The wind that hasn't calm down since the 60s: Sailing in Kuşadası

Besides all its beauties, Kuşadası is also the place where sailing first started on the Aegean coast. Because one of the first sailing clubs in Turkey was established here.

Gözde Nur Keser, Setur Marinas Kuşadası Front Office Representative

There is no doubt that Kuşadası is one of the destinations where the sea is the brightest, where the heat of the sun makes us feel the heat of the sun most intimately, and where the winds reinforce our desire to sail to new horizons. Kuşadası, where the foundations of Turkey's first marina were laid, became the starting point of sailing in the Aegean and Mediterranean because of the tourism activity in the 1960s.

At the beginning of 1968, even before the construction of the marina in Kuşadası, the first sailing club of Kuşadası, the Efes Yacht Club, is founded by Taylan Sağnak. In 1969, the club organized the first yacht race between Istanbul and Kuşadası in cooperation with the Istanbul Sailing Club. In that race, Ahmet Muhittin Öney, Commodore of the Turkish Offshore Racing Sports Club (TAYK) and Eastern Mediterranean Yacht Rally (EMYR), finished first with his cutter named "Sim". Afterwards, the Offshore Racing Club (AYK - now TAYK) took over the races and continued for nearly 10 years. After a while, the races were shifted to Çeşme and Bodrum due to the lack of wind when approaching Kuşadası, which affected the outcome of the race. After the closure of the Ephesus Yacht Club, a new yacht club was opened in Kuşadası in the mid-1970s by Halim Özbaş, the grandson of Sultan Vahdettin.

In 1980, a race was organized jointly by the Offshore Racing Club and the Greek Offshore Racing Club on the Istanbul-Kuşadası-Piraeus route. This race, organized as a leg of the "La Trans Mediterranée" race, was also the first international organization. A total of 40 boats, including 11 Turkish boats and as many Greek boats, participated in this race, and the yachts were moored at Kuşadası Marina after the Istanbul-Kuşadası leg. The journalists who came there also see Kuşadası Marina and mentioned it on their newspaper pages. This is how Kuşadası Marina became known.

Although sailing is basically considered a sport, for many people it is more of a passion and an area of freedom. Feeling the breeze of the wind, embarking on a brand new adventure of discovery, and realizing how strong you are while struggling with the waves are just a few of the experiences that people who are devoted to sailing agree on. With these thoughts in mind, we find ourselves at the door of Kuşadası Sailing Club (KAYK). Gökhan Aydın welcomes us. In 2010, Aydın became a founding member of the club and continues to serve as a board member, saying that the club's main goal is to revitalize sailing in Kuşadası, where it first started. Regattas organized for this purpose, of which Setur Marinas is a part, follow each other in these waters. Pleasant moments and beautiful images are engraved on hearts and important success stories are written.

In the past years, the sailing club Setur Marinas, together with Kuşadası, has been an important stopover point for a fleet of British and European yachtsmen on their voyage from Istanbul to the southern coasts and from there to Israel. Kuşadası was also an important stop on the cruise between Turgutreis and Gibraltar. The Republic Cup Regattas sponsored by the club have left their mark on recent years.

As people who are devoted to the sea and Kuşadası, it is our greatest wish that sailing will regain its former importance in these waters where it was born as a sport and passion. In this way, we will be happy to welcome many valuable sailors and sea lovers here.