Do Mediterranean Boatyards and Marinas still provide full service.

[BurnitBlue]

I fly Ryanair to my boat in Greece next week. The boat is ashore in Ionion Marine and I wander what the situation is in the Aktio boatyards and marinas. For instance are all the toilets and showers in operation. Are the boatyard operated mini busses running their normal daily schedule to the shops. Are there any extra rules like wearing face masks. I will, of course, find out for myself next week but it would be good to be prepared.

From where I live it takes me two days to get to my boat so I am usually tired when I arrive. From chilly Sweden to the heat of a Greek August will add to my difficulties. Normally I arrive early Spring to a boatyard in full swing. I don't know what to expect this time. If the mini bus is running I can crash out and do the shopping next day. Otherwise it would be better if tiring to do the shopping en-route to the boat. OK not an earth shattering problem but just another nit in the gritty. Thanks.

 

[wwalsh]

everything is normal except some businesses want you to wear mask before going inside. for instance i was at a sailmaker which wanted that. for the minibus ask the specific yard.

 

[BurnitBlue]

everything is normal except some businesses want you to wear mask before going inside. for instance i was at a sailmaker which wanted that. for the minibus ask the specific yard.

Thanks. Yes I now realise it will be an individual yard policy regarding the minibus. I recall previous years where the Ionion minibus was always full with the max 8 passengers virtually sitting on each others knee. It is not a contracted service, more of a courtesy to share the yards need to collect mail and parcels from Preveza. I will email the yard the day before my flight. Just opposite the bus terminal in Preveza where I arrive from the airport there is a large supermarket so I will play safe and get some stuff there before the taxi to the boat. Thanks again.

 

[Tony Cross]

Thanks. Yes I now realise it will be an individual yard policy regarding the minibus. I recall previous years where the Ionion minibus was always full with the max 8 passengers virtually sitting on each others knee. It is not a contracted service, more of a courtesy to share the yards need to collect mail and parcels from Preveza. I will email the yard the day before my flight. Just opposite the bus terminal in Preveza where I arrive from the airport there is a large supermarket so I will play safe and get some stuff there before the taxi to the boat. Thanks again.

You'll need a mask in the supermarket. It's mandatory here now - though as in the UK nobody is enforcing it!

 

[BurnitBlue]

7⁸

You'll need a mask in the supermarket. It's mandatory here now - though as in the UK nobody is enforcing it!

If I can get to a shop I will be happy to wear a mask. Don't know if you have been to Preveza but the boat yards are on the other side if the shipping channel. The ferries are no more since a tunnel was built. Pedestrians and bicycles not allowed. Iit's minibus or a 50 euro taxi return.

 

[BobnLesley]

...Preveza but the boat yards are on the other side if the shipping channel. The ferries are no more since a tunnel was built. Pedestrians and bicycles not allowed. Iit's minibus or a 50 euro taxi return.

Not a perfect answer, but several years ago we went back to the yard in early March without realising that the courtesy bus/land rover didn't begin operating until April. Even with just a small dinghy & a 3.3hp outboard, the run across the channel wasn't a problem unless the wind was up; for preference aim to make your crossings in the morning and beware of the tidal-set

 

[BurnitBlue]

Not a perfect answer, but several years ago we went back to the yard in early March without realising that the courtesy bus/land rover didn't begin operating until April. Even with just a small dinghy & a 3.3hp outboard, the run across the channel wasn't a problem unless the wind was up; for preference aim to make your crossings in the morning and beware of the tidal-set

Snap. This will be my solution if the minibus does not run. I have seen other people do this using big ribs and a powerful outboard. My 2hp Tohatsu will have to be upgraded as I intended to do anyway. Frankly, I cannot see the boatyard operating a crowded minibus simply because of the exposure of their staff. Ionion use the same driver six days a week. He will not survive. I wouln't do it. Logically as a boatyard they have no compulsion to run a bus service. It is a pity that the three boatyards hate each other and are at each others throat on many isues. A largerr bus to protect the driver or a combined use of the cleopatra type fast landing craft would work a it is an open air runabout. Anyway, all this is supposition. In practice there may not be an issue. There must be some skippers already there who could post the situation. Those yards (over a thousand yachts) are totally cut off from the stores and it will be a big problem whatever they do. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[sailaboutvic]

BurnitBlue there only a small amount of people who use them yards here on YBW .
You be better off posting in the Med sailing forum , sure to get a much better respond .
In the pass when we was based in Ionian yard , if the bus was full or we missed it we use to catch one of the other yards bus , no body every asked any question , but of cause it may be very different now , we also have used our 2 3 Honda and small 2.2 dinghy to go across , we always found it best to go early before the wind picked up,
but now I trying to teaching a duck to swim .

 

[BurnitBlue]

BurnitBlue there only a small amount of people who use them yards here on YBW .
You be better off posting in the Med sailing forum , sure to get a much better respond .
In the pass when we was based in Ionian yard , if the bus was full or we missed it we use to catch one of the other yards bus , no body every asked any question , but of cause it may be very different now , we also have used our 2 3 Honda and small 2.2 dinghy to go across , we always found it best to go early before the wind picked up,
but now I trying to teaching a duck to swim .

Tried to follow your advice vic but you may know it as Med sailing forum but google doesn't. I get cruising forum, CA forum for members, and noonsite. I was wondering why ybw was so light in responses. Have so many skippers moved to another forum. There was a time when ybw forums eclipsed all others. Do you have a better search name for me to locate this med sailing forum. Thanks.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Sorry should had said , Facebook med sailing . You could also try noforeignland .com or they Facebook page , I know many don't like Facebook but there much more chance of getting info re Greece on the med sailing page then any where else .
I know a lot written here on Greece but it's tiny compared with med sailing .
Hope that helps

Tried to follow your advice vic but you may know it as Med sailing forum but google doesn't. I get cruising forum, CA forum for members, and noonsite. I was wondering why ybw was so light in responses. Have so many skippers moved to another forum. There was a time when ybw forums eclipsed all others. Do you have a better search name for me to locate this med sailing forum. Thanks.

 

[Mistroma]

A friend just heard from Cleopatra today. He told me that they are now restricting time on the boat to a week to 10 days. I imagine the other yards might follow suit but hope not. We were hoping to stay on our boat later this year if we manage to get out to Greece but don't need to check with Ionian yet.

A friend was staying on his boat next to ours for a while back in May/June. The yard had closed to the public earlier and opened well before he launched. I don't imagine there were many people around at that time. Perhaps Cleopatra have had a large influx of people wanting to stay on their boats to work, rather than the usual short visit pre-launch. I can see how that might be a problem wrt showers and loos.

 

[BurnitBlue]

Sorry should had said , Facebook med sailing . You could also try noforeignland .com or they Facebook page , I know many don't like Facebook but there much more chance of getting info re Greece on the med sailing page then any where else .
I know a lot written here on Greece but it's tiny compared with med sailing .
Hope that helps

OK Thanks vic. BTW. You may be wondering why I am still in Greece after my rants last year against the tax (if you remember). Well i was making a shopping list in vlicho bay just after launch ready for a jump to Malta when I was totally pole-axed by a virus. I spent 6 weeks in high fever and strangely constant shivering unable to even stand up or breathe. After 8 weeks managed to get back to Preveza and hauled out to fly home. Lost 25 kilo and no energy at all. Doctor back in Preveza said it could be a thing called West Nile Virus. Looking back the symptoms are identical to covid19. However there are so many symptoms to Covid19 that I reckon I have caught it three times today already and it's not even seven o clock. What concerns me most about returning to the boat is that after 8 weeks of leaking body fluids i will be taking the covers off a 34 foot petri dish. Actually I cannot recall if I put the covers on before I left. Be a laugh if I find a boat full of water with the hatches wide open. Eric Hiscock was right. Never speak your future plans out loud. It gives whoever controls the universe advance notice to prepare a surprise. And being out there alone on the ocean gives him/her an undefended target with opportunity for lots of fun.

 

[BurnitBlue]

A friend just heard from Cleopatra today. He told me that they are now restricting time on the boat to a week to 10 days. I imagine the other yards might follow suit but hope not. We were hoping to stay on our boat later this year if we manage to get out to Greece but don't need to check with Ionian yet.

A friend was staying on his boat next to ours for a while back in May/June. The yard had closed to the public earlier and opened well before he launched. I don't imagine there were many people around at that time. Perhaps Cleopatra have had a large influx of people wanting to stay on their boats to work, rather than the usual short visit pre-launch. I can see how that might be a problem wrt showers and loos.

Yippes, hardly enough time to acclimatise to the heat and antifoul. It does solve THEIR problem though.

 

[Mistroma]

Yippes, hardly enough time to acclimatise to the heat and antifoul. It does solve THEIR problem though.

Yes, we usually arrive in April and by the time July arrives we are pretty much used to the heat. Fun to watch people on charter boats trying to cope with 35-38C with no ability to get used to it slowly.

I'm hoping that I'm correct about it being the result of a sudden influx of people and not just a general worry the yard has about Covid and longer term stays on the boat. It should be a lot quieter by the time we get there (if at all). I have avoided mentioning my return to Ionian in case they tell me that I can't stay on board for long and just leave the rule in place. Better to leave it as long as possible until things aren't so busy (relative term these days).

Sorry to read about your illness. I seem to remember reading about West Nile Fever and possibly Dengue Fever being a possibility in Greece. I think that both were transmitted by mosquito bites. Lots of mosquitoes in the yard last year, a lot worse than usual. I can't say Vlycho was very bad but I suppose it only takes one.

 

[sailaboutvic]

OK Thanks vic. BTW. You may be wondering why I am still in Greece after my rants last year against the tax (if you remember). Well i was making a shopping list in vlicho bay just after launch ready for a jump to Malta when I was totally pole-axed by a virus. I spent 6 weeks in high fever and strangely constant shivering unable to even stand up or breathe. After 8 weeks managed to get back to Preveza and hauled out to fly home. Lost 25 kilo and no energy at all. Doctor back in Preveza said it could be a thing called West Nile Virus. Looking back the symptoms are identical to covid19. However there are so many symptoms to Covid19 that I reckon I have caught it three times today already and it's not even seven o clock. What concerns me most about returning to the boat is that after 8 weeks of leaking body fluids i will be taking the covers off a 34 foot petri dish. Actually I cannot recall if I put the covers on before I left. Be a laugh if I find a boat full of water with the hatches wide open. Eric Hiscock was right. Never speak your future plans out loud. It gives whoever controls the universe advance notice to prepare a surprise. And being out there alone on the ocean gives him/her an undefended target with opportunity for lots of fun.

Well what ever the case I very glad your over it , if it wasn't for the tax we probably still hit it a few times a years while going back and fro to other country's .
Truthfully we don't miss it a bit , we been away two season now and really enjoying going over old cruising ground we not been too for some years , plus what we save on not paying the tax will pay my winter contract.

I know some say it cheap to sail and keep a boat there but I disagree out six month winter contract this year will be €1100 with discount , I not sure I get that in a marina now in Greece .
We just had a bit of a miss hap , saildrive seal needed to be replace , I expected to have to dig deep into my back account for our haul out and in here near Cannes on the south of France , it turn out €350 that included four hour standing while I didn't the job .
Not sure what it is in Ionian yard now but I understand by a friend he Just been hauled out there charge €443 and Atico wanted €655 so they could get hauled out to anitfould .
Anyway hope all goes ok for you and everyone else what ever left of this season , what a mess and god know what we can expect come winter .

 

[sailaboutvic]

Yes, we usually arrive in April and by the time July arrives we are pretty much used to the heat. Fun to watch people on charter boats trying to cope with 35-38C with no ability to get used to it slowly.

I'm hoping that I'm correct about it being the result of a sudden influx of people and not just a general worry the yard has about Covid and longer term stays on the boat. It should be a lot quieter by the time we get there (if at all). I have avoided mentioning my return to Ionian in case they tell me that I can't stay on board for long and just leave the rule in place. Better to leave it as long as possible until things aren't so busy (relative term these days).

Sorry to read about your illness. I seem to remember reading about West Nile Fever and possibly Dengue Fever being a possibility in Greece. I think that both were transmitted by mosquito bites. Lots of mosquitoes in the yard last year, a lot worse than usual. I can't say Vlycho was very bad but I suppose it only takes one.

Mike unless it change in Ionian yard if you keep your head down they won't bother you .

 

[Mistroma]

Mike unless it change in Ionian yard if you keep your head down they won't bother you .

Vic, pretty much as I thought. I try to keep to "just do it and don't ask", hence my not contacting them now for clarification wrt Cleopatra's new policy. I'll need to let them know if I'm coming just to have a ladder handy. I won't say for how long unless they bring up a limitation. Hope things are still OK in France.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Vic, pretty much as I thought. I try to keep to "just do it and don't ask", hence my not contacting them now for clarification wrt Cleopatra's new policy. I'll need to let them know if I'm coming just to have a ladder handy. I won't say for how long unless they bring up a limitation. Hope things are still OK in France.

All good here Mike to morrow we sail back to Corsica then is a very slow cruise down the west coast to Sardinia at some point cross to Sicily and then Malta by which time , we be thinking about returning to Sicily for the winter .

 

[nortada]

Thinking of winter - God is it that time already. Even with Covid, how the time is flying by.?

 

[sailaboutvic]

It one of the first years we looked at what we was going to do the following winters before we even left the marina .
We have several country's to visit to see all our famailys over the few months we not cruising ,
UK and Malta for me and Holland and Denmark for my partner and with no idea what's going to happen it not going to be a easy choosing and as you know we wanted to maybe spend time in Portugal for a change , but when we found out the cost for a few months in any of the Marinas we looked at thrown that out the window ,
which left Almerimer Spain , Tunisia or back in Sicily ,
Spain seen to be having so many problem with controlling the virus where Italy even tho it was badly hit manage to do a good job , Sicily went one stage better and just shut it self off from the world and tho we had restrictions we was still able to move around unlike Spain that ended in not even being able to leave the boat.
Tunisia it easier with less restrictions but when we thought about it , Tunisia isn't the best place to be if one becomes ill .
Taken all that in consideration plus what we save in marina cost by going back to Sicily the choice was almost made for us .
Yes time has flown by and each year it goes past even faster.