ROLLING ON THE RIVER

Had an amazing day today. We boarded a local fishing boat and headed out on the Dalyan river this morning. First we hit the thermal pools and mud baths.....what a great way to start the day. From there we took a scenic boat ride past the rock tombs. We learned that the Lycians actually built them by using small caves below the tombs, tunneling up and carving them from the inside out. They were built as burial chambers for the kings and queens dating back to 400 BC.
We spent the afternoon at Iztuzu Beach, also known as Turtle beach, home to the endangered Loggerhead turtles. The beach has had a protected status since 1988. At this time of year, the beach is closed from 8pm to 8 am as it is nesting time, and the turtles are coming up on the beach to lay their eggs. We saw a lot of cages on the beach, which are placed over the nests to protect the eggs, but have an opening for the babies to head to the sea when they hatch, which is in July and August. There are no animals allowed on the beach, no motor boats within a 1 mile radius, and no sunbathers allowed near the nests. My pictures of the turtles aren't good, but give you an idea of what we saw.
This is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen, the beach is a narrow spit of land, which forms a natural barrier between the fresh water delta of the Dalyan river and the Mediterranean. The river is a very busy waterway, with boats filled with tourists visiting all the beautiful spots along the way. We stopped for a feast of blue crab after our beach time, a perfect snack as we motored back up the river....stay tuned