As you know, the Mediterranean is a place that most of us remember as a holiday destination.. When you think of holidays, July – August always comes to mind.. We go south, find a place on the beaches where we can’t find a place to put a towel, and try to cool off in the already warmed water of the Mediterranean.. However, September is different.. I don’t know, maybe because I am a child of the Black Sea, the meaning of the sea for me is “water that can be entered to cool off and where one can find a place to swim”.
While asking what to do in September, I thought to myself as the Mediterranean.. So where, of course Kas. Turkey’s richest region in terms of diving. For those leaving Istanbul, the car journey is quite long, so I preferred a plane journey.. It is possible to get to Kaş via Dalaman or Antalya, I chose this place because Dalaman is closer.
I jumped into my rental car on Friday evening and set off.. Do not worry that the distance between Dalaman and Kaş is 160 km, it can take about 3 hours as the road is quite winding.. For those who like to take pictures, it takes even longer.. It is impossible to be indifferent to the view of the city from the top, especially when passing through Kalkan, which is about 30 km from Kaş. I found it while searching. Maybe because they are sea people, maybe because it is the end of the season, as most of them say, I was able to find a place thanks to the parking attendant where I parked the car.
After I settled in the hotel and everything was over, I did a small city tour myself.. Thanks to the scent of jasmine around, I was able to relieve the stress of Istanbul.
What jasmine means to me at least; the scent of my childhood. After filling my lungs with jasmine and a glass of wine in my stomach, I’m ready for the next day.
The boat will depart at 10 in the morning.. I take my place on the boat with a quarter left and meet the famous Pepper Hodja.. He has been in the same job for more than 20 years, he knows the bottom of the water better than the top.. He is increasingly talking about the decrease in vitality in the Mediterranean.. I’m sorry to listen. If I had come 5 years ago, maybe I would have seen much more. But I still have to make do with what I have.
The first dive point is Camel Reef, after we become a team of 6, we dive. The field of view is perfect, the groupers are coming to us, they are obviously used to Biber Hodja.. They all go to Pepper Hodja, brushing past us.. I’m 40 meters underwater and more free than I’ve ever been. My lung capacity is reduced, tons of water weighs on me, but no, I’m free underwater. The joy of Azot blends with the visual feast, and the result: diving, breathing, living in Kaş…
We return to the beach at around 13:00.. 2 in the afternoon. I have time until 15.00 for diving, I wander a little inside the bazaar.. The afternoon dive is number 1, Canyon. I would love to be able to describe what it’s like to dive in the Canyon, but I can’t find enough words to describe it yet.. First climbing in shallow water, then descending into a canyon, feeling the greatness of nature, despair, respect, feeling small, seeing a boat sinking under the sea, feeling even more helpless, passing through caves, feeling the giddiness created by nitrogen, loving groupers, and returning to the world… wanting to be under the water again, wanting to watch the sky from 35 meters deep from the bottom of the canyon forever…. “September is the month of love in Kaş,” he says.. “The crowd has gone on these dates, only divers come, the weather is beautiful, it is a bit sad, but the month of love is September”… Even though I could not agree with this idea because I was on vacation alone, I did not object to Biber, it means he knows something.. Announced to those who are interested.
As I got off the boat, I ran to the Ancient Theater to coincide with the sunset.. When you think of ancient theater, don’t think of such huge structures, columns, statues.. A very modest little ancient theater. It is an area where you can catch beautiful shots with the view of Kaş on one side and the sunset on the other, since it is located on a little hill.. A little shopping and then dinner at one of the restaurants with a view of Kaş from a little hill… Wonderful Mediterranean cuisine and essential olive oil.
Derya, whose name I had heard before, because I couldn’t dive on Sunday morning because I had an evening flight. I’m going to the beach. There really is as much as they say, the breakfast is magnificent, the sea is magnificent… There is only one thing left to do after collecting for the return trip at noon, of course, to stop by Kaputaj beach between Kaş and Kalkan.. Since there is a cliff structure in this region, unfortunately there is hardly any beach where you can lay your towel and lie down.. Except for the Hood, the length of which does not exceed 500 meters between these cliffs.. For the last time, I let myself go to the waters, lie on my back and look at the sky.
To live these things, it is necessary to work, come on, just one more month, let’s see where you will breathe next.. If I run out of gas on the way, if I am a victim, if the plane is delayed, for 1-2 days, won’t it??? If I don’t come back, you stay here too, in this water, under this water, looking at the sky, freely…
I fill my bag with Yenigün jams, which are indispensable from the airport, one of every variety out there.. It should be enough for the whole year, I should experience the pleasure of being in the Mediterranean again as I eat…
Kaş, you are very beautiful, you are very special. The beauty of revealing too much, let not everyone know, not everyone come. You are so beautiful, be coy as you always are, may your roads be winding, may it be difficult to reach you. Let it not come, let not everyone know your beauty, be troublesome always like this. Always stay like this, you always stay in September…
