Flotilla destinations

[Rachaellyon]

Hi all,

We have our day skipper qualifications and three teenage kids.

We have so far been on one flotilla holiday in Greece but keen to try somewhere else this year.

My family are obsessive about marine life which apparently rules out the med. Can you recommend a location that does flotillas outside of the Mediterranean? Or somewhere that has good marine life?

Rachael

 

[ashtead]

I saw some Sunsail boats recently in English Harbour which might be suitable or look at Thailand ?

 

[ylop]

Hi all,

We have our day skipper qualifications and three teenage kids.

We have so far been on one flotilla holiday in Greece but keen to try somewhere else this year.

My family are obsessive about marine life which apparently rules out the med. Can you recommend a location that does flotillas outside of the Mediterranean? Or somewhere that has good marine life?

Rachael

Do you definitely need a flotilla? This might be a bit too radical - but if “marine life” = porpoises and dolphins it would be a very unlucky week in the Clyde if you didn’t see either!

I’m guessing you were looking for somewhere sunnier.

 

[Tranona]

Flotillas are mostly a Med concept - and even then mostly Greece because that is where the idea started and the regulatory climate encouraged it. Some similar deals in Croatia and Turkey, but not aware of anything elsewhere. With your sort of experience a bareboat charter in other areas would seem logical. Most will give you guidance about what you can expect and where the best places are.

 

[FairweatherDave]

I have not been but the BVI's might tick your marine life box. I got cold feet once I researched things (crowded noisy expensive spots)....but I expect with care you could have a great time with wildlife.

 

[Zing]

What's the issue with marine life? There's plenty of it in the med. Every port has a fishing boat fleet. They catch every fish imaginable in the med. I don't understand the concern.

 

[Daverw]

I also would suggest trying bareboat charter, you would find the freedom from the flotilla schedule allows you to explore more around your interests. Flotillas always seem to be chasing around to get to next planned mooring’s.
Greece as said has loads to discover when your off your lead

 

[Sailing steve]

I also would suggest trying bareboat charter, you would find the freedom from the flotilla schedule allows you to explore more around your interests. Flotillas always seem to be chasing around to get to next planned mooring’s.
Greece as said has loads to discover when your off your lead

This.

If you're bareboat you can plan your own itinerary and whilst you're doing that speak to a marina manager or any flotilla skipper and ask them for theirs. That way you can ensure you head off in completely the opposite direction to them and be absolutely sure you won't be in a race to get to the next marina - if there's even a berth available after mid afternoon - or be kept awake all night by loud music and drunken partying.

Google Croatia Yacht Week if you want to know more.

 

[Stemar]

What's the issue with marine life? There's plenty of it in the med. Every port has a fishing boat fleet. They catch every fish imaginable in the med. I don't understand the concern.

Maybe that's the problem, they've caught most of the wildlife

 

[wonkywinch]

If you're bareboat you can plan your own itinerary and whilst you're doing that speak to a marina manager or any flotilla skipper and ask them for theirs. That way you can ensure you head off in completely the opposite direction to them and be absolutely sure you won't be in a race to get to the next marina - if there's even a berth available after mid afternoon - or be kept awake all night by loud music and drunken partying.

We've tried this method but often found there are several flotilla companies and they divvy up the days between them.

We'd avoid Greece in peak season now.

 

[johnalison]

What's the issue with marine life? There's plenty of it in the med. Every port has a fishing boat fleet. They catch every fish imaginable in the med. I don't understand the concern.

I got the impression that he meant marina life.

 

[ylop]

I got the impression that he meant marina life.

I know it is 2025 but I got the impression Rachael was more likely to be a she!

I'm not sure what marina life is, presumably some sort of night life / social scene ashore? In which case the med would seem at least as likely to tick those boxes as anywhere else. I was assuming they wanted to see things swimming - and presumbably their experience of the med was that your didn't?

 

[Gixer]

My family are obsessive about marine life which apparently rules out the med. Can you recommend a location that does flotillas outside of the Mediterranean? Or somewhere that has good marine life?

Rachael

I've been to the Ionian at least 5 times with my kids, who are now 13 and 17. We all love snorkeling and have seen loads of marine life. Schools of fish, Dolphins, Turtles, Moray Eels, Jetty Fish. There's also some great caves with plant life and stuff. Ok, not as exotic as other parts of the world but enough to entertain us for a week, and cheaper... What I love about the Med is its the closest you can get to a big pond. with minimal currents it's so safe to let the kids go off and explore when snorkeling. They can have an adventure while I lounge around with one eye on them and ready to be a safely boat if need be.
I might go back again this year....

 

[BobnLesley]

Maybe that's the problem, they've caught most of the wildlife

As I was advised some twenty years ago: "You're wasting your time; any that dumb are long gone, the Med's been getting fished by experts for twelve thousand years."

 

[Davy_S]

've been to the Ionian at least 5 times with my kids, who are now 13 and 17. We all love snorkeling and have seen loads of marine life. Schools of fish, Dolphins, Turtles, Moray Eels, Jetty Fish. There's also some great caves with plant life and stuff.

I quite agree with you, when we lived there we saw Sperm whales and Monk seals as well, its amazing to be snorkeling and see a loggerhead swim past you to grab a sea urchin off the seabed, also to catch Tuna, Bluefish, Dorada, Bream, Barracuda and Mackerel whilst trolling

 

[Sailing steve]

We've tried this method but often found there are several flotilla companies and they divvy up the days between them.

We'd avoid Greece in peak season now.

Used to be the case in Croatia that you could avoid the excesses of the flotilla crowds by anchoring in a bay nearby rather than going into a marina but many of the better anchorages, especially those close to towns now have mooring buoys laid and they attract the all night party muppets just as much as the marinas used too.

Our last charter, after several in the central Croatia region was such a disappointing experience for a number of reasons it caused us to reassess how we went sailing and we subsequently gave up on the idea altogether and bought a boat here in the UK.