View of Gümüşlük from a sea kayak

I wouldn’t consider myself a “Sporty Spice” – and the thought of spending an hour battling the elements while I learn to windsurf of sail, seems a little bit too much like hard work.

Actually, my usual level of holiday activity is constrained to lifting a glass of wine, while seated.  But I stepped out of my comfort zone, and rented a sea kayak during a trip to Gümüşlük, and liked it so much that I went again the following week.

Three of us rented sea kayaks from Hotel Zemda Sailing Club at the end of Gümüşlük Beach, and spent an hour paddling around the bay; navigating Rabbit Island and exploring the harbour.

Camera on board

I took a small camera on board with me to preserve the adventure for prosperity, and kept it in a small plastic bag, tucked in my life jacket.

We started our adventure in the open water between the end of the beach and Rabbit Island, and it was calm and really easy to navigate.

It was great to be able to get up close and personal with Rabbit Island, and we were in the perfect position for a view of the excavation efforts currently underway.

Although you can walk over to the edge of Rabbit Island, you can’t venture amid the ruins while the excavation efforts are still in progress.

I felt like an intrepid explorer, circumnavigating Rabbit Island, jockeying for position for the best view of the ruins.  You have to be careful not to get too close to the island, as the current and waves could pull you in too close, and there are big rocks surrounding it.

You’ll get a good view of people walking across to Rabbit Island, and if you want to go around the other side of it, you can’t take a short cut across the area where the walkway is – it looks too shallow, unless it’s high tide.

It’s a good vantange point for viewing the activity in the harbour, and it doesn’t take much effort to row around Rabbit Island, and enter the sheltered waters of the Habour side of Gümüşlük Bay.

I really enjoyed the freedom of being out on the open waves, and it didn’t take much effort to project through the water at a rapid pace. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Not least because it was an unusual perspective of Gümüşlük Bay.

It’s best to go canoeing in the morning, when the water is calm, but we went at lunch time, and it was still calm and manageable for a beginner like me. On our second outing we went first thing in the morning, and it was fabulous to watch Gümüşlük wake up from our ring side seat on the water.

The beach is protected for swimmers, so you can only go in as far at the bouys, but it’s still close enough to survey the beach activity.  Some of these small pensions on the beach, look like the ideal getaway for a week in the sun.

Watch out for the big day boats coming into the harbour.  Gümüşlük Bay and Rabbit Island are popular stop-off points for day boats from Turgutreis and Yalikavak.

Verdict

Even if you’re not an active person, I’d highly recommend renting a sea kayak for an hour in Gümüşlük Bay.  One of the best days of our most recent trip, was our last day.

We got up early and rented a kayak for an hour and paddled around the bay and then the harbour area, and then had Turkish Breakfast at the Mandarin Restaurant overlooking Gümüşlük Harbour.

It was the perfect end to a perfect visit, and if that experience doesn’t open and melt your heart to Gümüşlük – nothing will.

 

We rented our kayak from Club Hotel Zemda. Find out more about them here.