Greek sun sail flotilla q's

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loverobot

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Am on a flotilla - my first - in June - and I was hoping for a bit of advice from any of you that have done one - is the vounaki flotilla with sunsail

Money - I guess the bars and restaurants won't take cards - is it cash everywhere and I know a piece of string question but how expensive or not is it to eat / drink - I don't like carrying loads of cash and when I travel rely on cards usually which I guess is not an option

Safety - do you leave cash passports and cards on the boat or generally take everything with you?

Rafting - as a novice should I be worried about this or are people generally v helpful ? Happy to tackle anything but often need to ask and hope this will be ok!

Sorry about the daft questions but just thinking ahead

Meals - have done the provisioning bit but wonred about what people do mid-day - and are there usually places to eat every evening?
 
vounaki flotilla

Hi,

We went on the same flotilla a couple of years ago, so to try and answer your questions:

1. Cash is king, you will need it at most of the moorings you go to. We found food and drink to be a simular price to the UK.

2. We always took our cards with us, but normally hide our passports on board. Someone is now going to say how stupid we were, but carrying them around can also be risky.

3. Rafting, dont worry, the lead boat will make sure you are fine. They will either ask you to wait for them if you prefer assistance or it is tight. You will find everyone helps out.

We have been on a few flotilla's, if you get a good crowd of people they can be great. We have met some very experienced sailors on flotilla's and on our return have met up with them for sailing our own boats in the UK.

Hope you enjoy it.
 
Money - A few tavernas take cards but most dont. Budget about 15-20euros a meal including half litre of carafe wine per person. Ranking of cheapest first is Chicken-pork-beef-lamb-fish.

Passports etc. - I always leave onboard but use common sense on when to lock up.

Rafting- Dont worry about it, flotilla skippers will sort out if you need to raft.

Midday meals -Most usually have salad/tomatoes chheese cold meats on board.Fresh bread each day is almost always available at even the smallest village.

Enjoy yourself, the flotilla leaders will look after you - best advice I would give is to relax and go with the flow.
 
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If you anchor off Meganisi and raft up with shore lines make sure you fasten plastic bottles to the shore lines 'cos you need some defence when those massive rats come sneaking aboard in the middle of the night!!!

Once bitten, twice shy!

Richard

PS It was actually the skipper on the next boat who was bitten! :eek:
 
RichardS said:
If you anchor off Meganisi and raft up with shore lines make sure you fasten plastic bottles to the shore lines 'cos you need some defence when those massive rats come sneaking aboard in the middle of the night!!!

Once bitten, twice shy!

Richard

PS It was actually the skipper on the next boat who was bitten! :eek:
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What? You are joking? :eek:
 
RichardS said:
If you anchor off Meganisi and raft up with shore lines make sure you fasten plastic bottles to the shore lines 'cos you need some defence when those massive rats come sneaking aboard in the middle of the night!!!

Once bitten, twice shy!

Richard

PS It was actually the skipper on the next boat who was bitten! :eek:
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And it's not just Meganisi. The rats have learned where the food is so all the popular anchorages etc. are at risk. This is especially true of places where flots regularly anchor - only because that means there are lots of boats in pretty much the same spot very regularly. You can help things by never leaving any food rubbish ashore or exposed on your boats and encourage your fellow yachties to do the same!
 
loverobot said:
Not good!so how do the bottles work and how do they stop the rats? Assume you fasten them lengthways with the rope running through so as to stop the rat getting claw hold ?!!
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In my case the whole flotilla had to find as may bottles as we could -those big 1.5 or 2 litre coke ones are ideal so a lot of coke got poured away - and cut a hole in the middle of the base and thread the shore line through the bottom and out the neck. As you say, ther rats can't get a grip and if you can make the holes smooth enough so that the bottle can rotate, the b*ggers can't walk along the top.

We had the whole flotilla up for about two hours in the middle of the night untying the shore lines and putting on the bottles in the dark. Obviously every boat has got to do this 'cos if one doesn't the rats just use that boat as a stepping stone to all the others.

The flotilla leader offered to take the bitten skipper (who accidently cornered one of the rats below deck when pandemonium was reigning above) to see a doctor. He had a nasty bite which drew blood on his inner thigh but he declined.

With hindsight, the flotilla team should have shown us how to do the bottles in daylight before we went to bed!

Apart from that night, a fantastic holiday!

Richard
 
RichardS said:
In my case the whole flotilla had to find as may bottles as we could -those big 1.5 or 2 litre coke ones are ideal so a lot of coke got poured away - and cut a hole in the middle of the base and thread the shore line through the bottom and out the neck. As you say, ther rats can't get a grip and if you can make the holes smooth enough so that the bottle can rotate, the b*ggers can't walk along the top.

We had the whole flotilla up for about two hours in the middle of the night untying the shore lines and putting on the bottles in the dark. Obviously every boat has got to do this 'cos if one doesn't the rats just use that boat as a stepping stone to all the others.

The flotilla leader offered to take the bitten skipper (who accidently cornered one of the rats below deck when pandemonium was reigning above) to see a doctor. He had a nasty bite which drew blood on his inner thigh but he declined.

With hindsight, the flotilla team should have shown us how to do the bottles in daylight before we went to bed!

Apart from that night, a fantastic holiday!

Richard
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We have seen plastic dustbin lids used, hole under the handel ,rope then back through the handle. The rat are now HUGE
 
While not trying to dismiss the rats issue, we did not experience it at all the the many weeks we spent around Meganisi. Nor in any other part of the Greek Islands, where we spent the summer. Not saying it does not happen but a few cases tend to, understandably, stick in the mind.
 
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We actually did the self same flotilla and raft-up/barbeque a few years ago at Meganisi.

During it a little fox appeared (to be scared of by an idiot German) - no doubt attracted by the smell.

We never saw a rat - seems like the foxes of Meganisi have disappeared - otherwise there would be no rats.
 
loverobot said:
Not good!so how do the bottles work and how do they stop the rats? Assume you fasten them lengthways with the rope running through so as to stop the rat getting claw hold ?!!
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Yes thats it ...........................but it doesnt really work :(

Funny Sunsail never mention the rats in their brochures.

Saw lots of rats ( and I do mean lots !) on board at night on Ionian flotillas but they were not huge, just normal rat size.
On on or two occasions slept in a closed up boat despite the heat. Certainly not nice but it did not stop us going back.
 
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tom52 said:
Funny Sunsail never mention the rats in their brochures.
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Must be a new thing - we did Greek flotillas for years and never had any rat problems. Wouldn't have occurred to us as something to worry about.

I wonder what's changed in the past few years to cause it?

Pete
 
prv said:
Must be a new thing - we did Greek flotillas for years and never had any rat problems. Wouldn't have occurred to us as something to worry about.

I wonder what's changed in the past few years to cause it?

Pete
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As stated above- if Ionian fox numbers down, the rats will thrive- staple diet of Reynard round here too, easier than rabbits, unless the myxy has got them.
(most town foxes live on junk food leavings, hence cities got loads rats, and sickly foxes)
 
Never had a problem with rats, plenty with stray cats, especially in Valtos, Parga where they roam the quay. Bit North from where you are going, but if it does pop up on your itinerary be aware that is has a bad reputation for thefts from boats. Being some way away from the main centre in Parga it usually merits a security guard from flotilla crews if boats are to be left unattended for a while.

However, all this negative stuff should be placed into perspective against the joy of sailing in a terrific cruising ground. The Greeks are generally friendly and helpful folk going through a tough time now but still seem pretty cheerful despite everything.

+1 for cash is king out there.
 
As stated above- if Ionian fox numbers down, the rats will thrive- staple diet of Reynard round here too, easier than rabbits, unless the myxy has got them.
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I have never heard such tripe, there are of course rats, but just like any fishermans tale, they was this big, it all gets blown out of all proportion.
There are NO foxes on the Ionian islands that I know of, also No rabbits, only tame escaped ones, there are plenty of Hares however. The biggest killers of rats are montpelier snakes, the Beech Martens will kill rats if they are hungry, so will the Buzzards, chill out and enjoy.
 
Having sailed the Ionian for nearly 20 years, the only encounter with rats was in the harbour at Laganus and that was only 1 that found his way aboard
 
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