and it made us even happier to be tied back where we were, away from the hubbub. It was easy enough to take the dinghy to the cute waterfront area, and we found a charming little restaurant not far back from the shoreline that had the most enticing looking (and tasting) mezes so we settled on that for dinner, both nights, along with a tangy lemonade that was pink and not at all like lemonade. The girls serving were very sweet and interested to find out of we’d been to Turkey before, and this was the charm that turned us from from wanting to get out of Selimiye the next day to wanting to stay another night.
Selimiye was once upon a time a traditional boat building village, but now the shoreline is a promenade of wall to wall restaurants, pensions and bars. From the water we saw pontoons and piers protruding out from the various establishments, with people on lie lows as close to the water as you can be without being in it. They all looked to be having a wonderful holiday, and at night the shoreline lit up with restaurant dining areas out over the water and came alive with the chatter of happy holiday makers. After fulfilling our mission of buying ceramic fish for home (inspired by one we’d seen at Sevvall, the meze restaurant) we wandered aimlessly along the stone boardwalk that meandered in and out of the restaurant dining areas. We got caught for a while behind a slow moving family with a pram (parents, kids, mother-in-law) and all of a sudden Colin was overtaking and striding out in front. When I caught up with him he said he hadn’t minded walking at a snail’s pace until the old lady farted! Classic Colin.
Click images to enlarge
Kocabahçe 6nm, 2hrs 15min, motored
Thursday August 29 - Friday 30
Free anchorage, tied back stern to
Thursday August 29 - Friday 30
Free anchorage, tied back stern to
A nice enough anchorage with a restaurant (Sailors Paradise) with a T-jetty at the head of the bay. We had a peaceful evening with minimal swell coming into the bay, but the water was a bit murky with lots of 'matter' floating in it, so after a morning swim we headed for clearer waters.
Dirsek 3nm, 2hr 15min, motored
Friday August 30 - Saturday 31
Free anchorage, tied back stern to
Friday August 30 - Saturday 31
Free anchorage, tied back stern to
There are many small islands and coves along the coast between Selimiye and Dirsek but not many safe anchorages, so we returned to Dirsek and moored stern to close to the entrance. This end of the bay seemed less crowded, that is until boats pulled in close either side of us. Still, it was a peaceful night and the water was so clear you didn’t need a mask to explore the rocky bottom. In the morning whilst swimming along the shoreline we had a school of small ‘pilot fish’. They were all different shades of blue from aqua to indigo, keeping formation just a little ahead of us. I spent a long time trying to capture their electric colours on camera.
Click images to enlarge
Click images to enlarge
Bozburun 9nm, 1hr 45min, motored
Saturday August 31 - Sunday September 1
Customs jetty, stern to ₺125 (~AUD$32)
Agent's fee ₺250 (~AUD$64)
Saturday August 31 - Sunday September 1
Customs jetty, stern to ₺125 (~AUD$32)
Agent's fee ₺250 (~AUD$64)
No rest for the weary, we were off again in the morning heading to Bozburun where we would check out of this impressive country. It looked like it might be a tangled anchor nightmare as we moored stern to on the customs jetty, but the boats that came in after us laid their anchors parallel and we pulled free in the morning with no drama. It wasn’t all smooth mooring though. While we sipped fresh lemonade at the restaurant opposite the jetty I cringed watching someone back in, steering what seemed like straight into our bow then bouncing off the boat on the other side, while the pier hand just watched. It looked dangerous so Colin went to fend off. They did need a bit of help getting settled but luckily no damage was done by their bumper boat mooring method. Thank goodness for fenders!
As we explored the town we were lured from the street by the lovely Mehmet at Osman’s Restaurant. He went the whole nine yards explaining all the mezes and other meals, ensuring we knew they used fresh produce from his village nearby, and that after 1700hrs the road would be closed to car traffic and tables would be put in the street, and that after 1800hrs there would be freshly baked hot pita bread, free, and (drum roll please) free showers!!! How could we refuse? Later we met Osman himself and his lovely Scottish wife (we presume). The food was delicious, though we mistook ‘spicy’ to mean piquant and ordered a meze that was so hot it would curl the hairs on your chest! (Luckily I had mine removed in the 80s). Colin decided 'in for a penny, in for a pound' and ladled it onto the warm pita bread. I swear I saw smoke rising from his head.
For being so close to the restaurants (literally two meters away) we had a remarkably quiet night, the cabin fans helping to mask the background chatter. In the morning our agent, Gürkan, met us at 0830hrs and by 0930 we were motoring out of there on our way back to Greece.
Farewell magnificent Turkey with your incredible coastline and your warm and hospitable people. See you next year!
Click images to enlarge
As we explored the town we were lured from the street by the lovely Mehmet at Osman’s Restaurant. He went the whole nine yards explaining all the mezes and other meals, ensuring we knew they used fresh produce from his village nearby, and that after 1700hrs the road would be closed to car traffic and tables would be put in the street, and that after 1800hrs there would be freshly baked hot pita bread, free, and (drum roll please) free showers!!! How could we refuse? Later we met Osman himself and his lovely Scottish wife (we presume). The food was delicious, though we mistook ‘spicy’ to mean piquant and ordered a meze that was so hot it would curl the hairs on your chest! (Luckily I had mine removed in the 80s). Colin decided 'in for a penny, in for a pound' and ladled it onto the warm pita bread. I swear I saw smoke rising from his head.
For being so close to the restaurants (literally two meters away) we had a remarkably quiet night, the cabin fans helping to mask the background chatter. In the morning our agent, Gürkan, met us at 0830hrs and by 0930 we were motoring out of there on our way back to Greece.
Farewell magnificent Turkey with your incredible coastline and your warm and hospitable people. See you next year!
Click images to enlarge