If you want to see galaxies without sleeping on deck, bask in whirlpool tubs with rose petals and be surrounded by beautifully crafted wood and marble workmanship, this is the gulet for you.  

Thirty six meters of full on luxury, state of the art electronics, and a silver service staff all come together on Dolce Mare.  We have followed this gulet since her launch, and she lives up to her standards, charter after charter.

She has two masters, two triples, and two doubles, all with a modern yacht-meets-gulet concept.  Dolce Mare is for the client that wishes opulence and a touch of Vegas on a traditional gulet without going over the top. Full gulet specifications and details are here.   

 Contact us for full information and pricing.

When a colleague of ours in Marmaris invited us to dinner and pulled the car up outside of La Kebab, I expected a run-of-the-mill meat meal. By the end of the evening, I was already making plans on how to return to this fabulous restaurant. Everything we ate was sheer perfection. The hummus was wafting with garlic and lemon; the haydari was made with thick, hung yogurt; the lamb shish was falling off of its skewer; the köfte had fresh pistachio ground in with its spices; and the içli köfte was a labor of love. This is not a romantic restaurant – it is very brightly lit, noisy, busy in the traditional Istanbul ”lokanta” style and full of local Turks. Service is brisk and efficient and you will need to hold on to your plate and glass lest a zealous waiter tries to replace it yet again with a clean one.  I have never encountered so much flavor under one roof. Well done.

During our recent travels in Queensland and California, we kept coming across the ''Flat White'' coffee beverage.  Turns out, the flat white has been a favorite down under since the 1970s, but has only made its North American debut (via Starbucks, of course) as of 6 January, 2015.  
 
A flat white is not unlike a cappuccino, but with a much finer, velvety feel to the milk, as opposed to the foam of a cappuccino.

 Turkish Starbucks has also introduced the flat white in Bodrum last week. No need to feel homesick, and a good reason to take a seaside stroll.

Quality bare boat charter is not necessarily about chartering the latest and greatest model of Beneteau or Jenneau at what is seemingly a bargain price.
 
In our portfolio of new and less-than-new models, we have the attached 2010 Jeanneau 53 that is relatively off of the production line.  As with any service tourism product it is more about the quality of the pre and post charter service and the ability of the provider to deliver what is promised.
 
When you cross the world for your sailing holiday, the complete experience should be seamless and leave you with a good feeling of the whole experience from airport to airport.  Contact us at [email protected] for our full bareboat fleet.
 

We have always encouraged themed Blue Cruises, catering to those who wish to explore a particular hobby or interest during their travels.
 
Priscilla Campbell offers art courses on board gulets, and has a tour in Turkey and Greece for the week of 6-13 June, 2015. Clients learn techniques while the yacht explores pristine scenery and ancient sites, with the ability to relocate according to the lighting.
 
Mary Taylor offers food-based tours in Turkey, returning for her third tour with us this summer. Her company 'Food-Matters' focuses on local produce and farmers, and explores the sources and production of Turkish cuisine.
 
Both tours still have availability for single and double occupancy.

We're still trying to figure how to get motorcycles on board.

What happens when traditional Bodrum boat building meets the 21st century, with a little bit of glitz and glamour along the way?

Carpe Diem IV is one of the most innovative, technologically advanced gulets cruising the Aegean, Mediterranean and Cyclades Greek Islands. No journey is too daunting for this vast powerhouse or her experienced crew. 
 
With six staterooms, Carpe Diem IV accommodates 12 guests and has 7 crew to ensure every detail, above and below deck is delivered with a little bit of Vegas in the Mediterranean.
 

In our winter newsletters, we like to re-acquaint our latest subscribers with who we are and what we do.
 
Dave Stanley is Australian, having moved to Turkey permanently 9 years ago pursuing his love of sailing and wooden boats.  Dina Street is half Turkish, half American having relocated to Bodrum in 1990, with a background in IT from Silicon Valley and an entrepreneur whose creative ideas were often a decade too early. We are both permanent residents of Bodrum and own/operate three gulets (Southern Cross Timer, Why Not and Queen of Karia.)  We are also an agency for a limited number of selected gulets in Bodrum, and custom bareboats.  
 
Our Southern Cross Blue Cruising charter businesses are registered both in Australia and Turkey, and our boatyard business Bodrum Yacht Services oversees winterization, refits, painting and brokerage in Bodrum.
 
We are passionate about what we do, so do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments.

Known in Turkish as şev-ke-ti bos-tan, blessed (milk) thistle is a back-breaking endeavor to harvest because of the way they cling to the surrounding soil and rocks, hence it fetches a high price per kilo.

The traditional Bodrum recipe involves removing the thorns and washing the thistles thoroughly. Gently sautee lamb cubes in olive oil until just golden and then add a chopped onion and minced garlic. Cover with water and simmer until the meat is cooked thoroughly. (It adds color to throw in some carrots and potatoes too.)   Add the chopped up thistle roots and greens and simmer gently until the root portion of the thistle is tender.

The trick to a thick, creamy stew is to then beat one egg with a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, gradually incorporate some of the cooking juice into the egg lemon mixture until it is warmed, and then reintroduce this mixture back into the main pan slowly while stirring over very low heat.   With its liver cleansing properties, the milk thistle should cancel out the any damage from the raki accompaniment.