Blue Voyage 2024

Blue Voyage Notes 2024 Kekova Üçağız… September 14, 2024, Saturday…. We set out from Ankara in the morning. At night, we stayed at Yalçındağ Hotel in Burdur. We visited the Burdur Archaeological Museum and saw the magnificent statues found in Sagalassos. After breakfast, we hit the road toward Antalya. We passed through Kemer and Demre. The last 50 km to Üçağız was a challenging, winding, uphill road. We arrived at the pier of the Kekova Üçağız village. We sat at a café by the shore until 4:00 PM. I parked the car in the municipality’s parking lot for 50₺ per day. At 4:00 PM, our group of eleven friends boarded the boat. We were welcomed by our captain, our cook from Hatay, and two crew members. Our boat, a Bodrum Gulet type, was purchased secondhand in 2000 for €500,000. It is 25 meters long, 7 meters wide, has two masts, six cabins, and a shaded upper deck. The boat is equipped with six solar panels that charge the batteries. In 2018, it was fitted with a new 380 hp Iveco diesel engine, which consumes 25 liters of diesel per hour and reaches speeds of 10-12 knots. It also has a backup gasoline generator. There was a dining table for twelve at the back and a viewing deck at the front. We set sail from the pier and anchored at the quiet and peaceful Gürkaya Cove, where we swam in the clean, warm water. We chatted with guests on a neighboring boat. In the evening, we enjoyed a wonderful meal of salad, şakşuka, shrimp, red mullet pilaki, and grilled sea bass. We finished with tea and fruit. We stayed up late, talking, sharing stories, and having fun. We slept on deck, using mosquito nets over the deck beds. September 15, 2024, Sunday… There was a strong storm on the open sea outside the cove. We had a delicious breakfast with cheese, olives, toasted bread, menemen, fries, jam, tea, and coffee. Later, we moved to another cove during the storm. We anchored at the quiet and empty Buzağılık Cove. This time, the water was very cold. Despite wearing a protective vest, I still felt the chill. Last year, we paid around €400 per person for a seven-day boat trip in Bodrum’s Gökova Gulf. This year, for the same duration along the Kekova coast, including food but excluding drinks, we’re paying €500. The Turkish Central Bank keeps the Euro suppressed. If the real value of the Euro were 50₺, the price would drop to €400. We spent the night in a sheltered cove, away from the storm. After dinner, we stayed up chatting until midnight, having a great time. A strong storm was expected on the open sea all week. September 16, 2024, Monday.. We set sail early in the morning, heading to Demre Çayağzı Harbor on the open sea. The waves were high, so we turned back without anchoring and headed to Gökkaya Cove. The cove was crowded, with nearly forty boats of various sizes. It was well sheltered. There was a storm on the open sea, with winds reaching about 25 knots. Recently, a 25-meter tour boat sank off the coast of Fethiye. The passengers were rescued by coastal rescue teams. For lunch, we had green beans, bulgur pilaf, yogurt, and salad. Afterward, we paid the remaining balance of the tour to the captain in cash. He went to Demre by another boat to deposit the money in the bank. For dinner, we had grilled meatballs, vegetable dishes, salad, and fruit. Afterward, we played music using a power box and Spotify on an iPhone, danced, shared stories and jokes, and laughed a lot. It was like therapy. Once again, we slept on the deck. The sea was calm, the weather was warm, and there was a full moon in the sky. September 17, 2024, Tuesday. 28°C, wind 10 knots SWS The captain returned from Demre by boat in the morning. We set sail at 8:00 AM, navigating the open sea and entering Demre Çayağzı Harbor. We anchored offshore. Two of our friends with health issues were taken ashore by zodiac boat. They visited a health clinic, received cortisone injections, and got medication from the pharmacy. It turns out there were sea lice, which are jellyfish larvae that cause itching. They are abundant along the Kekova coast. I swam in the clean and calm water. As the boat set sail, I barely made it back onboard. We checked two coves, but both were windy. Finally, we anchored at Şafak Cove, where there were many Mediterranean monk seals. The wind picked up to 25 knots, so we moved again to a more sheltered cove. For lunch, we had chicken schnitzel, fries, salad, and fruit. We had tea and coffee afterward, enjoying conversations at the table. In the late afternoon, we moved again and anchored at a less windy shoreline. When raising the anchor, the chain slipped, and we had to work to free it. For dinner, we had grilled sea bream, followed by ice cream and fruit. Afterward, we sang songs, listened to music, danced, and enjoyed ourselves until midnight. Late at night, some friends swam in the moonlight. The sky was clear, with a full moon overhead. September 18, 2024, Wednesday… 28°C, wind 10 knots SWS We anchored by Kekova Island. There were many well-fed goats on the island, all wearing bells. In the morning, we were woken by the sound of their bells. Afterward, we set sail and docked at the Kekova Üçağız pier, where we replenished our fresh water and supplies. We walked ashore for a bit. There were about 100 small and large boats at the dock. Our boat was being cleaned. I took a walk along the shore. There was a mobile İş Bank branch and ATM inside a minibus. Many guesthouses were also present, with bed and breakfast prices around 3000₺. Daily boat tours were 10,000₺, or 1000₺ per person. I walked to the municipal parking lot to check on our car; it looked fine. I also checked on two other friends' cars—one had left the front right window open. We called our friend, and they closed it. Later, the boat was cleaned at the pier, and we anchored off Kaleköy. For lunch, we had stuffed peppers, pasta with yogurt, and salad, followed by coffee. Some people took the boat to visit Kaleköy, while I stayed on deck to read a book. Later, we moved again and arrived at Hamidiye Cove. Some guests went swimming while I continued reading on deck. In the evening, we had a lively dinner. Afterwards, accompanied by drinks, we sang songs and danced. The sky was clear, there was no wind, and the moon shone brightly. When I went to bed, I mistakenly chose the bed diagonal from my usual spot. They woke me up at midnight to tell me. Dilek stayed in the other corner of the deck beds. I couldn’t sleep, so I got up at midnight, wrapped myself in a blanket, and sat on the front deck, watching the moon. I dozed off and woke up intermittently. September 19, 2024, Thursday… 28°C, wind 17 knots WNW… We anchored on the east side of Kayaköy, in Hamidiye Cove. In the morning, I woke up to the sound of the call to prayer from the front deck. At dawn, many fishing boats were setting off. Roosters crowed, dogs barked, and sailboats passed by. The morning light gradually brightened the sky. In 1912, after Italy occupied Meis (Kastellorizo) Island, they also took control of Kekova Island, which was only seasonally inhabited for timber harvesting. The Italians established a garrison, deploying soldiers. Kekova remained a point of contention between Italy and Turkey for a long time. In 1932, the island was officially ceded to Turkey under the Italy-Turkey Treaty. On the southern coast of Kekova, facing the open sea, there is an abandoned Italian military outpost. We had breakfast and went for a swim. Day boats from Kayaköy came and went. We raised anchor and moved again, circling around Kekova Island. We visited the Sunken City, where you can see homes and temples carved into the rocks from pagan, Lycian, Roman, and early Christian times. You can only sail around it; stopping or swimming is forbidden. We anchored at the secluded and protected Snail Cove behind the island, swam, and had hamburgers for lunch. The cove is very sheltered, with no cell phone signal or internet. We spent the night here. The island’s shores are rocky, with pine trees. For dinner, we had sea bream. Later, we shared stories at the table, listened to music, sang songs, and danced the halay. Some went for a midnight swim. September 20, 2024, Friday…. 28°C, wind 5 knots SW... Today is our last day on the boat. We had breakfast. I didn’t eat bread. The bay was very crowded, and the water seemed a bit dirty to me, so I didn’t swim. By noon, we left Snail Bay on Kekova Island and entered Pine Bay. For lunch, we had sushi, pasta with seafood, and salad. We swam in the sea with life vests. The bay faced the open sea, and the water was quite cold. In the afternoon, we had homemade cake from the captain’s wife and drank tea. Those who went fishing with the Zodiac boat caught a small bonito. We gave the crew an extra payment as a token of appreciation. Later, we sang songs, listened to music, and took selfies. September 21, 2024, Saturday… 28°C, wind 10 knots WNW... After breakfast, we said our goodbyes. We left the boat, hoping to reunite next year. I want to thank everyone for this unforgettable vacation we had on the *Kah…* boat along the Kekova coasts from September 14 to 21, 2024. Throughout the day, we shared our memories, which was like a form of therapy, sang songs, listened to music, and danced the halay. We danced. We lived like one big family. We spent nights in secluded bays that we would not have been able to reach otherwise. We fell asleep under the incredible sight of the full moon in beautiful settings. We extend our gratitude to our experienced, talented, and knowledgeable captain for making this wonderful experience possible, to our chef for presenting us with the unique flavors of Hatay cuisine, and to our dear crew members who were always by our side. Kekova, September 21, 2024…