Once you sufficiently explored
Fethiye you may then go out on day long excursions to such
ancient cities as
Pinara at Minare village,
Tlos at Doger, and Sidyma at Dodurga returning to
Fethiye in the evening.
There are also other
ancient sites like Kadyanda in rather inaccessible places. One day excursions are also possible to the
ancient cities of
Xanthos,
Letoon, and
Patara in the vicinity of
Fethiye.
If we continue on our
Blue Cruise after
Fethiye, with its numerous
Lycian rock
tombs, we pass the Capes of Camliburun, Sahinburun, and Iblis Burnu, and arrive at the Karacaoren Islands where there are the
ruins of late period structures.
The island has a restaurant and a pier onto which
yachts may tie up. From here, one proceeds to Gemiler Island, which is a good anchorage.
Gemiler Island is filled with
ruins. Among the medieval buildings on the island is a
church and on the hill are the
ruins of a palace decorated with mosaics.
There are cisterns and wells on the island too. On the northern side are the remains of a quay and warehouse that are now partially submerged.
The side of the island facing the mainland is suitable as an anchorage. Immediately opposite this is a restaurant and places where one may find accommodation.
This place is also accessible by highway from
Fethiye. Inland was the
ancient city of Carmylessus.
Between here and
Fethiye is the village of Kaya. Formerly inhabited by
Greeks, the village was abandoned during the population exchanges that took place in 1922 and is now empty. There are plans to turn it into a holiday village.
From Gemiler Island one reaches Bestas
Harbor. Rounding Yogan Cape from here one enters the gulf of Belcegiz. Oludeniz, a beautiful inland
bay that stretches behind the cape, is now closed to
yachts.
The reason this heavenly place is called Oludeniz ("Sea of the Dead") is attributed to the following legend:
Once a father and son were caught in a storm here and were in danger of sinking. The son claimed that if they approached the rocks ashore they could take shelter in a cove.
The father on the other hand asserted that their ship would be driven onto the rocks and break up and that there were no coves around here anyway.
In his terror of running around on the rocks, the father knocked his son (who was at the helm) into the sea with an oar and took over the helm himself.
Just as the ship was about to hit the rocks on the cape, she turned into this calm, smooth watered
bay.
This is the reason they say the
bay is called the Sea of the Dead, whereas what with the pine clad sandy
beach stretched out like a tongue, the name "Paradise
Bay" would be more fitting.
Vessels are not allowed inside the
bay to prevent its pollution. There is a good motel here and there are also many hotels, motels, and restaurants on the Belcegiz gulf side of Oludeniz.
Leaving Belcegiz gulf, we must sail past the high and bold capes of Yedi Burunlar ("Seven Capes") Kotu, Sancak, Inkahlik, Yassi, Kilic, and Zeytin, which have a nasty reputation for contrary winds and confused seas.
Once past them one arrives at a
beach, whose dunes with every passing day engulf a little bit more of the nearby
ancient city of
Patara which awaits the day when archaeologists shovels will free it of the sands.
Rather than stay here however it is better to come overland from
Kalkan, passing Letoon and
Xanthos on the way.
Before one reaches
Kalkan there is another
Harbor called Yesilkoy in which
yachts can take shelter.
Kalkan is an important port of call on the Blue Voyage from which one may visit the surrounding
ancient sites and also stock up on whatever provisions one may require.
One of the most beautiful ports on the
Blue Voyage is
Kas and one may linger on here for a long time. The town is located on the site of
ancient Antiphellos, whose well preserved theater may be visited
today.
Ancient sarcophagi lie scattered about and there are numerous
Lycian rock
tombs in the cliffs.
Rather than stay at
Kas however, it is better for
yachts to anchor at
Bayindir 1.5 km away.
After leaving
Kas, one sails for well known
Kekova where one may visit the
ruins of
Aperlai at the jetty on Sicak Peninsula, Tersane
Bay on
Kekova Island, the sunken city, and the
ruins on the island as well as the
ruins of
Simena at Kalekoy.
The best anchorage for
yachts is Ucagiz where one finds the
ruins of the
ancient city of
Teimussa.
The place is a spot of beauty where nature and history have merged.
Kekova can also be reached in small rented
boats from
Kas and from Cayagzi at
Demre.
After leaving
Kekova, one passes
Gokkaya Harbor and arrives at Cayagzi at
Demre. Here one may visit
Myra and the
Church of St. Nicholas by car and then proceed on to
Finike.
Other interesting sites in
Turkey are:
Antalya,
Kemer,
Phaselis,
Olympos,
Demre,
Kekova,
Simena,
Aperlai,
Kas,
Kalkan,
Patara,
Xanthos,
Letoon,
Tlos,
Pinara, Oludeniz,
Fethiye,
Gocek,
Knidos,
Caunos,
Ekincik,
Gokova,
Marmaris and
Bodrum.
