Gallipoli Yacht Rally – a Turkish sail in April.

by Cruising Editor on 6 Feb 2006 The idea of a battle being commemorated with a Yacht Rally between the two opposing countries seems, on the face of it, bizarre. But then, so is a deep and lasting affection to have developed as a result of a battle between those same two countries.

The Gallipoli Yacht Rally will again this year sail to Anzac Cove, attend the 91st Anzac Day Dawn Service and sail along the Gallipoli Peninsula and down the Turkish Aegean Coast.

The truth is, there is a lot in common between the Turks and the Australians and New Zealanders. Both are informal and fun loving, both smile easily, both count friendship as very important, although the Australians don’t kiss each other as much as the Turks - I’m talking about the men. Both male versions are pretty macho and both prize themselves as being great soldiers, both like the outdoors, and sailing is a loved pastime in each country.

Some of these similarities were so marked during the first world war, when the two were pitted against each other, that the accounts of the Gallipoli Campaign are threaded with touching stories of the Turks and the ANZACS (Australian and NZ Army Corp) helping each other’s wounded, even singing to each other at night when the fighting was over for a while.

Now every year the Gallipoli Yacht Rally is held, initiated in 2001 by the then Turkish Ambassador with the help and cooperation of the Turkish government.

It commences from the Dardanelles city of Canakkale and the yacht charter will conclude at Cesme with stopovers at Anzac Cove, Bozcaada, Assos, Ayvalik and Foca.

Included will be the Dawn Service at Anzac Cove on the 25th April and the Commemorative Service at Lone Pine or Chunuk Bair. If you join the rally you can also visit the fabled sites of Troy Ephesus and Pergamon, which are close to the cruising area.

How to join the rally?

Well, the first thing is, you DON’T have to be only Turkish or an ANZAC. All nationalities are welcome - you just have to love sailing and want to have some fun along the way. You can join the rally by either entering your own boat or chartering one for the duration, or maybe you could join a crew.

As for the Turkish coastline for sailing? Well this writer has spent a total of six months cruising the bays islands and archipelagos of the Turkish coastline, and the experience is nothing short of wonderful – hundreds and hundreds of miles of pristine sailing, where mostly the summer meltemi comes up at 11.00am, blows pretty strongly for a few hours, and by 5.00pm it’s calm again for the evening. The scenery is dramatic and the restaurants found in every small or large bay are flowing with hospitality and excellent food.

To learn more about the rally, go to the Gallipoli Yacht Rally site

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