Lets all move to the Med!!?

[roblpm]

I am glad you lot love the Med. Thats leaves the Caribbean for us. UK winters are terrible. Caribbean winters are a dream. Loads of wind, great climate and warm water. I can just about stand a UK summer so thats how we do it. Never need to go through another UK winter again.

Sounds like a better idea to me. Summer here in Edinburgh is fine. Just need to sort October to March.

So where does one leave a boat in the Caribbean and are there any reasonable flights.

Is there an equivalent to Edinburgh - Faro on Ryanair and Bruce's yard?!

Or do I need to be Richard Branson?!

 

[Trident]

Have to say that we're finding that the Med is not all we hoped for. We're on our third season and the weather to date has been wrong every day this year - that is to say the forecast has been very far off. Yesterday for example all major sites predicted a 5 knot southerly - varied a little from SSW to SSE but what we got all day was 18knots of E and NE - not dangerous but very frustrating. We've been out of the marina since the beginning of April and not yet had one forecast correct. You expect some problems in April and even May but now in June and its still just not behaving.

Meanwhile all the best secure anchorages fill up with tourist day boats in silly places in summer and none can anchor properly so they cause a lot of stress as they drift towards you. The yahoos in mobos charge in at full speed sending everything rocking, they also charge past when we're on passage almost sinking us in wake and generally play loud music and a good 50% we've seen are drunk in charge...

If there is a serious problem (health, weather, boat failure) then marina prices for visitors in many places are just eye watering (£180 a night in San Antoni Ibiza for my 35ft cat in July) and of course there is a waiting list in high season.

When the weather does turn you get seas that even regular North Sea sailors wouldn't believe - steep fast and sometimes very very big (one delivery skipper friend saw 18m waves off Malta), then add in water spouts, small tornados (two hit San An the day after we left last season) and meteo-tsunami and its not all delightful.

For sailors there is the added problem of no wind in large parts of the Med for much or summer - the old adage of too much or too little is not far wrong. We carry a symmetric and asymmetric spinnaker - both huge for the lightest of light airs and still averaged 12 hours of engine a month last season (by comparison we used the engine only to enter and leave and dig in the anchor all the way round the Atlantic coast of France and Spain over a season).

I can't say what Greece and Turkey are like this season (where wind is better) because after meeting several people who had relocated their boats from their to Spain over winter SWMBO won't go; Turkey because it could be very dangerous and Greece because several people told here they saw bodies in the water too many times last year and she feels even once would be "too many".

Obviously this is deliberately negative and for those wanting to fly in and out for a week or two at a time its probably delightful - but as a live aboard it is not the nirvana many back home think it it. Of course I'm typing this in a pretty anchorage with 29 degrees outside, sunshine, light winds (today at least ) and have swum, eaten a nice lunch of roast Mediterranean vegetable in ciabatta and am off walking in the hills later but we're now firmly wanting to go to the Caribbean where we hope it will be better weather (more predictable at least ) and better sailing and fewer idiots in motor boats spoiling ever anchorage.

 

[Tranona]

I can't say what Greece and Turkey are like this season (where wind is better) because after meeting several people who had relocated their boats from their to Spain over winter SWMBO won't go; Turkey because it could be very dangerous and Greece because several people told here they saw bodies in the water too many times last year and she feels even once would be "too many".

You are the wrong end of the Med for what you seem to be expecting. That part of the world only exists as a stopping off place on the way to the east. it is there so you appreciate what it is like when you get there. don't think anybody who has been there will recognise you (or your wife's) image of what it is like. Greece is a huge country (as is Turkey) and the migration problems are focused on an area the size of London. The rest is completely trouble free.

By all means go the other way to the Caribbean but you are missing a treat if you don't move east as fast as you possibly can.

 

[Trident]

I have heard many wonderful things about the eastern Med but all the negative of late was from several people who had been there for years and last winter relocated their boats to Spain because they were unhappy now. I guess I should really go and see for myself - that's the great thing about boats; if I don't like it when I get their I can come back again

 

[RichardS]

If you are thinking of coming to Croatia I would add that there are literally thousands of anchorages so, even in July and August, it's not difficult to find a deserted or very quiet bay. However, marinas are expensive although the most I have paid is around £75 for one night for our cat so perhaps cheap by comparison.

The weather forecast from the Croatian government service is very accurate and the grib files are pretty reliable as well, although, if you have plans to go to a specific place the wind is usually in the wrong direction. Strong winds unsuitable for sailing are rather infrequent in summer and are usually well-predicted. However, too little wind is more likely at that time of year.

Provided you avoid the tourist traps, eating out is generally reasonably priced but choice of dishes is often quite limited and you do have to like fish or meat cooked on the BBQ as dishes cooked in a sauce (casseroles, stews etc) are not readily available.

Richard

 

[GrahamM376]

That's your personal perception, others (like me ) don't find it that awful an experience. And if your boats near a tourist Airport then it's often cheaper than getting a train in the UK. A while ago getting back to Portugal and having a quick beer in faro before jumping on the train used to give such a sense of well being it was more than worth a bit of time in an airport

Algarve is great. Often <£50 flights, cheap booze and all year sailing. Friends in the eastern Med haul out in October because of winter weather and lack of cheap flights, launch in April or May then go home again for July and August because it's too hot. Seems a bit pointless to me.

 

[GrahamM376]

I can't say what Greece and Turkey are like this season

Email from friends sailing Greece and Turkey say they have had a month of thunder storms and charter fleets have few customers, particularly Turkey.

 

[macd]

Email from friends sailing Greece...say they have had a month of thunder storms.

Haven't seen one this year, and I've been here since January.
People seems reluctant to grasp the notion that the Med, and many of the countries bordering it, are rather larger and more varied than the Serpentine.

 

[colind3782]

I calculated that if Mr Shan & I moored a boat North of Barcelona, we could then fly out 5 to 6 times a year for the cost of 1 charter in the med. Obviously the mooring cost are not part of this calculation, although it will be a damn sight cheaper than here.

We're in Empuriabrava and my work schedule allows us to fly out every eight weeks for a fortnight+. 50 minutes to Manchester Airport, a 2 hour flight to Girona and 40 minute drive to the boat. Empuriabrava isn't the cheapest but we're lucky to have a private berth at half the price of the main marina. Other marinas can be quite a bit cheaper but we have a good social life in Empuria.

 

[geem]

Sounds like a better idea to me. Summer here in Edinburgh is fine. Just need to sort October to March.

So where does one leave a boat in the Caribbean and are there any reasonable flights.

Is there an equivalent to Edinburgh - Faro on Ryanair and Bruce's yard?!

Or do I need to be Richard Branson?!

We have been here for 6 months this time. This is our First time in a marina for 18months. Only for a couple of days prior to lift out. With no marina fees, harbour dues etc life on the hook is pretty cheap. We make water so just need food and beer. We spent £100 on diesel this season mainly for the generator. Always wind to sail.
Flights home are £600-800 return depending where you are. You can fly Thomas Cooke for £207 one way but doesn't always work out with high season. They stop flights in March and start again in December.

 

[r_h]

You are the wrong end of the Med for what you seem to be expecting. That part of the world only exists as a stopping off place on the way to the east. it is there so you appreciate what it is like when you get there. don't think anybody who has been there will recognise you (or your wife's) image of what it is like. Greece is a huge country (as is Turkey) and the migration problems are focused on an area the size of London. The rest is completely trouble free.

By all means go the other way to the Caribbean but you are missing a treat if you don't move east as fast as you possibly can.

+1

The only problems have been in narrow channels (way less than 10 miles across) between Turkey and Greek islands.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

I calculated that if Mr Shan & I moored a boat North of Barcelona, we could then fly out 5 to 6 times a year for the cost of 1 charter in the med. Obviously the mooring cost are not part of this calculation, although it will be a damn sight cheaper than here.

There you go! ... I just happen to have a 10 metre berth for sale ... 30 year lease now €23000 ... work that out per year and you can still sell it for lots of money when you move on - they go up every year! ... St.Cyprien Marina ... Google it!