Cove by Cove Along the Black Sea

“COVE BY COVE ALONG THE BLACK SEA”

Text: Hüseyin ÇOBAN

Photographs: Ferhat GÜNGÖR, Salih POLATOĞLU

The Black Sea is a hard sea. Its shores are straight.

The geography of the Black Sea makes coastal life difficult. There are few fjords and coves along the shore where boats can shelter. In bad weather, miles must be covered to find a suitable refuge.

The Black Sea is known as a sea of terrifying waves. Yet all the seas of the Anatolian geography share the same wave heights and are tossed by the same numbered storms. In the Aegean, the mountains running perpendicular to the shore have created coves, fjords and lagoons, forming shelter harbours for sailors. The heroic sailors of the Black Sea, when they wish to take shelter on shore, find themselves facing cliffs and rocky coasts. Until recent years, when harbours with concrete piers and fishing shelters were built, the old sailors had to sail and hold the helm for hours to find a cove or fjord. Sailors returning from fishing, cargo vessels carrying wheat from the fertile soils of the Caucasus, butter from the Trabzon area, or timber from the Bartın region — none could find a harbour in bad weather.

It was precisely in those days that the old sailors gave the sea we now call the BLACK SEA its first name. They called it “Pontus Axeinus” — meaning “Inhospitable Sea.” But did this “ill-famed, dark-fated sea” have no harbour at all? Of course it did. Every sailor knows that among these, one — perhaps the finest — is Amasra. Necdet SAKAOĞLU says: Amasra is the Hospitable Harbour of the Black Sea.

Amasra does not allow those who will speak of it to write prose, To tell of this city, one must write poetry…

Amasra is a wonderful harbour town where Nature, History and Geography live hand in hand.

WITH A PENINSULA AND ISLANDS THAT REACH OUT TO SEA LIKE A STROKE OF AN ARM, IT IS THE FORTRESS OF THE GIFTS THAT WILL ALWAYS COME FROM NATURE.

The Amasra peninsula with its two islands, two bays and five hills is like a bunch of grapes that the Black Sea, as if saying “I raised you,” wants to tear away from the land and claim for itself. DO THOSE PENINSULAS AND ISLANDS REACH OUT TOWARDS THE SEA, OR DOES THAT DARK SEA WANT TO TAKE SHELTER ON THE LAND AND SINK INTO THE EARTH’S BOSOM — YOU CANNOT TELL.

And it is from this passionate embrace that Amasra, child of the Sea and the Land, was born.

FROM THE SEA FISH, FROM THE EARTH PRODUCE, FROM THE UNDERGROUND COAL — AMASRA IS THE FORTRESS OF THE GIFTS GIVEN TO PEOPLE, TAKEN FROM NATURE AND GIVEN TO HUMANS.

Despite what we have written above, the Amasra shores possess beautiful and numerous coastal treasures. Between the rocks, small inlets and three-to-five-metre beaches are full of surprises. The “shore paths” are always the fishing grounds of fishermen, “Değirmen Ağzı” (Mill Mouth) is the old picnic spot, “Harsa” is the haunt of crab hunters, “Felengit” is the rowing boat car park. In short, both the western and eastern shores of Amasra are full of places to be explored and enjoyed, with interesting names to match. How about following the eastern route from Gamışla, Kefaser and Honduras, leaving the Bözköy and Çakraz beaches to starboard, passing Çötlü and heading towards “DELİKLİ ŞİLİ”?

We wanted to share photographs from a pleasant voyage aboard the sailing yacht “ARSİMA” — built with modern methods by expert hands from these shores. Amasra.net tries to guide you in discovering the environment, nature and history. You too should answer the call of the sea and try exploring the hospitable coves of Amasra. Many a sailor and their boats are waiting at the quay to guide you through the blue waters and green coves. We wish you to experience Amasra before the poor construction that blights every part of our country — those primitive rent-blocks known as apartments — covers Amasra; before the commercial pressure of tourism dulls this beautiful city; before Fatih shows up and scolds: “My pasha, may the blighted Eye of Tourism not be upon it.” May you too have a cove you have discovered for yourself…

When we decided on our “COVE BY COVE ALONG THE BLACK SEA” trip, our sailing yacht “ARSİMA” was ready to weigh anchor from the Amasra Yacht Berth. The 12-metre sailing vessel was a modern yacht built at the ÇOBAN Maritime shipyard in the Tekkeönü pier using the Wooden Composite system. Our route: “DELİKLİ ŞİLİ,” 7 miles to the east. This beautiful cove — the shore of the Akkonak village — was waiting for us. Akkonak, whose red soil is used in brick factories, has two fine camping areas and a beach the local people call “ÇÖTLÜ” on its western shore facing Amasra. The natural cove between the peninsula extending north from Çötlü and Karacakaya is sheltered from both northerly and southerly swell. This quality makes it both a fine beach and an ideal overnight anchorage for boats. The cove takes its name from the opening formed at the very tip of the peninsula.

The voyage began; with cries of “alesta, fora yelken” (stand by, set sail) the sails were hoisted. We made headway to windward with close-hauled and beam-reach tacks. Once the course was set, Zülfiye and the youngest crew member Yaman took the helm. The first photographs fell to Salih Polatoğlu. Red-hatted Hüseyin Buğday, and Gül and Erkan Başruh — who had come from Istanbul in their bandanas — gave “Captain Hüseyin” a hand.

Ferhat Güngör and “Young Crew” Yaman took charge of the navigation instruments. Don’t worry — our sails didn’t tear. Erkan and Gül rigged an awning for shade. Everyone was busy with something; since Özge had a bandaged right knee, the port stern seat was always reserved for her. All was well — the youngest and oldest were having their afternoon nap… Cliffs and rocky shores were passed, and a swimming stop was made off the Çakraz shore. The final leg was covered and Şili’s opening came into view. Zülfiye and Yaman Güngör were captured together with Delikli Şili by family head Ferhat’s camera. And so yet another of the Black Sea’s hospitable coves opened its arms to us. We swam, sunbathed, listened to music, had fun…

Delikli Şili’s “adrenaline diving board” sent Ferhat flying! First Ferhat spread his wings, then plunged into the water with the grace of a dolphin. Meanwhile, when Erkan Ateş discovered where the mussels were, Hüseyin went to help him, and enough mussels were gathered to go into the bulgur pilaf. While Erkan Başruh had impressed us all by diving to the bottom and gathering sand mussels while swimming off Çakraz to give to Gül, Erkan became a rival to Erkan, and Amasra Municipality collector Erkan Ateş this time collected the finest mussels from Delikli Şili instead of water fees. The mussels were cleaned on the stern platform of the boat. Against the protests of Ferhat and Young Crew Yaman, Hüseyin and Erkan held firm. The most put-upon of this trip was Little Yaman Crew. While Captain Hüseyin blew a whistle right in Yaman’s ear, Erkan Ateş tried to burst Yaman’s swimming armbands.

The finale of the trip: Mussel Bulgur Pilaf. Salih and Ferhat were both the trip photographers and the Akkonak Tarzans…