Aegean Sailing

Black Sea Coast at Amasra

2010-06-01T16:49:00.000+03:00

Black Sea Coast at Amasra.

Turquoise Coast

2010-05-03T15:21:00.005+03:00

Fethiye, Ölüdeniz, Kelebekler Vadisi.

Sailing & Flying

2010-03-01T02:57:00.006+02:00

Sail yacht sailing on the blurred horizon and a seagull flying on the blue Marmara Sea.

Watching the Horizons: Aleida's Story

2009-10-24T11:52:00.000+03:00

When talking about yachting and luxury charter yachts I should tell about Aleida. Her story is a case study for business management schools. What makes her story more interesting to me than those of Paris Hilton and Donald Trump is that she is a retired office worker and mom! Aleida is a German Frau worked and retired in Turkey. She married a Turkish man and grew up her children. Her sons graduated as boat building engineers. She borrowed business loan for start up capital from her brothers in Germany as angel investors. Aleida and her sons started up their yacht charter company Eser Yachting in Marmaris. They built their own luxury charter boat Lyra, a gulet, traditional Aegean schooner with two masts and five sails. Now they manage their own flotilla in Marmaris. Salute Aleida!

Aegean Sailing Log from Marmaris

2009-07-29T07:52:00.036+03:00

May 30, Saturday evening. We are in Marmaris Marina, meeting on board. Marina is full of sails, boats, goulettes, schooners. I notice one of them: "Bonbon". We watch the sunset among countless masts, strings, riggings, meet the people at the dinner on board, and chat.

We go our cabins and sleep well. "Slaap goed" say Dutch friends. We wake up by the engine sound early in the morning and jumped to the deck to watch while we leave the port.
Skipper shouted: "Set sail !!" like old Aegean and Black Sea sailors did.

We are all on the deck watching the crew weighing anchor. We see many boats and Bonbon is weighing anchor and leaving the Marina too.
Our sail Lyra is a charter gulet with two masts and five sails, a schooner, original fishing boat modified for sailing. We are heading Aglimani (Net Harbour) and Sunken Hamam. The wind is very good for sailing.
Skipper: "Full sail !!" and the crew setting all the five sails with every stitch of canvas moving quickly and skillfully.

Skipper: "Turning!"
"OK!"
And we slightly turn port side and put the sails to the wind, stop the engines, just listening the sound of the wind and the Aegean Sea. We are all at the poop deck, fascinated, wathing, smelling, feeling and listening:
"I am sailing.."
"stormy waters.."
"to be there with you.."
"to be free.."
singing Rod Stewart Sailing on the CD player.

Actually the waters are quite calm. We are heading Göcek, Yassica labyrinth of islands and bays. Casting anchor at a wonderful, deep and calm bay. Jumping into the warm turqouise sea. Sun setting while we swim.

A perfect dinner welcomes us on the deck. Countless stars in perfect dark sky. We watch the milky way. I never knew there were that much stars in the sky. "We did not know the world apparently..." we say.
June 1, Tuesday morning. We watch the sunrise. Although our cabins are perfectly comfortable our friends prefer to sleep on the deck below the stars in their sleeping bags. The anchorage bays we cast overnight are so calm that I forget sometimes that we are on board.

We feel home... We set the table together for the dinner and take the dishes back. We feel like a large family. There are Australian, Dutch, German, American and Turkish people on board. "My world family" I say. We would not know each other, otherwise.

We weigh anchor after the breakfast, heading Fethiye, cruising in labyrinth straits among misterious islands and misty bays. Brightest colors and blue sky are in March says Uncle, sailor. Lyra is so silent that we feel like sailing.

We are in Fethiye.

"Hey! Look! Bonbon is here too!" Crew chatting in a wonderful Aegean accent.

We stay in Fethiye Marina on board over night. After the breakfast we weigh anchor and leave the marina heading for anchorage bay Aglimani.

"Set sail !!"
Other boats and Bonbon set sail too.

We go for a walk at Ag Limani (Net harbour) following an ancient Roman way to th eruins of a Roman city. Road was bulit using rocks and natural structure of layers, connecting the temple and buildings at the hill to the anchorage harbour. Roman city surprise us after the goats and houses of shepherds on the hill.

Sun will rise at 5:30 in the morning. I set my alarm clock to take pictures, but wake up before alarm rings. And I see that I am not alone on the deck. Half of the people are on the deck. "Don't confine yourselves with five stars while there are countless in the sky" says Ilhan, sailor. "If you don't sleep on the deck and wake up with sun rise beyond red clouds, sounds of the singing morning nightingales, smell of acacias and flowers in the calm bays..."

We weigh anchor 5:15 in the morning with a perfect sun rise. "Every body up here!" says Douglas surprised.

Today is the last day of our cruise. I feel silence on board. Boat rocks slightly. We listen the waves and scraping boat.

Heading Marmaris Port. A smiling face welcomes us on the way to Marmaris. A parasail.

Everybody on the poop deck. We are in the Marina. Bonbon is here too... It's the time to say goodbye and see you next time...

Full Sail!

2009-07-24T23:02:00.010+03:00

Luxury charter yacht Lyra of Marmaris sailing at Aegean Mediterranean Sea at Gulf of Fethiye. Crew setting full sail with every stitch of canvas like in good old days.

Brunch at Okluk Bay

2009-07-02T09:02:00.004+03:00

Moored at Okluk Bay of the Gulf of Gökova between Marmaris and Bodrum at Aegean Mediterranean Sea, described "Paradise on Earth" by Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Sailboat Yeşil, Jeanneau SunShine 36, TUR 3600.

Mediterranean Sailing Cruise

2009-06-29T14:45:00.001+03:00

Sailing Aegean and Mediterranean Sea between Bodrum and Marmaris at Gulf of Gökova aboard sailboat Yeşil, Jeanneau SunShine 36, TUR 3600, on genoa jib.

Sailing Aegean Islands

2009-06-29T08:42:00.004+03:00

Gulet charter anchored at Sedir Island and Cleopatra Beach in the Gulf of Gökova between Bodrum and Marmaris at Aegean Mediterranean Sea. Sedir (Cedrae) Island was the site of an ancient Roman resort town. Ruins include an amphitheater and old city wall. Its Cleopatra Beach is made up of rare ooids, round calcium carbonate particles from Egypt. According to legend, Cleopatra refused to step on any land other than Egypt, so Mark Antony imported Egyptian sands from Red Sea to Turkey so she could visit. The beach is heavily protected to prevent any sand being removed from the beach.

Anchorage Bay at Gulf of Gökova

2009-06-28T16:57:00.003+03:00

Anchorage Bay at Gulf of Gökova, originally uploaded by voyageAnatolia.blogspot.com.

Evening at anchorage bay at Gulf of Gökova at Aegean Mediterranean Sea between Bodrum and Marmaris, described "Paradise on Earth" by Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

Sailing Aegean Islands

2009-06-27T23:11:00.002+03:00

Chase, originally uploaded by voyageAnatolia.blogspot.com.

Aegean Mediterranean sailing on genoa jib only at Gulf of Gökova between Bodrum and Marmaris. Sailboat Yeşil, Jeanneau SunShine 36, TUR 3600 and another sailboat at starboard.

Gulets at Bodrum Marina

2009-06-27T15:43:00.002+03:00

Gulets at Bodrum Marina, originally uploaded by voyageAnatolia.blogspot.com.

Crewed and skippered luxury charter yachts gulets and reflections on the sea at Bodrum Marina.

Sailing Holidays Mediterranean

2009-06-26T21:25:00.003+03:00

Sedir Island and Cleopatra Beach in the Gulf of Gökova between Bodrum and Marmaris at Aegean Mediterranean Sea. Sedir Island was the site of an ancient Roman resort town. Ruins include an amphitheater and old city wall. Its Cleopatra Beach is made up of rare ooids, round calcium carbonate particles from Egypt. According to legend, Cleopatra refused to step on any land other than Egypt, so Mark Antony imported Egyptian sands from Red Sea to Turkey so she could visit. The beach is heavily protected to prevent any sand being removed from the beach.

Mediterranean Sailing on Genoa

2009-06-26T09:30:00.002+03:00

Mediterranean Sailing on Genoa, originally uploaded by voyageAnatolia.blogspot.com.

Aegean Mediterranean sailing on genoa jib only at Gulf of Gökova between Bodrum and Marmaris. Skipper Hayret, Selim Hayiret Özkök, sailboat Yeşil, Jeanneau SunShine 36, TUR 3600.

Sailing Aegean Islands

2009-06-26T05:39:00.003+03:00

Sedir Island was the site of an ancient Roman resort town. Ruins include an amphitheater and old city wall. Its Cleopatra Beach is made up of rare ooids, round calcium carbonate particles from Egypt. According to legend, Cleopatra refused to step on any land other than Egypt, so Mark Antony imported Egyptian sands from Red Sea to Turkey so she could visit. The beach is heavily protected to prevent any sand being removed from the beach.

Gulets at Bodrum Marina

2009-06-25T17:06:00.001+03:00

Gulets at Bodrum Marina, originally uploaded by voyageAnatolia.blogspot.com.

Crewed and skippered luxury charter yachts gulets and reflections on the sea at Bodrum Marina, in front of medieval Bodrum Castle of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta and Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology.

Mediterranean Sunset

2009-06-25T15:34:00.001+03:00

Sunset at Aegean Mediterranean Sea at Gulf of Gökova between Bodrum and Marmaris, described "Paradise on Earth" by Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

Yachts at Lift at Bodrum Icmeler

2009-06-25T14:53:00.001+03:00

Yachts at Lift, originally uploaded by voyageAnatolia.blogspot.com.

Bodrum Gulets

2009-06-25T07:29:00.003+03:00

Gulets in Bodrum Marina for luxury motor yacht charter.

Yacht Building at Bodrum

2009-06-24T18:05:00.000+03:00

Traditional Aegean Mediterranean sailboat gulet under construction at Bodrum Icmeler boatyard, which will be a luxury charter yacht in Bodrum Marina soon.

Sailing School at Marmaris

2009-06-24T15:11:00.000+03:00

Sailing School at Marmaris, originally uploaded by voyageAnatolia.blogspot.com.

Fleet of optimists, sailing dinghies at Marmaris Karacasöğüt, at Gulf of Gökova, between Bodrum and Marmaris, Aegean Mediterranean coast of Turkey with pink oleander flowers.

Taking Care of Genoa Jib

2009-06-24T10:16:00.013+03:00

Skipper Hayret taking care of genoa jib of sailboat Yeşil, Jeanneau SunShine 36, TUR 3600.

Charter Yachts at Bodrum Marina

2009-06-24T07:26:00.000+03:00

Crewed and skippered luxury charter yachts gulets and reflections on the Aegean Sea at Bodrum Marina.

Charter Yachts at Bodrum Marina

2009-06-23T20:01:00.001+03:00

Crewed and skippered luxury charter yachts gulets and reflections on the sea at Bodrum Marina.

Gulet Building at Bodrum

2009-06-23T07:33:00.002+03:00

Looking like Noah's Ark, this gulet under construction at Bodrum Icmeler boatyards will be a luxury charter yacht at Bodrum Marina soon. Photo originally uploaded by voyageAnatolia.blogspot.com.

Roman shipwreck at Bodrum Museum:
Bodrum Gulets' Ancestor?

Boat building is a traditional business in Bodrum since ancient times in Halicarnassus and ancient Lycia, Caria, Lydia region of Turkey. The Uluburun Shipwreck, discovered off the south coast of Turkey in the Mediterranean Sea near the city of Kaş in the province of Antalya, dated of the Late Bronze Age period, 1400 B.C, 3400 years ago.