Crime levels in the Caribbean?

[Anonymous]

Is it fair to compare what, for most people, is a summer-only region (eastern Med) directly with the year-round regions of the western Med and the Caribbean?

 

[LadyJessie]

Lemain; you are totally wrong. "Summer only", where did you get that misconception from? The eastern Med is home to many thousands of cruising yachts that spend all year here. I have not been outside the eastern Med for the last four years. There are lots of boats that have been here a lot longer than I have. The reason is that it is IMHO a much nicer cruising area than the western Med. Here you really cruise, moor in small harbours and hang at anchor in beautiful bays.

Do you ever get out of your marina, Lemain? I have noticed plenty of marina sailors in the west. Very few of that in the east.

 

[ozcruiser]

Agree with what you say. We are presently in East Med. The West Med especially the Spanish Mainland is pretty awful. Few anchorages and expensive overcrowded marinas. Balearics OK but not a patch on Ionian or Turkey. This is a great cruising area. We wintered in Turkey a few years ago and some of our best sailing was in January. We are now in a marina for the first time in 6 weeks and probably have spent less than 7 days in marinas since May. We do have a watermaker though. The flotilla and charter crowd are easily avoided if you keep off the beaten tracks. We actually prefer the Caribbean to the Aegean as the wind is steadier and anchorages better. Aegean is pretty tough in July August with the Meltemi. We met a few boats heading west this year that took a beating. All in all East Med is equally as good as Caribbean. West Med apart from Balearics is crap.

 

[ozcruiser]

What I forgot to say was that in the Caribbean we seldom locked up except maybe in Chaguramas Trinidad which has a reputation. We always dress down and our old boat maybe doesnt look as flash as most. We try and mix with the locals in the local bars and restaurants and we have never felt threatened. Keep your wits about you and be sensible. In Greece and Turkey we never lock up. Spanish Mainland eg Barcelona we locked up but never had problems although lots of pickpocket stories around. Maybe we are lucky or just streetwise!!!!!!!

 

[LadyJessie]

[ QUOTE ]
the Spanish Mainland is pretty awful.

[/ QUOTE ]Exactly my experience as well. Best avoided. Spain inland is delightful though. But stay away from the coast.

 

[jimbaerselman]

[ QUOTE ]
a summer-only region (eastern Med) directly with the year-round regions of the western Med and the Caribbean?

[/ QUOTE ] All the Med is a year round cruising ground, but great care is needed during the periods of unsettled weather. These imply some very unpredictable winds, occasionally dangerous. Luckily, unsettled weather is less frequent in the East Med, so I do enjoy winter sailing in the area. Better than UK summer, anyway . . .

And, Caribbean all year? I guess if you travel widely, yes, but I find the humidity drives me to Trinidad or south between May and October (quite apart from keeping an eye on hurricane tracks). But perhpas I'm a humidity wimp. And I'm not sure I'd class Trinidad as Caribbean - but that's just a matter of semantics.

 

[gonad]

hi is the felix with u?