Gladlee of Guernsey

An article for Yachting World magazine in 250 words.

TURKEY’S BLACK SEA COAST.......................... 

            The Black Sea coast of Turkey may not immediately appeal to those whose ideal cruising area consists of secluded natural anchorages and a seascape dotted with picturesque islands, nor to those who like to drop into a marina every few days to re-provision and get the laundry done.  At only a few points between Igneada and Hopa is it possible to find  adequate shelter outside a harbour, and there isn’t a single marina north of Istanbul.  Yet this coast does have its compensations, notably in high summer when temperatures are generally lower and winds less strong than in the Aegean.  To start with there are very few other yachts about, and tourism has yet to spoil the magnificent coastal landscape or the instinctive warmth and hospitality of the local people.  Harbours, large or small, are available at convenient  intervals, and since many of the trawlers based there haul out in July and August (the close season for fishing) there is almost invariably a friendly welcome and plenty of room for a visiting yacht:  if you really don’t like tying up to a quay it is often possible to anchor off.  There are several historic towns to visit (notably Trabzon, with its fine Byzantine church and  spectacular ruins of Sumela monastery), as you follow in the wake of Jason and the Argonauts, landmarks of whose legendary voyage can still be identified along the coast.  Don’t expect too many amenities -  food and water are readily obtainable, but only Igneada (near the Bulgarian border) and Eregli can offer alongside refuelling.  You won’t get shore power either, but you’ll seldom if ever be asked to pay for moorings, and you’ll certainly get a glimpse of what cruising in Turkey must have been like before yacht tourism became big business.