A good base in the Eastern Med

[Nostrodamus]

The last three years of sailing from the UK to Sicily have been an amazing adventure. Along the way we have made some wonderful new friends and seen places that previously only existed in dreams.

The last year we have crossed the western med sailing with various other boats throughout the year. The Western med is very expensive if you use marinas but we have managed to anchor 95% of the year.

After winter in Sicily we will make our way East.

Now I have to say that after three years I feel pretty worn out constantly moving on. This last year being at anchor has been particularly draining as I just don't sleep the same.

Next year we are looking for more of a base where we can mellow out a little, sail if we want to or stay there.

There is work I want to do on the boat so a marina somewhere would be good.

Any suggestions for a good but cheap marina in the Eastern Med to make a base for either six months or a year?

 

[jimbaerselman]

Any suggestions for a good but cheap marina in the Eastern Med to make a base for either six months or a year?

"Good" and "Cheap" don't rest very well together. Most places which meet both criteria are crowded - by both charter boats, people with similar aims to yourself, and ex-pat populations serving both those masters with varying levels of skill and diligence.

Examples: Inland Ionian, Greece, and the Greek seas around Athens.

In less accessible places in Greece, it's possible to lay your own mooring and use a quay. But that's a "no electricity" and "no charge" choice, usually using EU funds which built up a marina infrastructure, which was subsequently never commissioned due to diversion of funds. Trizonia and Pylos are examples.

 

[OldBawley]

I can understand the “worn out “ syndrome very well.
To me it is not only the physical element of sailing, it is also the mental tension. ( Don´t grin )
We sail a heavy old wooden boat, I have four sails to attend to and hate been slower than modern yachts so after a day of sailing I am exhausted. Takes me at least a day to recover. Two days of sailing in a row and I start getting blind and want to sit on mammy’s lap.
Doing the French canals, just motoring and a bit of steering was hard to, not physical but in the way one is bended after a day of driving a car. A 75 year old car. We did two days of locks, than at least one day relaxing.
I think that most retired sailors starting a cruising life underestimate how heavy living and sailing a yacht can be.
We sleep well at anchor, have 15 years of practice. Summer and winter. It´s on a town quay or a marina I can´t find sleep.
I would suggest a very sheltered bay or small inland sea as a base. They exist. I say no more.
Would be good for finances and believe me, anchoring on a sheltered spot is way safer for the yacht than been fixed to a solid wall. Just yesterday was the first hard wind of autumn. No more than a force 5.
It must have surprised a lot of sailors, with the wind and waves building one yacht after an other came anchoring around us. They all had fenders hanging out so they had just left the “Marina” quay.
The catamaran next to us has lots of gelcoat damage, unexpected one meter waves are no fun lying packed onto a town quay.

 

[Tony Cross]

One of the cheapest (and pretty good) marinas is here at Agios Nikolaos on Crete. Prices are on their website at http://www.marinaofaghiosnikolaos.gr/. It's a full-service marina, two bowlines, water and electricity at all berths (charged at cost) good, if small, toilets and showers, basic laundry, the town is right outside with supermarkets and all shops you could need. It also has a lively and active winter liveaboard community and a free (though not terribly fast) wifi Internet service.

The disadvantage of Crete is that it's not a fun place to sail in July, August and early September when the strong Meltemi winds blow, nor is it wise to be out in the winter with the regular (and strong) northerly and southerly gales we get here. May/June and late Sept/Oct and early Nov are fairly calm so whilst you can get out and about safely you're struggling to sail. Most winter liveaboards get as far away as fast as they can in May and they don't come back until October. There are lots of regulars here (this winter will be our 8th winter here) so it's not just me who likes it here.

A winter berth here for this winter is unlikely to be available now, it gets full very quickly. Booking early for winter is essential, a deposit is required. It might be worth a call though for this winter and if you tell them you know me they will at least say no nicely.

 

[nortada]

Far Be it For Us To Teach Granny To Suck Eggs

The last three years of sailing from the UK to Sicily have been an amazing adventure. Along the way we have made some wonderful new friends and seen places that previously only existed in dreams.

The last year we have crossed the western med sailing with various other boats throughout the year. The Western med is very expensive if you use marinas but we have managed to anchor 95% of the year.

After winter in Sicily we will make our way East.

Now I have to say that after three years I feel pretty worn out constantly moving on. This last year being at anchor has been particularly draining as I just don't sleep the same.

Next year we are looking for more of a base where we can mellow out a little, sail if we want to or stay there.

There is work I want to do on the boat so a marina somewhere would be good.

Any suggestions for a good but cheap marina in the Eastern Med to make a base for either six months or a year?

Hi Nostrodamus,

You will already know this, so for the benefit of others, would suggest finding the right winter lay-over is so very personal for number of factors, having listened to other advice (taking greater notice of the bad rather than good reports), you really need to taste it for your self with at least a month stop over.

Best of luck in you search.

 

[Tranona]

The Ionian is probably as good as you get in terms of choice. The marinas in Corfu and Levkas are reasonable cost in the winter but expensive in summer. However there are plenty of places for relaxed and cheap mooring in the summer. Good winter social scenes, but weather can be cold and wet at times. Best to arrive in the spring, cruise around a bit and taste the alternatives.

 

[Tony Cross]

The Ionian is probably as good as you get in terms of choice. The marinas in Corfu and Levkas are reasonable cost in the winter but expensive in summer. However there are plenty of places for relaxed and cheap mooring in the summer. Good winter social scenes, but weather can be cold and wet at times. Best to arrive in the spring, cruise around a bit and taste the alternatives.

We have wintered in the Ionian. The marinas are mostly of excellent quality but the Ionian is very wet in the winter. When we wintered in Gouvia in 2005/6 it started raining in October and it stopped in late April. Well....that's what it felt like.

 

[Artic Warrior]

I can understand the “worn out “ syndrome very well.

I think that most retired sailors starting a cruising life underestimate how heavy living and sailing a yacht can be.

Hee hee,
I totally agree, I get knackered and im only just over 40, knees hurt etc...
but the sunshine does take the pains away

 

[jimbaerselman]

I can understand the “worn out “ syndrome very well. <big snip>

Lovely post!

I gave up "one night st***" when I passed a certain age. The purpose of a visit is now to spend time enjoying the place, maybe exploring sensations . . . which means finding places where people won't interfere with your berthing arrangements for as long as it takes.

 

[1bobt]

If you come as far East as Aegina or Poros I can fix you up with low cost moorings and hard storage.

cheers bobt

 

[macd]

If you come as far East as Aegina or Poros I can fix you up with low cost moorings and hard storage.

...or maybe a nice little mere in Cheshire?

Seriously, I'd echo the 'try before you buy' sentiment above. Certainly the obvious places in the Ionian (Gouvia, Levkas, perhaps even Messalonghi depending on how the new regime pans out) have plenty of room in winter, so there's no need to worry about being turned away. Of the three, Gouvia has the quicker access to flights home. Preveza town harbour (as opposed to the yards and marina across the narrows) is another possibility, but one you'd be wise to check out first; and when the southerlies blow, it's no place for an unsupervised boat, but OK if someone's around to adjust lines and fenders.

Last winter's deluges were by no means confined to the Ionian, but it is typically one of the wetter places in the E Med.

 

[Sybarite]

The last three years of sailing from the UK to Sicily have been an amazing adventure. Along the way we have made some wonderful new friends and seen places that previously only existed in dreams.

The last year we have crossed the western med sailing with various other boats throughout the year. The Western med is very expensive if you use marinas but we have managed to anchor 95% of the year.

After winter in Sicily we will make our way East.

Now I have to say that after three years I feel pretty worn out constantly moving on. This last year being at anchor has been particularly draining as I just don't sleep the same.

Next year we are looking for more of a base where we can mellow out a little, sail if we want to or stay there.

There is work I want to do on the boat so a marina somewhere would be good.

Any suggestions for a good but cheap marina in the Eastern Med to make a base for either six months or a year?

A Breton I met keeps his boat in Tunisia. He argues : cheap mooring, low labour cost when getting work done and good flight connections. He said that about half the marina consisted of Breton liveaboards.

 

[Nostrodamus]

A Breton I met keeps his boat in Tunisia. He argues : cheap mooring, low labour cost when getting work done and good flight connections. He said that about half the marina consisted of Breton liveaboards.

We met a british couple this year who had been in Tunisia and got covers made for everything a stainless steel "A" frame made. They were all of good quality and were made quickly...

 

[1bobt]

...or maybe a nice little mere in Cheshire?

Seriously, I'd echo the 'try before you buy' sentiment above. Certainly the obvious places in the Ionian (Gouvia, Levkas, perhaps even Messalonghi depending on how the new regime pans out)


We are a 40 min trip from Piraeus which cost 13 .60 euro on Flying Dolphin ,then a 5 euro bus trip to Airport which takes 50 mins ..
I am bed at 5 30 am in Cheshire and am on the boat at 15 00 pm in Greece
Sod all that nonsense with Messy and Koladhia.

cheers bobt

 

[Steve C Cronin]

I write this from Messilonghi and we have kept our boat at Gouvia since 2003. Both are good and if you want FREE then try Trizonia. We have just spent the last six nights there. It is an abandoned but very secure failed marina project in the Gulf of Corinth.

 

[rivonia]

I write this from Messilonghi and we have kept our boat at Gouvia since 2003. Both are good and if you want FREE then try Trizonia. We have just spent the last six nights there. It is an abandoned but very secure failed marina project in the Gulf of Corinth.

Trizonia is good apart from there is no leccy. Water free by carting your jerry cans-no prob.

peter

 

[jordanbasset]

Trizonia is good apart from there is no leccy. Water free by carting your jerry cans-no prob.

peter

When we stopped there I did notice electric extension cables were running to those on the inside pontoons, but no room on those pontoons and most seemed to have set down roots.