Yachting Monthly - November 2015

Anchor and take a line

ashore. Avoid the shallows

at the end of the cove

ANCHORAGES

T

he Gulf of Gökova cuts deep

into the Turkish Aegean coast

and looks something like a pair

of jaws clamping down on the

Greek island of Kos. From the

entrance to the end it is over 50 miles

long with high mountains and cliffs on

both sides. On the north side Bodrum

Peninsula is the more developed and

Bodrum town is the place to stock up

with provisions if you are heading down

into the gulf. On the southern side of the

gulf is the Datça Peninsula with the ruins

of the ancient city of Knidos on the end.

The gulf is much indented and there are

anchorages all around both sides, so not

surprisingly it is a popular cruising area.

Büyük Çati is around halfway along the

southern side of the gulf. It is not easy to

around the islet with the tree on it and the

reef that connects it to the shore.

One Tree Cove and Küçük Çati.

Immediately east and west of Büyük Çati

are several other coves that can be used in

calm weather. If the meltemi is blowing

hard a bit of swell rolls into these coves,

so they should only really be used in light

onshore winds. (Just for the record,

büyük = big and küçük = small).

There are no facilities in this area so you

are on your own. The coves have always

been tranquil places accessible only by

water and they are part of a national

park. Nonetheless, the new road along the

Datça Peninsula doesn’t bode well for the

continued isolation of the place. W

Rod Heikell suggests

visiting this peaceful

anchorage, which

is only accessible by water

see exactly where it is from a distance,

but closer in there is a small islet off the

entrance with a single tree on it. There

used be two trees, but one disappeared

years ago. Head in leaving the islet to

starboard, when the inlet will open up.

There are a number of rocks and shallow

areas off the shore, but the water is very

clear and these are all easily identifi ed.

You can anchor in a number of places.

Büyük Çati. Proceed into the bay and

around the dogleg to the inner cove. Avoid

the shallows at the end of the cove. Anchor

and take a long line to the northern side of

the cove. You can also anchor and take a

line to the southern side, though you can’t

pull the boat in too far because it shallows

up off the coast. There are usually a few

small fi shing boats tucked right into the

end of the cove. Good, almost all-round

shelter can be found in here.

Büyük Çati beach. Before you get

into the inner anchorage there is a beach

in a small cove on the western side of the

entrance. If the meltemi is not blowing

hard, anchor in here with a long line

ashore. This is an idyllic spot with clear

water for swimming and good snorkelling

BÜYÜK ÇATI

Fishing

boats

(Islet

conspic)

One Tree Islet

15

3

3

5

5

10

10

2

2

One Tree

Islet

One Tree

Cove

Büyük

Çati

Gökceler

Bükü

Küçük

Çati

0 500m

5

5

5

2

2

2

0 200m

Datça

Bodrum

Kos

Simi

Gulf of

Gokova

TURKEY

Datça

Büyük Çati,

Gulf of Gökova PHOTO: ROD HEIKELL. CHART: MAXINE HEATH

NOVEMBER 2015 http://www.yachtingmonthly.com 53