A Journey Around the World as a Seafarer

We set out on a journey called “Seyr-i Âlem”—a voyage around the world.

As a child, I used to dream of traveling the world by motorcycle. I would often encourage my friends, explaining that seeing the world was not as difficult as it seemed, and that there was always a way to make it possible. I tried to inspire them to think the same way by presenting new ideas every time we gathered.

My childhood did not last long. One day, I graduated from vocational high school, and so did my friends. My university dreams were short-lived as well. Those who succeeded and those who did not drifted apart like scattered birds. Since I could not enter the program I wanted, I decided to begin working and step into life.

With my diploma and the little money I earned from manual labor, I set out in search of work abroad. However, every factory and employer asked about my military service, and this question repeatedly blocked my path and drained my hopes of finding employment.

The Beginning of My Life at Sea

At a point of desperation, I decided I would go to the military. Just before making that decision, I stopped by a maritime agency where a friend was working. As we were discussing the timing of my decision, two middle-aged men entered the office.

While speaking with the agency owner, they began talking among themselves about the places they had visited, including the United States, describing them as casually as if they were talking about their own neighborhood. I was deeply impressed.

During that conversation, I expressed my desire to become a seafarer. They informed me that graduates of vocational schools could obtain a rating certificate as an oiler (engine crew). This was a good starting point. More importantly, it would allow me to travel the world.

I postponed my military plans and began the process. Within approximately 15 days, I had obtained my seafarer certification and became one of the many job seekers at the seafarers’ café. Unfortunately, finding work was just as difficult then as it is today.

Eventually, I found my first job as an oiler on a tugboat. That was the moment I truly became a seafarer. The date was November 1977, and I have been working and living at sea ever since.

From Engine Room to the World

On the path from oiler to machinist, I fulfilled my childhood dreams at sea. I was traveling the world.

During my 12-year career in engineering, I worked as an oiler, able seaman, fitter (welder, machinist, and repair technician) aboard various vessels. I had the chance to see and experience many countries connected by the sea. My life became filled with stories worthy of a book.

My dreams had come true. I was earning more than I ever could on land, while also expanding my worldview. Traveling is not a privilege granted to everyone—it requires health, financial means, time, and most importantly, desire. I consider myself fortunate to have achieved this while earning a living.

These reasons kept me at sea for many years.

Building My Own Yacht

During this time, my passion for yachts led me to begin building one with my modest savings—while continuing to work aboard ships to finance it.

We completed a 13-meter yacht in a semi-finished state and transported it from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean on a truck, through remarkable adventures. With the help of my late father, we launched the yacht into the sea within a month—something few would have expected.

At that point, I owned a yacht, but my license as an engineer did not yet allow me to operate it as a captain.

Struggles, Laws, and Experience

After several years of “playing cat and mouse” with the coast guard in protected bays, I eventually became a captain. However, due to regulations that did not allow dual professional licenses, I lost my machinist certification.

Still, my 12 years of experience as a machinist—working as a fitter, welder, and repair technician—had earned me the respect of my captains and chief engineers. While assisting foreign repair teams onboard, I even began receiving job offers.

Eventually, I returned to my country with my yacht, which I moored at a hotel pier.

Becoming an Owner and Continuing the Journey

Over time, I became what one might call a “successful owner”—earning both income and enjoyment in a single day. After obtaining my captain’s license, we ordered our second yacht.

Those were difficult times. While struggling on the road for about two and a half years, I worked tirelessly to complete the yacht. Many nights, due to the lack of proper facilities, I slept inside the unfinished yacht, wrapped in plastic to avoid the rain.

When the yacht was finally completed and launched, I sailed from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean with just a single engine and rudder. That journey tested me deeply but also refined me as a true seafarer.

We eventually became a family-run business operating multiple yachts, including a travel agency.

Later, we built a third yacht. Due to financial pressure, we handed it over to a partner for operation during its first year. However, maintaining three yachts with their associated costs became overwhelming, and we eventually sold it to our partner.

Tragically, while entering the Manavgat River, the yacht ran aground. Despite all efforts, strong winds and waves caused the vessel to break apart. That experience added yet another chapter to my life as someone who has built three yachts and lost one.

A Life Dedicated to the Sea

In the years that followed, I continued my captaincy on our own yacht—beginning with daily tours and expanding into Blue Cruises. However, in recent years, our yacht became more of a cost than an income source.

Since 2004, I have worked on motor yachts, sailing yachts, and catamarans—sometimes continuously, sometimes as a transfer captain. I have served on newly built yachts and refurbished vessels alike. I worked privately with some, and chartered others. Each experience enriched me.

I have lived my entire life as a seafarer. Despite owning businesses, hotels, and a travel agency, I never left the sea. In summer, I lived aboard yachts; in winter, in shipyards.

I never forgot the taste of saltwater, the sound of the wind, the calm and sometimes wild energy of the sea, nor the soothing greens and endless shades of blue.

I never considered another life.

Passing the Knowledge Forward

It has now been 35 years, and my hopes still lie at sea. I continue working to ensure that the knowledge and experience I have gained are passed on to new captains and seafarers.

I am striving to create a resource that contributes to the education of yacht captains—sharing practical experience that is often not found in formal training due to its personal or undocumented nature.

My prayer is that God does not let me down in this endeavor. I hope to offer even a small contribution to my beloved sea, my country, and my fellow seafarers who embrace this way of life.

I am grateful to my Lord for granting me such a beautiful life—one that very few are fortunate enough to experience.