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Posted 15 October 2008
A howling wind woke us in the early hours of the morning, flinging our belongings around the deck in random directions. Kris Kinn and I were taking the ferry to Cesme in Turkey and had slept huddled under a stairwell where we had been protected from the strong wind until the boat changed direction and we were hit with its full fury. The Meltemi wind that blows though this area is what makes this part of Turkey such a great kiting destination. Although at four in the morning laying spread-eagled on our sleeping bags and trying to secure what was left from our camp before it blew overboard I was finding this hard to appreciate.
As we arrived in Cesme, dawn was breaking over the 14th century fortress, which dominates its bay. The Ottomans, Greeks and Russians have all fought battles here, and this port was once an important point along the silk route. These days leisure yachts and pleasure cruisers have replaced the war and trading ships. The holiday season was in full swing and groups of sunburnt tourists walked along the promenade, cameras snapping away at everything in sight.
We collected our scattered belongings and headed to Pirlanta Beach, to meet up with Husnu, a good friend who runs the kite centre there. A clean onshore wind blew over the turquoise water and the sun bleached cliffs on either side made a picturesque backdrop. We pitched our tent twenty meters from the beach and it didn't take us long before we were enjoying the small kickers rolling in. Unfortunately it was the weekend in the middle of summer and the kiting area was a bit crowded. The Meltemi wind is caused from a high-pressure system in the Balkans and a low-pressure system over Turkey's mainland sucking the wind down the Aegean Sea. The wind was generally strongest in the morning dropping around mid-day and then picking back up in the afternoon. The water remained shallow for the first fifty meters and the bottom was mostly sandy apart from next to the cliffs. I found this out I when I landed on rock and got an urchin stuck under my harness.
Cesme at night felt like a carnival. Balloon sellers, magicians and portrait artists lined the busy sidewalks while touts tried to entice passers by to the local discos. Perspiring men skilfully sliced slivers of meat off a massive donor kebab racks. Each menu included a variety of kebabs, casserole dishes, and seafood and we never had a problem finding a satisfying meal after a full day of riding. Vendors sold homemade ice cream although the local speciality of pine resin flavour is an acquired taste.
After riding in Pirlanta for a few days it was time to explore and find a new spot. Turkey has an extensive coastline however finding a place to ride that faced the right direction for the wind and wasn't cliffs, or densely populated was going to be tricky. We ended up heading north in search of a rumoured beach, our directions were vague but we narrowed it down to what looked the most promising. Our car bounced over potholes wound our through fields and olive groves and after a few false turns we had our first view of the spot. A long spit of sand jutted out into a large bay. The wind was blowing over twenty-five knots and the water was a choppy mass of white caps but behind the protective sandbar it remained perfectly calm.
Unfortunately a large gate and an officious security guard halted our progress. We were politely but firmly told the land was a holiday camp for the Ministry of Agriculture and were not allowed inside. Through the barbed wire fence we could see sunbathers laying behind concrete windbreakers and letting this perfect kiting spot go to waste. Phone calls were made, strings were pulled and Husnu must have known someone who knew someone because we were soon unexpectedly being welcomed inside the compound and allowed to kite.
Kris and I pumped up and were soon flying along the sandbar. Our fins hissed over the mirrored surface leaving a perfect V in our wake. The offshore winds would have made it hard to get back to shore if anything had happened, but we figured we would eventually wash up at the opposite end of the bay. For the next few days we rode to the point of exhaustion, each making the most of the ideal flat water to progress and film.
"Vonderful, vonderful" cheered the security guard. Although he had previously tried to evict us he quickly became a fan, shouting encouragement from the shore and bringing us refreshments. A friend texted him some English phrases which he practiced, seeing if there was anything he could do for us or asking if we would like to join him for lunch. The holidaying ministry workers were happy to share the beach with us and would wander over for a closer look and to ask us about the sport.
This part of Turkey has become a popular a tourist destination and as a result much of the area has been developed with modern buildings and designer shops although behind this facade parts of the old town still remain. Groups of men sipped tea while children played in the small winding streets. Many of the small doorways in the weathered buildings were marked with blue glass circles called 'eyes' said to ward away black magic. Farmers on donkeys bringing produce to the market made their way between new Toyotas and tractors parked in the street. The colourful market stalls offered a whole variety of produce from fresh vegetables to the latest Chinese plastic shoes. Fruit sellers, offered us delicious cherries, pears, and plums. There were rows upon rows of different olives, huge green ones to shrivelled black, some stuffed, and others bitter. The next aisle specialised in nuts and a variety of sticky, multi coloured Turkish delights that they were eager for us sample.
The main kiting season is between June and September and twelve days we were able to kite almost every day. With the long coastline here there is a huge potential for new places to ride. "Tamam" meaning, "ok, no problem" is something we heard throughout our trip. Everyone we met was incredibly friendly and welcoming. People would immediately stop if we were hitching a ride and although the language barrier would often limit conversation we managed through sign language. Even kitesurfing in restricted government owned property proved to be "Tamam".
Turkey facts
We travelled to Cesme from Athens on a ferry. Services are fairly regular and relatively cheap if you sleep on deck. It cost 55 EUR one way.
Izmir is the closest airport with international flights.
Renting a car made it much easier to discovering new spots however we could have done without one if we had stayed at Pirlanta. Local buses are an easy and cheap way to get around.
The local currency is the Turkish Lira (YTL)
At the time the rates were,
1 EUR = 1.90 YTL
1 US $ = 1.20 YTL
Living costs are slowly increasing but it still remains reasonably priced.
Dinner would usually cost between 7 – 10 EUR and if you are really on a budget you can always survive on donor kebabs.
The best wind is in the summer months. There area few places where you can buy or repair equipment (SeaSnow Extreme Shop in Alacati).
Kiteboarding lessons are available at Kitesurf Beach at Pirlanta beach.