turquoise sailing

ÖLÜDENIZ & KEKOVA ROUTE

. GEMILER ISLAND (St. NICHOLAS ISLAND) After 2 - 2,5 hrs cruising from Fethiye harbour, turning at the capes of Çamli Burun, Sahin Burnu, Bozburun and Iblis Burnu, you catch sight of the Karacaören Islands. From here you reach Gemiler Island (The Island of Ships): the channel between the island and the pine and olive tree lined shore is a naturel shelter for yachts - hence the name. The island itself is covered with historical remains dating back to the Byzantine period. The Fethiye Archeological Museum and a Japanese team carried out archaeological surveys here between 1991 and 1995, confirmed the island' importance during early Christianity in Anatolia. There are four churches, numerous houses, graves, cisterns, wells and a tunnel on the island, which have been damaged by earthquakes. Beautiful mosaics and inscriptions uncovered in one of the churches confirmed that church was dedicated to St. Nicholas. This church is connected to the one on the east of the island by a 400 mt long tunnel, which was probably used by priests on ceremonial walks to protect themselves from the sun and rain..  More houses and a quay can be seen on the northern end of the island, again ruined during earthquakes in the 3rd and subsequent centuries.

ÖLÜDENIZ (DEAD SEA) From Gemiler cruising towards the east, you reach a couple of bays suitable for anchorage and overnight stay. Bestas Harbour and Soguksu Bay give an opportunity to take a walk for an hour and visit the "ghost town"; Kaya Köyü, whose Greek population was exchanged with Turks living in Thrace in 1922. Mersinli Bay is another good anchorage and swimming spot. Rounding Yogan Cape from here, you enter the breathtaking Belcekiz Gulf. Here you'll find Ölüdeniz, the world famous inland bay that is protected from the open sea by the cape, a lagoon of shallow, perfectly still, turquoise water completely hidden from view from the sea. This paradise is closed to yachts to prevent its pollution. 

Ölüdeniz is a popular tourist centre - backdrop of the magnificent pine covered mountains, the long white beach of Belcekiz, and the literally breathtaking blue of the sea make it a sight well worth seeing by land or by sea. Hotels, restaurants and campsites are located along the front of Belcekiz Beach. Looking up, the azure skies are punctuated by coloured parachutes gliding and spinning over the lagoon area from their flight point at the top of 1975 metre high Babadag (Mount Baba). This gives a new image of the resort - it offers the best wheather and landing conditions for the sport of paragliding anywhere in the world. Adrenalin and freedom… These two words pretty much sum up the paragliding experience.

YESILKÖY The passage east in the Kekova direction from Gemiler Island or Ölüdeniz is usually made in the very early morning - passing the high capes of Yedi Burunlar (Seven Capes) and Patara - for the reason that, during the day, this part of coastline receives a strong contrary wind and has rough sea, which makes daytime cruising quite uncomfortable. 18 km long Patara Beach is located after the 7th cape - here the ancient city of Patara, birthplace of St. Nicholas , is still mostly covered by sand. The journey takes around 4 hrs before arriving at beautiful Yesilköy Bay, near Kalkan , in time for breakfast at an ideal anchorage spot. This spot is also very popular for fishing activities.

KALKAN The small town of Kalkan was an old Greek village called Kalamaki untill 1922. This perfect Mediterranean village boasts a pretty yacht harbour, seafront restaurantsand charming hotels and pensions, making it a popular place preferred by thgose in search of a more laid-back stay in Turkey. From Kalkan there is an opportunity to visit important Lycian cities such as Patara, Xanthos, Letoon and Tlos by bus and return to the boat the same day. The harbour is a good place for overnight stays. According to ancient sources, the mosque in the harbour was build after the 14th century on the site of a destroyed Roman Temple, and had also been a Byzantian Church during bygone ages. Now, the mosque, the winding cobbled streets lined with well preserved Greek houses and an abundance of red and pink bougaivillea makes Kalkan a storehouse of beautiful photographs as well as living evidence of the continuity of life and the colourful fusion of different cultures...