Last summer in the UK...

[stiknstring]

That's it - had enough. Sitting here in Darthaven Marina, Dartmouth hardly able to hear the children arguing over the sound of the rain beating down on the boat. Got here yesterday after two days sheltering in Newton Ferrers from the gales over the weekend. Memo to self - must get up between rain showers and sweep the mould off the decks accumulated over the past few weeks. Oh, and that leak from the ventilation over the bunk in my cabin is leaking again. Day dreaming about the statements from eminent scientists just three years ago that the flora of this country is changing to Mediterranean species due to the warming and increased sun in the UK - PAH!

So, next year, we have decided we are leaving these shores and basing the boat in the Med. Always a long term dream now being brought forward. Starting to plan where to go and where to leave the boat. As a Spanish speaker and one who grew up in Spain, my inclination is to go there but then I hear of taxes for long-term stayers and of the bunfights to get marina spaces. Barcelona looks good and is easily reached from the UK, but the taxes, the taxes....So, we come to France. Croatia is probably too far from the UK as is Greece and Turkey. Italy has yacht-unfriendly taxes I understand for long term stayers(?).

I guess what we are looking for is a port that is easily reachable for long weekends, with dependable (good) weather and with an assortment of varied destinations within 1-2 days sailing. Oh, and not costing an arm and a leg.....

Any ideas from forumites?

 

[bendyone]

Alicante is good mainly because of the airport being so near the town €1.20 25 min bus ride.
From the marina a short walk to the town or beach.

 

[carise]

Weather pretty cruddy around the world at various times and increasingly unpredictable!

Last summer in Florida I suffered a huricane and then the front edge of another closely followed by tail end of the next!!! 27 inches of rain in 1 day.

Wherever you end up, good luck and think of us whose plans for similar are a few years away.

Regards

 

[DownWest]

Not the Med, but it is 30ºc here right now with enough wind to get you going, and sunny.
Rochefort has various possibilities and for moorings and hard standing. One can cruise north to Brittany or south to Spain.
A
I am speaking to a forumite on thursday, who keeps a boat in Rochefort. If you are interested PM me. About 40 brits there.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Whatever happened to...

...the "Barbeque Summer" the Met Office promised?

 

[jhr]

Dunno about you, but most of the Barbecues that I go to are characterised by howling wind, lashing rain and sub zero temperatures

I reckon they got it about right.

 

[BrianH]

Italy has yacht-unfriendly taxes I understand for long term stayers(?).

Not true. I've kept a UK-registered yacht permanently in Italy for 28 years and never been asked to pay any taxes, nor am I aware of any. Even the now-discarded system of a Constituto did not cost me anything to remember.

The Guardia di Finanza have been checking for VAT-paid status on EU-flagged boats recently, I've been told, but I have never been approached.

But, until last week in the northern Adriatic, the weather was not much better than where you are - perhaps a little warmer, but not much. Then last week it all changed and was up into the upper 30s C, high humidity and no wind. Impossible to sleep below and impossible to come on deck because of voracious mosquitoes. The grass always looks greener.

 

[Lakesailor]

...the "Barbeque Summer" the Met Office promised?

Oh I think it's not so bad. Our Windermere Forum Meet Barbie was a great success

 

[DownWest]

I'll up you one. Not many mosquitos around here, we sleep with the windows open and no nets!
A

 

[photodog]

"Oh I think it's not so bad. Our Windermere Forum Meet Barbie was a great success"

Hahahahahhah.. now that just looks fabulous! Pass the Mustard.

 

[Lakesailor]

That would be here.................. (spot the rain drops)

Pics courtesy of Windermerecolvic

 

[Allan]

It's funny how we all see things differently. After a great couple of weeks going from Cardiff to France and back to Plymouth, this weekend we had a great time in Newton Ferris. Sailing around on Saturday we needed a bit more wind but it was OK at first. The valley caused a bit of a windtunnel on Sunday morning which made the row back to the pontoon a laugh. We had a great sail back around to Torpoint at around 5pm with approx 20kts of wind which made up for the lack of wind on Saturday.
Allan