GULET TIGRA

This was our first sail in Turkish waters, in an area we know little of and also the first time crossing international borders sailing. These, together with the idea that I am dealing with a company of which the reputation can only be gauged through previous reviews, raised many questions. Although all of these were promptly and efficiently answered by Necmi during the months long planning stage of the trip, I was still a little apprehensive about what we would encounter once we got there.

On arrival in Bodrum, we received clear directions to the marina in Turgutreis where all the formalities were handled in a very friendly, yet professional manner by SHY, allowing us to depart on an unforgettable holiday experience. Additional information on custom agents on the Greek islands were accurate, but at the same time could not match the excellent service we received from all the officials and the charter company throughout the trip. Everybody really went out of their way to ensure we felt welcome and without any need to worry about anything. Any problems encountered with the boat were dealt with efficiently and we were refunded for any interim expenditure to get us going again.

Thank you Necmi, for your patience with all our questions and for organising the ideal boat! I am not sure what your involvement was with the organisation of the perfect weather we experienced, but thank you for that too! Also pass on our gratitude to Cigdem Ulu from SHY for her assistance and efforts in making sure that their services were tailored to our needs. Also to Vassilis Kapadakis from the Kalymna Yachting Club and Dimitris Kastis from Greek Yacht Services on Leros, for their assistance with moorings, supplies, custom clearance, immigration and general advice.

From the entire crew of Carmen, thank you all for making our holiday a very special experience. We certainly hope we will be able to do this again in the not too distant future.

Sincere regards
Henk Lourens
South Africa
henk[at]glarch.co.za

The gulets were beautiful, the crew was endearing and accommodating and the meals were sensational. To coordinate such a large group and have not have to worry about the logistics truly shows how well-connected and seasoned Necmi is. We enthusiastically recommend that anyone considering a trip along the Turkish coast check in with Necmi first. He's the most patient, responsive and trustworthy expert. As he walked down the dock, all the captains tipped their hats to him. We too tip our hat to him.

Thank you Necmi for everything!

Stacey Olgado
Palo Alto, CA.
staceyolgado[at]gmail.com

Communication flowed frequenty prior to our trip and questions were answered and honest advice given . We would be very happy to reccommend Boating Turkey

We had a smooth transfer from Dalaman to Marmaris . On arrival at the harbour , our rep from Boating Turkey greeted us and after a brisk 5 minute walk we arrived at our waiting boat. The large map came out and we discussed our route . The whole point of the boat trip was to relax , sunbathe & enjoy the tranquil coast as opposed to hopping on and off and sightseeing etc .

The suggestion made suited us all perfectly ...........we were going to sail the Gokova Gulf : Marmaris, Hisaronu Gulf (Selimiye, Bozburun, Orhaniye, Bencik, Symi), Knidos, The Northern Shores of Datça Peninsula, Seven Islands, English Harbour, Sedir Island and to end in Karacasogut, with a transfer to the Airport after breakfast .

After an introduction to the boat & it´s crew , with G & T´s in hand , we set sail on our Turkish Gulet adventure . .Our crew were Captain Hasam , Chef Ertam & Burak .

After a few hours we docked in a small bay and had a swim . Our first evening meal certainly had the WOW factor as did every meal after that to be honest . We had customised our own drinks package following recommendations by the company and we were very happy with the beer & wine chosen .

We all decided to sleep on deck the first night under the beautiful night sky , watching shooting stars , satellites moving and the odd airplane and trying to work out which star was which ! The following morning we woke at day break and watched the most amazing sunrise . The generator was usually turned off from 1 am til appx 7 am when chef then started to prepare breakfast .

Each day followed a similar pattern .... sunrise , eat , swim , sail , eat , swim , sail , swim , eat , sleep under the stars . We did not tire of seeing the amazing scenery , the turquoise sea and the beautiful bays . There was sufficient equipment on board , although we did take our own snorkels . There was plenty to see under the water including a couple of turtles .

Our crew spoke practically no English and between us we did not know any Turkish words and yet we got along fabulously - they were so polite & accomodating and when invited , joined in with our fun & games .

Our compact double bedroom ( used only for changing clothes ) was basic but had everything required and our en suite bathroom was basic but again suited our needs . We had asked that on my husband´s birthday we could dock somewhere and get off the gulet for a couple of hours for a change of scenery .

This was no problem , our Captain took us to the harbour town of Datcha and we spent a couple of hours clicking on wifi and catching up on the outside world ( no wifi on board ) , but after a few drinks we were ready to set sail again .

If there was anything I would class as negative , it was the sudden arrival of wasps at sunrise & sunset - obviously this is nothing to do with the Captain , but maybe it would be worth them investing in some anti-wasps stiky tape ? We were warned about mosquitos but didn´t seam to encounter too many of these.

The only other thing I would suggest is a change of bath towel during the trip as you do shower quite a lot ! ( We took our own beach/pool towel )

All in all , I think we were all pleasantly surprised at how fantastic our holiday was and it was all thanks to the crew on board as well as the company for what they offered . The whole experience surpassed our expectations .

Gary and Kim, Dan and Em, Ollie and Phoebe, Mick and Sharon, Dave and Sue, Dave and Debs.

July 27th -August 3rd 2019

England
sandford.carpets[at]btconnect.com

Ömer ARI
Ýstanbul
Haziran 2009
omer[at]portfolyo.com