Two paddlers traveling along Türkiye's coastline to promote water sports among young people have reached the northwestern province of Çanakkale after departing from Istanbul earlier this month, marking another milestone in an ambitious expedition that aims to end at the Turkish-Syrian border.
Retired canoe coach Onur Çağlar and former Air Force non-commissioned officer Halil Uzel set off from Rumeli Feneri in Istanbul on June 13, paddling an average of 25 to 30 kilometers (15.5 to 18.6 miles) a day. Battling strong currents, rough seas and changing weather conditions, the pair crossed the Bosporus and the Marmara Sea before arriving at the Çanakkale Strait.
The expedition is part of a broader effort to encourage children and young people to discover canoeing, kayaking and other water sports while highlighting Türkiye's extensive coastline as a destination for outdoor adventure.
After reaching Çanakkale, the paddlers plan to continue along the Anatolian coast toward Hatay, Türkiye's southernmost province bordering Syria, with the ultimate goal of reaching the Turkish-Syrian border.
For Çağlar, the journey is the continuation of a long-held dream. He began paddling 109 days ago from the Sarp Border Gate on Türkiye's northeastern frontier. Initially accompanied by fellow paddler Ali Arıcan, he continued the expedition alone after his partner suffered a hand injury.
His journey was also interrupted by a hernia that required medical treatment, forcing him to take a temporary break before resuming the expedition.
While in Istanbul, Çağlar met Uzel, who had been planning a similar coastal journey. The two decided to combine their projects and continue together.
Before reaching Istanbul, Çağlar said he became the first Turkish athlete to kayak through Türkiye's Black Sea territorial waters after paddling to the Bulgarian-Greek border, a route previously completed only by foreign athletes.
"Our next destination is the Greek border," Çağlar said. "After reaching there, we will return through the Çanakkale Strait, cross to the Anatolian coast and continue toward Hatay. Our final goal is to paddle all the way to the Syrian border."
Çağlar said the expedition is designed not only to fulfill a personal ambition but also to inspire young people to participate in water sports. He noted that several landlocked European countries have produced large numbers of successful canoe and kayak athletes despite lacking coastlines.
He also stressed the importance of swimming education, saying he had witnessed drowning incidents during the journey involving people who did not know how to swim.
"I hope children and young people are inspired by what we are doing," he said. "Everyone should learn how to swim."
Uzel, who has been involved in water sports for many years, said he first dreamed of completing such an expedition more than a decade ago after buying his first canoe. After postponing the project for years, he began training in Sinop, in northern Türkiye, earlier this year before joining Çağlar.
He believes Türkiye has significant untapped potential in marine sports.
"I don't think we are a society that is closely connected to the sea," Uzel said. "I hope this journey encourages more people to discover the opportunities our coastline offers."
After reaching Hatay, Uzel plans to continue pursuing his own dream by paddling from Artvin to Istanbul before traveling along the Anatolian coast to Çanakkale and, eventually, around Türkiye's islands.
The paddlers said their daily progress depends largely on weather conditions, but support from the Turkish Coast Guard, local fishermen and coastal communities has helped keep the expedition on course.
"People everywhere are curious about our journey," Uzel said. "Fishermen share their meals, offer us shelter and provide places where we can safely bring our kayaks ashore. Sharing our dream with them makes the journey even more rewarding."
