Co-Founder and Board Member
“Despite me being an English citizen born in London, I’ve spent more than half of my life in Turkey and even see myself to be more Turkish than many people born in Turkey. Turkey is a country that has unmatched history, geography and culture. Behind the success of Global Sailing, which has touched thousands of people since its establishment; There is an experienced captain and his employees who do their job with devotion and love. I have had great pleasure doing my job as the second captain of Global Sailing. My biggest wish for every guest who comes to Global Sailing is to take part in the peaceful and unforgettable memories of their lives as a result of their visit. The way to success is through doing the work with love. That's why Global Sailing has been so successful.
Born in 1952, in England, Christina Karamanoğlu met her husband Haluk Karamanoğlu in 1976 during her first visit to Turkey. Chris, who welcomed her son Derin in 1984 and her daughter Deniz in 1987; accepted her husband’s proposal to tour the world with their boat without hesitation in 1988 eventhough she did not have any prior experience with sailing and learned to become a young hand on a ship while also adjusting to a life on boat with children. As they returned to Turkey, after 5 years of traveling and experiencing many countries and cultures, Deniz was 9 and Deniz was 6 years old. The last thing they wanted to do was to force their children into living in a metropolitan life in İstanbul, after years of growing freely and surrounded by nature.
They followed their biggest dream in Gökova Karacasöğüt, a corner of paradise for them. Their dream was to establish a center for sailors and those who are interested in sailing in Turkey, and more importantly, to found a sailing school so that Turkish children could become sailors, experience nature. As a result of long and devoted work for 7 years, this dream known as Global Sailing has become reality in 2002. Although still holding an Amator Seaman's Certificate and thousands of miles of experience, Christina believes that there can be only one captain of a ship, and that her role in life and on board is not to be a captain.
As a first mate, she is acting with awareness that her duty, apart from sailing, is essential for a well organized life in the boat and she says that she is fulfilling the first mate duty in Global Sailing with great pleasure.