WindsurfingUK issue 5 October 2017 | Page 25

On many occasions we made our way up to the top of the bay where there was a stand alone centre come club on the other side of the bay. In the early afternoons sailors of all shapes and sizes would meet and ‘mega blasting’ would commence. Sitting on the fringes I joined in but they were PDQ (Pretty Damn Quick).This all made for great fun and indulgence in an area of windsurfing I hadn’t really dabbled in. It is a great laugh and pushes your limits… just differently. The final thing to say about sailing in the bay was just how many beginners, children and girls w ere windsurfing. Although none of this should be a surprise I would estimate that 60% of the sailors were female. If this was to do with the week fair enough but all in all I thought what I saw was very encouraging for a sport that I cherish a lot. Kitesurfing Sorry but I have to mention it! The Middle East isn’t the windiest spot in the world and to keep our ‘brine time’ up, we have been learning to kite. This reason coupled with the ease of travel ability, we came to Alacati armed with our kite kit. It definitely felt like the poor brother of windsurfing but if you’re competent then this is a good The final thing to say about sailing in the bay was just how many beginners, children and girls were windsurfing option to match up with windsurfing. It can be hard to find places that offer both kiting and windsurfing. If you are a newbie, the lessons looked good and controlled with top instructors. The only group it probably isn’t for is those who are up and running but not super confident with upwind work. Out and about ASPC itself has a well stocked bar along with a good restaurant serving a variety of food. There were a couple of other restaurants tucking in behind and around the other centres so you can take your pick. The entire peninsula is worth exploration with Cesme offering the same style as Alacati but on a bigger scale. Just off the coast of Cesme is the Greek island of Chiros. Some say that this closeness has given the area a unique Turkish/Greeky feeling. Day trips and charters in and around the island are possible making a novel ‘no wind’ alternative. We had a ‘scooter’ (70TL) and utilizing the mandar (the internal radar belonging only to men – can be intermittent!) We found quiet bays to swim in followed by freshly caught calamari and freezing cold Effes. The area in and around Alacati/Cesme had a good feel to it and it is a popular holiday home destination for residents of nearby Izmir. 23