Places/countries you would *not* visit again

[Roberto]

One often reads about best cruising ground, can't wait to sail there again... what are opposite examples: places/countries/seas you have cruised and, being able to choose, in normal circumstances you would not visit again?

 

[Stingo]

England

 

[capnsensible]

There is absolutely nowhere I wouldn't re visit. The people you are with make the run ashore. Not the place you are at.

In my opinion.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Portnahaven. Scariest harbour in the realm.

 

[LittleSister]

I would have previously said Great Yarmouth, which I experienced as the least welcoming port I'd ever visited, very poorly provided for visiting yachts, lacking information/communication from harbourmaster and others, exacerbated by being disturbed by boy racers thrashing up and down the adjacent road until the early hours (it was a Bank Holiday weekend), and having to get up every hour during the night to adjust the mooring lines. Did I mention stepping into dog mess as soon as I first clambered over the harbour wall?.

I have since actually developed quite of a soft spot for the place, having got to know it from shorewards. There are quite a lot interesting/fun things to do nearby - including about 4 good museums plus nice restaurants & coffee bars within a few hundred yards, and a visit to the Lydia Eva (the last surviving steam drifter) actually moored adjacent on the Town Quay is an absolute gem of an experience. Beach and parks within about 20 minutes walk. I now know where I can find at least some facilities, where I can find information on bridge lifts etc. should the harbour master again be incommunicado and given that signage etc. is completely absent, and I would be better ready to deal with the strong tides and the projecting wooden ribs and ragbag of lines on the harbour wall. And I would watch where I tread on the Harbourside walkway!

 

[Poignard]

Anywhere that has a Wetherspoons.

 

[penfold]

Not in a hurry to return to Djibouti.

 

[GHA]

Question does come up often, "what's the nicest place you've been?"
Stock answer - "everywhere. north/south atlantic so far. . It's all fantastic."
Apart from Chatham,
Which is horrible.
Gosport also way up there.
Very glad that's all in the past ?
Actually, thinking about it French Guyana was a bit of a dump, island's nice though.
Still not as bad as Chatham. ?

 

[john_morris_uk]

I learned a lot of my sailing in Milford Haven. We were there a few years back in Milford Haven Marina. I won’t be hurrying back.
Casablanca isn’t top of my list either (it officially closed to yachts..!)

 

[westhinder]

The one I would not return to if I can avoid it is Hartlepool. Must be the least welcoming harbour I have visited. I can’t say anything about the town as I left at first light.

 

[LittleSister]

I learned a lot of my sailing in Milford Haven. We were there a few years back in Milford Haven Marina. I won’t be hurrying back.

What was the downside of Milford Haven? Looks on the map like it'd be an interesting cruising base.

 

[KevinV]

I wouldn't go back to Puerto Rico, as I had to endure a 5 hour "voluntary" interview because the skipper overlooked the fact that it's US territory and I didn't have a visa. That was nearly twenty years ago but I'm guessing the computer won't have forgotten.
The stealth coast guard (or customs, I forget) weren't too amused when I refused to heave to for them in the middle of the night either - they approached us from behind, shone a big light so I couldn't see any markings on their vessel and used a loud hailer where the radio would have sufficed. I called them on the radio and refused to heave to on the basis that I couldn't identify them, the skipper, his wife and child were asleep below, they could just as easily be pirates as coast guard or customs and we were sailing parallel to their coast not approaching it. They bogged off, and so did I, and I have no desire to enjoy their "hospitality" again.

 

[john_morris_uk]

What was the downside of Milford Haven? Looks on the map like it'd be an interesting cruising base.

The river (estuary of ria might be more accurate) is interesting enough and I have no qualms about visiting it again. It’s the Marina and town of Milford haven itself I won’t bother going back to. My memories are of a run down dreary place full of boarded up shops that have closed. The ones that haven’t closed have steel shutters.

 

[LittleSister]

My memories are of a run down dreary place full of boarded up shops that have closed.

Fair enough, but that would be pretty much par for the course for many (most?) of the UK's harbour towns.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Fair enough, but that would be pretty much par for the course for many (most?) of the UK's harbour towns.

I think that’s a little harsh.

However I’ve thought through a few more of the ones I’ve been to and Fishguard is another I won’t be going back to in a hurry.

 

[Frank Holden]

Argentina, especially Buenos Aires.

As private individuals the people are wonderful.
The porteños? If they work for the Aduana they just want to cause you grief. If you are doing business with them they just want to screw you over. They have an expression for it which escapes me just now - essentially it is a matter of honour to screw people over - that goes from taxi drivers to the people doing $$$$ work on your boat.
And let's not forget the Prefectura and the 'Falklands Question'.

Simply put - South America is the continent of 'Not Quite Right'.
Argentina is the land of 'Totally ****** Up'.
Note - I spent most of 2010 'up the delta'. I still wake screaming in the night.

Oh, and the USA.
In the first half of this year I transited through LA and Miami 4 times each while coming and going from my boat.

I am never ever ever doing that again. I would rather walk barefoot across Antarctica to get back to Ecuador. Thankfully LATAM is once again flying across the Souther Ocean.

 

[oldgit]

Question does come up often, "what's the nicest place you've been?"
Still not as bad as Chatham. ?

...........................................just a marina or the hinterland ?

 

[harvey38]

Anywhere that has a Wetherspoons.

Ramsgate isn't that bad, not sure about 'Spoons though ?

 

[harvey38]

Argentina, especially Buenos Aires.

As private individuals the people are wonderful.
The porteños? If they work for the Aduana they just want to cause you grief. If you are doing business with them they just want to screw you over. They have an expression for it which escapes me just now - essentially it is a matter of honour to screw people over - that goes from taxi drivers to the people doing $$$$ work on your boat.
And let's not forget the Prefectura and the 'Falklands Question'.

Simply put - South America is the continent of 'Not Quite Right'.
Argentina is the land of 'Totally ****** Up'.
Note - I spent most of 2010 'up the delta'. I still wake screaming in the night.

Oh, and the USA.
In the first half of this year I transited through LA and Miami 4 times each while coming and going from my boat.

I am never ever ever doing that again. I would rather walk barefoot across Antarctica to get back to Ecuador. Thankfully LATAM is once again flying across the Souther Ocean.

Equador? Never will I set foot there again, my wife and I were kidnapped there, manhandled into the back of a vehicle, drove for hours and hours, eventually to the top of a deserted mountain plateaux where to occupants dragged us out, unloaded some heavy weapons from the boot and used Coke bottles for target practice. Eventually they drove a different route back to the hotel then ordered us out of the car, not that it took much persuasion. And that was the Police??

Apparently they use it as scare tactics and extort money from tourists but never actually ask for money. A day I will never forget and a continent I will never go to again.

 

[PlanB]

Archachon.
Waiting and fuel pontoons full of local boats moored up. No visitors berths. Can't book in advance. Locals try to stop you rafting up. Crap shower block.
Think that's where we got fuel bug.