Yesilköy Limanı

We made a very civilised 10am start on 7 October with the first hour spent motoring whilst we waited for the wind. The remaining 2 1/2 hours of the passage was spent tacking backwards and forwards along the Turkish coast. Consequently, thought the direct line is around 12 miles, we had logged 20 miles when we stopped in Yesilköy Limanı, near Kalkan. Ahead of us we had seen Songster coming up on the AIS display. They were also heading for Yesilköy Limanı and got there just before us. Just short of the entrance to the bay the wind picked up quite strongly and so we roared at 8.3 knots and were accused of showing off by Songster's crew! Bob and Eileen were invited on board BV for drinks at 6pm which gave us time to explore ashore.

S/Y Songster free anchored in the middle of Yesilköy Limanı   

BV at anchor in Yesilköy Limanı   

Helen and Tony from Iolanthe had told us about an ancent viauct which they had found close by the bay and so we resolved to look for it too. We packed some walking shoes and dry clothes into a dry bag and swam ashore to the stony beach. From there, after one false start, we found the track leading up the hillside. This joined up with part of the Lycian Way and so from there we were able to follow the red and white paint marks to keep us on the right route. It was a good pathway up to the ridgeline and we made quick progress, stopping only to pick some wild sage. Looking down there were great views of BV and Songster at anchor in the bay.

At the top there was a saddle between 2 peaks and spanning it was the fabulously preserved aqueduct. The supporting walls are made from polygonal stone blocks and the two passageways through the walls are topped by lintels rather than being arched which probably means that it predates the Roman era.

Capping the wall are cuboid stones which had been carved to neatly interlock and running through the middle of these blocks is a 25cm diameter 'pipe' for the water to pass through. It is thought that this pipe design created a syphon effect to help get the water across the saddle; something to research when we get back home and see what else we can find out about the aqueduct. It is certainly a fantastic site to visit and almost completely intact too with just one short part collapsed.

View down towards the aqueduct from the hilltop

We took some photos, passed some of the fallen capping stones and then climbed a little higher to one of the peaks.

View down towards the bay from the hilltop   

And then it was time to return to BV so that we could host Bob and Eileen. That, of course, was also good fun and we chatted away easily which made the time time fly and dinner rather later than each of the crews had probably expected. 

Yesilköy Limanı, Turkey