Sailing the Turquoise Coast on a Turkish Gulet
Why
is a river rafting company running yachting and cultural adventures in
Turkey? Because we have come to love the Turquoise Coast and Cappadocia
and we think everyone should visit them.
Our trips are for people who don’t like cruises or group tours. They are small (a maximum of 12 guests), informal, personal and flexible. Every day has a tour planned, but those who choose to stay on the yacht or at the hotel are welcome to do so.
The boats we use are Turkish gulets, beautiful wooden motor sailors made locally for these relatively sheltered waters. The cabins all have private baths. Each gulet is staffed with a captain, a cook, and a mate.
We work with a lovely Turkish couple, Cemil and Yasemin. He was a businessman and she a music teacher. They met on a mountain climbing expedition, fell in love, quit their jobs, and became guides. We have been working with them for ten years, and they have become our good friends. They stay with us when they come to the United States.
When we tell people we traveled to Turkey, some
people think that we have been to Afganistan or Iraq. We do our best
to dispel that image. Others, who have been to Turkey, wax on about
the memorable sites, the delicious food, and the hospitality of the
Turkish people. Those people hope they can return, and we feel the
same.
- J. Fujimoto, Berkeley, CA