SIĞACIK

Dear readers, this week I wanted to take you to Sığacık, where we sometimes capture its underwater beauties and sheltered coves, and from time to time follow yacht races.

Sığacık is the place where I first made my effort to begin my maritime adventure years ago.

We had gone to Sığacık with my late father to buy a small dinghy. We didn't like the boat, we couldn't buy it back then. After losing my father, I found the boat we couldn't get for him in other places.

I upgraded and changed them. I named all of them after my father; "Kemal Bey". With these, I went to Sığacık many times before Teos marina was built. We couldn't enter the harbor, we would stay at anchor. In the following years, we were grateful for our situation when we witnessed what happened to the boats that stayed at anchor.

Yes, with its strong winds, we pass through Sığacık Bay with its dozens of coves, and curl like a snail to enter the harbor. As a boater who has closely documented the construction of Teos Marina and has stayed there after its opening, I love Sığacık.

I made friends, they became true companions. As the years passed by, I made many news reports for this beautiful place, both on television and in print media. I captured its sheltered coves one by one.

I participated in yacht races, experienced all their conditions. When it came time to write about this, I was confused about which one to write.

Sığacık has one of the most beautiful approaches by land when approaching a town in Turkey. Especially during mandarin season, you travel a long, narrow road between the contrast of green and orange. Small vineyard houses, fences, lush green, flat terrain.

Its castle mascot is right next to the harbor. The walls of the castle, which overlook everywhere, have surrounded the old settlement. Now restored, the residences destroyed by flooding rainwater have been restored and their infrastructure completed, leaving the negativity to history, Sığacık.

We wanted to go to the cistern in the middle of the bazaar, the restaurants inside the harbor, the mandarin orchards, those charming streets where women display their handicrafts, and the fish auction.

We asked those who live here about the current state of this town, which has increased its popularity in a very short time, with its ups and downs, its past, present and future, and their perspectives on life centers.

First, as a sailor, we went to the town's marina. While Marina General Manager Faruk Günlü was explaining his marina and its facilities, he also shared with us the town he is in and its history.

FARUK GÜNLÜ

“This region is so rich, it promises so much to its visitors that those who come to this region for the first time are very surprised. In fact, they regret not discovering it earlier and become attached and stay.

Sığacık is located 40 km from İzmir city center and 50 km from Adnan Menderes International Airport.

Sığacık is established in Sığacık Gulf, 3 km west of Seferihisar. The Ancient City of Teos is one of the few ancient cities that is frequently mentioned in international archaeology literature and has national and international publications about it.

Teos, located by the sea within walking distance of Sığacık, was the capital of Northern Ionia up to 3 thousand years ago.

Its founder is known as Athames, son of Dionysus.

Teos has an important place in architecture and trade in ancient times.

Teos opened its doors to artists who were expelled from an Ionian city for allegedly causing unrest, becoming the city where the Artists' Union was established for the first time in history.

For many years, Teos remained a city of arts, and poets from among the important philosophers and artists of ancient times, Anacreon, Antimachus, Epicurus, Nausiphanes, Apellicon, and the historian Hecataeus lived in Teos.

The city, which served as the capital of Ionian civilization, once competed with Ephesus.

In October 2016, during excavations at the Ancient City of Teos, a 2,200-year-old inscription bearing the characteristics of the oldest lease agreement in history was found.

The inscription, which contains two important legal terms and includes many other details, is extremely valuable and has been taken under examination.

In addition to its historical and natural beauties, Teos is a natural harbor. During the Ionian period, it had two harbors, South and North. The name of Sığacık, which hosts Teos, one of the 12 Ionian cities, dates back to the times in 1521-1522 when the city was used as a refuge.

During the Ottoman period, the North harbor also hosted many sailors.

Now, Teos Marina is located on this historic north harbor with modern facilities and services.

The historic Sığacık Castle, Teos Ancient City, and the market set up every Sunday in the narrow streets within the historic castle where local products are sold, attracts thousands of regular visitors coming weekly from İzmir, Manisa, Aydın, and Muğla.

If anyone still hasn't seen them, the trays of homemade baklava, local pastries, stuffed grape leaves, jams, local herbs, and other special natural products brought and sold directly by producers are definitely worth seeing and tasting.

While Sığacık offers many things to see and explore within itself, it is also 1 hour away from many tourist attractions such as Çeşme, Kuşadası, Ephesus Ancient City, and the House of Virgin Mary.

The general weather conditions of the region are mild but windy. Located in a geography with abundant wind for sailors, Sığacık Bay is one of the most ideal regions for sailors cruising along our country's coasts. While the wind coming from a steady direction over the northern mountains blows ideally for sailing, it offers a great opportunity for sailing in every season of the year as it cannot raise waves.

For yachtsmen who moor their boats at Teos Marina, among the most important advantages are the numerous coves within 10 miles that can be visited for day trips or overnight stays, as well as proximity to beaches, thermal baths and hot springs. Additionally, with the Samos ferry services operated during summer months, Samos is accessible within 2 hours.

In Seferihisar, which was selected as Turkey's first Cittaslow city and preserves its local identity while developing, there is a high probability of surrendering yourself to the calm and peaceful life of the Aegean and falling in love with this nature.

Teos Marina is also appreciated for its environmentally conscious approach with sensor-equipped systems providing electricity and water savings, separate waste bins for separating organic and inorganic waste, and the use of eco-friendly products.

In cooperation with Göztepe Yacht Sailing Club, there are sailing training programs aimed at making children love the sea and seamanship. The branch of Göztepe Sailing Club at Teos Marina, as a Yacht Club, organizes events, talk programs, races and sailing trainings on special occasions.

Teos Marina, one of the Blue Flag certified marinas, was constructed through the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications' build-operate-transfer model and has been certified with 5 anchors for service quality by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Lastly, general services are also available such as 24-hour uninterrupted water, electricity, sanitary units (toilet, shower, dishwashing area), sanitary units for disabled people, laundry unit, free satellite TV connection, Internet (Wi-fi), storage rental service, covered garages, electric vehicle for transportation within the marina, parking lot for 207 vehicles, 2 helicopter pads.

At Teos Marina Cultural Center, there is also the opportunity to participate in artistic activities with painting workshop sessions, painting, handicrafts, ceramics, mosaic exhibitions open 7 days a week, yoga and photography lessons on certain days, painting and sculpture workshop area.

Teos Marina organizes many events, continuing its mission of being a cradle of culture and art since ancient times. The shopping center section and festival area of Teos Marina, which is one of the attraction centers in the region in terms of social life and shopping, becomes a place where yachtsmen and local people enjoy their time in terms of entertainment and cultural activities, especially with the Thursday Concerts held during the summer months.

Then we met with Ethem Turgut, a Sığacık local and local government expert. We found him on his peaceful land close to the town. He lives in a wooden house among mandarin orchards. They continue their family life here with their trees and animals. We talked about Sığacık's history, climate, and the life he currently leads.

ETHEM TURGUT

“As a Sığacık local, I studied its history. The known actual history is very incomplete. The history goes back to very ancient times. The name Sığacık is a modified version of a name coming from Greek. It means “Beautiful Coast”. It is a region with delta, lagoon, sand-mud structure and tidal sea where fish come to spawn due to its rich plankton. It was a place where we could catch fish with our hands back in the day.

These lands suffered greatly from the Persians and the people of Teos were forced to migrate. There are remains under the current police station from boats that were manufactured dating from 1083-1093. The history extends to the Seljuk period.

It is a place with magnificent air as much as its sea. In winter, these places experience autumn, and in summer they always experience spring. Lighting a stove in winter months simply means polluting the air. Because heating is very easy. A small stove can do the job.

I worked as a local government expert for 30 years. Because of those who do not perceive the service provided, do not notice it, do not react, who are either by your side or against you but cannot find the middle ground, we decided to continue our family life in a garden inherited from our ancestors.

We live in a wooden house built on top of old telephone poles so as not to harm nature with concrete. We continue our life naturally with tangerine and pomegranate trees, geese, sheep, cats and dogs.

Then every morning we go to the fish auction and the marina. One of the richest auctions. One of the fullest marinas. We talked with Eyüp Ermiş, a fisherman from grandfather to father, while he was cleaning his nets.

EYÜP ERMİŞ

"I am a born and raised Sığacık native. I fish with my 7.5 meter boat. In our region, we mainly catch red mullet and squid. Due to large purse seiners, amateur fishermen, divers, and dolphins, we can no longer speak of the former abundance of fish.

Coastal sea pollution also has an effect on this. While trawlers should fish 3 miles offshore, they come right up to the harbor entrance. Fish breeding grounds are disappearing. We can only find 0 percent of the old fish population.

From time to time we go out swordfish hunting 24 miles offshore. We are careful not to cross into Greek waters.

As the fish decreased, the fishermen also gradually decreased. Fishermen now organize boat tours.

I used to love this place where I was born and raised more in the past. It has become extremely crowded. 15 years ago we didn't lock our door at home. Now there is no place left to park a car in front of the house.

During summer months there is music sound until morning. These places are good for those who don't know the past, but for those who can make comparisons, the direction doesn't look good. When we looked at the coasts we used to see herds of goats and sheep, now we see construction sites.

Yes, generally fishermen more or less speak like Captain Eyüp. Now we are going to the castle right next to the harbor, to the streets where women display their handicrafts.

They are happy; from producing, selling and contributing to the family budget.

AYCAN ALTINER

“The most important source of livelihood here is fishing at sea, and growing mandarins and olives on land.

With the project design by Seferihisar Municipality and contributions from İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, the houses inside the castle were arranged in terms of external appearance. The previously problematic infrastructure was made trouble-free. An open-air exhibition area was created in the streets inside the Castle, which gained a new appearance, where women's handicrafts are also displayed. 

Every Sunday, the products of our local women are exhibited in these charming streets.

Desserts, pastries, stuffed vegetables, jewelry and many handmade products are exhibited. Visitors from different places purchase these products.

For this reason, Sığacık is very crowded on Sundays. Sığacık women contribute to their family budgets by exhibiting their products in these beautiful venues. Our town has become a place known for this activity as well.”

Finally, I'm going to the area where the coffeehouses and tea gardens are located. I'm going to meet with a sailing instructor; Ali Uruşak. Years ago, Ali hoca gathered his wife and children and migrated from Istanbul to Sığacık. His wife was painting, the children were studying when we did the interview years ago. Now the older daughter has graduated and is working in Istanbul. The younger one is studying at the conservatory. His wife continues to paint. They changed their house and moved to a location overlooking the sea. We found Ali hoca, a volunteer and lover of Sığacık, troubled this time in Sığacık. Like many Sığacık residents, he has been disturbed by the crowds and recent practices.

ALİ URUŞAK

"Although the Slow City project was a correct project in its presentation, I believe it was implemented incorrectly. Perhaps it was just a showcase, one thinks when seeing what has happened. In the last five years, the town has turned into a pile of concrete. It's possible to see all this from statistics. A cemetery of 1+1, 2+1 apartments, literally.

It saddens people, especially those who live here, to see a place where nature is this beautiful brought to this state.

It was called a Quiet City, but unfortunately it became a cheap city. Crowded, cheap city. For example, there's a night market that's constantly open, in the middle of the park, where Chinese products are sold. While this is the situation on land, the situation at sea is even more dire. Eşek Island was sold. Let's see what kind of concrete pile will come upon it in time.

Our bay has become a fish farm center. The logistical support of the farms, which have major errors in their establishment and operation, is being provided from outside the harbor.  Every evening, 2 trucks docking here bring 40-50 tons of frozen anchovy and horse mackerel of African Moroccan origin. The daily excrement of 15-20 tons from the farmed fish consuming this product spreads throughout the bay.

If Sığacık had remained as it was, it would have been a more charming, warmer, quieter town.

I don't even want to think about what could happen next.”

Yes, as a Sığacık volunteer, I record what has been said. Somewhat bitter, somewhat thoughtful. I think, “Are we always perceiving development incorrectly?”

I don't know where, to what days destroying the green, concreting, recklessly using the blue waters as if they won't be polluted will take us.

I think about how this visible negative development, where the economy destroys nature to this extent, can be stopped in a short time, and I can't figure it out.