We met our neighbor, the attorney Mehmet Dedeoğlu, who says “Deep blue hypnotizes and takes a human to a different world. Anthaven provides us with an atmosphere where we can enjoy our passion for the water.”, we talked about his successful career and his passion for the sea.
The attorney Mehmet Dedeoğlu, is one of the residents at our project Anthaven, located in Aspat, a hidden paradise in Bodrum. Born in 1966 in Çanakkale, Mr. Dedeoğlu is a real sea lover. Since he graduated from Galatasaray High School and the Law Faculty of the University of Istanbul he has had a successful career, however he has never given up his passion for the sea, which started with windsurfing when he was 13. Let’s get to know our neighbor better…
Mr. Dedeoğlu, could you please tell us about your family?
Dilek, my wife graduated from the Business Administration Faculty of Marmara University and my daughter Selin studies law at the University of Westminster. The common ground in our family is the sea and Galatasaray.
We understand you enjoy an active social life – how do you spend your leisure time?
I spend most of my time on the sea. I have various hobbies however my biggest interest is the sea and my boat. A while ago my wife and I started thinking that we can only spend six or seven months of the year on our boat in the south, so what can we do for the rest of the year? Finally, we bought a boat in Istanbul, so we had the opportunity to live on the sea throughout the year. In fact, essentially, sea and marine culture is the lifestyle of our family, and I’ve been windsurfing and sailing since I was 13. While I was studying at the university, I used to teach surfing and sailing at Club Med during the summer holidays. Dilek is a good sailor too, and my daughter Selin is good at windsurfing and kite surfing. Believe me, a day spent at sea with my wife is equivalent to a seven-eight-day vacation in a different place, in terms of relieving work stress. Deep blue hypnotizes a human, rips off all your labels and draws you in and takes you to different a world. Anthaven provides us with an atmosphere where we can enjoy our passion for the sea. Just like a home on the water, our boat is at the Anthaven Marina in front of our house and our dinghy boat is on the canal at our house. We can climb aboard our dinghy as if we are getting into our car and go anywhere including to our boat, to the beach, to the fish shop, and even to the pub in Bodrum Kaleiçi.
What is it like to live in Anthaven, could you please tell us about it? And how was the settlement process?
We settled in Anthaven in the summer of 2020. We used to live in Port Alaçatı during the summers, except when we were on our boat. Therefore, we pondered a lot and were undecided about moving to Bodrum. We sometimes anchored at Aspat Bay for few days and spent time there while sailing to the south or the north. When the project was completed, Anthaven looked very beautiful from the place we anchored. Aspat has always been a port city, a settlement, and a center of attraction. Here you feel as if you were living in a small fishing town in Italy with lovely houses surrounded by canals. It is a kind of summer resort with its own port, its own beach, its own town square, its own restaurants, cafes, bazaar, and hotel. Aspat Hill has a unique aura and I personally think that it reflects onto Anthaven. Anthaven also has its own characteristics, identity, and story. I have never been attracted by the dull projects or summer resorts that show off with their luxury.
One day we saw a dinghy coming towards us with the name Celine2 written on it. The name of the boat we have is Celine3 and the dinghy approaching was our former boat. Enver, who is my close friend now, asked: “Are you the attorney Mehmet Dedeoğlu?” We soon realized that we studied at the same high school, Galatasaray Lisesi with his wife Berna. They invited us to dinner and following this we started to look for our new house in Anthaven. However, all the houses were sold, and it seemed impossible to find one. Fortunately, Mehmet Oktay helped us, and an optional sale was cancelled and we could purchase it and become a resident in Anthaven.
How did you meet with Ant Yapı?
I met Ant Yapı thanks to the Port Alaçatı project, where we owned a home, following that experience we bought a house in Anthaven. After Port Alaçatı, it was like déjà vu, as before buying a house in Port Alaçatı we used to anchor at Alaçatı Bay. At that time our daughter was seven and our guests didn’t bring their children onto the boat anymore. So, when my wife said: “Our daughter is growing up and she needs friends to play with. This project is meant for us; you can take care of the boat, our daughter can surf with her friends, and I can do the gardening”, she convinced me to buy a house in Port Alaçatı. Port Alaçatı has unique characteristics, too, however the tragedy here is that we seem to be always late for the Ant Yapı projects and unfortunately it therefore costs more.
Dedeoğlu Avukatlık celebrates its 30th anniversary and it is also the 30th anniversary of Ant Yapı. What would you like to say about this?
It is hard to continue raising the bar for 30 years without stumbling. When I look back, I would be lying if I say that I wasn’t afraid of the goals we set out to reach. The first lesson I have taught the more than 30 attorneys working in my office is “Love your case file, embrace it like a mother embraces her child, establish an emotional bond and hug it. Only then will you be afraid of losing it. Success will come if you put not only your effort but also your heart into your work. I even put my soul into it, but I expect you to only put your heart into it”. First, you should be fully equipped in terms of knowledge and experience, then you should believe wholeheartedly that you will win, then you should do what is necessary to achieve it. There is no second place in a legal case, only the winner is first. If you follow this advice, I believe success will come.
What is your biggest dream for the future?
Of course, I want to minimize my workload and spend more time on my boat with my family. I even dream of one day teaching my grandchildren how to sail and sailing with them. I have never thought of retirement because in every stage of my life I have helped my friends whenever they need me. This gives me a great pleasure, which is hard to describe, and I want to continue as long as God allows. I also have a project for writing a book, when I can find the time to write down my memories. Right now, the title of my book is clear: ” Soğuk Yemeklerim/My Cold Meals”. You may think what does the name have to do with law, but for almost 15 years I have had to eat cold meals because I always receive phone calls from my clients: Kismet. So, I always say Kismet when it comes to the future.
HE FOUNDED ANTHAVEN YACHT CLUB
How do you describe the yachting passion? How do you follow your passion in Anthaven?
My passion for the sea started with my dad’s small boat when I stayed at our summer house in Bozcaada/Geyikli. While other children played, I used to enjoy going fishing with my dad. At the age of 13, the passion for the sea converted into surfing and sailing. I think it was the year 1997 when I bought my first boat. I therefore saw Anthaven as a golden opportunity for us. It gives me great pleasure to share the same atmosphere with people who have the same hobbies, passion, marine culture, and ethics as us. The place provides you with the opportunity to follow your passion for the sea. In addition, it has a great location; key places for yachters like the Greek Islands, Gökova, and Hisarönü are very close.
You founded Anthaven Yacht Club. Could you please explain the process?
When I first saw Anthaven, I thought a yacht club would be perfect here. I shared my idea with Mehmet Okay and he very kindly agreed with the idea. He has supported us and made all kinds of contributions including the club center. The name is Anthaven Yacht Club, and the flag is an Aspat girl on a white surface. We will be accepting members after the opening announcement in April. The only thing you need to be a member is to be a resident in Anthaven and a sea lover, you do not need to have a boat. The purpose is to help everyone have a hobby that enables us to engage with the sea, it might be kayaking or surfing or yachting. In the first meeting with Mr. Okay we talked about various promising projects and we decided that in terms of water sports we will encourage young people to organize rallies and trips with our boats, and organize fishing tournaments. We will arrange a lot of activities from kayaking races to surfing races in the bay. In Anthaven, we will strengthen the bonds of friendship between the people who live on the sea. While making the love of yachting our main goal, we protect our bays and seas, especially Aspat, against all kinds of pollution. We will strengthen the friendship between the people who live in Anthaven.
NO AGE LIMIT FOR WATER SPORTS
What would you advise the beginner yacht enthusiast?
First of all, it is never too late to start any kind of water sports or yachting, I have seen people starting wind surfing at the age of 65. Being on such a peninsula I believe the young people should spend time doing water sports in the summer instead of sitting in cafes, as the contribution of the sea to human life is magnificent. Once there was a race with Optimists (one of the smallest sailing dinghies), a boat that can easily turn upside down when you make a mistake. Therefore, every time it turns upside down you need to set it right and continue the race. The one who makes the least mistakes will reach the finish line first and will be the winner and those who make a lot of mistakes and overturn their boats will therefore end up at the end. When you make a mistake and overturn your boat, you do not have the opportunity to say “I am not playing anymore”. In order to survive in the middle of the sea, you have to fix the boat and continue on your way to the finish line. This is actually a very important life lesson for children.
Do you have any advice for those who want to buy a yacht?
I would advise them to do their best to encourage their spouses to love this sport too, as, if your partner doesn’t enjoy life on the sea, it will limit your own boat life. Then you need to decide whether to buy a motor yacht or a sailboat. It is often difficult to know this before buying your boat, but you can check your friends’ boats out and consider the region where you want to sail and your own personality. For example, if you think you will use it in Istanbul or you don’t have time to spend more than three or four days on the boat, then I would suggest you buy a motor yacht. If you think you have time, and you will cruise the bays of the Aegean Sea, then I would suggest you buy a sailboat. The most distinctive difference between them is that your vacation on a sailboat starts as soon as you board whereas as far as a motor yacht is concerned, it starts when you reach your destination.