Maritime Traditions Revived on the 100th Anniversary of Cabotage Day in Datça
The 100th anniversary of Cabotage Day was celebrated in Datça with races, a parade, traditional treats, and official ceremonies. Events preserving maritime culture attracted great interest.
On July 1st, Datça celebrated the 100th anniversary of Maritime and Cabotage Day with events held throughout the day that brought maritime culture back into focus. Supported by Datça Municipality and Datça Port Authority, the program included official ceremonies as well as traditional competitions, parades, and cultural activities at the port. Celebrations, attended by citizens of all ages from children to adults, created a festive atmosphere in the district and connected longstanding maritime traditions with new generations.
Races and parade at the port drew great attention
The heart of the celebrations was Datça Port. Activities started at 17:30 with a race of sugar beet engine boats. The boat named Mavi Ay won the race, followed by freestyle swimming competitions for age groups 8-12 and 13-18, where young athletes fiercely competed.
In the 13-18 boys category, Hakan Çalap took first place, Ahmet Enginer second, and Devran Ermiş third. In the same age group for girls, Serpil Bozyıl came first, Nisa Bahar Ceylan second, and Leman Musayeva third.
For boys aged 8-12, Can Yurdakul finished first, Eymen Gümüş second, and Necdet Keskin third. Among the girls, Cemre Kantarlı won first place, Esila Koçak second, and Melis Külahlı third.
Children aged 7-14 trained at the Datça Municipality Sailing and Surf School added color to the celebrations with a parade on paddleboards. The scenes created at the port were among the most captivating moments of the event.
Classic Cabotage Day competitions brought excitement
The traditional competitions organized as part of the celebrations attracted intense interest. İlker Şengeç came first in the offshore plate retrieval race, while rope-pulling contests provided thrilling moments for the spectators.
One of the most iconic events associated with Cabotage Day, the greasy pole flag capture race, entertained the audience with amusing scenes. Tarık Yıldırım, who won the race, took the flag at the top of the pole and was awarded a quarter gold coin prize.
The awards for the winners were presented by Datça Governor Murat Atıcı and Datça Mayor Aytaç Kurt.
Cultural gathering with keşkek treat, concert, and exhibition
The Cabotage Day celebrations were not limited to sports events. Organized by Datça Municipality, tables were set up at the port in memory of the district's legendary sailors, where keşkek (a traditional ceremonial dish) and watermelon were served to the public. Later in the day, the Rakaturka band took the stage, offering music-filled moments to the participants.
Author Yusuf Ziya Özalp also signed copies of his book "Pirate's Nest Datça," which covers the history of Datça, for readers at the event area. The "Blue Forests of the Seas: Seagrass Photographic Exhibition," prepared in cooperation with Datça City Council and WWF-Turkey, was also presented for visitors' enjoyment.
Datça Municipality stated that Cabotage Day is an important part of the district's cultural heritage and expressed their ongoing commitment to support the continuation of this tradition with the same enthusiasm in the coming years.
Sea martyrs commemorated with official ceremony
The 100th anniversary of Maritime and Cabotage Day on July 1st began in the morning with an official ceremony held at Cumhuriyet Square. Following the wreath laying at the Atatürk Monument, the National Anthem was sung.
The ceremony was attended by Datça Governor Murat Atıcı, Datça Mayor Aytaç Kurt, Acting Head of Datça Port Cengiz Kelepçe, Port Authority personnel, Coast Guard Command officials, and many mariners. As part of the program, a wreath was laid in the sea from the Datça Border Gate Pier to pay tribute and observe a moment of silence for the sea martyrs.
Winners in the competitions
Competition First Second Third Sugar beet engine boat race Mavi Ay - - 13-18 Boys Swimming Hakan Çalap Ahmet Enginer Devran Ermiş 13-18 Girls Swimming Serpil Bozyıl Nisa Bahar Ceylan Leman Musayeva 8-12 Boys Swimming Can Yurdakul Eymen Gümüş Necdet Keskin 8-12 Girls Swimming Cemre Kantarlı Esila Koçak Melis Külahlı Offshore plate retrieval İlker Şengeç - - Greasy pole flag capture Tarık Yıldırım - - Reporter: Mukaddes Yelin
