I started skiing because of swimming. That’s right! It all began there. I was 13 the first time I strapped on skis. My original sport is swimming. I grew up by the water in Istanbul, Türkiye. My summers were spent at my dad’s and grandma’s summer homes by the water.

My dad’s summer home is on an island called Heybeliada—just a breezy 30-minute ferry ride from mainland Istanbul. I remember jumping off a diving platform deep into the water, expecting my dad to catch me. I was only 3. I’d climb four steps onto the platform. Dad would already be in the water, ready. Sometimes, I’d go deep—four seconds down—and he’d scoop me up, one arm pulling me to the surface like a superhero. People clapped for my little splash show. I loved that spotlight! The fears of being seen came much later, but back then? My little heart soared.

My grandma had a cherished summer home in Yeniköy, right by the Bosphorus. Such a magical spot. Yeniköy used to be a sweet little summer town – on the European side of the Bosphorus. Now it’s all city. That strait separates Asia and Europe. It carries a wild current from the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea through the Sea of Marmara. Grandma wouldn’t let me swim too far, but she loved to take me on the current’s ride. We’d jump in together, gliding for about 200 meters. Rest in peace, my grandma was my partner in crime. Then we’d walk back and do it all over again.

Summer meant switching between my dad’s place and grandma’s house. When I was 10, I started spending more time at my dad’s house and they built an amazing aquatics club right on Heybeliada. Every kid signed up for swimming, sailing, or water polo. Me? Swimming. Lots of laps in the 50-meter pool—3 to 6 kilometers a day, training hard three summers straight. Our team got stronger, thanks to our coach Mirca Hoca — imported from Poiana Brașov, Romania.

We called him Bay Mirca—that’s “Mr. Mirca” in Turkish. A retired swim coach with broken Turkish and a big heart. He taught me about sportsmanship, discipline, commitment, hard work, and not-so-instant gratification.

One winter, Bay Mirca surprised us all. He took the swim team to his hometown for our winter break. Indoor pool training in the mornings, skiing the rest of the day. That’s when I put on skis for the first time. The mountain air, the snow, the thrill of sliding—and not knowing how to stop—it was WOW. I got the powder bug right there, in Poiana Brașov. From then on, I chased winter like a love affair, skiing every chance I got. Two to ten days every season… until my Big Bear adventure started… That’s coming next post!