The Camper & Nicholson marina - IC Cesme Marina - in the center of Cesme provides excellent facilities and the Setur Cesme marina, on the opposite side of the peninsula, provides fully serviced berths. There is another marina at Port Alacati, about 15NM south of Cesme.
It is possible to anchor off the town, however, it is difficult to find a spot protected from the N/NW wind. There are also a few forbidden zones in this harbor.
It may be possible to come stern-to the town quay (Med-moor using your own anchor), which gets busy with gulets and charter boats. Speak with the Harbor Master. There is no electricity here, but water can be delivered by tanker. The city is working on getting shore power and water to the quay. The town quay is better protected from Northerly winds but offers little protection from Southerly ones. If the wind blows hard from the South it is advisable to move to anchor in the middle of the bay or to a protected bay south of the harbor. There are several good anchorages in the area.
Waste Removal:
See Restrictions for details on disposal of black and grey water in Turkey.
For pump out in Cesme call Turmepa at 0537 766 33 71 one day in advance and tell them the bay you are in. They will come to pump out your holding tank(s).
Last updated: June 2022
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Blue Card Scheme update: 2014-06-23, from M/V LeeZe:
As of this date, Kusadasi and Cesme are still not using the card. There is no pump out in Cesme at the city wall. You can hire a truck but we found the cost to be about 150 TL, minimum. The Gulets at the wall dump at sea, usually along the NW side of the Peninsular after their last swim call and before returning. They say the current is swift there. (Direct report from three boats.) The marina will pump you out at their gas dock. When checking out from Cesme, the Port Captain verified that I had a Blue Card and thought that MAYBE in 2015, it will come to Cesme. Even then, the city will not have a pump out capability for the gulets at the city wall until at least 2016.
Lastly, Turmepa advertises that they will come to pump you out in Cesme. We tried three times to get them to come. No joy.
When checking in at Eski Foca, The Port Captain wanted to see my card. There is no pump out capability shore side but never asked the Gulet captains what they do. There is no pump out boat either.
As we travel more North, there appears to be even less concern given to black water discharge. If something changes, we will post.
MV LeeZe
Tax-free fuel is also available if one can take 2000-3000+ liters. Will need an agent to arrange and will have to formally leave Turkey for Greek International waters. LeeZe just did this in June 2014 after taking on 3200 liters of low-sulfur diesel fuel at $1.50/liter all costs included. One cannot split a tax-free fuel load among various boats so regrettably, boats with smallish tanks cannot take advantage of this program.
Current low-sulfur fuel price at of 2014-06-17 is 4.35 TL/liter or about $2.07/liter. Fuel MAY be cheaper in the Greek Islands but have no direct experience yet.
There is only one really good anchorage close to the town of Cesme and that is due south of the harbor, “behind” the Custom’s dock. In May, MV LeeZe tried to anchor in the harbor and The Turkish Coastguard told us it was illegal and to move. Note that there is no note on any paper or electron chart that supports the CG’s decision, but we were able to find space at the city wall, so we went there.
The wall’s infrastructure is being improved by the local municipality and they are adding shore power and water pods to the city wall. There still is no way to discharge black water legally while at the city wall, and as of this submission (June 2014), the local gulets discharge upon their return to the wall.
If you do more to the city wall, you will need mooring springs on your stern lines, and long lines to run from your bow cleats to the wall. In addition, you are expected to drop your actor at least 85 meters from the wall into the direction the wind is currently blowing. (The gulets drop some 120-140 meters of chain sen if they are planning on going on a tour the next day. Their captains say that the chain does no good if it is sitting in the locker!) If your anchor is not all chain, then will need to drop more.
One uses the anchor to keep you from hitting the wall when the wake of a passing ship/ferry (s) / yacht is pushing you toward the wall, so the chain needs to be quite tight. Experience is your guide here, and the local gulet operators are more than willing to help out. But if one cannot get that anchor line tight, one cannot anchor at this city wall.
The local marina (Cesme CN Marina) did accept our 500-liter black water discharged and it cost about $22. We were at their fuel dock to load “tax-free” fuel and to top off our water tanks. The Blue Card Program is not yet active in Cesme, nor Kusadasi, but rumor has it may be in 2015. We shall see.