Blue Cruise, The Story

The year is 1925. The setting is a courtroom in Ankara. The judge makes a verdict: Exile to Bodrum! And for three years! He knew there was nothing that could be done other than set off as soon as possible and serve his sentence. He is “Cevat Sakir” a writer of novels and short-stories, as well as being a keen ethnographer and travelogue. Later in life he referred himself as the “Fisherman of Halicarnassus" (Bodrum city in antiquity). He is the man responsible for bringing the formerly sleepy fishing town of Bodrum, as well as the entire shoreline of the Blue Cruise, to the attention of yachtsmen around the world.

It wasn’t easy getting to Bodrum due to bureaucracy and the transport conditions back then. So he struggled to get to his place of exile for six whole months. His arrival in Bodrum however became the first paragraph of a long story. When the old minibus had turned the curve at the top of the hill, the navy blue sea spread all the way out. The line of sight became clearer…  then the islands, the shores that envelop the sea in crowded capes and bays, two harbours in the shape of a crescent right in the middle, then a peninsula that carries a castle… He thought the name Bodrum (Meaning basement in Turkish) has darkness, an emptiness that troubles the soul, this place lit my inside instead. He was already in love with Bodrum. The man wasn’t wrong; During his exile days, Bodrum lit his life up first and then ours from his writings. After the exile was over, inspired by the name of Bodrum in ancient times, he adopted the alias "Fisherman of Halicarnassus". He chartered the gulet 'Yatagan' of a sponge hunter for some adventure trips along the Aegean coast and succeeded in writing numerous well known literature work. In his writings, Cevat Sakir tells us about his journeys and people he met. He later named these very humble sailing trips "Blue Cruise".

Sailing the coast of Turkey

The south west coast of Turkey is full of welcome surprises, from secluded coves to pristine beaches.  In recent years, many travellers have chosen to explore this Mediterranean coast in a more dynamic fashion than simply looking out to sea from a fixed position on the beach. We mean Gulet Cruises and Gulet Holidays.

There are several airports serving south west Turkey, depending on where your cruise will depart from.  Whether you need to fly to Dalaman or Bodrum.

Once you have secured your flights to Turkey, you need to think a little about life on board your vessel of choice, be it a traditional gulet or modern motor cruiser.  Make sure that you bring plenty of swimming gear, as you will welcome the chance to escape the heat of the midday sun when anchor is dropped at around lunchtime each day.  

While many of the overnight stops will be in ports featuring good facilities and the chance to replenish fuel and water tanks, there will be plenty of other times that you anchor overnight in a secluded bay.  Facilities for washing onboard will be limited by the amount of water that can be carried on the vessel.  If you will be away from an established port for a few days, you may need to conserve water for personal hygiene and washing up, meaning that washing out swimming gear is not always possible.  For a two week gulet cruise you want bring at least six or seven sets of swimming gear to ensure that you don’t need to waste time and water doing laundry on board - you will have better things to do!  In addition, many of the coastal waters off south west Turkey are protected conservation areas where the discharge of detergents from the gulet is strictly limited.

A good, water resistant sun cream is an essential piece of kit when sailing in the height of summer.  With temperatures frequently reaching the low forties Celsius, the fierce sun must be respected.  Don’t be tempted into the false economy of cheap and inadequate sun cream.  UV rays can penetrate some distance below the water line, meaning that you require protection even when the welcome cool of the water means that you may not feel the effects of the sun’s rays.  Suitable sun cream will come at a bit of a premium, but this is money well spent when the alternative is ruining your holiday through suffering sun burn.  Cover up properly when on-board the gulet, especially during the middle of the day, and make sure that you apply adequate sun cream before each dip into the water.