ExcEllEncE to last thE agEs

Turkey’s Gulf of Fethiye has been wonderful for centuries.

WWe have cruised the Caribbean and loved the Virgin Islands. The beauty of the Maldives, the Florida Keys and the Bahamas has swept us away. Yet time and time again, we return to the Gulf of Fethiye in Turkey. It’s safe, picturesque and, when it comes to yachting, paradise personified.

The Gulf of Fethiye is bounded by the communities of Marmaris to the north and Kas to the south. It is a roughly T-shaped gulf with the ports of Göcek and Fethiye at each head of the crosspiece. Göcek is a fishing village that has grown to embrace fleets of bareboats and crewed gulets. A couple of the town’s four marinas host Sunsail and local fleets.

We cruised aboard a Numarine 78 Hardtop. She is a Turkish-built motoryacht whose aggressive styling makes her a standout in most harbors, and whose Exploring Turkish markets is a vibrant and fascinating experience. Authentic spices make for a practical, locally produced souvenir. design makes her surprisingly spacious for a whole family during a week aboard.

The islands here rise steeply from the seabed, with pine and oleander trees covering the cliffs. High winds and heavy seas are rarely a problem, and the choices of anchorages and moorings include more than 30 creeks and bays, many with restaurants that serve local fare.

Some bays are close to sites of antiquity, letting boaters clamber over ruins from the Roman occupation and earlier. At Ruin Bay, we dropped anchor off the ruins of a partially submerged structure believed to be a Turkish hammam that Cleopatra visited. We explored with snorkels and masks, and then cruised to the ruins of wharves from the Ottoman Empire in Sasala. Tomb Bay has crypts

When it comes to eating in Turkey, tradition and flavor are essential ingredients; Simple sourdough loaves of bread made freshly every day are the foundation of Turkish eating habits. They are typically made with strong white flour, to which a little wholemeal flour is sometimes added; Don’t want to cook on board? Let the cook come to you, and enjoy a perfect

In Ruin Bay, the relics of a bathhouse said to have been used by Queen Cleopatra, who came here with Mark Antony, make a picture-perfect backdrop.

culinary delights. Crystal-clear water and the chance of an anchorage all to yourself are some of the many charms that chartering here has to offer; The wide expanse of foredeck on the Numarine 78 permits the whole family to take in the panoramic Turkish landscape; Fresh fish is among Turkey’s indigenous