We wanted to experience the Mediterreanean Sea from the deck of a wooden sailboat, or a gullet, as they are called in Turkey. Although the boats are usually fitted with sails, it is unfortunately rare that the wind is used for propulsion. As the waters are so blue along the coast, the trips on these beautiful gullets are called Blue Voyages. We chose the 12 Islands route, in the waters surrounding Fethiye, and went with a tour company called V-Go. It was a wonderful experience, and we got in lots of swimming, eating good food and relaxing in the sun.
We boarded the boat in Oludeniz, making our way around the coast towards Fethiye, stopping at St Nicholas Island for the first night. We then followed the 12 Islands route, each one more beautiful than the last. Twice we went ashore with the dinghy to explore, climbing the hills for a beautiful view of the sea and surrounding islands with their stunning array of blue and green coloured water and pebbled beaches.
The waters off the islands were a clear aquamarine, and you could see all the way to the bottom. It was like swimming in a pool, but in a much nicer setting!
The meals were incredible, as we had a local Turkish woman and her husband as cook and captain of the boat. There were also two younger boys as crew. The first couple of days we had a group of ten on the boat, making for a fun and social atmosphere.
Each day the boat would stop at two or three different locations, where we would hop off for a swim and exploration of the rocks and ruins.
In between we would dry off in the sun on the deck or lay about on the deck mattresses in the shade, reading, chatting or just enjoying the view.
Unfortunately there was no real sailing, as these boats have to cover reasonable distances in a short amount of time, but it was completely worth it as we got to see and swim in some of the most beautiful waters along the southeast coast of Turkey that are otherwise inaccessible.
At the end of the second day, seven departed as they were ending their portion of the tour (we actually had joined their group for the last part of their five day journey from Olympos to Fethiye) and so we were left with just three of us on the entire boat, with one crew member for each passenger. Private boat cruise!!
It was a relaxing three days and two nights, and a perfect way to get back into travelling mode after working on the farm. On returning to Fethiye, we went back to the ever trusty Yildrim’s Guesthouse where we would make our final preparations to start hiking a portion of the Lycian Way the following morning. As always, another adventure awaited…
We boarded the boat in Oludeniz, making our way around the coast towards Fethiye, stopping at St Nicholas Island for the first night. We then followed the 12 Islands route, each one more beautiful than the last. Twice we went ashore with the dinghy to explore, climbing the hills for a beautiful view of the sea and surrounding islands with their stunning array of blue and green coloured water and pebbled beaches.
The waters off the islands were a clear aquamarine, and you could see all the way to the bottom. It was like swimming in a pool, but in a much nicer setting!
The meals were incredible, as we had a local Turkish woman and her husband as cook and captain of the boat. There were also two younger boys as crew. The first couple of days we had a group of ten on the boat, making for a fun and social atmosphere.
Each day the boat would stop at two or three different locations, where we would hop off for a swim and exploration of the rocks and ruins.
In between we would dry off in the sun on the deck or lay about on the deck mattresses in the shade, reading, chatting or just enjoying the view.
Unfortunately there was no real sailing, as these boats have to cover reasonable distances in a short amount of time, but it was completely worth it as we got to see and swim in some of the most beautiful waters along the southeast coast of Turkey that are otherwise inaccessible.
At the end of the second day, seven departed as they were ending their portion of the tour (we actually had joined their group for the last part of their five day journey from Olympos to Fethiye) and so we were left with just three of us on the entire boat, with one crew member for each passenger. Private boat cruise!!
It was a relaxing three days and two nights, and a perfect way to get back into travelling mode after working on the farm. On returning to Fethiye, we went back to the ever trusty Yildrim’s Guesthouse where we would make our final preparations to start hiking a portion of the Lycian Way the following morning. As always, another adventure awaited…
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