Gokova Korfezi is a large gulf (korfezi=gulf), almost 50 nautical miles from the opening to the head. On the south side of the gulf is the Datca Peninsula and on the north side is the Bodrum Peninsula. Our plan was to spend a week or so cruising up the south side, jumping off from Datca, and then back down on the north side, ending in Bodrum. The area is well-known for its natural beauty. Unlike the cruising grounds closer to Marmaris, there will not be a lot of restaurants and market stops, we stopped in the town of Datca for fuel and supplies. We had a night at anchor in the ancient city/ruins of Knidos before rounding the corner to enter the large gulf on the south side.
We had a beautiful day of sailing. The Datca Peninsula is very green. It is an agricultural area, one of the largest almond producers in the world. In fact the almonds in California (another large producer) were transplanted from this area. (Sorry no source, I can’t remember where I read that).
Our first anchorage was at Kucuk Cati. We arrived around 16:00. It was starting to get more windy and we were anxious to get settled. We checked other anchorages in the area, Kucuk Cati was the best. We were hoping to free-anchor; but, there was another boat already there. We had to anchor with our lines to the shore for the first time this season. We weren’t prepared for that and it was a bit of a shit-show; but, we got ‘er done.
We enjoyed this anchorage so much, we decided to spend another day. We explored the walking path through the trees around the tiny bay, swam and generally chilled.
Next stop Hirsiz Koyu in English Harbour.
We spent a second night in English Harbour at Canak Koyu. It was like a lake in the morning at this protected anchorage. So quiet and still, you could see fish jumping and hear birds chirping. Oh and the scent of the pine, a delight for all of the senses.
Looking ahead at the weather and knowing we wanted to meet our friend in Bodrum in just a few days, it was time to cross over to the north side of Gokova Korfezi. With the current wind conditions, there were few options for a protected anchorage. We headed to Orak Adasi and a little anchorage on the north side of the island. We had this anchorage mostly to ourselves for two days with the occasional gulet dropping by. My pictures don’t capture how clear the water was here. We rowed the dinghy over the anchor and could see it very clearly dug in at least seven meters below us.
It has been more than two weeks since we left Marmaris Yacht Marina, with only two days on shore for provisions during that time.
From here we are headed to Bodrum. We will spend a few days at D-Marin Marina in Turgut Reis to hide out from some heavy winds, get the boat cleaned up and wait for Doug. This will be our jump-off point for Greece. Check back to see which of the 6000 Greek islands we visit.
