Sahula Passage Report 32
:Fethiye
July, 2009
Sahula is anchored (11m) outside the Kethiye Ece marina. The marina has some 1000 yachts. It is full and expensive (40 euro). All established marinas are full. Turkey has benefited from having a superb cruising territory immediate to the high cost European Union (Greece). This may change if Turkey enters the EU. Non- competitive marinas (except for location) charge high prices. Prices have doubled within 12 months.
Yacht Plaza Hotel's small marina (up bay from Ece marina) charges a TL a foot but half if regular use is made of the restaurant - a bargain.
Contrarily, in Greece, due to large EU funding, many marinas started but have not completed construction. They are free. In Greece, however the EU visa requirements limit visits to three months.
The UNESCO estimates potentially, 6 billion tourists world wide by 2020. Turkey is a capsule of the impact on cruising territories. Much may be lost unless authorities understand that the unexploited has a higher value for the national spirit and present and future tourism.
Every anchorage is occupied by charter yachts and gulets. Every bay has a restaurant/s. A new road means a large influx of private/resort condominiums may surround the bay.
These impacts are symptomatic of weak government. Greece, Turkey and many Mediterranean countries have weak democracies, politics, planning and legal systems. NGO's and international groups are unrecognized and under resourced. An active "fifth estate" (media) has other priorities. The developers and private individuals exploit the opportunity.
EU membership means greater environmental regulation but relies on national enforcement. Turkey recently implemented, by public consensus, an EU requirement, a national smoking ban on public places including restaurants. Smoking a water pipe was a national symbol.
The solution, government "interference" in private enterprise, means more regulation and active enforcement. These actions impact on cruising freedom. The times "they are a changing..." "Freedom" will have a more restricted meaning. The cruisers initiative takes on different challenges.
Older cruisers lament the losses since their last visit within a decade. Locals lament that "it all has happened within the 6-7 years. Before then ... was a sleepy little town..."
This lament has been heard by the authorities in Fethiye/ Gocek province. In the cause of "preservation of biological variety and environmental values and preventing pollution..." they have introduced regulations that require tourist boats (gulets?) in the Gocek Gulf to have waste storage tanks dischargeable only at sea or into special facilities in port, no noise pollution, no open BBQ's, no diving, pre- booking of the various bays. "Tourist boats" means gulets. They reacted swiftly temporarily blockading the Fethiye harbour and blowing their horns. In time, it will include all yachts.
Fethiye is a delightful, small city. The ambience is of a town in balance between locals and tourists. Skipper finds here many of the items required for cruising. The kalyon Chandlery is excellent (English spoken). Skipper also updates his wardrobe.
There is a very cheap and large, "Tuesday Market" for "everything" (follow the esplanade to a river or canal entrance - 15 minutes).
Fresh potable water is available near the anchorage by dinghy. A public water tap is located alongside the highway left of the Coast Guard station.
The town is literally built over ancient Telmessos. Sacrophagi are amongst the houses, one in the middle of a road. The dead dominate. The Ionic, colonaded, Tomb of Amyntas (350 BC) is cut into sheer cliffs high above the town.
"Take to the hills" has been Skipper reaction to the August heat (30-40) and crowded anchorages. Time out. Guides state 7 degrees for every 1000 m. The Karkar mountains in the NE (on the Georgian border) are 2-3000m. Skipper booked a 7 day trek into the mountains with guide, cook and mules (last day). See: www.middleearthtravel.com - Karkar - 7 days. Skipper will extend the stay to 10 days. Skipper's age met the comment "we had a 70 year old ..."
Sahula will be anchored off a shipyard under the owner's watchful eye at no cost.
The HF radio set up has not worked satisfactorily. The SWR is too high reducing power and transmission. Cruiser experts and Marc Robinson in Sydney did excellent work but the problem is persistent. Finally Skipper shipped the HF and tuner to ICOM Turkey's agents. Without HF Skipper has no access to "Grib" weather reports and on board emails.
Skipper will Xmas with Anne (sister) and family in UK. Sahula will be in a "free" marina near Izmir.
Skipper has the "extra curricula" travel bug: Karkar mountains trek, Lycian way trek, Xmas in UK, home in March and St Pauls trek. Friends notes "Capricorn" is for a goat (mountain specie).
Where to send mail? Skipper has "used" Marmaris Marina. It took two calls to finally get on their mail record but not before they returned the new Visa card. It is critical to check the latest web address and only use a mail box.
Relief - ICOM's Turkey agent reports there was a problem with the HF tuner! SWR is now 1.00 and power some100 watts. Lesson: check the core before the edge.
Traveller's travails. Simple but complex. Paying the "tour" company and ICOM: visa card direct means 5 day wait to clear; deposit into account - need passport and in but another bank refuses due to changed regulations. Patience and doggedness (and finding English speaker) brings results.
'Test run' for the mountaineering trek is a short cruise to Skopea Limani (harbour) near Gocek, with hundreds of other yachts. The Guide says its beautiful. Some 50 boats are crammed into Boynuz Buku (bay) Many of them are huge "white motor yachts." Anchorage is in 15-20 m, too deep for Sahula (prefers 4-10 m) who edges inshore.
Anchorages (10-15m) are crowded so boats seem too close. The assumption is that all will swing similarly with the breezes, but the breezes come, in a short time, 360 degrees, calms to 20 knots. Crowd avoidance means in the deep (15-20m) mid bay or line ashore.
"It's the European holiday period but after August the local boats supplant the charter yachts..." is the bad news. "Winter is lovely cruising..." the good news. The ideal is illusive.
Skipper decides to hold off updating the Coursemaster self steering system (some $2000.00 ). The Autohelm Tillerpilot ($600) off Arial (Aries windvane) remains in vogue.
The Karkar "tour" is over. Skipper "suffers" a transformation psychology being back in his sea world from mountain vistas.
A booking is made on the "Visa Run" tour to Kastillorizon, a Greek island off Kas. Skipper's three month visa requires renewal by re-entering the country. The bus is full of expatriot British emigrants to Turkey. The reason given for their living in a new culture is English weather. They buy an apartment in a "British" enclave within the city and live lives which retain Englishness. Skipper asked if they spoke Turkish. None had even a word.
Another bus to Marmaris to collect mail at the Marina, especially the new Visa card. Marmaris is a large tourist town. The marina has over a 1000 yachts.
A visit to the market and Sahula is ready to continue the cruise north (west).
Next Report Fethiye to Bodrum.
David
No comments:
Post a Comment