Sigacik Region

Siğacik is a former fishing harbor which has been converted into a full service, 480-berth marina.

In addition to the marina it is possible to anchor in the bay outside, where there is a good sheltered anchorage west of the small boat moorings (see below).

The marina is a safe place to leave the boat and visit nearby ancient Teos.

Coast Guard boat and office between the old fishing harbour and the marina.

Danger: Do not pass between Esek Adasi and the mainland. It is too shallow. Also on the N side of Esek Adasi there is a reef. Give it a wide berth.

There is a snug anchorage just north east of Bolme Adasi where you can anchor in 5 meters in sand and weed. Shelter is good from the meltemi, although the anchorage is open to the south. It is a convenient stop when planning to cross the gulf of Sigacik and avoids the usual slog to windward up to Sigacik or Teos when cruising along this coast. There is room for 4 or 5 boats at anchor when it is empty, HOWEVER be aware that this is a popular stop for tourist boats who come in and tie up to the rocks on the west, or the beach to the north. In the rocks to the west is a small cave. If you snorkel there you will discover bubbles of gas coming from the seabed, and warm water! There are a number of hot springs under there - hence the tourist attraction. On approach watch out for the rocks that jut out from both the west side of the entrance to the cove, and to the north of Kormen/Bolme Adasi island. No cell phone reception. No buildings in sight ashore.

It is possible to anchor off in the bay. Outside the harbour walls, to the north east, are two bays. The larger, more southerly one is largely filled with mooring balls and small boats, though there is space to anchor between them. However it gets shallow to the East. The smaller more northerly cove has a small jetty off the north shore. Again, eastwards is shallow, but anchoring in about 5-7m provides nice protection from the Meltemi, although even with the wind from the North or North East there is still some small swell that works its way into the cove. The bottom is silt, sand and weed but seems to give good holding. --LifePart2 07:45, 3 August 2013 (BST).

This large bay is fringed by low-key (quiet) beach clubs and gated communities. It is divided into two parts by an island, Cicek Adasi, that is connected to the mainland by a sunken causeway. At the landward end of this causeway there is sufficient depth to cross it with a dinghy and outboard.

The bay provides excellent protection from the Meltemi but is exposed to the south. The bottom is mostly thick poseidonia grass, making anchoring a bit of a challenge. The key is to hunt for the patches of sand that do provide good holding, but may be in quite shallow water. The northern half of the bay has the sandy beaches, the southern half is fringed with shallow rocks.

The bay is excellent for windsurfing, having smooth water and being surrounded on three sides by low lying land, which means little in the way of land-induced gusts and shifts.

However, getting ashore with a dinghy is more problematic. There are two fishing boat docks to which a dinghy can be tied and locked. One is at the very northern end/wiki/Sigacik_Region#northern_endother northern end [[Sigacik Region#northern end|northern end]] 38°010.1′N, 26°47.2′Enorthern end38.168333333333;26.786666666667 . However, apart from a small beach club and gated community there is nothing ashore except a long road north to Akkum (several big resorts) and Sigacik. The Dolmus minibuses do NOT make it out to this end of the beach.

The other is about 500m East of the causeway/wiki/Sigacik_Region#causewayother causeway [[Sigacik Region#causeway|causeway]] 38°09.8′N, 26°48.8′Ecauseway38.163333333333;26.813333333333 . This is the community of Arkaca (ar-KAJ-a) known to people in Sigacik as 'the beaches'. From here (shore side of the road) there are Dolmus minibuses that run to Seferihisar, from where one can take another Dolmus to Izmir, Sigacik, or other destinations. Note that the waterfront road that goes north along the beach does NOT connect through to the other dinghy dock. Also there is NO direct transport (Dolmus) between this bay and Sigacik.

About 300m East of the dock (signposted) in Arkaca is the Bell Motel. The owner of this also runs the car rental that is attached to the Teos Marina entrance building. He does not, but the lady that runs the car rental office does speak English. They are able to arrange cheap car rentals and also cheap transport to Izmir Airport (100 TL in 2013).

There does not appear to be any provisioning stores in this locality, so shopping trips would require a trip to Seferihisar, which has a large market on Fridays.

Good cell phone (3G+) connection.

During the summer months (but not on Sundays) there is reportedly a farm tractor and trailer that offers free rides direct to Sigacik and back. Times from Arkaca to Sigacik are 1200,1400, 1600, 1800 and returning from Sigacik (outside Liman Pensyon restaurant) 1300, 1500, 1700, 1900. - LifePart2 08:42, 5 August 2013 (BST)

Danger: Give a wide berth to the reefs that extend off the south end of the island.

Note: Also that there is a sandyshoal/wiki/Sigacik_Region#shoalwaypoint shoal [[Sigacik Region#shoal|shoal]] 38°09.9′N, 26°47.4′Eshoal38.165;26.79 (2m) right in the middle of the northern half of the bay that is not marked on many charts.

Gökkovar Liman is a deep fjord about 2 nM NE of Teke Burnu. It is an incredible beautiful anchorage but has been spoiled by at least 5 fish farms that have sprouted in the past few years. They use high intensity lights, and there are large ships loading, I presume the fish. In other words the place has been raped and ruined.

Chart of Kirdilim Liman

Detailed Chart of Kirdilim Anchorage

This is a large and very pleasant, deserted cove, with very clear waters. It provides very good shelter from the meltemi. In the middle of the cove there is large buoy where a Turkish patrol boat ties up sometimes. Go to the NW end of the cove and anchor in 7 m, good holding.

Warning: Do not tie to the large buoy, it is used by the Turkish patrol boats..

Sarpdere Liman is a bay about 1 nM NW of Kirkdilim Liman. There are three anchorages:

1. Sarpdere West Creek/wiki/Sigacik_Region#Sarpdere_West_Creekanchorage Sarpdere West Creek [[Sigacik Region#Sarpdere West Creek|Sarpdere West Creek]] 38°11.16′N, 26°31.04′ESarpdere West Creek38.186;26.517333333333 ,
2. East Creek/wiki/Sigacik_Region#East_Creekanchorage East Creek [[Sigacik Region#East Creek|East Creek]] 38°10.92′N, 26°31.24′EEast Creek38.182;26.520666666667 , and
3. Nergis/wiki/Sigacik_Region#Nergisanchorage Nergis [[Sigacik Region#Nergis|Nergis]] 38°10.14′N, 26°31.13′ENergis38.169;26.518833333333 E of the bay entrance.

Sarpdere has two coves, the W creek is used by a religious camp who have built ugly concrete blocks and is rather unattractive although the shelter is good. The E cove is prettier, but it is dominated by large high tension power lines which spoil its natural beauty. Nergis is the most attractive and peaceful of the three, with good depths for anchoring and water clear as glass. However, an uncomfortable chop develops with strong northerly winds as there is a fetch of nearly a mile across the bay. In all three anchorages, anchor in 4.0 - 4.0 metres in sand with patches of weed. The holding is good although the sand in parts is firm and it needs a good burst on the engine to dig the anchor in.

This is a large enclosed bay SE of Agriler Liman. Buoys near the fish farms at the entrance of the Mersin bay. Fish farms around the Cırakan island at the most south of the bay. Good protection all around. No cell phone coverage. - LifePart2 09:07, 5 August 2013 (BST)

Danger: There is a shallow sea with the rocks under the surface at the south of Cırakan island. Leave 200 m. at least between the boat and the shore when crossing from the south of the Cirakan island.

A large bay 7.5 M from Ak Burun. It is reputed to be the windsurfing capital of Turkey because it is very windy. On the NW side there is a new small shipyard and Alaçati Marina.

Note: Anchoring in Alacati Bay is forbidden by the regulation issued by Izmir Port Authority (2012). You can only use the marina for mooring.

UPDATE: This was recently posted on the Cruisers Forum (quote):

I was in Agrilar Limin 16th June 2013 and was given a Formal Declaration by a staff member of Port Alaçati. The declaration read – The harbour master of Çeşme and Turkish Coast Guard Officer declare that ; “Alaçati Bay is forbidden for anchoring. Especially in front of marina and surfing areas” Please kindly obey these formal rules.

Later the coast guard came out and told me “ No anchoring – you must go into the marina” I told them I didn’t need the marina and would leave the bay. After a long phone call they headed back to the marina, returning half an hour later with a piece of paper with the Lats and Longs of the 'No anchoring areas'. The three areas are - In the shallows at the head of the bay – (too shallow for a keel boat). Immediately south of the marina and in the shallows in the South East corner of the bay.

There is now a buoyed channel leading to the marina, as long as you are north of that, there is plenty of room to anchor before the ‘no anchoring area’. There were five other boats anchored in that area and the holding seemed fine." There is more discussion on the topic on that thread.

At the head of the bay there is a dredged canal with several upscale houses and private piers.

The old town of Alaçati, the Greek Αλάτσατα (Alátsata), about 2 km inland has now been totally restored and wealthy people from Istanbul and Izmir have bought the old houses paying outrageous prices. It is well worth a visit. It has many upscale restaurants and every Saturday morning there is an extensive outdoor market.

Danger: Follow the channel marked by the buoys because of very shallow water especially to the W.