Safety · Destination Guide
Saros Bay
Rocky North Aegean reefs, purpose-sunk wrecks and beach days based around Ibrice.
Safety · Destination Guide
Rocky North Aegean reefs, purpose-sunk wrecks and beach days based around Ibrice.
Treat Saros Bay as a protected coast with active, permit-dependent diving, localized current and seasonal water exposure. Do not attempt deep wall or wreck interiors on a basic certification. Use a licensed center with a functioning emergency and oxygen plan. Call 112 first for incidents and have medical staff organize any decompression-care transfer.
Before departure, have the center confirm guide authorization, site permission, recent conditions, depth, group size, oxygen, communications and an evacuation plan. Ibrice training routes may be shallow, but Cehennem/Kiremitlik wall terrain extends deep, and the A330 and Nusrat-style artificial wrecks are around 33 m and 35 m with reported strong current. An operator's maximum site depth is not your certification limit. Avoid overhead environments without specialist credentials and permission. Maintain buoyancy and no-decompression discipline, carry an SMB where appropriate and avoid harbor traffic or unplanned shore entries. DAN recommends a minimum 12 hours before flying after one no-decompression dive, 18 after repeated dives, and longer after decompression obligation; symptoms require immediate medical care rather than a flight.
Kesan State Hospital reports 24/7 emergency care, but no confirmed local recompression chamber. TSSF's historical June 2021 directory lists a Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University chamber and Istanbul facilities, expressly noting that operation may change. Do not rely on historic chamber listings for transport decisions. For suspected decompression illness, barotrauma or serious water injury: end diving, activate 112, give emergency oxygen if trained and equipped, and let emergency services coordinate transport to a currently accepting specialist center. Remote shore access and cross-provincial transfers can take time.
Deep walls and exposed offshore current
A330, Nusrat and deep wall sites are not novice routes. Ask about current, depth, SMB use, ascent plan and return to the boat.
Overhead does not equal open water
Tunnels, caves and wreck interiors require distinct training and permission. Do not enter them on a normal open-water itinerary.
No verified freedive supervision
Local scuba businesses do not establish freedive instruction or a safe line training site. Never freedive alone or improvise deep sessions.
Seasonal supply and port restrictions
A report published on September 30 said Ibrice's 2026 main season had ended. Permit and sea conditions can also cancel summer departures.
Saros Bay is designated a Special Environmental Protection Area. Stay within permitted dive routes, respect any ecological, fisheries, cultural and military restrictions, do not disturb habitat or wildlife, and never remove artifacts from natural or artificial reef sites. Avoid anchoring on sensitive seabed, collecting fauna or assuming a casual snorkel entry grants unrestricted protected-shore use. Gala Lake is a separate national park with wetland protection and designated visitor access. The bay's biodiversity is real, but encounter probabilities for particular fish or larger animals were not sufficiently evidenced for filters or promises.
Do Not Do This
Avoid entering when deep walls and exposed offshore current. Confirm local briefings before committing.
| Contact | Role | Phone | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey national emergency service | Medical, rescue and coast guard dispatch; first call for any diving emergency | 112 | 24/7 |
| Kesan State Hospital | Local hospital with 24-hour emergency department; not verified as a recompression facility | +90 284 714 34 34 | Emergency department 24/7; call 112 for ambulance |
| DAN diving medical emergency assistance | Specialist medical assistance after activating local emergency services | +1 919 684 9111 | 24/7 international emergency number; verify coverage with DAN |