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For BLUE
VOYAGE prices and bookings please call
020 8306 6660 / 0870 909 5555
The azure waters of the Mediterranean,the
Aegean,and the Black Sea,as well as the Sea of Marmara, surround Turkey to the
south,west,and north. With over 8,333 kiometers of coastline
along the four seas,Turkey is a treasure chest of coves,inlets,bays
and beaches at which yachtsmen can choose a
different and
private anchorage each night.The sailing paradise of Turkey is also
home to the Blue Voyage.This idyllic cruise means sailing with the
winds,into coves and over the seas and becoming one with
nature.It is also an experience of the history of man from the
perspective of the sea rather than from the land, a journey which
carries you to the private beach of Cleopatra,the eternal fires of remains of ancient civilizations.For lovers of the active
life,sailing in clear waters provides great opportunities for
swimming,fishing,skiing,surfing and diving.
Sailing in Turkey
also allows you to experience a truly enriching cultural exchange with the hospitable and gracious people of the coastal
villages and towns.The tempered winds which generally blow from the
west and northwest make the long summers ideal for yachting,and
seem to encourage an appreciation of nature.From some of the turquoise coast’s
unspoilt and sheltered bays you can see mountain peaks rising to
almost 3,000 meters above sea level.
In Turkey modern facilities and comfort
have not overshadowed ancient hospitality and slower pace of
life.The pleasure of yachting in Turkey will tempt you to come
back again and again,the explore yet another stretch of cosat
and to relieve tohe luxurious ease of life on the sea. The
opportunity to combine sun, sea, history and the hikes on land is
best experienced on a Blue Cruise. Comfortable accommodation and
first rate meals are standard features on these gleaming wooden
craft, designed along the traditional lines of Aegean sailing boats.
You can either relax in your bathing suit all day long, enjoy
the good food and the sun or you can experience more exciting
activities like diving, snorkelling or fishing. And you can
also... Walk down the passage of time and discovery the legacy of ancient civilizations.Witness breathtaking
architecture set
against dazzling landscapes.Listen to winds
that echo with tales of valour and passion. Stay with sun and
close your eyes,it takes you to culture of civilization through
the sea waves.The sea gulls to guide you into anotherworld.Because at Blue Voyage it is dedicated to the idea that nothing should
come between
you and the best the Mediterranean has to
offer.
.... Yachting remains a popular activity for residents as
well as visitors to Turkey. Over the past 40 years the
industry has grown,and today alarge number of marinas dot the
coastline between Istanbul and Antalya.These provide supplies,easy access to the shore at major resorts and safe
harbors,as well as often becoming local entertainment venues in
themselves.In Istanbul, yachtsmen will delight in slendid natural
landscapes,open seas and magnificent sunsets,as well as a voyage
through Byzantine and Ottoman history as they sail past the
impressive castles,palaces and mosqoues.While navigating the
breathtaking Bosphorus and sailing under the two enormous bridges
which span Europe and Asia, meandering along the mosque-lined
Golden Horn or cruising in the coves and bays of the Princes
Islands,you can always return to one of the two largemarinas in
the area.Both Ataköy marina on the
European side and Kalamis
marina on the Asian side offer 24 hour service. From the North
Sea through the European channel system and the Rhine and Danube
rivers into the Black Sea harbors and to the Istanbul Bosphorus and Istanbul marinas – a safe and short way to get to the Turkish
coasts.The Black Sea coast provides yachtmen with a lush green
coastla band where the environment is well-protected.There are coves
and fishing harbors along this coast,and the weather is mild during
the summer and winter. Turkey’s most established marinas lie on
the southern Aeagean and Mediterranean coasts at
Izmir, Cesme, Kusadasi, Bodrum, Marmaris, Datca, Göcek, Fethiye, Kalkan, Kas, Finike,Kemer
and Antalya.In these well-equipped harbors,yachtsmen can find the services and provisions they require.Antalya,Dalaman,Bodrum
and Istanbul airports provide quick links to all Turkey’s
marinas.After an easy flight you can board your yacht and sail
off all within a day.
ENJOYMENT ON TRADITIONAL
CRAFTS
..... The singular design of Turkey’s
indigenues sea-going vessel, the gulet, blend practicality and
tradition in a relaxed style that embodies the Blue Voyage. Over the years gulets have evolved from traditional
fishing and cargo vesels into their present profile of a broad
beam and wide deck.Constructed mainly in the shipyards of
Bodrum, Marmaris, Bozburun and Istanbul,and along the Black Sea
Coast,the boats are equipped with motors as well as fully functional
rigging.The number of passengers a gulet carries depends on the
boat’s size,although most of them accomodate between eight and
twelve people. These vessels offers passengers separate
accommodations,and chartering one includes services and
enteainment.Modern gulets are comfortabely equipped with of the
amenities of home and encourage an environment in which you are
expected to do nothing but enjoy yourself.The closeness of the
entourage on board promotes an atmophere of friendship and
sharing;relations between passengers and crew tend to be relaxed and
casual. Travel agencies which have responsibilty can arrange
charters and fixed tours
for a specific group or for you
individually.Unlike cruises on large ocean liners, on a gulet you
can explore the secluded and often deserted bays and coves of
the coastline.The small harbors and settlements offer an intimate
view of coastal life which large ships simply cannot.In many
ways a gulet is like a full-service hotel where every room has a
sea view and the scenery changes constantly.
BLUE VOYAGE
Discover
Turkey's Turquoise Coast on a yachting holiday unlike any
other. Board a gulet (hand crafted wooden boat build traditional
Turkish design) and escape the rigours of everyday life to spend
your days souking up endless sunshine,napping,reading and
relaxing,swimming at crystal waters,snorkeling,fishing and
windsurfing,visiting antique sites whilst your crew tends to
your every needs. Yachting has become increasingly popular
throughout the world. Yachters now traverse the globe looking
for beautiful places to explore. Even if the Blue Cruise had not
developed as it did,this area would have inevitably become a
major boating centre. However, certain conditions and events
coincided to encourage the development of the concept of the Blue
Cruise and the type of boat that has become popular for it,
before the onset of yacht tourism in its present form.
The
concept of the cruise began in unusual circumstances.It owes much to certain Cevat Sakir who was the son of an Ottoman Pasha famous
for his cartography. Born in 1886, Cevat Sakir studied at Oxford
University and in 1924 was exiled to Bodrum (ancient
Hailicarnassos by a Military Court on account of an article he
had written. In those days Bodrum was by no means known as a
resort. lts ancient castle had been used as a pension since Ottoman times, and the village itself was used as a remote place
of exile
unknown to anyone in authority.Cevat Sakir however fell
in love with his place of exile. This reject from society
covered in Bodrum an earthly paradise. After his term of exile
came to an end, he adopted Bodrum as his residence, the
Lifestyle of a villager as his own, and the pen-name " the Fisherman
of Halicarnassos" for the short stories and novels he wrote about
the place. The city' intellectuals who read his stories would
visit and go to sea with him. Another famous writer, Sabahattin
Eyuboglu, a university lecturer and an accomplished personality, led
a group of friends on a voyage of discovery of the South Coast
which pioneered the traditional Blue Cruise.
They started from Gökova in a fishing boat with none of the
facilities you get today, such as toilets. This cruise was made
on the Hürriyet, anordinary fishing boat of the South Coast
tirandil type. Thereafter the Hürriyet became the forebear of
the "classical" Blue Cruise boat and the captains of the family of Ali provided the most experienced crews. Graduaily others
followed them and the concept of the Blue Cruise came into
being. Together with this cruise there also developed a theory of
history. In Turkey, history is very much associated with
cultural identity and is subject to perennial discussion.
Throughout history many cultures have traversed and settled this
land, many of which were in conflict with others and a complex historical synthesis merged.
Under the influence of Cevat
Sakir, Sabahattin Eyuboglu and his group looked for the roots of
Turkish culture in the ancient civilizations of Anatolia. Particularly that of Ionia. Although this theory failed to
explain the whole story, it explains part of the general complex
identity of Turkey which has developed
up to today. During
the Blue Voyage,the places you visit are the whealt of
civilizations.Any cruising ground that you choose is rich with
historic sites,ancient cities and unique rock tombs. Only
Blue Voyage will give the chance to discover countless hidden
coves,undiscovered bays,sun drenched sandy beaches and isolated
villages, the private beach of Cleopatra,Olüdeniz,the rock tombs
of the Kaunos,the eternal fires of mount Olympos,Myria rock
tombs,the archeological remains of ancient civilizations,that
had also remained under sea.The experience of seeing breathtaking
panoramic views of a sea which flows into shades of green and blue or the sun slipping down towering mountains and slowly
disappearing into a
golden hazed sea can only be described as priceless.
During Blue
Voyage you can beyond ordinary.Most of us live in large
cities where the city lights dull brightness stars.On the Blue Voyage you
can see the stars very clearly.If your Blue Voyage conciders
with the full moon,it is exeptionally beautiful in these
parts. When ther is no moon,you are in another treat, ”phosphor
scene”. It is the phenomenon created by tiny creatures invisible to
human eye.In the pitch
dark when moving in the water,it glitters
when,for example you are rowing. At the point where the oar
touches the surface of the water,there will be circles of
light.The drops of the water splashing from the oars will drop on
the surface of the sea like a shower of stars.
Swimming on a
pitch dark night is an incredible experience,like a narcissistic
pleasure.Now imagine you will be lying on the deck and alone with
stars while the sea is quite choppy with in the gulf or imagine
visiting fishermen's villages isolated by the bay during the
day.
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