turquoise sailing

FETHIYE GULF - EKINCIK

. MANASTIR (HAMAM) BAY Cruising from Göbün and Merdivenli bays you reach the unique beauty of Manastir (Hamam) Bay. The people also call this beautiful bay Cleopatra's Bath because of the ruined Roman bath lying in the water southeast of the bay. It is certain that there is no relation between the bath and Cleopatra but local people like to say so. The volcanic structure of the natural hillside of the bay also confirms the existence of a crater lake, which gave warm waters to the bath house in ancient times.

The pine trees in the bay cover the slopes from the seaside to the top of the hill, where you also see carob trees as well. A long ancient wall stretches west of the bay, seemingly the defence wall of the Lycian city Lydae that is located behind the hill. 

South of the bay, where the remains of the bath are, is an ideal anchorage spot closed to wind. If you don't mind staying overnight in a very popular bay, then Manastir Bay is one of the best of Fethiye Gulf.

YASSICA ISLANDS The group of islands called Yassica Islands (Jessica Islands in some of the sources), which probably give the best picture to your cameras at sunrise and sunset, are the nearest Islands to Göcek. It is a great pleasure to discover the tones of blue from the sea and green from the pine and olive trees when you anchor in the shallow waters close to one of the islands. Haci Halil, and Seytanli Island are two hereby Islands providing good alternative anchorage spots of Yassica Islands.

TERSANE ISLAND (DOCK YARD ISLAND) is the largest island in Fethiye Gulf. Entry to the harbour like bay of the island is via a deep channel which is also called the winter port of Tersane. The Eastern side of the bay is available for anchor as it is quite shallow and protected from the wind. 

According to ancient sources, the island was inhabited and named Telandria in the past and was also used as a dockyard for the ships during the Ottoman period. Many houses from past ages can be still seen on the island, which give an idea of the population of the island during the Byzantian and Ottoman periods. As with Kaya Köyü in Fethiye, inhabitants of Tersane Island migrated to Greece in 1922 as a result of an agreement between Turkey and Greece to exchange the foreign populations in the two countries. North of the Island is another anchorage called Summer Port, another nice spot for swimming. 

AG LIMANI At the West end of the gulf, close Kurtoglu Cape you reach Ag Limani (double bays), which is another secluded bay where you can swim, fish, sunbathe or rest. A Lycian city, ancient Lydae, is easy to reach by a path, taking about an hour.

EKINCIK If you want to cruise in the Marmaris direction from the Fethiye Gulf, it is better to depart very early in the morning and cruise from Kurtoglu Cape to the Ekincik Gulf when weather and water are still sleeping. The wind in this region comes from the west, contrary to your direction. 

In Ekincik Gulf, there are many beautiful small bays good for overnight stay, such as Semizce 1 and Semizce 2, where the land completely covered by pine trees. The gulf is busy with yachts coming from Fethiye and Marmaris because it is very near to the ruined remains of the Ancient Carian town Caunos.

Travelling through the pretty Ekincik region, you reach Dalyan, Caunos and Istuzu Beach. Here's an excellent opportunity to leave the boat for a couple of hours and spend a day exploring this area: a cooperative in Ekincik village organises fishing boats at reasonable prices for yacht groups. The golden sands of 4 km long Iztuzu Beach are great place to relax, as well as an important breeding ground for Carretta Caretta sea turtles. A river-boat trip down the densely vegetated Dalyan river delta to the ruins of Caunos, which was an important Carian and Lycian city. The town of Dalyan is overlooked by the incredible tombs carved., during the Lycian epoch, into the sheer cliff face hundreds of feet up. And before returning to the boat how about a quick beauty treatment: according to local legend, the sulphurous Mud baths and hot springs will make you ten years younger...