GÜLLÜK

Dear friends, in this article we are going to Güllük Town, located in Güllük Gulf, once a favored Blue Voyage Route destination.

Güllük has gone through many phases for us seafarers.

Years ago, we could only anchor there, later we could barely berth at its commercial port, we couldn't find space in its small harbor, and finally a marina was established in Güllük.

In our previous years' filming, every mayor said that a marina absolutely needed to be built in their town. Indeed, a seaside town so close to the airport definitely needed to have a marina.

We can say that Güllük, with its Airport, Port and Marina, is a town that benefits from all transportation facilities in the most convenient way.

It has been an important port of maritime trade in its history.

From a military perspective, it's a sheltered, strategic location.

An indispensable center of yacht tourism.

Especially with its proximity to Bodrum, it should have been an indispensable town. 

Well, did it happen, is it so? 

My friends with whom I conducted interviews will explain the answer to this very well and in detail.

The sheltered, pristine, brand new Egesu Güllük Marina became operational in September 2016. It has a berthing capacity of 350 boats. Its biggest advantage is that it is 10 minutes away from the airport. 

Due to the presence of the Harbor Master's Office and Customs Directorate in Güllük, it is also one of the most suitable places for departure abroad by sea. 

Port Iasos Marina on the opposite shore is also connected to this chain. Therefore, accommodation can be at both marinas. 

The distance between pontoons is 50 meters. It does not challenge captains in terms of maneuvering. 

There are all shopping facilities within Güllük. A local market is set up, fish is very cheap. Technical services are also provided within the marina. There is a supermarket, Marine Market, and also an agency that handles entry and exit procedures.

While coming to Güllük, I wanted to be with a boat master who works wood and builds boats, ships, and whose creations cross oceans.

The master and manufacturer of famous gulets, Boatbuilder Mehmet Master lives in Güllük. He opened his shipyard here years ago and made his productions in Güllük.

He has produced vessels that sail the seas of the world.

We are together in Güllük these days when woodworking craftsmanship is almost forgotten, with Boatbuilder Mehmet Master who produced the unbeatable boats of Bodrum Wooden Boat races, the boats that are the pride of the first gulet tourism.

MEHMET NAMİ UYAV

“I am a born and raised Bodrum native. We have been doing this work for three generations. My great-grandfather came from Crete. When the French bombed Bodrum in World War II, they also sank the 70-ton boat my grandfather was on. My grandfather came ashore. He loved this pristine place very much and decided to live here. He started boatbuilding, which was very much needed in Bodrum.

Back then there was sponge diving, trawling.

The sponge diving boats he built also went to Egypt.

My grandfather Nami trained my grandfather Mehmet, who was Bodrum's oldest master, and I took the names of both my grandfathers.

I was born and raised in Güllük. Back then, the British and Jews would export emery ore by barges and ships via sea.

My family, who came here during certain months, would repair these vessels.

In those days, there were no roads to Milas from anywhere. People from Kazıklı and Iasos also reached Milas from this port.

From Güllük, fish, tobacco, citrus, flour and various products were shipped to all Aegean Islands and Aegean coasts.

My family was making money and settling here. They continued to repair and build boats.

While carrying out their production, they were not struggling with boat building, but with deficiencies in equipment and marine works. There was no one in the region who knew or understood those matters.

They had me trained for these jobs.

After growing up with them, I started practicing my grandfathers' craft in 1976. I have been working in the wooden yacht business for 44 years to this day.

First, I built fishing boats. Then, due to my technical drawing knowledge, I started building large gulets.

In 1993, I built Turkey's largest 30-meter Gulet for the Yeşil Marmaris group. This 10-cabin vessel sailed as Turkey's largest gulet for 10 years.

The large vessels I built operated between Rhodes-Marmaris-Antalya.

Then I became interested in classic boats. Whatever type of boat I undertook to build, as a result of my research, I saw that fundamentally they had been produced in certain periods throughout history.

The models originated from there.

Preserving their main characteristics, I built cabins suitable for blue voyages inside them.

One of these boats, KİBELE, held the first place in Bodrum Wooden Boats races for 10 years without losing it. 

I am a master craftsman who prefers boats to sail more with sails. 

I produced these at my shipyard by the seaside in Güllük center. Between 1993-2006, I produced many boats that made world tours. 

Eventually one day, Güllük Municipality evicted us from the place where we had been producing for years. We then built boats up to 12 meters in Baharlı Village in Milas, away from the sea. Currently, I have a 12-meter-long boat under construction.

As for Güllük where I was born and raised; we have a fish weir here. Fish weirs are fishing grounds where rivers meet the seas. This fish weir was very active in the past. Eels were sent to Greece from here by trawlers. The eels of our region are very famous and valuable. 

When I was 10 years old, Dutch boats would fill their holds with live eels and take them to their countries. 

But over time, the fish weir was not maintained and filled up. No deepening could be done. The Treasury leased it to operators. Unfortunately, the lessees could not do anything about its rehabilitation. 

The caviar here is also very famous. 

The mixture of fresh and salt water and suitable sea temperature enable the formation of excellent caviar. 

In Istanbul, Güllük Caviar is the most preferred one.

But unfortunately, we cannot say the same for Güllük seas.

This small, narrow place being an import-export port has damaged the waters. 

Güllük is a sheltered location from a military perspective. 

Over time, a NATO pier was built here. The Kardak crisis was managed from Güllük.

Since our water temperature is similar to the Gulf Stream water temperature (11 degrees), sea bream grow quickly and reach the market early. 

Our gulf used to be a yachting center, after the fish farms, the sea became polluted and the Blue Voyage ended. All farms will supposedly be moved to the Samos Strait side. 

This would be good, maybe we'll return to the old yacht tourism days."

I don't know if we'll return to the old yacht tourism days. I believe a strong will is needed for that.

The mentality that destroyed the sparkling coves, those beautiful seas, needs to be taken to open seas and continue its activities there. 

This gulf, whose deepest point is 30 meters, is already polluted by untreated streams, and then there are the fish farms. 

I don't know what to say anymore.

One worked in the Air Force in the field of computers, radar and communications and retired as a lieutenant colonel. The other is a child development specialist and ended her career. They came and went to Güllük not when their working lives ended, but since their childhood. 

They even had their honeymoon here. 

They bought a boat and brought it to Güllük from America by themselves. A 34-foot boat, no less. 

They live here and love Güllük very much.

KAMURAN-SAYGIN MERDİNLER

“I first met Güllük in 1966. We would come during the summer months. A few years later, my father bought a plot of land and a house was built on it. Back then there was no electricity or water. We met our needs with gas lamps and the well in the garden. 

After renovating this place in 2006, we have been living in Güllük year-round. 

Our house was next to the marina, our boat was docked at the tonoz. 

When the marina was built, we moved it to the marina. We can still see the boat from our house.

Now Güllük has become concreted over. 

The infrastructure here cannot handle this density. 

Some improvements have been made but they're insufficient. 

There are water shortages in summer, and occasional power outages. During summer months the population becomes very crowded and the infrastructure remains inadequate.

Since we own a boat, we spend long periods sailing our seas, unaware of the summer's difficulties.

After retiring, when our existing means weren't sufficient, we decided to work again and buy a boat with the money we earned. 

Meanwhile, we took a short-term sailing course in Ankara. 

When we completely finished our working life, we searched for boats on the internet everywhere in the world. 

In 2004, we found this boat in America. 

2000 model, 34 feet Hunter. It had been moored in the marina for 3 years. A wealthy American businessman bought it for his son, but his son didn't like sailing. So it came to us. 

Everything was brand new, we even started its stove for the first time. 

For 4 months in America, we both learned the boat and practiced sailing. Previously, we had taken 12 hours of lessons over 3 years in Turkey. In America, we learned the craft anew, constantly went out to sea, and increased our practice. 

Finally, because our money ran out, we set off on May 15 to bring our boat to Turkey without being able to buy our life raft and wind vane. 

Our ocean crossing took 43 days with stops. We made leisurely cruises in the Mediterranean. Finally, on September 24, we completed our total 5-month voyage in Güllük. 

We love Güllük very much. Despite its poor construction, it's still a calm town with a slow pace of life. The people are good, eggs, milk, fish, clean air. 

It added life to our life. We are happy living here.”

There are many people who are happy living here. Osman Bey is one of them. 12 years ago, he ended his active working life and settled in Güllük. 

He found time to practice the art of photography, which he loves so much. 

Good thing he did. 

He has immortalized dozens, hundreds of beautiful moments of Güllük and its surroundings.

OSMAN YÜZBAŞIGIL

“While doing business in Istanbul, I transferred my work to my son and retired myself a bit early. I gave myself time for the things I wanted to do and came straight to Güllük.

This decision was extremely right for me. 

I have been enjoying Güllük for ten years. 

Is Güllük a very important place? No. 

It is an extremely simple, calm fishing village. 

It has perfect air, wonderful people. 

The wind is relaxing especially in summer months, but it is a place where the sea is wavy in the afternoon. 

There is a place called Boğaziçi, which is magnificent. A natural wonder where the sea enters deep inland, a bird paradise. This is the shelter of flamingos. The habitat of birds coming from fifty places in the world. 

I have been living here for ten years. Güllük is the center of fish producers. 

Here, I started to intensively practice photography, which has been my passion for a long time. I capture the natural wonders, environments, and portraits around us by watching for the right time, light, and setting. I am not in a hurry against time. For this reason, I wanted my shots to be beautiful. I opened exhibitions at many artistic events held in Bodrum and here. 

In Güllük, there are painting, embroidery, marbling, and coloring courses. 

Its people are very fond of and interested in art.

However, after Güllük was connected to Milas, our artistic activities decreased numerically. The control is now in Milas.

I have now decided not to return to Istanbul. I wouldn't trade the pleasure of living here for anything. 

Although this is the bottom of Bodrum, it is a place that maintains its modesty and has balanced prices.

Of course, like everywhere, this place also has some problems. For example, our water is very expensive.

I take very few photographs now. The reason for this is that my shots are used for commercial purposes without being asked. 

This is very painful. I press the shutter very rarely now.”

We are on the boat of a valuable captain pilot, the owner of those beautiful snapshots, who I can say has traveled to almost every corner of the world, flown to every place, and after spending years in the sky, came to find happiness at sea. 

Let's see who else Güllük's proximity advantage to the airport and its new marina will attract here..

ASAF BORA

“My childhood was spent in Istanbul Sarıyer. Intertwined with the sea. 

My father had bought me a 2-meter dinghy. It was my everything. Then life's struggle began. 

I entered military school, started duty as a land officer. 

Then I became a Pilot. 

However, in 1988 I left the armed forces and moved to civil aviation. 

Initially as a flight engineer, then I served as a pilot for many years. 

After flying approximately 21,000 hours in different types of aircraft, I served in an administrative role as THY Deputy General Manager for six and a half years. 

When I retired and ended aviation, I found time for the sea.

Maritime and aviation are very similar as professions. Navigation, systems, safety rules, being subject to natural conditions and not being stubborn. 

Only speed is different between the two. I transitioned to maritime without finding it strange.

The first 25 years of my life on land, 37 years in the air, and now it's passing at sea. 

I love the spirit of maritime. 

I want to be in contact with real mariners. 

Everyone learns something from each other. 

There is no such thing as good experience. 

Everyone has different experiences from one another.

I came to Güllük from Kalamış Marina 4.5 years ago. 

It is underdeveloped compared to other districts of Bodrum but has potential for development. 

If the good municipal management approach and fishing village atmosphere are not spoiled, it will become a very good place. 

It has the advantage of a marina, the airport is very important for me and it is close. I make passages departing from Güllük.” 

Sir, we are closing our Güllük file here with those who were born here, those who settled later and those who are considering staying. 

We want to see this very beautiful, important and strategic town with better construction and an unpolluted sea.

Stay healthy.