Fethiye

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Revision as of 15:13, 22 June 2010

Fethiye (Port of entry)

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	36°37.7′N, 29°06′E
	Photo gallery
	Local chartlet

The Bay of Fethiye
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Fethiye, the ancient Telmessos, is a very pleasant town with a large esplanade. The town is surrounded by Lycian rock tombs carved on the rocks. The tomb of Amyntas, carved in the style of an Ionic temple into the rock face south of the town in the 4th century BC, is worth a visit for the view alone. Further east are some impressive Lycian rock-cut tombs extending several hundred metres up the cliff face. There is also a medieval castle built by the Knights of Rhodes on a high bluff SW of the town. In the middle of town there is a Lycian sarcophagus tomb in the shape of a small house. There are two marina options in Fethiye, the large 400-berth Fethiye Ece Marina on the south shore of the bay and the smaller 20-berth Yes Marina about a mile to the west. There are two other marinas in the bay, Letoonia Marina on the north side of the bay, which is basically a boat park for visitors staying in the adjoining resort complex rather than a conventional marina, and the marina of the Yacht Classic Hotel immediately west of Fethiye Ece Marina, which is, however, a Sunsail charter base and has few berths available for visiting yachts (especially at weekends).

Charts

Chart of the Fethyie Region
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BA

1886 Approaches to Fethiye Körfezi

Imray-Tatra

G36 South Coast of Turkey

NIMA

54421 Kardeiga to Ilbiz Burnu

Turkey

312Marmaris - Fethiye

313 Fethiye - Kaş

3122 Fethiye Körfezi

Greek

452 Rhodos to Cattelorizo

Radio Nets

Also see Cruiser's Nets

Submit details of local radio Nets.

Local Weather

See Turkey

Approach and Navigation

The approaches to Fethiye are straightforward. If approaching from the west, note that the shoal of Battikaya opposite Fethiye island is marked with a north cardinal marker.

Offshore Islands and Groups

Tersane Adasi

Anchoring is permitted in Tersane Creek at the NW tip of the island, where there is also a restaurant jetty with laid moorings for customers (see entry for Skopea Limani).

Baba Adasi

GPS: 36°41.5′N, 28°41.7′E - Chartlet A small anchorage 10 nM W of Fethyie and few miles E of Ekinçik Liman. Anchor at the S side of the island at 5-8 m with a shore line. Pleasant and isolated but only in good weather.

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

Chart of the Bay of Fethiye - Chartlet
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There are a total of four marinas in Fethiye Bay, of which two are suitable for visiting yachts:

• Fethiye Marina
• Yes Marina

See also the entry for Göcek Marina.

Anchorages

Fethiye Bay

The best anchorage is at the western end of the bay, where one can anchor in 10-15 metres off the boatyards or further east between Yes Marina and the large Fethiye Ece Marina. Shelter is good from all directions except east, when the pontoons of Fethiye Ece Marina give some protection.

Cape Batikkaya

There are a few anchorages at Cape Batikkaya (GPS: 36°38.2′N, 29°06′E, 36°38.5′N, 29°05.8′E, and 36°38.7′N, 29°05.2′E) just about 1 nM north of the town. They offer good shelter from the prevailing W/NW winds but are all open to easterlies.

Skopea Limani

Skopea Limani looking east towards the Taurus Mountains
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GPS: 36°40.4′N, 28°52.8′E - Chartlet
See separate entry for Skopea Limani .

Kizilkuyruk Koyu

Chart of Kizilkuyruk Koyu
Click for larger view

GPS: 36°37.1′N, 28°52.3′E Kizilkuyruk Koyu is about 1 nM NNW of Ince Burun between Ekinçik Liman and Fethiye. It is a lovely cove but very crowded. In 1997 a small restaurant was continuously blasting the cove with disco music. Anchor in 8-12 m and take a line to the shore. About a 30 minute walk up the hill is Lydae, an archaeological site. The site, with two Roman mausoleums and some Byzantine foundations, is not very interesting but its setting is exquisite. There are several mud-brick domes which may be Moslem tombs but I am not so sure because goats have been using them for shelter.

Kizilkuyruk Koyu

Kucuk Kuyruk

GPS: 36°37.75′N, 28°52.9′E Kücük Kuyruk lies one mile NE of Kizilkuyruk Koyu. While small, it is a delightful anchorage with a sandy beach at its head and good shelter from the prevailing winds. Anchor in 8-10 metres and take a line ashore to a suitable rock.

Ragged Bay

GPS: 36°38′N, 28°53.5′E Ragged Bay, immediately north of Kucuk Kuyruk, consists of three inlets sheltered by a small offshore islet. A reef extends 50-60 metres east of the islet and should be avoided. Anchor in one of the inlets in the bay and take a line ashore. Depths are between 15 and 20 metres. The bay is popular with gulets but they seldom stay overnight.

Ölu Deniz

Aerial view of Ölu Deniz
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GPS: 36°32.9′N, 29°06.8′E - Chartlet

Anchorage at Ölu Deniz

Ölu Deniz is a completely land locked and beautiful lagoon. However, it is overrun by tourists and the beach to the east is backed with row upon row of tacky hotels. Entry to the lagoon and anchoring within it are prohibited to yachts. However, it is possible to anchor in the cove just west of the lagoon entrance and take a line ashore, although the depths here are considerable. It is not a suitable place to stop unless the weather is settled. Better anchorages are at Gemiler Adasi and Karakaören.

Gemiler Adasi

GPS: 36°34′N, 29°04.3′E

Anchorage at Gemiler Adasi

Gemiler Adasi, three miles west of Ölu Deniz, has an attractive anchorage on the north side which can be used in settled weather. Anchor in 15 – 20 metres and take a line ashore. Often rather aggressive ‘boat boys’ will approach and offer to take your lines (for a tip, of course). The shore here is lined with Byzantine ruins, extending some 15-20 metres out under the water, and the situation is most picturesque in the right conditions.

Gemiler Buku

GPS: 36°33.7′N, 29°03.8′E

Gemiler Buku is a small sandy cove about half a mile west and north of Gemiler Adasi. There is very little room in here to anchor, since the bay is buoyed off for swimming and the best anchorage, on the SW side with a line ashore, is usually occupied by fishing boats and gulets. A lunch stop only, assuming you can get in.

Karakaören

GPS: 36°32.6′N, 29°03.4′E

Karakaoren Restaurant moorings

Karakaören is probably the most secure anchorage in the area of Ölu Deniz. Sheltered from the prevailing winds by an archipelago of rocky islets and reefs, the small cove has been developed by the Karakaören Restaurant on the northern shore into a regular yacht ‘stop-off’ en route between Kalkan and Fethiye. The restaurant has laid 24 moorings in a crescent around the north side of the cove. Since the moorings are close together, it is necessary to take a line ashore (which the restaurant staff will do for you on arrival). In addition, there are three mooring buoys further out where yachts may swing. Anchoring is also possible in 14-16 metres further out in the cove, although the shelter is less good here and you will get some swell with any wind. Some yachts also anchor on the south side and take a line ashore to the rocks – although the bottom is sand and weed with many rocks and not the best holding. Obviously, if you use the restaurant moorings, you are expected to eat in the restaurant (set meal of meze, main course, salad and fruit from 30-45 Turkish lire).

Yacht Repairs and Services

Marine Stores

Submit addresses and contact details of marine related businesses that are of interest to cruisers.

Repairs/Yards

Enquire at the Fethiye Marina.

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

Fuel, water and eletricity at Fethiye Ece Marina; water and electricity at Yes Marina.

Tourism and Things to do Ashore

Tourism

Fethiye

The Museum is well worth a visit, they have a very exciting stele from the Letoön with an inscription shown in three languages: Greek, Aramaic, and Lycian. They also have a nice ethnographic section. It closes at 17:00.

From Fethiye one can take a number of inland excursions to places such as Ölu Deniz, Xanthos, and Patara. All of these places can also be visited from Kalkan or Kaş.

Gallery

Bay of Fethiye

Fishing boats, Fethiye

Lycian rock-cut tombs, Fethiye

Grocery & Supply Stores

Many stores in town. Minimarket in the Fethiye Ece Marina.

Eateries

There are numerous restaurants along the waterfront, mostly touristy and offering standard Turkish tourist fare. For a more interesting experience, go to the old fish market off Hamam Sokak in the heart of the old town. You choose your fish at the central counter (excellent fresh sea bream, sea bass or delicious local 'ice fish' at around 20-25 Turkish lire per kilo), then repair to one of the restaurants around the shady square, where they cook and serve it with garlic bread and salad for just 5 Turkish lire per person (prices as at May 2010) --Athene of Lymington 14:55, 24 May 2010 (UTC)

Internet/WiFi

At both marinas and in internet cafés.

Laundry

Right across from the Fethiye Marina.

Motorbike & Car Rentals

There are several agencies in town.

Garbage Disposal

There are bins at the marinas and in several anchorages.

Transportation

Dalaman airport is about one hour away by taxi.

Routes/Passages To/From

See Aegean.

Cruiser's Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on the Cruiser Log Forum

External Links

• Fethiye (Wikipedia)

References & Publications

See Turkey.

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

Date of member's visit to this Port/Stop & this page's details validated:

• August 1997 --Istioploos 17:08, 6 June 2008 (MDT)
• May 2010 --Athene of Lymington 08:45, 23 May 2010 (UTC)

Personal Notes

• We abandoned plans to visit Letoonia Marina on our visit to Fethiye on discovering that the charge is Turkish Lira 100 per person per night (inclusive, however, of hotel room and all meals). The 'marina' here is simply a boat park on a concrete quay (without laid moorings) and not a very salubrious one at that. We pushed on to Yes Marina, which was in the process of being converted into a very smart restaurant and mini-marina, with new T pontoon, water, electricity, toilets and showers (very swish) and free WiFi. Oh, and it was half the price of Fethiye Ece Marina - May 2010 --Athene of Lymington 08:44, 23 May 2010 (UTC).

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