Surfboats in Turkey

On the morning of the 25th April 1915, the Turkish soldiers, determined to protect their motherland, watched boatloads full of ANZAC soldiers approach the Gallipoli beaches. What was to follow was bloody, horrific and the stuff of legend and yet remarkably it forged a brotherhood between the nations of Australia, New Zealand and Turkey.

This is a changed undertaking for Military History Tours (MHT) as it has operated military history programmes to Gallipoli for Australians since 1990. In recent times its programmes have developed to include battlefields where Australians and New Zealanders have fought in both the Middle East and Europe.

In the late 1990’s MHT started to recognise the sacrifice made by our WW1 soldiers in France and Belgium and its tours for many years to those areas were conducted towards the end of the European summer. However, constant visits to the Australian Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux drove them to want to hold a Dawn Service there at the Memorial. They wanted to contribute to the memory of what Australian troops had achieved on the Western Front from 1916 to 1918.

This desire culminated in the first ever ANZAC Day Dawn Service held at Villers-Bretonneux, on 25th April 2008 on the 90th Anniversary of the actual battle of Villers-Bretonneux. The next major milestone for MHT is to be the 100th Anniversary ANZAC Day Dawn Service at ANZAC Cove in 2015. This is where the Gallipoli 100 has its origin. MHT intend to take 100 Australian and New Zealand Surf Boats to take part in a race down the Dardanelles on the 100th Anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign. Turkish crews will also compete and this is where MHT became involved in the introduction of surf rowing to Turkey.

Sometime in 2008, the exact date is hazy due to some rough red, an idea was had to have an ANZAC surf boat race, featuring Australian and New Zealand surf boat crews as part of the 100th Anniversary of the Gallipoli landings in 2015.

The idea did not end there. The event would be held in Turkey, starting in the Dardanelles on the Gallipoli Peninsula and finishing offshore from ANZAC Cove.

The creators of this outrageous plan had to be “boaties”. Sure enough Paul Cooper and Mark Walton of the Tarramarra surf club have admitted their guilt.

In July of 2008 Paul Cooper put the idea to Paul Murphy of Military History Tours. Murf was a former member of Tamarama and had also been a “boatie”.

Military History Tours had been taking Australians to Gallipoli since 1990 and so understood the time effort and money needed to make this event happen.

In 2009 Murf made three trips to Turkey, meeting with the Gallipoli Anniversary Committee at the Australian Embassy in Ankara. The committee, consisting of Turkish, Australian and New Zealand members welcomed the idea. Meetings with the Australian Government in Canberra further supported the idea.

So, subject to being able to jump the million and one logistics, planning, funding and operational hurdles; the event had a chance to occur.

Organisations in Turkey saw surf boats, and the excitement associated with them could have just as much a place in Turkey with its maritime traditions as Australia and New Zealand. They too wanted to be involved in the Gallipoli 100 as the event became known.

Surf boat rowing became a sport in Turkey.

In March, 2010, MHT purchased two (2) second hand surf boats in Sydney and with support from DHL Australia, the boats were shipped to Istanbul and delivered to BURC Beach, ( Bogazici University Robert Campus) .

In June 2010, with support from DHL Australia, two surf boats were sent to the Bogazici University, and with the President and Vice President of the ASRL ( Australian Surf Rowers League), Paul Murphy of MHT returned to Burc Beach to commence the training of the University rowing club members in the skills of surf boat rowing. The two (2) day course for the Gallipoli 100 surf boat event was planned. CLICK HERE for details.

Bert Hunt and Alan Gibbons ASRL, spent two weeks at the University’s Burc Beach Campus on the Black Sea training University Rowing Club members.

The first Surf Carnival in Turkey - Burc Beach on the Black Sea 22 August 2010

In August 2010, four surf clubs, Yamba, Forster’s Beach. McMaster’s Beach (Australia) and Lyall Bay (New Zealand) travelled to Turkey to continue training and demonstrate the sport. Carnivals were held at Burc Beach on the Black Sea, and Kum Beach just south of ANZAC Cove on the Aegean. Both carnivals had extensive favourable press and media coverage. Additionally, the largest boating and sailing magazine in Turkey has announced the participation of Turkish crews in the Gallipoli100 in 2015.

The second surf carnival in Turkey - Kum Beach on the Gallipoli Peninsula 29 August 2010.

Equipment included four boats, skis, boards and trailers. Sponsors were MSC Australia who transported the equipment, and Military History Tours who sponsored the tour.

On Friday 27 August 2011, four surf boat crews, two Aussie, one Kiwi and one Turkish rowed from the port of Gaba Tepe to ANZAC Cove and North Beach. Approximately five kilometres.

Approval was given for the boats to enter the restricted waters from:

• Eceabat District Governor;
• City Gendarme command HQ;
• Coast Guard Command HQ;
• Gaba Tepe Port HQ; and
• Gallipoli National Park Management;

The surf boats actually landed on North Beach under the watchful eyes of the local gendarmes to confirm there were no problems should they play a part in the 100th Anniversary service there in 2015.

As at August 2010, Australian and New Zealand clubs had nominated 30 surf boats to participate in 2015. It is anticipated that Turkey will have at least 20 boats in the event.

Every year up to 2014, it is proposed to repeat the 2010 tour contingent on sponsorship and the continued support of MSC Australia.

The ASRL will be the event organiser. Bert Hunt with over 30 years’ experience with this type of event will be the event director.

Planning

Our aim is to continue the training of the Turkish surf boat crews each year up to 2015. They are also programming discussions with both Surf Life Saving Australia and New Zealand Surf Life Saving to ask if they might consider providing training in the skills needed to allow local villages and communities in Turkey to set up surf clubs.

This has evolved from the recent visit as several of the surf club members performed rescues whilst at Burc Beach on the Black Sea. During their period there, two (2) local people drowned at isolated parts of the beach and tour members rescued four (4) locals who were in difficulties.

Whilst still at the University Campus on the Black Sea, an unusual event occurred. The Professor of Engineering at the Campus, Professor Emre Otay, was approached by the head of the security detachment that services the University. It numbers 25 people, all who live in the local village. What happened was that these security people had observed the skills shown by the surf club group and the entire village had met and decided that, at their public beach, they needed to provide patrols and surf life saving, to protect their families and friends.

Professor Otay advised Paul Murphy of the request and asked for his opinion. Paul advised that he would treat the request seriously and would approach Australian and New Zealand Surf Life saving on his return to Australia.

The ongoing training of the Turkish crews in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, involving Australian and New Zealand Life Savers should look at the possibility of assisting villages such as the one in Kilyos on the Black Sea in establishing basic surf rescue skills.

Subject to the approval of the Australian, New Zealand and Turkish governments, it is proposed we again do what was done in 1965. Then Australian and New Zealand campaign veterans were rowed ashore at dawn and landed on the beach at ANZAC Cove, to be met by Turkish campaign veterans. This time it will be the grandchildren and great grandchildren of the veterans who will land and meet on the shore, emphasising the continuing bond between the three countries.