The Turkish Taka

Those taking Turkey tours in the north of the country will witness the full breadth of Turkish maritime culture and engineering. The Gulet is a two-masted sailing boat that originated from the south west of the country, on the Mediterranean coast. Gulets are a very popular form of transport for those enjoying Turkey tours in the south and west of the country. But if your tour takes in the Black Sea, you will probably encounter the famous taka. The taka is a fishing vessel smaller than the Gulet, but more robust and better suited to the rolling waves of the Black Sea.

The Black Sea

Turkey tours to this region will introduce visitors to a very different side of Turkey. For millennia, the Black Sea has been a vital trading route for the civilisations living on its banks. The numerous groups included the Eurasian tribes from the Balkan to the Caucasus, and what is now Georgia, at the eastern end of the sea, represented the furthest edge of the known world for the ancient Greeks. The sea was an important source of both food and trade, and the Laz people of north eastern Turkey and neighbouring Georgia developed the Taka as a vessel to cope with the sea's heavy waves.

The Taka

Takas are usually 8 to 12 metres long and designed to be able to carry a cargo of 5 to 10 tonnes - although the boats designed for fishing are often smaller than this. They are usually built in boatyards run by ship-builders from the eastern part of the Turkish Black Sea coast. The taka began to develop its strong character in the 19th century, when the accumulated knowledge of the shipwrights had become specialised enough to build a particularly stable craft.

The Taka's role in Turkey's past

Visitors will be made particularly aware of the rich political and cultural history of Turkey. Tours allow you to learn about the culture first-hand, and the taka has played its own role in the development of the modern Turkish state. During the Turkish War of Independence, takas and their crews helped to smuggle arms and equipment to the pro-Independence forces, providing a vital lifeline across the Black Sea.

The taka is a common sight and has an important iconic role in the Black Sea regions of Turkey. Tours to the area are a perfect opportunity to experience the small boats with a big place in the hearts of the locals, and a trip in a taka is a perfect way of enjoying this part of the world.
Gordon Trevennan works for Peter Sommer Travels, a company specialising in cultural, educational, and historical Turkey tours as well as gulet cruises and charters in Turkey, Greece, and Italy. Our experienced guides bring the past to life on all of the Turkey tours that we offer.

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