Danger Lefkada Canal!!!

Zed Nivel

Zed Nivel

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We are 2 captains having damages due to the misplaced Buoy line
Time April 2008 ( 17 and 19)
Location: Mediterranean Sea, Northern Ionian, Lefkada, Lefkada Canal, North side going NNE after passing of the floating bridge, position right North of the buoyline North from Santa Maura (Aios Mavros).
What happened: There are big rocks or stones or something hard on the wrong side of the buoy line lying less than 1,8 meter down giving great distress and damages to the vessel traffic. My yacht and also the other captains hit rocks with severe damages having to remove keels and in my case also a broken rudder!!
We have excess or damage claims on the Greek Military who har responsible for this link

Any captains with similar experience of this totally messed up channel?
 
I am really sad that's happened. I can immagine where it was.
For years this outlet from Lefkas canal was marked with 3 small different color buoys. Each time when we passed it ,we ask ourselves how it is possible that such important canal is so poor marked. As I know some people were grounded on the right side on the sand bank too.
 
whilst I sympathise with your damage to your yacht ,Rod Heilkels Pilot Book clearly shows three rocks ---if you had kept to the 5m line you would not have had a problem!
 
approaching from the north.leave the green buoy at least 3 m to stb.the depth changes quickly,if there is no wind you can see the sand spit.keep close to the sand spit going west and go round the bight. there is plenty of room keep away from the red buoys.I have seen so many yachts cut across the corner,in the rush when the bridge opens.this forces yachts going north having come through the bridge to hug the red buoys.dont do it.there is 6m+ in the centre of the channel.Remember the buoyage changes a quarter way up the canal south of lefkas marina.I have taken 15m wide barges through with the tug drawing 4.5 m no problem.
 
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whilst I sympathise with your damage to your yacht ,Rod Heilkels Pilot Book clearly shows three rocks ---if you had kept to the 5m line you would not have had a problem!

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Well symphati is nice but hear this: Of course have studied the relevant chart and context in Heikkels Pilot before and after this intermezzo -- and i tell you : "good luck to you if you think that 5 m curve exists all the way thru - behind the parapeter there is narrow and more shallow and you want to rely that the bUoy line is deviding shallow from safe -- hein? " AND TO ALL WHO READ THIS TOPIC: WE ARE AT LEAST 4 CAPTAINS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR BAD EXPERIENCES FROM THERE THIS YEAR. I 2 WEEKS BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT PASSED THE CANAL IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND KEPT MORE TO NORTH/ THE PARAPETER AND ALL WENT WELL EVEN IF THERE WAS SHALLOW SOME TIMES.... THIS DAY OF THE INTERMEZZE - ONE MONTH AGO EXACTLY - WE HAD A MEETING AND I HAD TO HOLD MY "LANE" WHICH IS THE SAME AS DANGEROUS AREA.
SO TAKE THIS WARNING SUBSTANTIAL - MYSELF IS 57 YEARS, HAVE BEEN SAILING 50 YEARS ......
 
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approaching from the north.leave the green buoy at least 3 m to stb.the depth changes quickly,if there is no wind you can see the sand spit.keep close to the sand spit going west and go round the bight. there is plenty of room keep away from the red buoys.I have seen so many yachts cut across the corner,in the rush when the bridge opens.this forces yachts going north having come through the bridge to hug the red buoys.dont do it.there is 6m+ in the centre of the channel.Remember the buoyage changes a quarter way up the canal south of lefkas marina.I have taken 15m wide barges through with the tug drawing 4.5 m no problem.

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this 5 or 6 meters line is not to be found one month ago---- it changes fast there -- but my point is: sand, mud or marsh that could be expexted is not that big deal to hit -- but someone has put down stones or concrete sections and the red buoy line is on the wrong ( south ) side of several of these.

I AGREE IN THE REST WHAT YOU SAY AND ESPECIALLY: KEEP AWAY AT LEAST 10 METERS FROM THE RED BUOYS - AND IF THERE IS A LOT OF TRAFFIC GOING SOUTH -- RATHER TRY TO WAIT THEN TO MEET THERE BECAUSE "YOUR LANE" IS DANGEROUS AREA.
 
As others have said these are well known obstructions. To quote Rod (Approach from the north) "On rounding the protecting mole, two rusty 44 gallon oil drums (sometimes painted red) are the buoys marking the underwater rocks and shallows on the SE side of the canal entrance, though they cannot always be relied on to be in place."

Still a scary place when the afternoon wind blows down and there is a lot of traffic!
 
Puh! "well known for who"
For all that are familiar to the area? Really, what an attitude...I have the Pilot and yes i read abt the 44 gallons buoys .. they are not there anymore- instead this buoy line showing what???? A vague warning of "take care for rocks" was in my case to go as far in the middle i could due to meeting ships and also slow ( 2 knots) - did not help and surely i am not alone as said before.
Yes some of you seem to think that I could have been more careful and really! I dont understand you guys .. the circumstances are really bad and are you just letting the Greeks get away with it? In your own countries this low standard surely would have caused big protests and also excess or damage claims. I surely dont want anyone else unregardless any lack of common sence, face what us 4 did; to have to lift off keel and also rudder -
 
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