Passage Cowes to Greece and Greek marinas

[Chris_Stannard]

I am helping a friend who wants to move his boat from Cowes to the Ionian this autumn (September/October). Probable route is Cowes to Brest, with a possible stop, then Corunna and down the Spanish coast to Gib, and thence to Marjorca, Sardinia and Malta to Greece.

Advice would be appreciated on the expected weather on route, good places to stop, and good marinas in the Ionian, also any problems we might encounter with officialdom in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.

Many thanks in advance

<hr width=100% size=1>Chris Stannard

 

[Viking]

There was a series of feature acticles (3-4) in one of the yachting mags last year about a couple who sailed their boat down to Greece. I think it was in YM? might be worth looking up.

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[sailbadthesinner]

chrios what sort of boat size?
i have the greek waters guide will have a look tonight for bits of the ionian i donot know.
I do know it cab be quite windy in the ionian at that time of year, but worse than that is the messy short chop you get.


<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[vyv_cox]

See some marina info <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.1yachtua.com/Medit-marinas/index.htm>here</A>

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[ccscott49]

One thing I do know, the weather in the med at that time of the year, can be very snotty, with storms etc. Especially around the ballearics, sardinia and scicily, so I would be watching the weather fairly closely. I was in Mallorca late september and got hammered with 50 knot winds!

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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: err shouldn\'t that be

Colin i was there in september. As i recall
we had 50 knot winds so we went and got hammered

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[Twister_Ken]

Would this help?

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.cruising.org.uk/brightontomed.htm>Brighton to Med</A>

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[Roberto]

There is also

http://www.rccpf.org.uk/Passage/Routing Guide home.htm

(split link maybe, can t work out markup)

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[tcm]

Re: Coast hopping a better idea in W med?

I agree. Dunno how much meddiness chris has done so apologies if this is all known.

In med, high local winds turn up which aren't part of a "system" of weather as in Northern Europe. So whereas high winds can be seen days before they arrive in channel, the forecasts are nowhere near as accurate in the med. Yet again, I am minded of the quite fantastic statistic that winds in the Golfe de lion is F6 or higher for 200 days per year, and the short chop means you do get hammered by it, rather than riding through. There can be a F8+ in one area, and F2-3 forty miles away.

Partly for this reason, and partly because it is easy to turn ashore if a stay proves prolonged, I would hug the coast up to barcelona and the french border, into the golfe de lion and turn east from there.

Brit -flagged boats are a common sight. I would not expect to be over-officialled. Of course, papers need to be in order, the more documents, receipts and so on the merrier. They seem to look for boats that might possibly be non-eu, so a boat called say "Australia" would be a target, "Europa" less so.

The majority of officialdom works 8 am-1pm local time and all will expect to be home for lunch. If you arrive at ports at lunchtime or after 7, you can just stop anywhere, fuel pontoons etc, and sort if out later or the next day - don't feel that you have to raise ports by vhf cos they ain't as bothered as in the uk. They usually have a reception quay. If you have a specific target port in mind for a lengthy stay, i would call in advance, months ahead if you know youy general plans.

It is quite acceptable and helpful to tip a harbour person 5-10 euros if they help you out, more if you have a 20m + boat that might have a professional crew on board. Bottles of reasonable wine or cheapish scotch also have a powerful effect in more ways that one.

sounds a great trip.





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[ccscott49]

Re: err shouldn\'t that be

Happened at night, couldn't get to the pub!! Bugger, getting the mizzen down, standing on the table in my underpants, in the pissing rain, getting soaked and freezing! Ethan (crew) slept through it!!

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[qsiv]

I cant comment on the Med bit - but those dates put you right in amongst the equinoctial gales for Biscay - wouldnt necessarily be my favourite time to go. Remember what happened to last years Route du Rhum fleet around that time...

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[AndrewB]

True, but these days you just sit in Camaret waiting for a three-day weather window, with all the other blue water wanabees preparing for the Xmas rush across the pond.

Best weather forecast facilities of any French port. Snottiest customs officials.

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[steffen]

Nice one, Chris

Happy sailing, Steffen

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