Gulf of Fethiye and Inlets of Gocek

The largest islands in the gulf of Fethiye, namely the Islands of Tersane and Domuz, are near the peninsula. The inlets and islands in the west coast of the gulf of Fethiye, have been worked out almost like lacework by nature. This part of the gulf is more interesting owing to its verdure and exquisite inlets. There are many inlets surrounded by green forests on the eastern shores of the Gulf of Fethiye, similar to the ones on the opposite shores. The inlets of Katranci, Kucuk Kargi and Inlice are situated here. You can reach these inlets by land too and there are forest camps in them. Gocek, which was developed owing to the yacht harbors built during recent years in the extreme north of the gulf, is the only place of habitation in the gulf. Therefore, the inlets in the gulf are also called the inlets of Gocek.

The Inlet of Ciftlik (Farm Inlet) is the nearest one to Gocek and the Inlet of Doruklu is located adjacent to it and, when you turn around Cape Ince you reach the Inlet of Gunluklu which is adorned with liquidambar trees and has a fountain in it. Following these, At Buku, Boynuz Buku, Bedri Rahmi and Siralibuk are the inlets that come into sight in all their magnificent appearance. The inlet immediately adjacent to the cape called Martin Burnu is named Dipbay. The inlets of Large and Small Sarsala, Manastir, Camli Koy, Merdivenli Koy and the last inlet in the gulf named G6bun Koyu are all located after it. This beautiful gulf had been discovered by ancient people during the Antique Age and they had settled here before we did and enjoyed these beauties. The antique city of Lydae, above the harbor Aga Limani in the south of the Peninsula of Kapidag, is one of these. You can reach here by walking from the inlets of Aga or Manastir.

In the locality called Kizilagac, south of the Lake Kargin, there is another antique city which was named Lissa, as can be inferred by studying the epitaphs, but there isn't anything much left of this city now. One of the ancient writers, Pliny, had written about this city where there is an acropolis with a wall made of regular stones in it and also an epitaph on the southern face of this wall. The Lycian rock tombs of the antique city of Crya above the inlet of Bedri Rahmi, formerly called Tacyaka, can be seen in the inlet. The Lycians who lived in a wide region extending from the Stream of Dalaman to Phaselis near Antalya, had carved on the rocks the models of their deceased people's houses, as a sign of respect to them. We see these tombs in Fethiye, Tlos, Pinara, Xanthos, Sura, Kekova, Myra, Kas, Limyra and other Lycian cities. We also come across a great number of sarcophagi, called the Lycian-type sarcophagi, in these cities and other Lycian cities. Some ruined remains are also seen on the islands and in the inlets.

There are some Byzantine remains on the island of Tersane, formerly called Telandria, which are not very important. The Greek people who lived here, left the island during the exchange of populations effected after World War 1. Although the ruins seen on the island belong to a recent date, it is known that a habitation had existed at an earlier date too. The remains of quays and of submerged buildings found in the water west of the Island of Gocek, indicate that people had lived here in the past. You must be very careful when you pass between the islands called Yassica Adalar because there are the remains of ruined walls in the sea. There are the remains of a bridge in the narrowest part of the west side of the island named Seytan Ada; it used to serve as a passage to the island of Haci Halil in the past.

There are many unknown dangerous points within the Gulf of Fethiye. A new ship is stranded in the shallows here every year. One of these shallows is in the exit of Gocek on the right hand side at a distance of 100 m. from the front of the farm camp. The second dangerous point is a shallow between Boynuz Buku and Yassicalar, in the direction of 150 m towards Gocek and it cannot be seen. This point is shown by means of a sign buoy. Another dangerous point is the shallow in the northwest of the island of Haci Halil. You need to pass at a distance 100 or 200 m. from this point. Moreover, the zone amongst Yassica Adalar is also shallow and it is not possible for every type of ship to pass through here. There is rocky place at a depth of 4.5 meters under the sea near the rock named 12, which is situated two knots east of the island of Tersane. The sailships that don't want to enter the Gulf of Fethiye after having passed around Cape Kurtoglu, can pass the night in the inlet of Kizilkuyruk. The inlet is closed to the West and Southwest winds and there is a small beach in it. Let's pass between Domuz Adasi and the peninsula and drop anchor in one of the beautiful inlets of Fethiye. Or let's go directly to Gocek and obtain our necessities there and then start on our dreamlike voyage in the inlets of Gocek.