daveg45
Well-Known Member
I am sorry Chinita far from fantasy it is an accurate description of my first hand experience. I don't need to fantasise on here. Plenty of others do that.
Mediterranean living costs
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I am sorry Chinita far from fantasy it is an accurate description of my first hand experience. I don't need to fantasise on here. Plenty of others do that.
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
I'm afraid I recognise some of the elements. That's why I shudder when people enthuse about winter liveaboard society and why I flee back to the UK every October.
Perhaps I'm misanthropic but being incarcerated in a marina with several other Brits for a 5-month sentence, it is too much like a description of hell...
Sailing around and anchoring - no more than a week in any one place, well that's just great.
Squeaky
Well-Known Member
Good morning:
I wonder where you live in the UK - from your comments I would assume it must be in the center of an immigrant community or else you would be surrounded by hundreds of Brits, never mind several.
I would worry about my social skills if I couldn't get on with citizens of my own country.
Cheers
Squeaky
richardh10
Well-Known Member
Just as a matter of interest, and to return to the original topic, are the costs in the Caribbean comparable, or more/less?
silver-fox
Well-Known Member
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
I live a village in Shropshire, about 150 houses - everyone around me minds their own business and everyone knows everyone else.
They are not driven by ennui or by a desire to "organise" others. Such social occasions we have are purposeful, frequent and varied.
Apart from myself and my wife, both born abroad, most are British born,
Have you any further comments? Or is your foot preventing you speaking.
daveg45
Well-Known Member
It's not just the Brits that turn it into a 5 month sentence, it's our American (or European Americans they like to call themselves) and to some extent Australian cellmates who have an uncanny nack of using 50 or 60 words drawn out into an hours worth of syllables when 6 words will do. Ie "hi, I was just kinda wonderin if i might possibly use your hammer I see layin over their in your cockpit locker as mine just seems to have vanished and I really could do with using one to straighten a bit of stainless we bent way back on our trip over from were we were last year" translates in English to "please could I borrow your hammer" (preferably uttered at less than half volume). It becomes a background hum of close proximity drivel which it is almost impossible not to listen to. It's a bit like someone talking loudly in a pub about their darling horses when absolutely no one else could give a toss. I know the Italians can be notoriously loud too but the difference being I haven't a clue what they are talking about so find it much easier to zone out.
I simply can't believe it how some people who chose to live an alternative lifestyle away from an urban society in a rather nomadic existence then create the very thing they were trying to escape from. Many of the these friendly souls who are hell bent on creating a pseudo community for 5 months will be later found popping out from under their beduin tents in harbours and anchorages gesticulating aggressively in the direction of their anchor (that's right it's out infront of their boat!) with a facial expression that paints a thousand words, well 6 actually ..'f...k off and anchor somewhere else!
It's amazing to witness how at the beginning every one is best friends, a bit like an episode of neighbours, only to see when you return to your beloved mistress that the whole camp has fragmented with people vying for position of camp commandant The whole place resembling a school playground, or rather teachers staff room with gossip beyond your wildest imagination. Heaven forbid you if you wish not to take your turn as stand in radio net presenter, sports and fitness participant, pot luck cook for the pontoon dinner that someone has chosen to assemble on the pontoon right outside your boat or don't chose to wander down to the Skippers meetings. You will be outcast. Oh yes and if you do succumb to the camp activities in the spirit of friendly integration but decide to return home for Christmas then you are not a true live aboard. You are a swallow. You will be outcast. Be careful on the pontoons too as they can be sometimes very hazardous with the useless **** assembled there while someone decides to have a pontoon sale to raise some cruising funds.
Don't go to the cheapest marina. You will find people constantly complaining that the toilets are too far away, the bins are too small, there are not enough bins even if they were bigger, the showers are cold the pontoons are at different heights at the junctions making people trip while they walk around in bloody crocs pissed from the skippers meetings. People seem to instantly forget that the sole reason they chose to go there was because it is as cheap as chips..oh and has a good live aboard community!
I hope this helps some more.
Storyline
Well-Known Member
How many years, on average, do people enjoy this lifestyle you guess ?
Is there a hardcore of people who stay for years but also fresh meat who cannot take more than one season ?
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Really enjoyed that. Reminds me of the ex pat clubs I used to visit in the outposts of the decaying empire - somewhere like around the copper mines in Ndola, Zambia.
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
Ok David chill , if I didn't know you Better I would had thought you was on some drugs 
.Ragusa wasn't that bad , you met roy and mad who looked after your prided and joys and feed you , I sorted out your engine , and then there was , ok I not going to mention the female singer name , wink wink .
Just in case your all wondering guys , David isn't making any of this up . All true actually .
our best winter stop over was Alimerimar And Messilonghi both time small group of Liveaboards everyone got on and no one to try to run your life for you . Although we did have Yannis to put up with in Messilonghi .
There going to be no five months stop over for us this year ,
www.bluewatersailorcroatia.webs.com
.Ragusa wasn't that bad , you met roy and mad who looked after your prided and joys and feed you , I sorted out your engine , and then there was , ok I not going to mention the female singer name , wink wink . Just in case your all wondering guys , David isn't making any of this up . All true actually .
our best winter stop over was Alimerimar And Messilonghi both time small group of Liveaboards everyone got on and no one to try to run your life for you . Although we did have Yannis to put up with in Messilonghi .
There going to be no five months stop over for us this year ,
www.bluewatersailorcroatia.webs.com
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jordanbasset
Well-Known Member
Ok David chill , if I didn't know you Better I would had thought you was on some drugs
Just in case your all wondering guys , David isn't making any of this up . All true actually .
our best winter stop over was Alimerimar And Messilonghi both time small group of Liveaboards everyone got on and no one to try to run your life for you . Although we did have Yannis to put up with in Messilonghi .
There going to be no five months stop over for us this year ,
www.bluewatersailorcroatia.webs.com
Hi Vic, some of your more outlandish requests for help on the radio net in Almerimar did make it much more enjoyable to listen to, especially when they were taken seriously, agree about Almerimar, was a good winter:encouragement:
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
Yes I think the time I asked if anyone know if there was a bus going to London and the time , and the reply back was there would find out was a cracker , or the time someone women ask how she could make her hatch slide easier and I suggested KY jelly , and she could get it from the pharmacist , and she thank me and said she would go and get some later .
And the time that guy use to go on and on about the weather in details took him ages to say it all , and jokingly I told him I missed it and ask if he could repeat it and he started again ,
www.bluewatersIlorcroatia.webs.com
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Storyline
Well-Known Member
Even though those descriptions sound painfully parochial I guess it depends on the alternative quality of life back in the UK. Rather than living vicariously watching soap operas on TV maybe it would be better to do it for real in a Mediterranean marina - better to be on the set rather than watching it through a lens.
daveg45
Well-Known Member
Ok David chill , if I didn't know you Better I would had thought you was on some drugs
www.bluewatersailorcroatia.webs.com
Ah yes Vic and thank heavens I did. Without you guys I wouldn't have survived. Old frosty lips across from me was doing my head in.
Once was enough for me though. Now I am happy to wheel my plastic right up onto the grass and escape.
daveg45
Well-Known Member
What makes you think these guys are not watching those soaps on their boats in the med? Facilitated by screwing a cheap eBay dish to the pontoon? And why do you assume that winter has to be spent in the UK? Anyway must go. I need to put 10 extra ropes on my boat and maybe half a dozen anchors out as it's going to blow a bit tomorrow. Or I could just go to the bar.
Cruiser007
New Member
Totally agree with dave 45 and charles reed on this. Winter marinas in the med are basically adult day care centres.
daveg45
Well-Known Member
Love it... I had to laugh at this. It does make you wonder how they manage to survive the summer months at sea though. They must get a real knee wobble on when it's time to let those lazy lines go!
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
Ok David chill , if I didn't know you Better I would had thought you was on some drugs
our best winter stop over was Alimerimar And Messilonghi both time small group of Liveaboards everyone got on and no one to try to run your life for you . Although we did have Yannis to put up with in Messilonghi .
www.bluewatersailorcroatia.webs.com
I always thought that hate of Yiannis was the one unifying force!!
It is, I suspect, quite tame with him forced into hovering round the edges, well the Marina Bar.
I did like the town though - totally untourist and lots of really pleasant people. Even the hospital...
My experience of Almerimar was not as memorable, but then I got through Mediterranean Spain as quickly as possible and into France where I could more easily argue with the locals.
Let's face it, if you want to meet lots of Brits why leave the UK?
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chinita
Well-Known Member
Oh, the hypocrisy.
Surely if we geriatrics are confined to our marina day centres it releases all the idyllic anchorages for you to drop you hook and enjoy at will.
Plenty of time for you to consider your stealth foray into the next unsuspecting marina. Tie up on the waiting pontoon, fill the tanks, wash her down liberally, nip ashore for a quick dump and shower in the facilities already paid for by the berth holders (Thatcherite *******s can afford it anyway), do a quick circuit of the skips, grab a cheap beer in a (free wifi) bar while the missus blags the code for the laundrette and scours around for some cotton to sew the arse back into your trousers. Hmm, 'book swap' - yeah, we'll have some of those, ta.
Just enough time to scuttle off to Lidl for a few dozen of those nice 0.90 cent wineboxes, cast off and disappear into the night as the mariniero appears from his little shed........
Yes, these marinas do have a purpose, don't they.
(BTW, we have done all of the aforementioned. Don't remember harbouring such resentment towards those who have chosen a slightly different path though.)
Surely if we geriatrics are confined to our marina day centres it releases all the idyllic anchorages for you to drop you hook and enjoy at will.
Plenty of time for you to consider your stealth foray into the next unsuspecting marina. Tie up on the waiting pontoon, fill the tanks, wash her down liberally, nip ashore for a quick dump and shower in the facilities already paid for by the berth holders (Thatcherite *******s can afford it anyway), do a quick circuit of the skips, grab a cheap beer in a (free wifi) bar while the missus blags the code for the laundrette and scours around for some cotton to sew the arse back into your trousers. Hmm, 'book swap' - yeah, we'll have some of those, ta.
Just enough time to scuttle off to Lidl for a few dozen of those nice 0.90 cent wineboxes, cast off and disappear into the night as the mariniero appears from his little shed........
Yes, these marinas do have a purpose, don't they.
(BTW, we have done all of the aforementioned. Don't remember harbouring such resentment towards those who have chosen a slightly different path though.)
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
Hi
Yanni's now there a man that can make most people blood boil ,
We too took off from Spain as fast as we could , the south of Spain is one place I don't miss .
South of France we did it some of it last year and had a great time , not as expenses as we thought it would be but them we don't use marinas .
As far as Brits goes in Croatia , we seen no more then six boats so far , I must admit the first one we met I did get very cross with ,Liveaboard from lafkes , moaning about how much of a rip off Croatia was when he only arrived the day before and haven't moved of the harbour wall , so if you fancy a rest from British boat come here , but then I think you have been here before .
Have a good day Charles
www.bluewatersailorcroatia.webs.com
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