Bodrum to Gocek in one week, advice

[mihpreda]

Hello!

We are sailing first week of July from Bodrum to Gocek (one way) and I could use some advice where to stop on the way.

Also, do you think it's enough time get from Bodrum to Gocek ?

I researched the area and we'll be sailing downwind most of the time.

Thanks
Mihai

[fishtail]

You will easily do it in one week,but will have to miss out a lot of good places on the way.

However,nice places to stop are:-

Knidos...worth visiting the ancient city.

Palamut:- small town,good harbour.

Datca:- Big town.good shopping for provisions & fuel if necessary.

Bozburun:- attractive small town,good harbour

Ciflik:- enclosed bay,mooring at restaurant pontoons.A better overnight than any of the moorings in Marmaris bay.

From there,it is a longish sail to the entrance of Gocek Bay,but once in the bay,it is possible to anchor off in any number of places.

[Katiusha]

If you're chartering, most likely you'll get 103 Bays and Anchorages guide (or Bays and Restaurants, don't remember). It's a large paperback publication that lists all bays and restaurants from Bodrum peninsula to Kas. All these restaurants allow for free docking/mooring if you have a drink/meal at their place. If you pick up a mooring, they will even drive you to shore. This guide lists most places protected from meltemi and swell with decent anchorages. Look through it and choose

If we were doing this trip in one week, we would do:
- Bodrum -> Knidos for the large city ruins and ancient breakwater
- Knidos -> Buzu kale (south eastern tip of Bozburun bay) for their food and a castle.
- Buzu kale -> Turunc (near Marmaris) we wouldn't go into Marmaris bay just because we were based there for 1.5 winters. But Marmaris bay is gorgeous as well.
- Turunc -> Dalyan to have a boat trip to see meandering river (gorgeous) and Lycian tombs.
- Dalyan -> Gocek bay and explore the islands and small bays in the south west corner for 2 days.

Not to miss places out of above for us are Knidos and Dalyan - gorgeous and unusual.


Also, search this forum for Bodrum, then for Gocek. There are many posts about this area, even if threads are about marinas.

[mihpreda]

We booked our Odyssey 43 boat from Bodrum to Gocek for the first week in July.

I am a bit concerned with the strong meltemi winds because our experience is limited.

Any advice on how to handle the winds would be greatly appreciated.
I think we'll go mostly downwind.

Regards
Mihai

[Katiusha]

When going along the coast, stay at least 2-3 miles off as closer in waves get confused.

[atoll]

most people leave early,6 am and motor up the coast untill about 11.30 when the wind starts to blow(land effect).
this makes bringing the boat back at the end of the charter a lot easier if you have to return to the same base!

[XgoDoT]

No need to start as early as 6 am
1- As posted above no wind during summer months until 11 to 11:30
2- Would be waste of time if you never had to chance to stop and swim in such beautiful waters

Suggested Route would be
Bodrum-Knidos
Knidos- Bozukkale (you will need to sail until sunset)
Bozukkale - Ciftlik
Ciftlik - Ekincik or Dalyan
Dalyan - Fethiye Golf (Gocek Bays)

And you will have a final day around Gocek Bay with endless possible Anchorages (Like Cleopatra's Bath etc.)

If you send me a PM, I could send you the Route with possible Anchorages as Google Earth file.

Btw. we will be sailing from Marmaris to Gocek from 23.6 till 7.7 so who knows maybe we'll meet at one of our last stops Our Boat is an Oceanis 40

About Meltemi : I wouldnt worry about it much, if you stay clear of Caps. Pay more attention when anchoring during the night for Fall Winds. You can check where the local gulets chose to anchor. They usually know about good places that are safer from fall winds during nights.

Enjoy your trip

[Katiusha]

Some more thoughts: when passing downwind of Kos, be aware that you will encounter current against meltem, so quite confused seas.

Also, very frequently you will get very gusty wind (> 2 times reg. wind speed) when approaching Kos, then somewhere in the middle the wind will switch 180 degrees, also gusty but maybe not quite so much. We've had so many broaches at that point, that now we reef before Kos to account for the wind shift even though the sailing is wonderful.

[mihpreda]

Thank you for your help.

Katiusha, when you say downwind of Kos, do you mean passing between Kos island and Datca peninsula ?

We'll probably do this the first day, but we won't get near Kos (since we don't want to pass in greek waters).

To Xgodot: what do you mean by "stay clear of Caps" ?

Regards
Mihai

[Katiusha]

Originally Posted by mihpreda

Thank you for your help.

Katiusha, when you say downwind of Kos, do you mean passing between Kos island and Datca peninsula ?

Yes.

Originally Posted by mihpreda

We'll probably do this the first day, but we won't get near Kos (since we don't want to pass in greek waters).

Even if you stay in Turkish waters (and noone watches that you stick to territorial waters), you might still catch that effect. Watch ripple patterns on the water ahead of you.

[XgoDoT]

To Xgodot: what do you mean by "stay clear of Caps" ?

sorry misspelled capes
what I mean is, usually local boats such as gulets do sail very close to capes since they do motor instead of sailing. And one might simply just follow them. But specialy Cape of Knidos, Bozukkale, Kapidagi or sometime even the smaller ones between to bays are where lots unpredicted thermic can occur. Then you will have the lovely effect of wind gusting from a nice 5 to 7-8 for a short period of time. If you are not reefed, it can somewhat panic the crew

[mihpreda]

Katiusha,

If the boat would start to get into a broach while sailing downwind with full main sail, how would you recover ?

Regards
Mihai

[Katiusha]

Remember, that I'm taking about wind shifting 180, so you're sailing downwind and suddenly you're close hauled with the wind spilling off loosely positioned sail.

Drop the traveller first, drop the main sheet second while the partner at the helm is righting the boat. If not working, wait until the boat is dead into the wind, start the engine, hold position and reef (or correct sail positions to account for the new angle). Also possible to cheat: start the engine when dead into the wind, set the sail positions correctly, and motor-sail out of the zone Depends on wind strength, gust strengths, and sea conditions.

[yeloya]

I did this route 100 times maybe more, delivering charter boats or when sailing with my family for my own pleasure. Reading some of the comments and suggestions, I had the feeling that I sailed in other waters but not there. I won't comment about any of those, but just about one common misconception: Bozukkale is not a SAFE place unless you are moored in the jetty of the restaurant just underneath the ruined castle. (even there you are not 100 % safe if it's blowing..) If the meltemi doesn't stop towards the sunset (which usually is the case) don't ever try to enter Bozukkale but go until Çiftlik some 10-15 nm and to the jetty of one of the restaurants. I would recomemmend the third one from the left facing west :Ali Baba.
Another alternative is the jetty of Octopus restaurant with an excellent jetty and mouring lines in Sogut. (This is best restaurant in the area but a bit pricey..) Exact position is 36.39.30 N, 28.25 E
I entered in Bozukkale many times (more than once for salvaging charter boats) and when it's blowing 20 outside, you may well have 30-35 gusting from every direction there in the middle of the night.
If the weather is OK it's a very nice place though and ideally placed beetween Knidos and Çiftlik.
A Last note, if you are anchoring , it doesn't make a difference but none of the three restaurants in Bozukkale have neither water nor electricity whilst in Soğut and Çiftlik, they all have it.
So everyone who recommend Bozukkale , including some pilote books, are now warned

Cheers

Yeloya

[Dockhead]

On that route, you will be sailing downwind almost all the time -- so relax and enjoy. You've picked a fantastic route as you won't have to beat back to base. Sailing downwind, when the Meltemi pipes up, just drop the main and sail on headsail alone, reefing as necessary according to the wind strength. It is about 1/10 as challenging to sail in 40 knots of wind downwind, as it is to try to beat in it.

Don't miss Knidos -- one of the most beautiful spots on God's green earth. Pure magic. Actually that whole coast is fabulous. I am envious.

The Meltemi does sometimes blow all night. Charter boats almost always have cr*p anchors so be careful. It's a weird sensation to spend the night when the Meltemi is blowing -- it's like trying to sleeping under a giant hair dryer. Uncomfortable, and actually, disturbing.