Pilos Marina Greece

Water available by the root of the harbour wall. Best to get "well in" to avoid swell when wind is strong, otherwise, good shelter. Unprotected server in overlooking hotel gives excellent net access. No electricity. Fuel by mini tanker - see sign on wall. There WAS a sort-of marina further out but this is too exposed and was abandoned years ago. I am speaking of the yacht harbour, further to the east, inside the bay which the locals now call "the marina".

Addendum. Eateries around the main square not as good as they appear at first glance. If you are a fan of The Oddysey, the short trip in a taxi to Nestor's Palace is well worth the effort.
 
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I was there last autumn and the facilities are basic. You are advised by the port police not to lay an anchor, but any lazy lines that you find are not reliable. It is best to lay on the inside of the outside wall if there is space or on the ends of the fingers. Do not try to go in the town harbour. There is a man who tries to con you into believing he is in charge and will try to show you where to go, and then take you to the port police on his moped. He is very persistent and will charge you 15€. I just ignored him and found my own way to the port police office which is on the other side of the town harbour. Diesel is expensive and from memory was about 0.2€/lt. more expensive that elsewhere.
 
B&M said:
I was there last autumn and the facilities are basic. You are advised by the port police not to lay an anchor, but any lazy lines that you find are not reliable. It is best to lay on the inside of the outside wall if there is space or on the ends of the fingers. Do not try to go in the town harbour. There is a man who tries to con you into believing he is in charge and will try to show you where to go, and then take you to the port police on his moped. He is very persistent and will charge you 15€. I just ignored him and found my own way to the port police office which is on the other side of the town harbour. Diesel is expensive and from memory was about 0.2€/lt. more expensive that elsewhere.
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I always book in with the PP on vhf and have never paid any dues.
I usually buy my diesel, by can, from the service station at the N end of the Town Square - only problem he takes no credit cards. Only once bought diesel from the roving tanker - he's an ex-Canadian returnee and I haggled and got the diesel at standard price (he's from Shell and all their stations do take credit cards)
"Best", local taberna is on the road up the hill, easily reached by the steps from the other side of the "marina". Nestor's has, I believe changed hands but Jim Baersalman will have most up-to-date info.
Water, when I was last there in May 2013, was round by the Limenenkos SAR boat on the other side of the harbour NOT as Steve and the Pilot seems to think @ the root of the harbour breakwater.
I've been in there in onshore F7 and the "swell" is only noticeable up to about 40m from the entrance.
The chap who tries to persuade you to have ride with him round to the PP office is employed to keep an eye on the big powerboat at the very entrance.

Usually use it as a stopover - nice little town - certainly, like Monemvasia and Trizonia no shoreside facilities, but, unlike Argostoli, a safe place in nasty weather.
 
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charles_reed said:
I always book in with the PP on vhf and have never paid any dues.
I usually buy my diesel, by can, from the service station at the N end of the Town Square - only problem he takes no credit cards. Only once bought diesel from the roving tanker - he's an ex-Canadian returnee and I haggled and got the diesel at standard price (he's from Shell and all their stations do take credit cards)
"Best", local taberna is on the road up the hill, easily reached by the steps from the other side of the "marina". Nestor's has, I believe changed hands but Jim Baersalman will have most up-to-date info.
Water, when I was last there in May 2013, was round by the Limenenkos SAR boat on the other side of the harbour NOT as Steve and the Pilot seems to think @ the root of the harbour breakwater.
I've been in there in onshore F7 and the "swell" is only noticeable up to about 40m from the entrance.
The chap who tries to persuade you to have ride with him round to the PP office is employed to keep an eye on the big powerboat at the very entrance.

Usually use it as a stopover - nice little town - certainly, like Monemvasia and Trizonia no shoreside facilities, but, unlike Argostoli, a safe place in nasty weather.
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I must admit it's been a couple of years since we were in there (2012) but there was a water tap right next to the SAR vessel as mentioned by Charles. I asked them if I could use it and they seemed puzzled that I'd even ask. I had to fill cans and wheel them round in the folding sack-truck, several trips were needed of course. There's no way you'll get your boat close enough to use a hose. No electricity anywhere that I saw.

We did go to the PP and they questioned me carefully about where I was; "you're in the marina?" they said, "not the port?". I admitted I was in the marina. "Then it's free" they said, "but in the port you must pay". Very strange I thought.......
 
The marina is still the same as ever as of October last year. Bloke on scooter still there, ignore him. Fuel available from tanker, price OK. Water from tap round the opposite side of the marina from the wall by the SAR boat, have to truck it round on the trolley. Car hire in town at about €20 a day. Quite a nice place to wait whilst the wind changes.

Didn't bother with the PP this time as last time we were there they lost interest once they discovered we were in the marina. Their remit only covers the port which was once a busy place supporting large ships using the bay as an anchorage.
 
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Tony Cross said:
Thanks that's handy to know, we'll be passing through there in a few weeks. :)
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I've quite frequently used it as a stopover - usually on the way to or from Crete.

Also look at Kisparissa - electricity and water there, the PP come down and take you up in their 4-wheel drive, though the waterside taverna are uninspiring there are some most enjoyable places in the town @ the top of the hill. Have a look at the old station, usually meet some decayed scions of the Austro-Hungarian Empire there.
 
charles_reed said:
I've quite frequently used it as a stopover - usually on the way to or from Crete.

Also look at Kisparissa - electricity and water there, the PP come down and take you up in their 4-wheel drive, though the waterside taverna are uninspiring there are some most enjoyable places in the town @ the top of the hill. Have a look at the old station, usually meet some decayed scions of the Austro-Hungarian Empire there.
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Thanks Charles, we've stopped at Kiparissia before as well, excellent shelter now they've extended the outer mole. Not seen the old station before though, I'll take a look this time. Thanks!
 
Tony Cross said:
Thanks Charles, we've stopped at Kiparissia before as well, excellent shelter now they've extended the outer mole. Not seen the old station before though, I'll take a look this time. Thanks!
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A bonus is the free "alfresco" hot showers if you are moored near the end of the wall - the black supply pipe to the water tap runs along the top of the wall, so by the time the water gets to you, it is piping hot. A consideration with regard to puting it into your tanks without running the hot stuff off first - don't want to encourage a colony of bugs in your water system! Apart from those at the top of the town which aren't that good, this place is seriously devoid of good tavernas. However, Methoni, a little further on makes up spectacularly in that respect.
 
Steve C Cronin said:
A bonus is the free "alfresco" hot showers if you are moored near the end of the wall - the black supply pipe to the water tap runs along the top of the wall, so by the time the water gets to you, it is piping hot. A consideration with regard to puting it into your tanks without running the hot stuff off first - don't want to encourage a colony of bugs in your water system! Apart from those at the top of the town which aren't that good, this place is seriously devoid of good tavernas. However, Methoni, a little further on makes up spectacularly in that respect.
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Thanks for the water tip. I hadn't realised there was water available there at all, that's good to know.

Methoni we know well, this year we'll stop off at Finikounda to say hi to your "friend"..... ;)
 
There's water and electricity on Finikounda quay too! If you know where to rummage for it. Under one of the quay lights . . . but you'll have to do bows to to get close and avoid the rubble beneath. And BTW, we're unlikely to be resident until 24 May this year, give or take an inch - too late?

Best choice for tavernas near Pylos is to anchor off Yialova, NE of Navarino bay. Delightful little resort, very tastefully carved out of an old fruit packing factory. Half the beach has been turned into a lovely garden. Small quay, only 1m deep off the end, shelters the dinghy form northerlies.
 
jimbaerselman said:
There's water and electricity on Finikounda quay too! If you know where to rummage for it. Under one of the quay lights . . . but you'll have to do bows to to get close and avoid the rubble beneath. And BTW, we're unlikely to be resident until 24 May this year, give or take an inch - too late?

Best choice for tavernas near Pylos is to anchor off Yialova, NE of Navarino bay. Delightful little resort, very tastefully carved out of an old fruit packing factory. Half the beach has been turned into a lovely garden. Small quay, only 1m deep off the end, shelters the dinghy form northerlies.
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Who needs a pilot book when you have YBW (and the CA of course)! Thanks Jim, 24th will probably be too late but we're sure to meet up somewhere. Thanks for the Finikounda info, we'll anchor off, we can't get off if we go bows-to. I might give the NE end of Navarino Bay a look see too. We've always stopped in Pilos marina but a change would be nice...

What do you (or anyone) know about Killini (opposite Zakinthos)? We've not been there but I plan to stop by this time on our way up.
 
Tony Cross said:
Who needs a pilot book when you have YBW (and the CA of course)! Thanks Jim, 24th will probably be too late but we're sure to meet up somewhere. Thanks for the Finikounda info, we'll anchor off, we can't get off if we go bows-to. I might give the NE end of Navarino Bay a look see too. We've always stopped in Pilos marina but a change would be nice...

What do you (or anyone) know about Killini (opposite Zakinthos)? We've not been there but I plan to stop by this time on our way up.
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It's a few years (2011) since we went into Killini but we managed to get in with no problems (2.8m draught) by holding tight to the starboard mark. We watched plenty of yachts run aground by going too far over to the port side. The harbour had 25m trawlers going in and out with no difficulty. The wall was good with water and electric and the PPs weren't interested in us (but that may have changed). The town isn't much to write home about, provisioning was pretty poor but there was a good chandler. The beach was excellent, shallow for a long way out so lovely warm water. There are a few lovely walks to the castles, one along a road and the other through olive groves with plenty of wild fig trees to scrump from.

If you climb up to the castle at the north end of Navarino make sure you use plenty of mossie repellent and clothing to cover yourselves, killer mosquitoes all day long but well worth a visit.

If you're in Kiparissia with w-nw winds you may need to pull yourself off the wall, some swell still gets in. We've seen rats by the bins there too. The old town and the castle at the top are worth walking up to for the views.
 
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NornaBiron said:
It's a few years (2011) since we went into Killini but we managed to get in with no problems (2.8m draught) by holding tight to the starboard mark. We watched plenty of yachts run aground by going too far over to the port side. The harbour had 25m trawlers going in and out with no difficulty. The wall was good with water and electric and the PPs weren't interested in us (but that may have changed). The town isn't much to write home about, provisioning was pretty poor but there was a good chandler. The beach was excellent, shallow for a long way out so lovely warm water. There are a few lovely walks to the castles, one along a road and the other through olive groves with plenty of wild fig trees to scrump from.

If you climb up to the castle at the north end of Navarino make sure you use plenty of mossie repellent and clothing to cover yourselves, killer mosquitoes all day long but well worth a visit.

If you're in Kiparissia with w-nw winds you may need to pull yourself off the wall, some swell still gets in. We've seen rats by the bins there too. The old town and the castle at the top are worth walking up to for the views.
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Thanks for the Killini info, I'd already decided not to try entering the port but anchor east of the port off the beach. Do the rocks visible NW of the cape there extend very far out to sea? Are there any other hazards around there I should beware of? Thanks again!
 
There's a small craft haven tucked into the SW end of the harbour which was described as being OK for visiting yachts but turned out to have less than 1.5m in 2011. We anchored to the east of the main harbour in about 4 m on sandy bottom IIRC. The main harbour is used by a number of ferries to the islands and we therefore avoided using it. As I said, we didn't bother with the town as it seemed more dead than alive.

The only point of note was a local chap who rowed out to us and tried to sell us figs at a vastly inflated price and wasn't prepared to bargain, so was disappointed when we didn't buy.
 
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