Those Who Give Us Heaven: Celebrating Turkey's Maritime Heroes

Today's article is about Kocabahçe Cove, a beloved, sheltered bay in Hisarönü Gulf.

During the long summer season, I visit Kocabahçe at least once or twice.

Generally, I tie up to the moorings or the pier belonging to the jetty at the end of the cove.

This mooring style is as a precaution against downpours that can sometimes occur, due to the depth suddenly increasing from the shore.

THE COOL COVE OF HOT DAYS

Since it is located on the land mass between Hisarönü-Yeşilova Gulfs, it doesn't make you feel the heat even on the hottest days.

On the other hand, the blowing winds and downpours are enough to make us anxious.

In this article, I wanted to address the story of a charming, natural restaurant that has been serving yachtsmen here for years.

DESPITE THE HARDSHIPS

We are in a place where there is no road access, sea access is difficult, and electricity and water shortages are overcome with difficulty.

This restaurant has been operated for years by a family whose roots go back to Taşlıca Village.

While we take your mooring, tie up, and then comfortably enjoy our vacation and rest, I wanted to examine under the microscope how they provide all the facilities for you, the difficulties they face, and their lives.

The difficulties encountered while trying to provide you with Paradise.

DOES THE SHEPHERD'S SON BECOME A SHEPHERD?

The head of the family, Mehmet Şengül, was born in 1962 as the son of a shepherd

in Taşlıca Village, 50 km away from Marmaris.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TEACHER

"When I was 11-12 years old, my primary school teacher discovered me, said I needed to study.

My father had no money. He didn't want to send me to school after primary school.

My teacher convinced my father; "This child needs to study, if you don't educate him, I will" he said.

Finally, my father sent me to Marmaris to study. I stayed with my aunt here for 6 years for education.

After high school, I took the university exam in Izmir.

In the end, I got accepted to 2 universities at once.

One was Manisa Sports Academy, the other was Buca Education Academy.

I entered and completed the 4-year English Literature department at Buca Education Academy.

HE IS A TEACHER

Life, time, and circumstances had made me an English teacher instead of a shepherd.

I started working in Marmaris.

As the years passed by like this, I fell in love with my wife in 1982.

She was also a shepherd's daughter, I found her on the mountain.

LOVE IN THE MOUNTAINS

My father-in-law made me suffer in the mountains for 4 years, he didn't give me his daughter.

I went back and forth, went back and forth...

Finally, he had to give me Berrin, and we got married.

Meanwhile, English teaching in Marmaris was continuing. 

TEACHER'S SALARY

After we got married, our first son Levent was born. 

He was born, but the salary wasn't enough to make ends meet, I'm looking for a solution.

Our region is a Tourism Region. 

What can I do, what should I do, I finally decided to open a restaurant.

This is where our story begins.

THE TEACHER'S RESTAURANTS

After opening our first restaurant, over time, opening different restaurants in various places, we have come to this day, to this point.

Our restaurant in Kocabahçe is the sixth one. 

Bozburun, Serçe Marina, Söğüt, Dirsek Bükü, and finally we continue our business as a family with the restaurant in Kocabahçe Cove. 

ASK MY SON ABOUT DİRSEKBÜKÜ

My son Levent operates the Dirsek Bükü restaurant.

I'm gradually handing over the business to the children now, preparing for retirement.

The place where this restaurant is located belongs to us. 

EXPERT IN LAND ACQUISITION

Years ago, I collected the land plots little by little, with determination.

I stubbornly, persistently, and faithfully brought our land together.

We have some other small places like this a little further ahead.

With great difficulties and limited means, we were able to open this place.

In the first years we arrived, we suffered many hardships.

No road. No electricity, no water.

THE ONLY WAY IS BY SEA

Everything by long sea route, carried stone by stone. 

Its establishment and development took time and we struggled a lot.

Our bay is in a location sheltered from prevailing winds. 

The wooden pier we built is at the most protected point. 

It's already an extension of our land. 

We ensure its security with many solid mooring buoys. 

The maintenance of these buoys is definitely done every year.

FROM THE VEGETABLE AND FRUIT GARDEN

Behind our restaurant, we have vegetable and fruit gardens. We give what we produce here to our guests. 

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, peaches, zucchini, whatever you want, we have it.

We run the restaurant as a family, but we also hire supporting friends from outside for the kitchen and service.

TARIK BECAME OUR SON-IN-LAW, AND THEY HAVE A BABY

Tarık, who came to us as a waiter from Denizli, became our son-in-law after a while. 

Now he and my daughter Zerrin are managing the restaurant.

Meanwhile, we also have a grandson named Ege who was born. 

He's our mascot.

GRANDFATHER-GRANDSON ZEYBEK SHOW

He's about to turn 2 years old, he can't speak yet but he knows how to dance zeybek with his grandfather every night before bedtime.

THE CHILDREN'S WOODEN HOUSE IS OUR HEADACHE

We and our employees stay in small spaces within our property.

But our headache is Zerrin and Tarık's small wooden place.

The authorities have fixated on this. 

We've been fighting this battle for years. 

We have our deed, we have our permits, we have everything you could ask for, but that small cabin continues to be a problem.

BERRIN, THE PILLAR OF THE FAMILY, HAS HER NAME ON OUR BOAT

My wife Berrin is my right hand here, just as she is in life. 

From the morning bread baking to the care of vegetables and fruits in the garden, environmental cleaning, and animal care, everything is under her control.

We named our wooden boat after her when we supplied it.

THE SEASON IS LONG

We continue the season that we start in April until November.

Over the years, many well-known figures and famous guests have been and continue to be our guests here. 

They have become regular guests of our place in this pristine nature.

Life here is very beautiful. 

Our guests leaving here with smiling faces is our greatest source of joy.

Especially their return is the feedback of the service we provided before.

KEEPING THIS PLACE RUNNING REQUIRES SKILL AND MONEY

Of course, we make great efforts to keep this facility that sailors appreciate operational.

This maintenance work has no summer or winter, our hands are always on it.

Our biggest problem over time has been in terms of water and electricity.

We now transport water from above. We also extract it from the well below.

FROM GENERATOR TO SOLAR ENERGY

We tried to solve the electricity problem with a generator for years. 

Preserving food supplies is very important, especially in this hot region.

The generator method is difficult and costly.

Now we have solved the facility's electricity issue with solar panels and batteries.

After this process, we realized over time that we need to install a few more solar panels. 

We will do that next year.

We will increase our food supply stock once we completely solve the electricity issue.

I REST DURING SEA TRANSPORT

Since there is no land road, we carry out our supply transportation by sea.

We regularly go to Bozburun and Marmaris. 

We take the garbage, we get the necessities.

During these voyages, I shed all my fatigue.

Our bay is a bay known and preferred by sailors.  In the summer months, on the hottest days, it definitely has a refreshing breeze.

The seawater is at the cleanest level possible.

In this place reminiscent of paradise, we have been striving as a family for years to ensure our guests stay in happiness.

As we slowly cast off the mooring line from Kocabahçe Bay, we witness that the years-long solitude of the Şengül family in the bay is also coming to an end.

Similar facilities and residences have already started to be built on the land next to them.

Is civilization coming or what?