Sailing from Turkey to Greek Islands

[Bodrum]

My boat is based in Turkey. I want to visit Samos and then return to Turkey. Will I have to surrender my Turkish transit log (i.e. check out of Turkey) before I can enter Samos and then get a Greek transit log and then a new Turkish transit log on re-entering Turkey?

Anyone know what the present state of play is?

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[HenryB]

Bodrum,

We left Turkey last October and the situation was as you describe.
Many yachts sail between Turkey and Greece with two sets of documents but it seems too risky for the few pounds that it saves.
Remember too that your Turkish visa must get an exit stamp before you leave otherwise you won't be allowed back in again.

Regards,

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[MASH]

Be real careful to check the fees you are liable to pay before you go so you will know if you are being robbed. A recent visit to Rhodos from Turkey cost me 260Eu for a stay of less than an hour in Mandraki harbour, courtesy of a trickster named Chronos Agency who charged all sorts of outrageous fees and threatened to dob me in to the harbour police because he said my docs were not in order (isn't this why you employ an agent - to get over silly little unforseen bureaucratic hiccups?) including a big fee for an illegal "transit log" that he admitted he was not going to get from the harbour police due my insurance doc being a copy, not original. It seemed perfectly OK to his logic to charge me for something that he was not going to provide and he was happy to try to justify it!!!! Anecdotal evidence from the Turkish side suggests this sort of scam is widespread if you make the mistake of visiting greece from Turkey. I know where I will not be visiting again.

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[HenryB]

I'm sorry to hear that you were robbed by an agent in Rhodos. We had planned to enter Greece there but were advised to use Simi instead where we found the officials very friendly and helpful - they even told me that I had no need to buy a new transit log but could continue using my old one of 2 years earlier.
My biggest gripe about Greek port officials is that you never know what to expect. Most are helpful, many aren't even interested in small EU yachts but some seem to enjoy making life as complicated as possible and finding a new fee to charge you. Some in Crete have been the most awkward, where I was once made to pay "Traffic Dues" whatever that was meant to be - about £40 from memory.

I generally stay at anchor and keep well away from anyone in a white suit and an oversized peak cap.


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