Sakarya Nehri'nin Denize Döküldüğü Yer

The Sakarya River rises in Eskişehir and, at the end of a long journey, flows into the Black Sea within the boundaries of Yenimahalle in Karasu district. The Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism gives the length of the river as 824 kilometres. The tourism brochure of the Metropolitan Municipality, however, writes that the length, which is 824 kilometres including the tributaries, has fallen to 720 kilometres because some branches have dried up over time. According to the same brochure, the river takes its name from Sangarius, a river god of Greek mythology, and rises in the Çifteler district of Eskişehir. The length of the river within the borders of Sakarya province is about 159.5 kilometres. North of the Adapazarı plain the river also takes in the Çark stream, which carries the surplus water of Lake Sapanca, and then reaches the sea. This is why Yenimahalle is also known as the point where fresh water meets salt water. The sediment carried by the river has formed the Sakarya Delta here. Unlike the Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak deltas, this delta does not jut out noticeably into the sea and has developed mainly along an east to west axis, parallel to the coast. The sudden deepening of the sea and strong currents have prevented the delta plain from growing seaward. The delta ecosystem combines floodplain forests, freshwater lakes, the seashore and coastal dunes. Akgöl, the Acarlar Longoz, Lake Küçükboğaz and Anagöl are the main lakes in the delta. The delta dunes, which form small hillocks, are about 5 metres high on average, and the area is described as the longest uninterrupted dune habitat in Turkey. The dunes are home to plants that are endangered on a global scale, such as Silene sangaria and the coastal mullein Verbascum degenii. The delta plain is also fertile land where local people farm and raise livestock intensively. The delta also matters for birds; it is a wintering ground for the red-breasted goose and the velvet scoter. The coastal stretches are valuable for seabirds and the lakes for ducks. The river mouth is important for fishing as well, and efforts are made here to keep the endangered sturgeon alive. The brochure also recalls that the river is famous for the sturgeon, whose caviar is very valuable. The stretch of about 1 kilometre from the entrance of Yenimahalle to the Black Sea has been paved with cobbles and turned into a promenade. Along this path you see fishing boats moored to the riverbank and can watch the river in the shade of centuries-old plane trees. In 2025 the Metropolitan Municipality completed a shoreline landscaping project here. Walking and resting areas, a cycle path, seating, shade structures, fishing spots and lighting were built over an area of about 6,380 square metres. The area is promoted as one of the best places in the province to watch the sunset, so it is a good idea to time your visit for the late afternoon. The small lighthouse at the tip of the river is a familiar landmark on this shore and often appears in sunset photographs. Recreational line fishing is possible at the river mouth, and in summer you can also swim along the Black Sea shore. Currents can be strong on this coast, so swim only in safe and supervised areas. The anglers and boats along the promenade are a living part of the place; do not touch nets, ropes or boats, and keep your distance from people who are fishing. One of the serious problems of the delta is coastal retreat, and building is said to have greatly reduced the dunes along the shore. For this reason, do not walk on the dunes and do not pick the dune plants. The river mouth lies a few kilometres west of the centre of Karasu, and for visitors coming from Adapazarı the main road toward Karasu is the most practical route. Together with the Acarlar Longoz to the west and the Karasu shore to the east, this spot makes it possible to see three different faces of the delta in a single day. Following the river's journey from the south past the Seyifler and Harmantepe castles and arriving at the sea here is the most natural way to understand the Lower Sakarya.