Departure windows, critical passages, shelters along the way and fuel stops for common delivery routes. Distances follow the coastal route. A departure window never replaces the day's forecast; the skipper decides.
Routes
- İstanbul → Çanakkale (130 NM)
- Çanakkale → İstanbul (130 NM)
- Çanakkale → Ayvalık (77 NM)
- Ayvalık → Çanakkale (77 NM)
- Dikili → Ayvalık (24 NM)
- Ayvalık → İzmir (70 NM)
- Çeşme → Ayvalık (67 NM)
- Bodrum → Datça (42 NM)
- Datça → Marmaris (45 NM)
- Göcek → Kaş (54 NM)
- Kaş → Göcek (54 NM)
- Kaş → Finike (32 NM)
- Finike → Antalya (54 NM)
- Antalya → Alanya (70 NM)
- Alanya → Girne (97 NM)
- Antalya → Mersin (226 NM)
Sea of Marmara
İstanbul → Çanakkale · 130 NM
Departure window
Two legs or non-stop watches. North-easterlies are behind you; postpone if south-westerlies are forecast.
Critical points
Short steep sea in Marmara south-westerlies; traffic separation and shipping in the strait. The current is with you in the Dardanelles.
Shelter en route
Tekirdağ harbour, Marmara Island (Saraylar), Avşa (Yiğitler), Paşalimanı Bay.
Fuel
Stations at Setur Kalamış, Ataköy and Setur Yalova; tanker at the island harbours.
Çanakkale → İstanbul · 130 NM
Departure window
Leave in calm weather or light southerlies because of the adverse current; in north-easterlies the strait is slow and tiring.
Critical points
1.5-3 knots of adverse current in the strait, which with a north-easterly builds a steep sea. Plan fuel for the current.
Shelter en route
Marmara Island (Saraylar), Avşa (Yiğitler), Paşalimanı Bay, Tekirdağ.
Fuel
Tanker at the island harbours; Setur Kalamış, Ataköy or Setur Yalova on arrival (station).
North Aegean
Çanakkale → Ayvalık · 77 NM
Departure window
Heading south, current and northerlies are behind you. Leave early enough to round Baba Burnu in daylight.
Critical points
Baba Burnu (Babakale) is windy with a sea; the current continues south from the strait.
Shelter en route
Babakale harbour (all-weather, especially SW), Küçükkuyu harbour, Bozcaada harbour.
Fuel
Tanker at Ayvacık harbours; Setur Ayvalık Marina on arrival (station).
Ayvalık → Çanakkale · 77 NM
Departure window
Northbound is hard; leave at first light on a morning without meltemi. Few days are good, so waiting for a window is normal.
Critical points
Wind and sea at Baba Burnu; adverse current at the strait entrance.
Shelter en route
Küçükkuyu, Babakale, Bozcaada.
Fuel
Setur Ayvalık Marina before departure (station).
Dikili → Ayvalık · 24 NM
Departure window
A short leg; leave in the morning and arrive before noon.
Critical points
Wide shoals along the east side of the Dikili Strait; keep well off. Fishing buoys off Lesbos.
Shelter en route
Dikili harbour, Cunda Alibey harbour.
Fuel
Setur Ayvalık Marina (station); tanker in Dikili.
Ayvalık → İzmir · 70 NM
Departure window
Southbound with northerlies behind you. Leave in the morning to enter the Gulf of İzmir before the afternoon imbat.
Critical points
Dikili Strait shoals; imbat at the gulf entrance in the afternoon.
Shelter en route
Dikili harbour, Çandarlı east side, Eski Foça.
Fuel
Setur Ayvalık (station), Oasis Yeni Foça (station).
Çeşme → Ayvalık · 67 NM
Departure window
Northbound; leave at first light to round the Karaburun peninsula before the meltemi builds.
Critical points
North of the Karaburun peninsula the meltemi and sea are on the nose.
Shelter en route
Karaburun harbour, Eski Foça, Çandarlı east side, Dikili.
Fuel
Alaçatı Marina and Oasis Yeni Foça (station); Setur Ayvalık on arrival (station).
South Aegean
Bodrum → Datça · 42 NM
Departure window
Leave early to round Deveboynu Burnu at Knidos before the meltemi builds.
Critical points
Wind and sea pick up at Deveboynu Burnu.
Shelter en route
If it is blowing, use Kairos Marina (Körmen) instead of rounding the cape.
Fuel
Milta Bodrum Marina (station); Kairos Marina (station).
Datça → Marmaris · 45 NM
Departure window
Eastbound; the meltemi is usually behind or on the beam. Plan to arrive before evening.
Critical points
The southern capes of the Bozburun peninsula; swell at the entrance to Serçe Limanı.
Shelter en route
Serçe Limanı, Bozukkale, Bozburun.
Fuel
Kairos Marina (station); Netsel Marina Marmaris (station).
Mediterranean
Göcek → Kaş · 54 NM
Departure window
Eastbound; leave at first light to pass Yediburunlar early in the morning.
Critical points
At Yediburunlar north-westerly gusts come off the mountains and build a steep sea.
Shelter en route
Kalkan harbour, Kaş municipal harbour.
Fuel
D-Marin Göcek (station); Setur Kaş Marina (station).
Kaş → Göcek · 54 NM
Departure window
Westbound; leave at first light to pass before the afternoon westerly and the north-westerly gusts at Yediburunlar.
Critical points
Wind and sea on the nose at Yediburunlar.
Shelter en route
Kalkan harbour, then the Göcek bays.
Fuel
Setur Kaş Marina (station); D-Marin Göcek (station).
Kaş → Finike · 32 NM
Departure window
A short leg; leave in the morning, the afternoon breeze is behind you.
Critical points
Islets and rocks south-east of Kekova Island; an uncharted shallow rock near Kekova.
Shelter en route
Karaloz Bay at Kekova, Üçağız.
Fuel
Setur Kaş Marina and Setur Finike Marina (station).
Finike → Antalya · 54 NM
Departure window
North-east; round the capes in the morning.
Critical points
Gelidonya Burnu and the mountain capes on the west side of the Gulf of Antalya; give them a wide berth.
Shelter en route
G Marina Kemer, Antalya's marinas.
Fuel
Setur Finike Marina before departure (station).
Antalya → Alanya · 70 NM
Departure window
Eastbound; the afternoon westerly is behind you. Plan to arrive in daylight.
Critical points
A flat beach coast with little shelter along the way.
Shelter en route
Alanya Marina.
Fuel
Antalya Kaleiçi harbour (station); Alanya Marina (station).
Alanya → Girne · 97 NM
Departure window
An open-sea passage; with a good forecast, often planned to leave at night and arrive in daylight.
Critical points
No shelter along the way; plan clearance out and in beforehand.
Shelter en route
None; turn back to Alanya if it deteriorates.
Fuel
Fill up at Alanya Marina (station) and plan a separate reserve.
Antalya → Mersin · 226 NM
Departure window
A long passage, split into legs or run with watches. Eastbound the westerly is behind you.
Critical points
East of Antalya the coast flattens with little shelter; commercial traffic near Mersin.
Shelter en route
Alanya Marina, Taşucu.
Fuel
Antalya Kaleiçi, Alanya Marina and Mersin Yacht Harbour (station). Alanya to Mersin is long; if the tank is short, confirm a tanker at Taşucu.
Related guides: Passage planner · Coastal map · Cape passage board · Sea conditions · Routes and departure timing · Provisions, water and fuel calculator · Fuel stops · Safe anchorages · Harbours
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This guide supports passage and delivery planning; current official charts, pilot books and forecasts come first. The skipper makes the departure call on the day's forecast. Information as of September 2026.