Turkey

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Revision as of 21:55, 8 July 2008

Turkey Cruising Guide

Turkey
Port of Izmir
Flag
Capital:	Ankara
Language:	Turkish
Currency:	New Turkish Lira
Time zone	EET (UTC+2) summer EEST (UTC+3)
More notes about the country

Background

The background and history of Turkey is best observed on Wikipedia

Describe the cruising/sailing in the region.

Climate & Weather

Aegean Turkey's climate is varied, but it is typically Mediterranean with hot summers and mild winters. Lighter winds prevail along the Mediterranean coast and nights are usually calm. There is a heavy swell along this coast. In summer, the Aegean is dominated by the northerly Meltemi wind, which blows from early June to the the middle of September. The meltemi can be very strong reaching gale force but these gales last only 2-3 days.

The Black Sea has more extremes and is more humid with the most rain. The local saying is that the Black Sea has four good harbors: Samsun, Trabzon, July and August!

Weather links for Turkey:

• Poseidon System 3 day forecasts for Greek and Turkish seas from the National Center for Marine Research
• Weather on Line Detail 7 day forecast charts for the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Atlantic.
• Navtex Broadcasts
• Wind GURU A surfer's site with worldwide wind forecasts.
• Meteoroloji Genel Müdürlügü Forecasts for Turkey (in Turkish).

Charts

See individual ports.

Turkish Navy charts are of high quality and cost a fraction of the cost of British Admiralty Charts. They can be found in some marina and chandlery stores.

Special Navigation Notes

Any navigation notes here.

Local Radio Nets

Also see Cruiser's Nets

• Cellular Phone(GSM/GPRS), Turkey has very good GSM/GPRS coverage. In ports where there is no coverage or the signal is weak, there is a notation.

Arrival/Departure procedures

Ensure that your first landfall in Turkey is made at an official Port of Entry. An official Transit Log (a strict requirement) is issued at the first port of entry and is valid for 1 year.

All vessels arriving must fly the Q flag and complete the formalities at an official port of entry. Formalities must be completed in the following order: Health, Harbourmaster, Passport Police and Customs. Most marinas will undertake the clearing in formalities on your behalf and obtain the yachts Transit Log on your behalf. It is therefore prudent to make a marina your first port of call.

Details required for the yacht's Transit Log are: Full details of the vessel, skipper, owner (incl. documemtation), detailed crew list, Turkish destinations (and route) and full inventory. Any changes to this information MUST be noted in the Transit Log and authorised by the Harbourmaster of the port in which the change has occured.

Note: The Turkish officials are very strict on illegal chartering - paying crew will be deemed as "charter".

Departure from Turkey MUST be from an official Port of Entry. The Transit Log must be surrendered as well as full clearance procedures with the Harbourmaster, Police and Customs. Each re-entry of the yacht back to Turkey requires a repitition of the clearing in procedures and a new "Transit Log" as the Transit Log, though valid for 1 year, is for a single entry only.

Note: In most Ports of Entry there are agents, usually operating within a marina, who, for an extra fee, will undertake to do all the clearance legwork for either entering or exiting Turkey. Since often the various offices (Health, Harbourmaster, Passport Police and Custom) are scattered around the town, this extra expense is worth the convenience. You just hand your papers and passports to the agent and after a few hours he brings them back dully stamped. In the meant time you and your crew are free to come and go. --Istioploos 20:32, 21 April 2008 (MDT)

In most ports there is no need to make advance reservations. The exemption to this are some popular marinas, especially during the peak cruising season form June to September. See individual ports for details.

Note: Once clearance into Turkey is obtained, a Transit Log is issued. The authorities request you very rarely to show this Transit Log.

Immigration, Visas & Customs

Immigration
Foreign owners arriving in Turkey on their own yacht can be granted a 2 year visa (5 years, if obtained in advance from the Turkish Diplomatic Mission in your country of domicile).

Most nationals are granted a 90 day stay on arrival (60 days for Albanians and Romanians, 30 days for Greek Cypriots). Nationals of most African, Far Eastern and Pacific Island countries require a visa in advance of arrival.

No visas are required for nationals of Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands and Spain.

If staying longer than three months you must apply for a residence permit and must prove adequate financial means. Multiple entry Residence Permits are available for periods starting from 3 months up to 5 years. A foreign yacht owner, his wife, children and registered crew can obtain longer term Residence Permits, on condition that they have a fully paid contract to keep their yacht in a marina for at least the length of time that the Residence Permit is applied for. These applications should be done with the assistance of your marina management.

Customs
Firearms and ammunition MUST be declared on arrival. Dive tanks must also be declared on arrival.

PETS: Dogs and cats need a recent health certificate from the country of origin as well as a rabies vaccination certificate that shows that the animal received the vaccination between two weeks and six months before arrival in Turkey.

Note: Only one pet is allowed to be brought into Turkey.

Ports & Popular Stops

FEATURED PORTS: Antalya, Marmaris, Bodrum, Kekova Roads, Finike, Kas, Fethiye, Coast W of Marmaris and Sömbeki Körfesi, Hisarönü Körfesi to Teke Burnu, Kusadasi, Eskifoca Region, Dikili, Ayvalik, Gökçeada, Bozcaada

• Black Sea: Amasra, Bartin (Port of entry), Caylioglu, Cide, Eregli (Port of entry), Fatsa, Giresun (Port of entry), Hopa (Port of entry), Igneada, Inebolu (Port of entry), Rize (Port of entry), Samsun (Port of entry), Sile, Sinop (Port of entry), Trabzon (Port of entry), Zonguldak (Port of entry),
• Bosphorus: Poyrazkoy, Rumeli,
• Dardanelles: Çanakkale (Port of entry), Gelibolu,
• Marmara Sea: Asmaliköy, Bandirma (Port of entry), Büyükada, Erdek Harbour, Heybeliada, Karabiga Harbour, Marmara Islands, Mudanya (Port of entry), Port Marmara (Marmara Adasi), Princes Islands, Saraylar (Marmara Adasi), Tekirdag (Port of entry),
• Istanbul: Istanbul (Port of entry)
• Aegean Sea: Agriler Liman, Alibey, Altinkum, Aplotheka or Loryma, Asin Liman, Ayvalik (Port of entry), Bademli Liman, Bencik Liman, Bodrum (Port of entry), Bozburun, Bozcaada, Büyük Cati, Büyük Liman, Çandarli, Çesme (Port of entry), Coast W of Marmaris & Sömbeki Körfesi, Dalyan Ildur, Datça (Port of entry), Dikili (Port of entry), Egri Liman, Eskifoça, Eskifoça Region, Gökçeada, Gökkovar Liman, Gulf of Gökova, Gulluk (Port of entry), Gülluk Körfesi, Hisarönü Körfesi to Teke Burnu, Imroz Adasi, Ildir, Ilica, Izmir (Port of entry), Keçi Bükü, Kirdilim Liman, Knidos, Kusadasi (Port of entry), Marmaris (Port of entry), Mersin Körfesi, Sarpede Liman, Serçe Liman, Siğacik Region, Sögüt, Teos Liman
• Eastern Med: Alanya (Port of entry), Anamur (Port of entry), Iskenderun (Port of entry), Mersin (Port of entry), Tasucu (Port of entry)
• Western Med: Andraki, Antalya (Port of entry), Fethiye (Port of entry), Finike (Port of entry), Kalkan, Kaş (Port of entry), Kekova Roads, Kemer (Port of entry),
• Northern Cyprus: Kyrenia (Girne)

Offshore Islands

Details?

Health & Security

Submit any health warnings/information and any security details here.

Cruiser's Friends

Submit details/contacts of cruiser's "friends" that can be contacted in advance or on arrival - who can offer information and assistance to our cruising "family".

References & Publications

• Heikell, R. Turkish Waters Pilot, Imray Laurie and Wilson, Cambridgeshire
• Rick and Sheila Nelson Black Sea Cruising Guide, Imray Laurie and Wilson, Cambridgeshire
• Mc Donagh, B. Turkey, Blue Guide, Norton, New York
• Insight Guides Turkish Coast, Houghton Mifflin
• Mariana Koromila and Thodoris Kontaras Erythraea enas evloyimenos mikrokosmos stin kardia tis Ionias (in Greek), Pamorama, Athens
• Smithsonian (November 1998), The Bosporus: A Diasater Waiting to Happen, p 110-123
• Neal Ascherson Black Sea, Hilll & Wang, New York
• Mariana Koromila, Pontos - Anatolia, Fotographico odiporiko (in Greek), Brazioti, Athens
• Tim Severin The Jason Voyage, the Quest for the Golden Fleece, Hutchinson, London

Links to CruiserLog Forum discussions

Links to discussions on the CruiserLog Forum

External Links

• Turkey (Wikipedia)
• Marinas in Turkey (Wikipedia)
• FOCUS on TURKEY A very thorough coverage of Turkish history, culture and landscapes. It has an extensive coverage on sailing in Southern Turkey. From the Middle Eastern Technical University.
• Turkish Odyssey An online travel guide to Turkey.
• Mersina Travel Guide Another online travel guide to Turkey. It includes some cultural information. It also covers the Black Sea.

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?

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