The Adventure Of A Lifetime With Scuba Diving Charter

Zephyria Yachting offers the unique adventure of Blue Cruise Scuba Diving Charters on the famous yacht M/S Aksona Mancorna . Famed craftsman Ilkay Mistik built this beautiful and rare Tirhandil in 1998. The yacht’s captain, ‘Aksona’ Mehmet, one of the only original Bodrum Sponge Divers still diving, leads the trips. The Captain creates a real once in a lifetime experience with his wealth of technical and regional knowledge, and his gift for telling stories of Bodrum from times long before tourism came to the town.

Aksona Mancorna is 18 m in length with 4 cabins and a capacity for 8 guests. She is powered by a 208 HP Caterpillar engine and has a total sail area of 204 square meters. Captain Aksona Mehmet is CMAS Diving Instructor certified ; he and his crew provide expert diving instruction, the best itineraries, diving equipment and great service.

A Brief History of Sponge Diving in Bodrum

Long famous for its sponge diving industry, Bodrum was home to sponge divers for many decades before tourism began to flourish. Sponge divers sailed as far as the shores of Africa for prime diving spots, and often stayed at sea for many months. On the divers’ return to Bodrum, the sponges were exported all over the world , providing an important source of income for families throughout the Aegean region. Today, there are still a handful of retired sponge divers sitting in the local cafes, reminiscing about the good old days of the early 20th century. Captain Aksona Mehmet loves to share stories of these times, as well give tips about sponge diving techniques , the best spots, and the process of curing the sponges for final sale.