Med Ideas

[goeasy123]

Looking for ideas? We're starting in Malta in April/May, heading north and want to stay in the Tyrrhenian, Ligurian abd Balearic seas.

1. Where are the 'must visit' places?
2. Best cruising grounds?
3. Where's a good, reasonably priced marina to leave a 12m monohull in August/July?
4. And where's a good liveaboard marina to finish up in for the winter?

Thanks....

 

[westernman]

1. Where's a good, reasonably priced marina to leave a 12m monohull in August/July?

 

[PlanB]

AS always seems to be the case these days, the first thing to ask is are you a Brit? If so, how do do propose to get round Schengen 90/180?

 

[westernman]

1. Where's a good, reasonably priced marina to leave a 12m monohull in August/July?

You might consider leaving the boat out of the water.

Most yards are empty, and you should be able to negotiate a very good rate for parking on shore and the total lift in/out + parking will almost certainly work out cheaper than a peak rate marina berth for two months.

Those two months in a marina will cost more than half the whole year rate in all places I know of.

 

[goeasy123]

AS always seems to be the case these days, the first thing to ask is are you a Brit? If so, how do do propose to get round Schengen 90/180?

No. EU Citizen.

 

[goeasy123]

You might consider leaving the boat out of the water.

Most yards are empty, and you should be able to negotiate a very good rate for parking on shore and the total lift in/out + parking will almost certainly work out cheaper than a peak rate marina berth for two months.

Those two months in a marina will cost more than half the whole year rate in all places I know of.

That's a good idea. ...did that last year in Nidri. I'm wondering if Port Navy Services might be a good place to do that?

 

[Hooligan]

Personally if I were you I would head into the Ionian to start with especially the Southern Ionian ie the Laconian Gulf and Gulf of Kalamata and Pylos area. Do Sicily properly. We circumnavigated Sicily and it was amazing although the Southern coast is less interesting from a cruising point of view. The Aeolian islands are a must. Then up into the Amalfi coast and islands surrounding - Ponza etc. Personally it gets pretty barren from there until you get to Elba. Corsica is fabulous. I would avoid N Sardinia personally. We spent 4 years in the Balearics but I would probably not go back now. The further West you get the more expensive it will become. Greece is the cheapest place marina wise in general. We berthed in Marina D’Arechi in Italy for a couple of seasons which was reasonable. Decent marina but a bit barren surrounds so probably not for liveaboard. I suspect that cost wise and community wise the marinas in S Sicily are right up there ie Marina di Raguso and Licati. We stayed in both. Marinas in N Sardinia and the Balearics will be very expensive. Wherever you go July and August on what will likely be day rates will be brutal wherever you are.

 

[goeasy123]

Personally if I were you I would head into the Ionian to start with especially the Southern Ionian ie the Laconian Gulf and Gulf of Kalamata and Pylos area. Do Sicily properly. We circumnavigated Sicily and it was amazing although the Southern coast is less interesting from a cruising point of view. The Aeolian islands are a must. Then up into the Amalfi coast and islands surrounding - Ponza etc. Personally it gets pretty barren from there until you get to Elba. Corsica is fabulous. I would avoid N Sardinia personally. We spent 4 years in the Balearics but I would probably not go back now. The further West you get the more expensive it will become. Greece is the cheapest place marina wise in general. We berthed in Marina D’Arechi in Italy for a couple of seasons which was reasonable. Decent marina but a bit barren surrounds so probably not for liveaboard. I suspect that cost wise and community wise the marinas in S Sicily are right up there ie Marina di Raguso and Licati. We stayed in both. Marinas in N Sardinia and the Balearics will be very expensive. Wherever you go July and August on what will likely be day rates will be brutal wherever you are.

That's useful. Thanks.

We've just done two years in Greece. Loved it. We're MdR for the winter and doing Sicily by rental car.... (57c/day!!}. The plan is Malta, then the Aeolian's. ...not sure where to go after that.

 

[Yngmar]

Italian school holidays begin mid June and end early September. Best not to be in Italian waters during this time. There are a few hideouts where you can anchor, but mostly it's hell, especially August (peaking at Ferrogosto, Aug 15). Porto Conte in Sardinia was great apart from presidente Mattarella taking his holiday there every summer, which causes much of the southern anchorage to be closed off with regular patrols. Cala Addaia on Menorca was another great hideout, but last we passed through, lots of buoys had sprouted and it was extremely tight. Fornells is still open. Mind the seagrass police, although if you're polite they won't fine you, just ask you to get off the grass.

Must sees are Stromboli, an active volcano that will give you a lightshow at night and we circumnavigated Sicily and rather enjoyed that, Castellamara di Golfo being particularly pretty. Lock up your everything in Sicily, especially in Siracusa and Trapani.

There are a few less popular marinas on eastern Sardinia where you could leave the boat in the water if you absolutely must. The Maddalenas are a billionaire playground and IMHO quite overhyped. We've left lots of notes in NoForeignLand like where you can dock on some fancy private dock to smuggle your rubbish into a bin ashore. Olbia haas free mooring on the town quay, great for resupplying.

 

[westernman]

That's a good idea. ...did that last year in Nidri. I'm wondering if Port Navy Services might be a good place to do that?

May be here:-
Home - Varador L'Escala
You might be able to get a deal for July/August on land parking.

 

[Sea Change]

Cala Addaia on Menorca was another great hideout, but last we passed through, lots of buoys had sprouted and it was extremely tight. Fornells is still open. Mind the seagrass police, although if you're polite they won't fine you, just ask you to get off the grass.

When was this? We spent a good chunk of last summer in Addaia and it was tight with anchored boats but not too many moorings. Plenty of space past the narrows if you didn't mind being further from the town.

Fornells should be great but we've struggled with holding there and no matter where you go, somebody comes and tells you to move. I'm still not entirely sure where you're supposed to go!

 

[Yngmar]

Late summer 2022 in Addaia. What's the depth going in the rear part and did you get told off about it being a nature preserve? We had mixed reports and braved it in the crowded front, but had to keep a watch and shuffle around.

Fornells can be sketchy holding, but a helpful naked old bloke with his junk flapping in the strong breeze shouted at us as we arrived to anchor in front of him so the mooring buoy man wouldn't come nagging. We followed his advice, had good holding and the mooring buoy man came zooming over in his dinghy, rolled his eyes and left again without saying anything. That was on the eastern side in front of a tiny sand beach. Sometimes it's good to listen to the shouting naked man!

 

[Sea Change]

Late summer 2022 in Addaia. What's the depth going in the rear part and did you get told off about it being a nature preserve? We had mixed reports and braved it in the crowded front, but had to keep a watch and shuffle around.

Fornells can be sketchy holding, but a helpful naked old bloke with his junk flapping in the strong breeze shouted at us as we arrived to anchor in front of him so the mooring buoy man wouldn't come nagging. We followed his advice, had good holding and the mooring buoy man came zooming over in his dinghy, rolled his eyes and left again without saying anything. That was on the eastern side in front of a tiny sand beach. Sometimes it's good to listen to the shouting naked man!

It was 2022 for us too, and yes that bit by the beach was one spot where we didn't get asked to move- but our anchor was just lying on top of a huge mattress of seagrass.

And just for clarification, it wasn't me who told you to anchor there...