Sailing in Greece

[Mr Cassandra]

-As of the 23rd of April, blue cruising – i.e., cruising with no intermediate stops in ports– and yachting will be allowed with some restrictions, which will be the same for both Greek and foreign citizens.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Do you mean boats that are on transit ?

 

[Mr Cassandra]

Do you mean boats that are on transit ?

No idea , there's nothing simple in Greece ...? Well perhaps a couple of forumites

 

[BurnitBlue]

Do you mean boats that are on transit ?

I think it applies for A to A sailing not A to B.

 

[alexsailor]

For the first time in 10 years I am almost sure I won’t sail in Greece... All the restrictions... PCR tests or vaccine are not my choice and not what freedom means to me...

 

[OldBawley]

For the first time in my life my boat (and me) ware prohibited from moving for 6 months.

An other month to go before we (possibley) may sail.

The first lockdown was 4 months.

Now I hear that in Greece cruise ships are welcome again. Sailing yachts not. Move the boat and suffer the consequences.

 

[Resolution]

For the first time in 10 years I am almost sure I won’t sail in Greece... All the restrictions... PCR tests or vaccine are not my choice and not what freedom means to me...

So where do you plan to go? Where is reasonably safe from Covid, has some good sailing - and won't land you in a Gatwick hotel for two expensive weeks on return?

 

[Tony Cross]

Now I hear that in Greece cruise ships are welcome again. Sailing yachts not. Move the boat and suffer the consequences.

A lot may happen next month. They're talking about lifting the SMS restrictions next month for example. Tourism in general is expected to open up on May 14th (or thereabouts) so I wouldn't expect any cruise ships before then. I would also expect yachting tourism to be freed up along with general tourism in mid-May, to do otherwise would be silly. Keep watching the Greek news because things are fairly fluid at the moment.

 

[alexsailor]

So where do you plan to go? Where is reasonably safe from Covid, has some good sailing - and won't land you in a Gatwick hotel for two expensive weeks on return?

well I am not afraid of covid.
But there is nowhere I can go. At the moment the boat is in Croatia and I guess I'll put it on hard for a year or two...

 

[OldBawley]

Just an hour ago a catamaran sailed past my boat. I know the owner, he was granted a big fine for sailing in the beginning of the lockdown.

Maybe he got a permission to sail, who knows. Could not be for going to the yard because he never gets his boat hauled out. It is a small cat, he can clean the bottom in an hour snorkelling.

Seen from time to time some real big (30m+) yachts in the Poros lake as well.

So the ban for sailing is not for everyone. That surprises me.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

I have a German friend here in lavrio with a 12 metre yacht. He went to the port police this morning, And was granted permission to leave tomorrow for Aegina granted with no problem .Did have to give a secondary port if he could not make the journey in one go ,whatever,
He does not have to contact Aigina port police ,Lavrio will notify them that he is coming....

 

[OldBawley]

There was a time when sailing was a way of freedom. You as the captain decided what to do or not to do. Little to no policing simply because there was no reason to.

Now…. The stupidity of the test before entering the country, a test means nothing. Just 200 €.

If an idiot shouts in your face two minutes after the test You can be a risk.

But I understand, to save the holy cow, tourism, just some more paperwork and close the eyes.

Pretty sure this hole thing is going to be an other reason for policing and harassing people.

The jab, that is reasonable. But again, now the guys with the hats are going to shout “Papers and passports”

I once had a hat also, I was military police for two years. I know how it feels to boss people around.

Have to say, never had problems with Greek Coastguard until last summer.

I was sailing the west coast of Attica, three times harassment, even threats, glad I recorded their behaviour. Never going back there.

 

[Mistroma]

A lot may happen next month. They're talking about lifting the SMS restrictions next month for example. Tourism in general is expected to open up on May 14th (or thereabouts) so I wouldn't expect any cruise ships before then. I would also expect yachting tourism to be freed up along with general tourism in mid-May, to do otherwise would be silly. Keep watching the Greek news because things are fairly fluid at the moment.

It would make sense to open for chartering at the same time general tourism starts. I guess people with their own boats will get same freedom or limitations as the charter boats.

Last time I checked Greece had approx. 7 times UK case rate per 100,000 and total tests were only about 1/3 the UK level. I don't know how current test rates stack up, only the totals. I can see UK tourists being a safer option for Greece than those from quite a few other places. I imagine Greece will continue to vaccinate at a steady pace and might reach current UK level by June/July. There must be a fairly good chance of vaccinations helping to get their rates down to current UK levels by mid-July.

Lots of variables of course, still lots of ifs & buts.

Go now: Can't at present
Go when sensible: Probably expensive and very hot (I can only survive 40C after a few months getting used to 30C+ )
Leave it for a while: Perhaps cooler and possibly cheaper. Might run out of time to sail and also run into the next wave in Greece.

 

[slipknot]

As far as I know Greece is still on lockdown. Bars and restaurants closed, curfew from 9pm, masks worn everywhere. Infection rate still increasing. How can they lift all these restrictions and allow tourism under those circumstances? Seems to me that they are just shutting their eyes and going for the tourists money.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

I am living in Lavrio a charter boat base .The boats are being prepared for mid May sailing .
The British charter company is preparing for June 21st with fingers crossed for before..
Movement of boat with a good reason is possible between ports without deviations only.

 

[OldBawley]

Good reason or fakelaki ?

 

[Irish Rover]

I have s very good view of Samos Island from my house and today I saw a couple of sailing yachts out close to what I think is Kokkari so they may have come out from Samos Town. It's the first time in a very long while I saw sail boats out around Samos - it's possible of course they were Turkish boats just transiting north of Samos.

 

[OldBawley]

From "Greek reporter" from 22 04 2021:

As of the 23rd of April, “blue cruising,” or cruising with no intermediate stops in ports, and yachting, will be allowed with some restrictions, which will be the same for both Greek and foreign citizens.

 

[sailaboutvic]

From "Greek reporter" from 22 04 2021:

As of the 23rd of April, “blue cruising,” or cruising with no intermediate stops in ports, and yachting, will be allowed with some restrictions, which will be the same for both Greek and foreign citizens.

Thats been reported quite a few times over the last week or so , but no one seen to know what that exactly means .

 

[Mr Cassandra]

From "Greek reporter" from 22 04 2021:

As of the 23rd of April, “blue cruising,” or cruising with no intermediate stops in ports, and yachting, will be allowed with some restrictions, which will be the same for both Greek and foreign citizens.

If you take the time and possible trouble of reading the first post on this thread you will find out that's exactly what I told you.

Funny place forums
Reason I changed my user name.