Turkey: (June-October 2023)

While we were sailing in the Dodecanese we could always see Turkey. At certain times, we even  sailed into Turkish waters while sailing from one place to another. This is perfectly okay unless you  are a Greek naval vessel. While we wanted to visit Turkey, we were reluctant as the formalities  seem to be complicated. Over time we realized that the formalities can be completed easily if you  use an agent. It takes only one to 2 hours to have everything done and you are allowed you to remain  in Turkey for 90 days. If you leave Turkey before then you can return as long as you do not exceed  90 days within a period of 180 days. The agent’s fee varies but it is usually around 150Euro each  time. In other words, you should refrain from making frequent trips in and out of Turkey. Upon  returning to Greece you are supposed to announce your reentry but everybody disconnects their  AIS and does not bother to announce their return. The only thing you need to be aware of is that it  is strictly prohibited to attach the boat to a tree and that you need to have a black water tank to  collect the waste water from the toilet .This tank needs to be emptied at least once every 10 days  at an approved waste water collection station. Make sure you respect this rule because each time  you empty the tank it is noted in an electronic file that can be checked by every coast guard. We  first entered Turkey at Bosborun, a little harbor 30 miles north of Rhodes. Like in Greece, there  are plenty of bays where you can drop anchor, but the depth is greater. Often the depth is between  20 and 30 meters so make sure you have enough chain. In my opinion, 80 meters is the recommended  length. If you do not want to drop anchor you can moor at the taverna’s pontoons(reservation  advised),  but the cost is higher than in Turkey as food prices are on the high side. If you like a  calm place, please check the guides to make sure there are no noisy discotheques open all night. In  the port of Palamut we spent one night and could hear 3 loud discos blasting out noise at the same  time!!!. One of the first places we stopped was the bay of Bozuk Buku between Symi and Rhodes. On  the south west side of the bay you can find the Alibaba taverna that offers a good place to anchor  with clean water. The bay has three other tavernas, but they are more exposed to the wind so if  you arrive in the late afternoon, it is more difficult to dock because of strong winds on the beam. In  the morning, Alibaba can sell you some fresh baked bread that will stay fresh for at least 2 days.  Southern Turkey  This year we explored Turkey from Knidos on the west side to Fetiye on the east side. There are  many marinas in this part of Turkey with such names as Marmaris, Fetiye, Gocek and Datcha which  may be familiar to you. This part of the coast has a lot of protected places to moor in. Since the  Ukraine war started a lot of Russians have moved to this area and this make it more difficult to find  good spots. The Russians have also caused serious inflation and marina costs are now higher than on  the French Rivier. If you are moored off the coast, you do not have to worry about supplies as many  boats come along side to offer you what you may need such as bread, fish, water, ice cream, garbage  collection and fuel and you can also empty your waste water tank. There are even floating  supermarkets (Migros and Carrefour) if you need veggies and fruit. However, some of them do not  sell alcohol. Pork is of course impossible to find in Turkey as it is a majority Muslim country.  The Knidos Ruins Some friends had recommended that we visit the ruins of Knidos 20 miles west of Datcha. The ruins  are located just next to a natural harbor so if you arrive early, you can find a spot. We had spent  the night before in the port of Palamut as it is only 10 miles away from Knidos, allowing us to arrive  at around 10:30 in the morning when most of the boats were leaving the port of Knidos. The port of  Knidos is right next to the ruins of Knidos. Around 2,600 BC it was a very important place not only  strategically but also culturally. There was also a medical school that was in competition with the  nearby Greek island of Kos. The site is huge and at the beginning of the 20th century, a lot of  archeologists sent there by reputable  museums dug up the ruins to remove and ship back as many  artifacts as they could to their home countries. Since 2012 the wind has changed and now the focus  is on leaving the uncovered items in the country. Some objects have even been returned to Turkey  and are now displayed in the Datcha museum.  Now the site is being restored and many holes have been filled. One of the first things you see  when you arrive by sea in Knidos is a big theatre that could seat 5,000 people. The theatre was built  in around the 2nd  century BC. Once you enter the site you discover traces of Dionysos. Only the  foundations are visible, but they help visitors to realize what a big temple it was. Behind the temple  you enter the theater and if you  climb up the stands you discover more ruins. There is the Appollo’s  terrace guarded by a propylon  of which 2 columns are still standing today. Several other buildings  remain around it. Not much is explained about the site, but despite this, it is worthwhile visiting. To  the west of the archeological site there is another small harbor but it is not deep enough for  anything other than a few fishing boats. This little harbor is best enjoyed in the evening watching  the beautiful sunset. Of you do not have a boat, no worries, Knidos can also easily be reached by car.   The east side     After Knidos we decided to move eastward to the cities of Marmaris, Gocek and Fethiye. The  distance to Fethiye is about 82 miles but if you factor in the coast line, it is more than double this  distance. We often spent the night moored in a bay as many bays there are very nice and quiet. We  certainly avoided the marinas due to the exorbitant prices. The nice places are crowded in the  summer months, so if there is a particular place you want to drop your anchor in try it on Friday or  Saturday as many boats return to the marina to change the people on board.  20 Miles east of Marmaris there is a little public pontoon in the bay of Ekincik Koyu with water and  electric power. The price is quite reasonable, and it is also a very good place to hire a boat to   visit the Daylan area. If the pontoon is full, you can also drop anchor in the bay. To visit the Daylan   area, many boats are waiting to take you there. It is a large estuary of  the Daylan Cayi lake. The  estuary is a large area full of reeds through which there are many channels you can navigate  through. We decided to rent a boat as sailboats cannot enter due to their draft.  One of the first  places we visited were the ruins of Kaunos. It was a lively place 12,000 years ago and you can visit  the theater, the agora, roman baths, a basilica as well as other ruins. The theater is located above  the other buildings from where you can can see how big the estuary is and the many boats carrying  tourists. You realize that the river protects the land behind it. Also, the captain showed us some big  facades carved into the mountains. They are in fact the tombs of old kings. They are impressive and  well preserved. Some of them look unfinished probably because the king died before his tomb was  completed. Along the river there are many little hotels and restaurants. If you wish to spend a few  days there, it is certainly a very quiet place. In one place they were selling blue crabs. In fact, they  are an invasive species that now lives in great numbers in the Mediterranean. Sea turtles love them  and it is very easy to spot the turtles during your trip. We bought some crabs for dinner, thereby  contributing to the fight against this pest knowing that it would not make a difference in the end.  Before returning to the open sea the captain slowed down and told us that this place is where many  people come to sunbathe, but in the evening from 8pm till 7am the beach is closed to tourists as it is  a breeding place for the turtles. Many tourists spend some part of the day on the island and feed  the turtles with blue crabs they have purchased for dinner. Visiting Daylan is a full day’s activity  and it can easily be done from Daylan, Marmaris, Enkinci Koyu,  Gocek or Fethiye by hopping on a  boat that goes there.  Going further east there is a great protected area where many boats like to stay for a few days.   To make life easy, a lot of boats offer you the supplies you need such as food, water, bread,  garbage removal, waste water tank cleaning, fruit and veggies in floating supermarkets, as well as  fuel if you need some.   We sailed further east to Fetiye were the is a great well protected place.  You can choose to go to  the marina or just anchor if you prefer. In Fethiye we went to the camel market located outside the  city center, but we were disappointed as they no longer sell camels but clothes, vegetables and   fruit instead.   Inside the city center you quickly see and smell the shops selling hundreds of different kinds of  spices. I enjoyed the colors and smells of those shops very much. The fish market sells a lot of fish  and very often people buy fish and have it cooked in the restaurants around the market. Make sure  that you order what you want, otherwise the people know very well how to push the bill upwards.   After Fethiye, we had to move to Rhodes as Tom had a plane to catch but we made a last stop at  Alibaba as Tom liked the place and especially the bread.