Sailing in Greece

[Mr Cassandra]

There's something wrong with the people, here in Lavrio ,there's a promonard with about 10 Bench's , every weekend they are full with groups of people kissing and hugging sharing food and drink . No masks or worn under chin ...
I am talking about 100 groups an hour .
Multiple this around Attica and you will understand why 3300 + new cases a day.
Next week borders open to Europe .

 

[BurnitBlue]

Lockdown is certainly not very effective but it does help because it concentrates bubbles of infected areas into confined spaces. Not ideal but better that, than wandering around from infected area to non-infected areas. If everyone had a garden or large balcony it would help. The basic idea is to keep people in one place.

 

[OldBawley]

The place where I am wintering (and now forced spring ing) is typical Greek.

80 % of the people were their mask below their chin.

Some of the more special ones (they drive brand new Porsche Cayennes) simply neglect all rules.

They own the town.

Before everyone of the “closed” tavernas or bars some 10 mopeds are parked. Where are those people? I can guess. Everybody knows the bars are open. With closed door.

Police is doing day and night rounds with cars. They have their blue flash lights on to warn everybody to go in hiding. Stupidest rule I ever witnessed.

However, I guess that in a small town or village everybody knows who has corona.

Last time I asked the pharmacist he told me 3 people where positive. One teacher and two kids.

Not one of them had problems.

So somewhere I can understand that the Greeks feel safe and don’t obey the rules that are made for big towns.

 

[grumpygit]

Something is wrong. Could it be that locking people inside is not the right way?

I think it is well proved that draconian lockdowns don't work. I think all the UK lockdowns came as the figures were on the fall anyway which goes to prove something.
Sweden sort of did ok but took the rule of common sense rather than a draconian governmental stance. Someone who's name escapes me once said if you trade freedom for security, you will end up losing both . . . I tend to agree and the only way out of this is vaccination or/and herd immunity.

 

[wwalsh]

There's something wrong with the people, here in Lavrio ,there's a promonard with about 10 Bench's , every weekend they are full with groups of people kissing and hugging sharing food and drink . No masks or worn under chin ...
I am talking about 100 groups an hour .
Multiple this around Attica and you will understand why 3300 + new cases a day.
Next week borders open to Europe .

Did you not get permission to go to aegina?

 

[newtothis]

I think it is well proved that draconian lockdowns don't work. I think all the UK lockdowns came as the figures were on the fall anyway which goes to prove something.
Sweden sort of did ok but took the rule of common sense rather than a draconian governmental stance. Someone who's name escapes me once said if you trade freedom for security, you will end up losing both . . . I tend to agree and the only way out of this is vaccination or/and herd immunity.

It was Benjamin Franklin, and it was a call for greater regulation, not less. Google it sometime.
You're also wrong about numbers falling ahead of lockdown, unless you mean those big falls in cases last March and September, and this January, which didn't happen.
Sweden: 136 deaths/100k. Better than UK, which isn't saying much, but only in the middle of the European league.
Herd immunity: talk to Brazil.

 

[Resolution]

I think it is well proved that draconian lockdowns don't work. I think all the UK lockdowns came as the figures were on the fall anyway which goes to prove something.
Sweden sort of did ok but took the rule of common sense rather than a draconian governmental stance. Someone who's name escapes me once said if you trade freedom for security, you will end up losing both . . . I tend to agree and the only way out of this is vaccination or/and herd immunity.

Lockdowns do work - if properly observed and enforced - but there will be a time lag in the hospitalisations and deaths figures while earlier infections work their way through. On the flip side, lockdowns have a terrible economic cost. There is a striking polarisation between old retired people who suffer little economic cost but have most to fear from the virus and on the other hand young adults who are most likely to lose their jobs but have relatively little to fear from catching the virus. Quite a tricky choice for politicians to make.
As I see it, in the UK we have three quarters of our adult population with at least one vaccination up to decent operating strength and only 1% of our hospital beds occupied by Covid patients, so definitely time to release domestic restrictions. Sadly, holidays abroad are still a major risk of bringing various shades of virus back, so should be resisted. For myself, I am really keen to get back to my boat in Cyprus and get cruising again in Turkey - heart says YES but head saysNO.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

Did you not get permission to go to aegina?

No I was refused movement ,I asked could I go to my home port , Porto Rafti where I have a permanent place Or Karistos Evia.
And that was turn into a joke about handcuffs.
If I had a paper from a shipyard that said I "needed " work done ,then this is allowed.

So I could go to Olympic marine !!!

 

[grumpygit]

It was Benjamin Franklin, and it was a call for greater regulation, not less. Google it sometime.
You're also wrong about numbers falling ahead of lockdown, unless you mean those big falls in cases last March and September, and this January, which didn't happen.
Sweden: 136 deaths/100k. Better than UK, which isn't saying much, but only in the middle of the European league.
Herd immunity: talk to Brazil.

Probably was, and in that case from a great man of his time and the great legacy he left.
I suppose it all depends on the experts that are making their case. I recently watched a program with 2 professors giving their facts, data and graphs that proved different to your analogies.
It's going to be down to which platform one wishes to believe but time and history will no doubt release all the in's and out's rather than trying to make the argument.
One thing that puzzles me and doesn't seem to get a mention, is why populations have not been tested for any natural immunity. I know people that have had the virus without even knowing it, or why it's more prevalent in certain ethnic groups such as Brazil, India or cases closer to home.

Hey ho though, back to boaty stuff. Greece is planning to gradually open up in early May, so hopefully a return to some freedoms especially for lots on here that are waiting to sail into the horizon. The first on the calendar is that on the 3rd taverna's and restaurants can open with restrictions, the main one is for serving outside at tables only, who would want to sit in doors in Greece in May?

 

[OldBawley]

I was at the local hospital today. Four persons in hospital clothing standing outside, taking a brake.

Asked some questions.

No, I as a non Greek could not get vaccination.

Theoretically I could ask for a temporary tax number but useless while one has to have a residence in Greece. Witch I have not, I live on my yacht. So no vaccination, no passport.

Even if you are vaccinated and you have a vaccination passport a PCR test (70€) is needed.

If I have to fly “home” for some unforeseen reason a pcr test (70€) is needed. Only available in hospitals, maybe at the airport.

At my question if a lot of Covid was around in the little village they answered “very much”

Much has changed.

Some people will get very rich.

 

[sailaboutvic]

No help to you I'm sorry to say but sicily was given the jab free to people in the marina .

 

[OldBawley]

That would be the way.

Do you know I wintered on Sicily in winter 2001/2002?

That was the time you could anchor of in many small harbours/ bays. There ware simply no marina´s except for the very small one in Siracusa and the one in Messina.

O, and a small one in Catania. Ware not the marina´s now known to everyone. Just moorings for the locals. Most of them not for strangers.

I only used the Messina marina because the??? chased me out of the harbour. They gave as a reason that anchoring was dangerous.

Well, it was ten times less dangerous as the marina. The surge in there was horrendous.

I liked it very much on Sicily, changing spot every few days and my favorite spot Accitrezza. But then I noticed that fouling was enormous. Never ever seen a fouling like that. Only one yard willing to take the boat out but… at a mafia price.

So I lifted anchor and sailed to Greece. In December, not the smartest thing to do.

 

[sailaboutvic]

That would be the way.

Do you know I wintered on Sicily in winter 2001/2002?

That was the time you could anchor of in many small harbours/ bays. There ware simply no marina´s except for the very small one in Siracusa and the one in Messina.

O, and a small one in Catania. Ware not the marina´s now known to everyone. Just moorings for the locals. Most of them not for strangers.

I only used the Messina marina because the??? chased me out of the harbour. They gave as a reason that anchoring was dangerous.

Well, it was ten times less dangerous as the marina. The surge in there was horrendous.

I liked it very much on Sicily, changing spot every few days and my favorite spot Accitrezza. But then I noticed that fouling was enormous. Never ever seen a fouling like that. Only one yard willing to take the boat out but… at a mafia price.

So I lifted anchor and sailed to Greece. In December, not the smartest thing to do.

The only place where I can say I found fouling a problem is in Licata and you find i reported this many times, lucky we have CC so other then our Prop which I dive and bag when we arrive we get awY with it but many as you say do have to be hauled out at a very high price , most now just get the diver to clean part of the Hull then sail to Tunisia for a cheap haul out .
Agree many of the harbour do house marinas now and anchor isn't allowed but there still plenty of bay to anchor in , other wise we wouldn't sail here .
Good luck getting a covid Jab .

 

[OldBawley]

We have CC also, is now almost 10 years in the water, just a scrub in spring is OK. But now places at the waterline are getting thin.

For that Covid Jab, no chance here although I did not ask a private doctor to get me a “private” one.

Almost anything can be bought.

I have a lot of time and I studied Covid reporting. Not on the tele, the web. The more I hear (podcasts) about it, the more I think I don’t want a jab. Since the first lockdown I changed my diet, lost 25 pounds, I am now more or less skinny but feel good. For the first time in my life I have no more asthma, I feel great. Other years I had a bit of asthma during spring. Pine pollen. Easy to help with some medicine. This year…. Nothing.

I see it as the only way I have to keep safe. Eating healthy and doing a lot of exercise.

My wife who was at home during the 7 months absolute lockdown has just today booked a flight 14 days after her second jab. No I get scared.

 

[truscott]

" ...... If I have to fly “home” for some unforeseen reason a pcr test (70€) is needed. Only available in hospitals, maybe at the airport....."

If it is of any help, you can get a PCR test at the Private Lab in Kranidi, opposite the square where the taxi rank is. It was 120 Euro last September. No idea about current prices. PM if you would like his email.

 

[OldBawley]

Many thanks for the tip.

Kranidi is difficult to get to from where I am held in forced lockdown. Would need to hire a car.

Ad that to the price for a test and knowing that the real price is below 20€, see what a money cow those tests are.

The site “health system tracker” lists prices from 20€ up to 1420€ / test. That is in the states, the most expensive place in the world for medical stuff.

Read somewhere that the Greek government capped the price for a PCR test at 60€. Nevertheless, the lab at the airport asks 70€. Greek logic.

 

[OldBawley]

Yachts arriving in Poros. Apperently sailing is permitted. Nothing seen in the news.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

I was told only charter yacht allowed to go to their bases , at the moment .

 

[wwalsh]

charter companies have booked charters starting 15/05

 

[slipknot]

Mine has just allowed me to postpone mine due on the 23rd May