Amasra

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Revision as of 23:50, 28 December 2011

Amasra

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	41°44.9′N, 32°24′E
	Photo gallery
	Local chartlet

Chart of Amasra
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Background

Amasra, the Greek Άμαστρις (Amastris) is a delightful town about 120 nM E of Sile.

Amastris was founded at the site of Sesamus which was a colony established by Milesians in the 6th century BC although Sesamus could be even earlier as it is referred to by Homer in the Iliad (Book II). According to Starbo, Amastris was founded in the 3rd century BC by queen Amastris of Heracleia Pontica (modern Eregli). She was the niece of Darius III who was defeated by Alexander the Great. She first married Craterus (a Macedonian and close friend of Alexander) and learned Greek. After Craterus died she married Dionysios the tyrant of Heracleia Pontica. Dionysios soon died also and she ruled as a Greek queen in the name of her son. Amastris was murdered by her sons in 288 BC and the city soon came under the rule of Eumenes of Tieum, brother of Philetaerus of Pergamon. Eumenes lost the city to Ariobarzanes, king of Pontus. During the Roman period, Amastris was occupied by Lucullus and became part of the Roman province of Asia. In the Byzantine era, Amastris declined. In 1214 Amastris, along with many other towns, was seized from David Komnenos by Theodore Laskaris. After the fall of the Byzantine empire Amastris was occupied by the Genoese who held the city until it was conquered by the Ottomans around 1460 AD who renamed it Amasra.

The town is rather attractive although somewhat run down.

Charts

BA

2214 The Euxine or Black Sea

2238 Kefken Adasi to Inceburun

1275 Ereğli to Amasra

NIMA

55100 Western Part of the Black Sea

Turkey

113 Eregli-Amasra

121 Amasra-Inebulu

1131 Amasra

Radio Nets

Approaching Amasra
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Also see Cruiser's Nets

Weather

See Turkey.

Approach and Navigation

The approaches to Amasra are straightforward.

Ports and Popular Stops

Amasra Harbor

The Beach and the Harbor
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41°44.9′N, 32°24′E
The harbor of Amasra is large. It is better to anchor off-shore inside the harbor rather then to dock near the fishing boats that usually have an unpleasant odor. Also, the area where one can dock has strong illumination and it would not be too comfortable at night.

Anchor in 6 m with plenty of scope. The harbour is reasonably well protected from swell though at times there can be an annoying rolling due to some swell entering. The water in the harbor is murky, and there can be fierce gusts from the south. The bottom is covered with weed and the holding is not always very good and you may have to try several times.

Warning: There can be unmarked nets which can foul the anchor.

Anchorages

Ovakoy

41°50′N, 32°40.3′E
Ovaköy or Ovatekkeönü, just a few miles east of Amasra is the home of a traditional wooden boat shipwright Hüseyn Çoban. Unfortunately the cove is too small and too shallow for most sailboats.

Approaching to Ovaköy

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Sutluce

Entrance to Sütlüce
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41°51.7′N, 32°51.5′E
Sütlüce or Gideros is a jewel of a small cove surrounded by tall peaks covered with cloud about 20 nM E of Amasra. Here is where the modern Argonauts, described by Tim Severin in the Jason Voyage, were holed-in by a gale. Alas the water is an opaque green color, covered with an oil slick, and garbage.

Anchoring here presents no problems.

Tourism & things to do ashore

The Main Street in Amasra
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The town, while run-down, is rather attractive and has many shops and markets. It is fun to walk its streets.

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

N/A (Not Available).

Laundry

N/A.

Grocery & Supply Stores

• Basic shopping in the town
• Good fruits

Eateries

• Good sea food at the Çesme Cishavik which affords a good view of the harbor. Local specialties are: hamsi (a kind of sardine indigenous to the Black Sea), kalkan (a kind of ray fish), barboun (red mullet), and çoban salat (shepherd's salad very similar to Greek salad).

Internet/WiFi

Available?

Motorbike & Car Rentals

There is no car rentals available in Amasra. Car rentals are available in Bartin a 30 minute bus ride (see details below) from Amasra.

Marine Stores & Facilities

None.

Repairs

N/A.

Garbage Disposal

Trash cans.

Transportation

Modern maroon coloured midi buses run every 30 minutes between Amasra and Bartin from 7am to late in the evening. Busses to Istanbul and other cities.

Routes/Passages To/From

Popular passages/routes, timing, etc.

References & Publications

See Turkey & the Black Sea

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 partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

External Links

• Amasra (Wikipedia)

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

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

• August 1999 Istioploos 23:23, 10 December 2008 (UTC)

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