Yachting in Turkey; Blue Voyage .. A Dreamlike Adventure

Turkey alongside with its many other attractions has been very popular with its unique BLUE VOYAGE (Mavi Yolculuk in Turkish) on which occasion you sail along the Turkish coastline on a very elegant boat called GULLET for a period of 3 to 7 days.

During this fabulous journey you have the chance to explore unparallelled bays with very unique coves and beautiful beaches along the crystal clear water of  the Mediterranean Sea.

This tourism activity has certainly been attracting tens of thousands of foreign tourists from all over the world. And “once you are there” many a tourists comment.. “it is like addiction.. you feel like coming over and over again”

As it is surrounded by sea on three sides, Turkey has always had an enormous potential for yacht tourism.  Most beautiful sights known only by local sailors until 40 years ago, are now easily accessible by sailing boats or traditional schooners to everyone who wishes to have an unforgettable holiday.

WHAT IS BLUE VOYAGE

It is up to you to set the boundaries of your Blue Voyage, starting at Fethiye, to the north of the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean…

You can start with the Gocek islands and bays on the Marmaris Route; you can visit the Tersane Island, Bedri Rahmi Bay (Tasyaka = Lycian Bay), Manastir (Cleopatra’s Bath) , Sarsala Bay , Boynuz Buku and Ag Limani, reaching Ekincik and istuzu, the beach of the Carettas;

or you can sail towards Antalya, visiting Gemiler Bay, Gemiler Island (St.Nicholas Island), Bestaslar Limani – Soguksu Bay, Oludeniz, Patara, Kalkan, Kas and the sunken city Kekova.

Gullets

It is an unrivalled pleasure to voyage by traditional Turkish Schooners, which are called gulet. These are built from chestnut, mahogany, teak and pinewood and offer good living space with their comfortable cabins, showers, toilets and plenty of space to relax.

Different standards and various passenger capacities also provide you with plenty of choices depending on your holiday budget and for the preferences of your group. In addition to lying back and enjoying the peace and endless sunshine, you can also take part in numerous energetic water sports, such as deep sea diving, waterski, parasailing, jetski, windsurfing, banana and ringo.

The Blue Voyage tempts you to a completely unique holiday experience, bringing together the backdrop of a cultural heritage of thousands of years, spectacular scenery, and an on-board lifestyle centred around the sun and sea, good food, good friends old and new and complete, utter, unforgettable relaxation.

THE STORY OF BLUE VOYAGE

This most popular of sea adventures began quite by mistake when a few years after the foundation of the Turkish Republic, a political writer, CEVAT SAKIR KABAAGAÇLI was exiled to Bodrum for publishing a story about army fugitives.

The judges who sentenced Cevat Sakir to a number of years in this remote port (Bodrum) knew nothing of its lifestyle which as Cevat Sakir found out was a true paradise.

He settled down and adopted the name “Fisherman of Halicarnassus”, writing stories about the town and its locals and fishermen in particular.

On his regular outings with fishermen he gradually got to know the various coves and bays in the Gulf of Gokova. When intellectuals coming from Istanbul dropped in, he did not miss the opportunity to introduce them the fisherman’s way of life. Together they constructed a theory of culture which embraced the cultures of all the peoples who lived in Asia Minor.

Sakir’s tours of the Gulf of Gokova became famous and were given the name, “Mavi Yolculuk” or “Blue Cruise” as it is known today. We would like to embrace his memory on this occasion and express gratitude for having inspired this voyage of exploration and the source of enjoyment for many thousands of people for over 60 years. (23.04.2013)

A reliable company to refer for blue voyage would be ARKADAŞLIK YACHTING

Short info about the company: Sue and Captain Oktay, the husband and wife is the team behind Arkadaslik Yachting. You can discover how their respective backgrounds and unique approach to the hospitality-focused business of “Blue Cruising” keep guests happy and returning, year after year (statement from their web page)