Morning Mist

Early morning in December 2010 ferries leaving for the south shore slowly disapear in the mist. The passengers are only 10 minutes away from Konak but they hardly see the shore.

The ferry to the north shore

The trip across the bay lasts around 20 minutes, sometime the captain having to tack between heavy ships preparing to dock or leaving the harbour, or just mooring in the bay waiting for they turn to approach the huge cranes. We can distinctively see the fog due to the pollution comming from the heaters of hundred thousands of housholds and offices. The harbour stays in the very center of the city and even if the port of Aliaga 80 km north is becoming a very busy alternative the frequentation is still high in the Aegean city.

Carferry

The bare decks of the carferry Esenköy remain silent, even the waves frapping the hull in a lazy rhythm do not succeed to awake the mass of steel of the old lady. She seems deserted right now but in less than an hour the barriers will open and she will be assaulted by trucks and cars and hundreds of passengers rushing up the long and straight stairs leading to the upper deck and to the saloon with his hot glass of tea and cups of Turkish coffee awaiting. Late comers will probably not find a place for their cars and have to take the ring and its 50 km to meet the city south-west end.

Carferry (archive)

A passenger hides in the shadow of the carferry deck, the light hits through the window with blurred reflection.

Old Lady

The Bergama ferry is one of our finest and oldest. Commissioned in 1951 she shows a typical silhouette with her wooden captain bridge and rounded stern. Another old lady the ferry "Ihsan Alyanak" sunk recently but fortunately the captain succeeds to bring her back to the pier with all the passengers sound and safe. Every year 15 million passengers take one of our ferries to cross the bay. Come aboard, drink a hot glass of black tea and enjoy the twenty minutes necessary to reach the opposite side.

introducing Turkey - Marmaris Selimiye

This is from a past summer, a small village called Selimiye, close to Marmaris. Motor-yachts and sailboats anchored in this natural harbour profit of the clear and sleepy waters. This spot and some other around are perfect for who prefers quietness of a small creek to the noise of overbooked resorts. If you have not yet planned your next holidays think about.  

Through the porthole

Ferries crossing the bay are occasions of meeting people and capturing interesting scenes. I especially like old ferries with their multiple coats of paints, rusty hull and old fashioned furniture. 

Ashore

Ashore

The shipyard

We have a small shipyard in the city, mainly dedicated to fishermen boats maintenance and repairs. Fishermen boats are carvel build wooden caiques. These double ended small boats are equipped with a mono cylinder often air-cooled and noisy motor. Here you can see some “usta” maintaining boats, the last pictures show a brand new one recently delivered and waiting the last equipments before to leave for fishing. The crowd of curious “usta” and friends look appreciative at the shiny wood while the owner shows proudly the yet immaculate mechanics.

Such small boats (often only 5 to 8 meters long and without any cabin) can cruise for hours with their 8 HP propeller to bring us fresh mullet, seabass or leerfish.

Fishermen, the cormorants and the city

Izmir is not only a “millions people” city. She is also a large port with some thousands of years of history shared with people of the Seven Seas. This legacy tends to be forgotten by city planners. Fishermen once living close to the city center are now repelled to the last suburbs. Cormorants drying their wings watch the still hand-made carvel-built double-ended “kayik” crossing in front of modern buildings. Good to have still them here bringing daily fresh fish back to our markets.

Rainy day

Rainy weekend, this one was taken on such a day on my way to Konak.