it's dead, what's it like with you?

[Carmel2]

Not seen a flot all week..

 

[cynthia]

In Port Polis, three boats here which is about the norm. Spaces on Sivota quay a few days ago, but a couple of flots in there
as usual. Tranquil Bay and Vlicho (now with almost clear water!) about average for the time of year. Kalamos and Kastos busier at weekends than we have previously seen. The Meganisi anchorages are now busy. Overall after a quietish May it seems that business is getting back to normal now.

 

[BobnLesley]

It's getting like a ghost-town here in the Abacos (Bahamas) too, though to be fair the Hurricane Season's there or thereabouts - it's 'official' start is 1st June if your insurers are North American, but July 1st if they're European? - and even a month ago when we sailed over from Florida, we saw about fifty other yachts crossing the gulfstream that day and forty-eight were heading west.

With a tropical storm forecast to come right across us tomorrow, there's been a mass exodus this week as boats have rushed back to Florida for better shelter and to avoid the storm's centre. We wondered if they might be the smart ones until we saw yesterday's forecast; the storms now tracked further west before it turned north, so we'll just catch the back edge (30 knots and very wet) of it on about Tuesday, whilst the centre's now heading directly towards central Florida.

 

[Norman_E]

Turkey seems much quieter than last year. I am currently in Fethiye. Lots of charter yachts going nowhere. Bay restaurants quieter than last year. Only one very small three boat flotilla seen in last three weeks! Russian charterers mercifully absent.

 

[affinite]

Very difficult to get into Kas town harbour, Turkey at present.
Reason - its full of Skippered charter Gullets sitting idle waiting for a booking.
Whole area very quiet this year. Even the migrants are staying away.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Very difficult to get into Kas town harbour, Turkey at present.
Reason - its full of Skippered charter Gullets sitting idle waiting for a booking.
Whole area very quiet this year. Even the migrants are staying away.

Down from Marmaris via Sami and now in Datca. I have never seen so few boats out in my life- like the solent in mid winter. Sami is very sad -almost no tourists of any sort - harbour almost empty. Ciflick only 10 or so boats in.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Down from Marmaris via Sami and now in Datca. I have never seen so few boats out in my life- like the solent in mid winter. Sami is very sad -almost no tourists of any sort - harbour almost empty. Ciflick only 10 or so boats in.

If it stays like that Chris , maybe the Greek with think again about the tax . We can only hope

 

[alexsailor]

I am sailing down to Greece end of June
So one more boat there

Why is there no thread like... "Greece summer 2016"? Or should it be placed in another section? The Lounge?
I think it will be nice to have smth like that... Posting some pics; getting so beer invitations etc..., or of course inviting other sailors for a drink...

 

[guernseyman]

Since the new marina at Roscoff opened, Morlaix seemed rather quiet. This year they have got their act together in some ways and, although there isn't a lot of traffic, the place is nearly full. I don't quite understand.
I have the intention of popping down in August, and am wondering what will happen if it is really full.

 

[truscott]

We left Marmaris at the end of April. One of 4 in Bozburun. A small handful in Panormitis, 5 of us in Halkis, 10 or so in Tilos, a FULL harbour in Nisyros (Russian Regatta/Flotilla visited twice while we were there) and then we were pretty much on our own until Milos where the quay was full (Parikia being the exception where the quay is full with unused Charter boats). Monemvasia was full also, with a lot of folk waiting for a break to head clockwise around the Peloponnese. We headed North and have seen quite a few boats out on the water nut it has hardly been busy (there were 10 Sailing Holiday boats in Monemvasia but that has been it).

The vast majority of boats we have seen along the way have been private as opposed to charter.

It's still early in the season I guess.

PT

 

[SamanthaTabs]

Currently in Gouveia marina. Lots of unoccupied private and charter boats here.

 

[Carmel2]

Me and my big mouth! The heavens have opened and wind is on the cards, and hello 20 boats in the last hour.....Can't see the horizon as its pissing it down!

 

[OldBawley]

Just read in a Turkish newspaper ( http://www.sunexpressnews.com/yachters-go-to-greece-as-they-cannot-find-a-place-at-marinas/ ) that the lack of yachts is due to the lack of marina´s.

Is that your opinion too ?

 

[truscott]

Just read in a Turkish newspaper ( http://www.sunexpressnews.com/yachters-go-to-greece-as-they-cannot-find-a-place-at-marinas/ ) that the lack of yachts is due to the lack of marina´s.

Is that your opinion too ?

If you read between the lines, Bilgin from MYM is demanding help for "legal regulations". MYM was way down on yacht numbers this last winter (we wintered there) but made up that shortfall with the super yacht trade. However, the super yacht trade returns sweet FA to the rest of the region other than the supermarket and wholesalers as they do not stop in to eat etc... at the restaurants or towns during the season ( we did witness one super yacht hosting a dinner party in Datca one summer. Complete with screens to provide privacy to the guests. It also blocked any view of the town that the guests may have had too.). Interestingly the most common reason talked about in the office and at the boat show for lack of yachts was the issues with Visa's and.... the Blue Card!!!!

On the plus side....getting Residency for the winter, in Mugla at least, was a breeze. Our TL, a 6 month contract at MYM and Health Insurance were all that were required (plus money). And .... we had a great time.

But .... in answer to your query Oldbawley; No .... it's not my opinion too.

Lack of yachts is due to a lot of factors.

Costs are one thing most mention but it was cheaper to stay in Turkey on a month by month basis, including all the boat jobs that we did over winter, than the same month by month basis in Greece for the previous 6 months when we weren't doing any boat maintenance. Alcohol was more expensive, but a 6 pack of Efes or Tuborg was only a few cents more than a 6 pack of Mythos or Alfa. Wine can be way more expensive, but as we like quantity over quality, we quickly found that Migros sold a very palatable table wine for 3 EUR a 750 Ml bottle (compared with our fav 1.5 Ltr Apelia at 4.50 EUR BUT .... Rhodes is only a day sail away.). Food in general is cheaper, although Pork is a premium product and usually not as readily available. Having spent a lifetime in the Middle East, I do like my Pork.

Politics, the whole refugee thing, and the dreaded "T" are the other factors often mentioned. As far as Politics go .... Turkey is pretty much a one man government. End of discussion. Then again, so are a lot of places British and European Tourists like to go. This usually explains why the exchange rate is so beneficial, but most seem to overlook that when visiting elsewhere.

There was no refugee activity anywhere in our vicinity the entire time we were there. We did see a few NATO ships in the area between Rhodes and Marmaris at times though (although we were mostly in the Marina for the winter, we did manage a few trips away).

Finally, although there were a few Terrorists incidents over the 6 months we wintered in Marmaris, none of these was anywhere near us. In fact there were more incidents in the rest of Europe than there were in the South West of Turkey, but that hasn't stopped people in the UK and Europe from thinking of Turkey as "unsafe".

We've been sailing Greece for the last month and a bit and the numbers are down here too. Not that anyone will think that this has anything to do with Politics, Refugee's or Terrorists. So maybe the thing that they have in common is that times are tight and many folk are watching what they spend their hard earned cash on.

Or it could be the weather ..... which is pretty rubbish in Koiladhia right now!

PT

 

[Two Drifters]

We are sailing anti-clocwise round the Peleponese, Ionian to Aeagean. Have seen hardly any boats. Most nights in the anchorages and harbors there have been three boats tops.

7 in Yithion anchorage is the most we have seen, and the last two nights we have at Plitra on our own.

Heading to Elafonisos and then Monemvasia so expecting to find more boats as we head into the busiser areas.

 

[NornaBiron]

In Nafplion harbour last night, only 6 yachts in. The town is very quiet, bars and restaurants pretty empty. We've been coming here for 5 years and we've never seen it like this.

 

[Carmel2]

One Sunsail lead boat with flags a-blazing.........and one punter. Can you have a flotilla of one? (Porto Heli)

 

[Davy_S]

There was over thirty Sunsail yachts in Lefkas town on Sunday, all awaiting punters, they are still there (empty) today.

 

[Two Drifters]

Of course there were loads of Sunsail boats in Lefkas, it is their operating base. They have about 150 boats there.

I think sadly Greece is suffering from the last 12 months of negative press regarding the migration (refugee) issues and also the political issues. All of which have had a good deal of air time in the UK press.

 

[Davy_S]

Of course there were loads of Sunsail boats in Lefkas, it is their operating base. They have about 150 boats there.

I do know that, I live here! it was merely a comment.