Safe Anchorages
for Deliveries

Location

North-west of Paşalimanı Island, off Paşalimanı village. The Ottoman fleet sheltered here for years.

Approach

Entering from the north, keep Koyun Island to starboard; from the west, to port. The northern entrance is cleaner. From the west follow the shoal buoys; there is a bank mid-bay, so check the chart again before entering.

Shelter

Sheltered from all weather, especially northerlies.

In southerlies

The Harmanlı side, south of the bay, is better in southerlies; sandy bottom there.

Supplies

Basic supplies in the village.

Location

North of Çandarlı Bay, east of Değirmen Adası point; small Eşek Island lies at the entrance.

Anchoring

The eastern corner is the safest spot. Anchor in 4-8 m; the bottom is mud with excellent holding. It shoals towards the shore.

Shelter

Sheltered from all but east and south. Strong northerlies are common; thanks to the holding and lack of sea, the eastern corner stays comfortable.

Town quay

In suitable weather you can go stern-to at the small town quay on the western side; it is exposed to the north. Local boats have lazy lines there.

Caution

The fishing harbour by the castle is too shallow for yachts; shoals on approach and a poor quay make berthing difficult. North of that harbour there is an awash rock patch about 40 m across, hard to see.

Supplies

Engine and electrical mechanics in the industrial area just behind the beach.

Approach

Slight shoals and rocks lie off both entrance points; keep to the middle of the bay.

Anchoring

A deep bay. The best-sheltered spot is the south-west inlet; anchor in 3-6 m with good holding. It is popular, so take a line ashore.

Shelter

Sheltered from everything except strong north-easterlies. After long meltemi days swell works in.

Setting

Surrounded by pine forest; locally called Paradise Bay, named after its underground springs.

Location

Inside Değirmen Bükü, west of Hırsız Koyu. It runs north, then turns west. Named after British warships that used it as a base in the Second World War.

Anchoring

The starboard side on entry is best. You can do the same, or lie at anchor, in the eastern arm.

Shelter

One of the best-sheltered spots in the area, closed to all weather.

Caution

The eastern side and the northern part shoal abruptly.

Location

Just behind the western coves at the entrance of Değirmen Bükü; it opens to the south.

Anchoring

Anchor in 6-8 m on sand and take a line ashore.

Shelter

Sheltered from all but southerly winds.

Alternative

In southerlies move next door to English Harbour.

Location

South shore of Gökova, south of Börtübet Limanı.

Approach

Coming from the north, enter east of the small islet with a single tree. From the west, rocks between islet and shore leave only a narrow channel; round the islet to the north.

Anchoring

The best spot is the inner arm turning west at the end: sand, 4-5 m, line ashore to the south or north shore. The deeper western part of the entrance takes 8-10 m but is open to the north and swell, so use it in calm weather.

Shelter

The inner arm is a shelter in any weather.

Caution

The western side is shallow and reedy.

Supplies and access

A pumped water source at the wooden jetty to the north. The Marmaris-Datça road passes 1.5 km above; Datça 40 km, Marmaris 33 km, handy for crew changes.

Location

The last sheltered bay in the south-west of the Hisarönü Gulf, just south of Ağıl Burnu, boot-shaped with an arm turning west.

Anchoring

Clean sand with good holding; at anchor or stern-to. When busy, go stern-to. The southern beach inlet is also very sheltered and used by fishing boats.

Shelter

Sheltered in any weather; swell enters in strong northerlies.

Caution

Opposite the entrance, where the chart shows 4-10 m, the bottom is rock and anchors will not hold. The southern part of the quay at the head has collapsed and lies underwater.

Location

In the Hisarönü Gulf, known for the Kızkumu sandbar. Martı Marina is at the entrance; Orhaniye village is a 15-20 minute walk.

Approach

Heading south inside the bay, the area west of Kale Ada is shallow; only boats drawing up to 2 m should pass, keeping mid-channel.

Anchoring

You can lie at anchor; the bottom is mud with good holding. The jetties in the bay usually provide lazy lines.

Shelter

Sheltered from almost all weather. When it blows outside there are gusts inside, but no sea.

Location

1.2 miles north-east of the Çatal islands, hidden among high cliffs. Its 135 m mouth only shows from about 2 miles off.

Approach

There is usually swell at the entrance. Rocks and debris extend to 10 m off the western point; an 11th-century Byzantine wreck was found here. Depths fall from 40 m at the entrance to 30 m inside.

Anchoring

Two arms: Serçe to the north and Akça Limanı to the south; locals shelter in the northern arm. Good holding, lines ashore to either side. In the south, anchor in 5-8 m on sand with a line to the southern shore.⁠⁠‍​‌‍⁠‌⁠​‍‌‌‍​​‍‍​‍​‌‌

Shelter

Generally sheltered from all winds, but violent gusts down the gullies can be dangerous.

Caution

An old ground chain lies parallel to the southern beach and can foul anchors. The restaurant's moorings are spread around the bay.

Access

A narrow 9 km track leads from the jetty at the head to Taşlıca village.

Location

South of the Bozburun peninsula; the walls of ancient Loryma stand on Kale Burnu. The entrance is hard to make out as rock and walls blend together.

Approach

Watch the above-water rock off Kale Burnu and enter the bay, which runs 0.8 miles north-west. The middle is deep.

Anchoring

North of the jetty in the cove just west of the entrance, or the eastern inlet at the head. Anchor in 8-12 m on mixed sand and weed and go stern-to. These spots are also sheltered from south-westerlies.

Shelter

Swell enters on days of prevailing southerlies.

Supplies

The restaurants are supplied from Bayır village in the hills, via Serçe Limanı.

Location

South-east of Ekincik Limanı, north of Köyceğiz Limanı. Ekincik is also the base for trip boats to Dalyan (VHF 06-16).

Anchoring

Anchor off the southern shore on mixed sand and weed and take a line ashore. You can anchor almost anywhere in Ekincik Limanı; north of the shore jetty is another safe spot.

Shelter

The best-sheltered spot in Ekincik from wind and swell.

Berthing

On the eastern shore, a facility on the old chrome-loading pier takes 67 yachts on lazy lines, with electricity, water and ice.

The wind rose is marked from the direction the bay opens to the sea.

General

Depths in the gulf shelve to anchoring depths in the bays. The bays are generally sheltered from all weather, and if it hardens it is easy to move to a nearby sheltered bay.

Caution

The two islets and debris half a mile east of Büyük Yassıca; the islet and rocks extending 100 m north-east of Büyük Yassıca towards Göcek Island; and the Yılanlı Ada - Topburnu shoal, 800 m long north-south on the fairway between Boynuzbükü and the Yassıca islands, marked by a light Fl(2) 10s.

Supplies

Water from the Göcek marinas or the small jetty at Taşyaka/Bedri Rahmi. In summer, supply boats with bread, vegetables and basics tour the bays.

Access

Most bays have no road; for crew changes and emergencies use Göcek town or Büyük Sarsala, both about half an hour from Dalaman.

Location

North-west corner of Tersane Island, the largest island in the Göcek-Fethiye gulf; hidden until close in. Named after Lycian-era shipbuilding here.

Approach

The entrance is an 80-100 m wide channel between steep slopes, about 20 m deep.

Anchoring

Inside, 5-10 m on sand and weed. The western side and the northern side up to the middle are deep. You can also berth at the stone quay in front of the restaurant.

Shelter

A sheltered cove usable in any season.

Caution

The shore is shallow and stony. In the south-west inlet and the eastern part depths drop below 2 m halfway in. Crowded with day-trip boats in summer.

Location

A sheltered bay on the south-east side of Kekova Island, invisible from afar; from above it looks like a fox's head.

Anchoring

The entrance is deep. The small cove at the mouth faces east, 8-10 m. The fjord-like southern arm is the best-sheltered spot, 7-14 m, shoaling towards the end.

Berthing

It is narrow, so always take a line ashore.

Shelter

The bay faces the open sea; when there is a sea outside you hear the waves in the evening.

Supplies

Üçağız is the only supply point in the Kekova area.

The wind rose is marked from the direction the bay opens to the sea.