Sadun Boro facts for kids

Sadun Boro (born 1928, died 2015) was a famous Turkish sailor. He was the first person from Turkey to sail all the way around the world. He did this just for fun, not as a professional sailor!

Sadun Boro's Early Life

Sadun Boro was born in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1928. He grew up in the Caddebostan area of Kadıköy, right by the Sea of Marmara. When he was in high school, he traded his rowing boat for a real sailboat. This showed his early love for the sea!

He finished Galatasaray High School in 1948. After that, he went to the United Kingdom. He studied textile engineering at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.

In 1952, Sadun Boro went on his first big ocean trip. He sailed from the British Islands to the Caribbean Islands. He was on an 11-meter-long sailboat called Ling with a friend. This amazing journey lasted six months. He later wrote about this adventure in his book, Bir Hayalin Peşinde (which means "In Pursuit of a Dream").

Sailing Around the World

The route Sadun Boro took to sail around the world between 1965 and 1968.

A monument in Kadıköy, Istanbul, showing Sadun Boro and his wife Oda. It celebrates their amazing trip around the world.

Sadun Boro had a special 10.5-meter-long sailboat. It was built in Istanbul in 1963 and named Kısmet, which means "Fortune" in Turkish. He even made the sail himself at the textile factory where he worked!

On August 22, 1965, Sadun Boro started his journey to sail around the world. He sailed from east to west, and his German-born wife, Oda Boro, joined him. They left Istanbul and sailed through the Mediterranean Sea, passing the Strait of Gibraltar. They reached the Canary Islands, where they adopted a housecat named "Miço" (meaning "shipmate").

The Long Journey Across Oceans

After the Canary Islands, they crossed the Atlantic Ocean and arrived in Barbados and the Caribbean Islands. Then, they went through the Panama Canal. From there, they sailed across the huge Pacific Ocean. They visited many beautiful places like the Galápagos Islands, Marquesas Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, Tahiti, and the Society Islands. They also explored the Tonga Islands, Fiji Islands, New Hebrides, and New Guinea.

Their route continued through the Torres Strait to Timor, Indonesia, and Singapore. They crossed the Bay of Bengal to Sri Lanka. Then, they sailed on the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea. For a short part of the journey, their boat was carried by a truck from Eilat to Haifa. Back in the Mediterranean Sea, their last stop before finishing their trip was Israel.

On June 15, 1968, Sadun Boro and his wife arrived back in Istanbul. Their journey had lasted 1,028 days! His mother welcomed him, and he was celebrated as a national hero. Sadun Boro became the first Turkish person to sail around the world. He inspired many other Turkish sailors to follow in his footsteps.

He wrote about his amazing journey in a popular book called Pupa Yelken, which means "Full Sail."

Later Years and Protecting Nature

Between 1977 and 1979, Sadun Boro went on another sailing adventure. This time, he sailed with his wife and their eight-year-old daughter, Deniz. They explored the Caribbean and the East Coast of the United States. After 1980, he settled down in Bodrum and Gökova, which are famous for their beautiful coasts and clear blue waters.

Sadun Boro cared deeply about protecting nature. He worked hard to keep the Turkish Riviera clean and beautiful, especially in areas like Gökova, Göcek, and Fethiye. He wrote articles in newspapers and magazines to teach young people to love the sea and nature. In Okluk Bay, he even had a mermaid statue placed on a rock. The statue has an inscription with his words: "This mermaid has traveled many seas and horizons to find the heaven that she dreamed of. She traveled continents, islands and bays, until she reached Gökova." His last book, Vira Demir ("Haul Up the Anchor"), is a guide for sailors.

Sadun Boro sailed his boat Kısmet for 46 years, covering about 150,000 nautical miles (277,800 kilometers). He later gave Kısmet to the Rahmi M. Koç Museum in Istanbul. This museum is about transport and communication.

Sadun Boro lived in Okluk Bay, Gökova, on his catamaran boat named Son Bahar, which means "Autumn" or "Last Spring."

Sadun Boro's Final Days

Sadun Boro had bladder cancer for a few years. He was treated in Marmaris and then in Istanbul. However, he wanted to spend his last days on his sailboat. So, he was flown back to Muğla in May 2015.

He passed away on June 5, 2015, at the age of 87, in a hospital in Marmaris. His last wish was to be buried under a pine tree in Gökova, near where his sailboat was anchored. He was buried in Karacasöğüt Cemetery in Marmaris. Many boats, including those from the Turkish Coast Guard and Turkish Navy, joined a memorial tour in the bays he loved.

He is remembered by his wife, Oda, and his daughter, Deniz (whose name means "Sea").

Other Turkish Sailors Who Sailed Around the World

Many Turkish sailors have sailed around the world after Sadun Boro. Here are some of them: