Karaburun is a small village in the northeast of Istanbul, near the Black Sea. Me and two friends cycled there and swam in the sea.
Karaburun road goes through a village named “Durusu” and near a dam-lake named “Durusu” or “Terkos”.
Terkos Dam is a lake dam near the village of Durusu in the Çatalca district of Istanbul, Turkey. The development of the project on the lake Durusu (ancient name Terkos) was realized by the Turkish State Hydraulic Works and entered into service in 1971. It is the traditional water supply of the European part of Istanbul.
It’s 25 kilometers to the north of Istanbul on the Black Sea coast, having an area of 25 square kilometers and surrounded by small forests. The lake is fed by the Istiranca river so its water is fresh. It’s one of the main freshwater (around 20% of the freshwater of Istanbul comes from Lake Terkos) sources of Istanbul using huge pipes connecting to the main water distribution center of the city.
Related: Road Cycling in Istanbul
The excessive water from the lake is discharged to the sea if needed. Nearby the lake, there is a small village bearing the same name as the lake. Freshwater fishing and goose hunting is also possible with special regulations at and around Terkos Lake. There are a couple of country-style small hotels around it and attracts many local people, especially during summer weekends.
Lake Terkos is also known as “Durugöl”, which means “limpid lake” in Turkish.
We swam in the sea, the sea was peaceful (not usual in the Black Sea), but it was really, really cold (12 °C, 56 °F). But it’s normal, the Black sea is usually cold in May.
Sources
- Lake Durusu on Wikipedia
- Istanbul Population [Year by Year, up to 2023] - September 26, 2023
- Spring Has Sprung in Istanbul - March 26, 2023
- Valide Dam in Belgrade Forest - February 21, 2023