Where in Greece

[Danthegorrila]

Hi there friends.

We are starting to think where we will be at the end of the season.

We have some ideas about Turkey but Greece or Greek islands would be good. So can anybody suggest somewhere that meets the following:

Our perfect requirements are not in order)

Sheltered place to be afloat but stern to or similar
Hard standing to haul out.
Cheap
Access to cheap flights to the UK
A liveaboard community with things happening.

Not much to ask, is it?

PB


<hr width=100% size=1>PB

 

[boatless]

My favourite is the N. Ionian area. (Preveza and south).

Lots of variety, harbours, safe bays (depending on wind direction), restaurants where your plank will be from your transom to your table if you wish. Not brilliant for beaches, believe that you need the Sporades for them. Prefer this area because it is less crowded with Athenian locals as you'd find in the Argolic/Cyclades, but does suffer from an Italian invasion.

Best haul outs are at Preveza, choice of two yards, I prefer Cleopatra (have contact dets if you wish). Also at Levkas town, various available, one decent expat engineer. Also know some other useful bods, and have their numbers too.

Cleopatra is 5 minutes from the airport, but it is principally internal and charter only. So, getting flights is possible but takes time. Can advise on how I've done it. Or. internal to Athens and then use whoever. Only 20 mins flying. Kicker is that you fly to Athens, and then back over Preveza on your way to the UK. Just 1 mile west according to my gps!

Greece is reasonably cheap. Eating is probably cheaper in Turkey.

Liveaboards, not too sure, but met quite a few. Two spots seem to be 1/ Vlikho which is to the south of Nidri (big bay) on Levkas. 2/ Also some permanents in and around Preveza.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by boatless on 29/04/2004 20:31 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Shakey]

I can confirm that there is a fairly large ex-pat community based mainly around the boating industry in Vliho south of Nidri. The 'Yacht Club' there even does Sunday roast dinners!

There are also boatyards and quite a few ex-pat engineers specialising in outboards, stainless steel, woodwork etc.

Downsides are the winters are very wet in that part of the world, and Preveza airport is closed to civilian flights during winter.

Hope this is of some help.

<hr width=100% size=1>At the end of the day - Sunset.

 

[steve_cronin]

Olympic Yard or Poros...

Olympic Yard meets all your requitrements and is handy for the new Athens airport at Spata. Don't try to get anything before the Olympic games are over as all marinas around Athens are saving their spaces for over-charged visitors 7 superyachts.

Poros has an ex-pat community and a good & cheap yard to lay up across the water at Galetas. It is a hydrofoil ride of 30mins to Piraeus and then by taxi to the airport.

Athens has the advantage of regular flights by easyjet to Luton & gatwick. However Aegean Airlines run twice daily shuttles to most islands (£30 winter & offpeak £50 at other times) with airports but these don't link too well with the easyJet flights and only slightly better with the Olympic Airlines ones.

We are in Gouvia, Corfu which is reasonably well served by thompson (Brittania) flights from Manchester, gatwick or Birmingham from April to October outside of which you have to use Agean/Easyjet. There certainly is a large ex-pat community in Gouvia (Brittannia pub? UGH!!!) and plenty of lay-up hard standing overlooked by a security guard.

Steve Cronin



<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[davidbains]

I've used Preveza marine at Aktion for five years now.
All boats are lifted out ,great for hull work.
But it's quiet out of season. You can find space in Preveza "marina"
very cheaply. Otherwise Gouvia or Levkas or Vliho.
I tend to leave my boat hauled at Preveza marine when I'm in
the UK, but launch and move to Vliho when afloat. Almost anything
can be accomlished in this area. Contact IGR behind the Athos Hotel.

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[scarlett]

I am in Preveza Marine too. Very very helpful staff. The best compared with other options in Preveza. Cheapest is a drag out yard on the north side. If you want an ex pat comunity in the winter try Govia or Levkas marina. I agree with other comments regarding the Ionian.

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[Danthegorrila]

Thanks everyone

We've got a pilot and Rough Guide so we will do some home work now we have some ides to work with,

Everybode else, keep the suggestions coming.

Pete

<hr width=100% size=1>PB

 

[pause]

Have to agree with a few of these posts the Ionian has a lot to offer both the transit yacht waiting out the winter and the longer term boat looking to chill, but it is wet from novenber to April not all the time but... it is also v cold dec/jan but the upside is the sking albeit limited is not far away. Been in the area for 8 seasons. There is a good network of all kinds of suppliers, the greeks are good and less expensive than other europeans!!! Aktio -Preveza (Yards Cleopatra/Preveza Marine and Aktio Marine) is a very easy spot to comute to and from both in & out of season to UK & mainland europe. Regular bus service to Athens. Ditto for Lefkas Island and town. For travel info try Karyatis Travel jenny Nota notapol@aias.gr or ashore storage cleopatra marine sofia clmarina@otenet.gr

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[Swampyhotdog]

Nidri on Levkas was a great place, very friendly, cheap, highly reccommended.


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[Melody]

I've heard nothing but glowing reports about Kos Marina. Haven't been there myself yet but know several boats that have. Think it meets all your requirements.

<hr width=100% size=1>Melody McKay Burton
Yacht Valentine, Greece

 

[Anonymous]

I thought I'd re-open this thread as things might not have changed much.

Nauticat 42 - 12.75m x 4m x2m. We are thinking about leaving Almerimar in May to go round the coast (Barce, St Trop, Monaco, San Remo, Elba, Rome, Pontines, Amalfi, Capri, Messina and then round the heel to Greece, to spend the winter there. Budget is tight i.e. no more than Almerimar, want good liveaboard community, safety (rather than overt security), no significant surge or weather problems in harbour, trips to UK must be do-able. Must have decent access to internet and good shorepower.

Some good friends of ours have wintered in Kalamata last year and this - any other votes?

We could consider Turkey, or Crete, I suppose.

 

[jimbaerselman]

Keep clear 'cos of the Olympics? Blew my brains for a while until I saw the date of the first post!

Burrow in the 'Greece Details' bit of my website and you'll find all the possible wintering haul-outs, live aboard afloat etc etc are listed under each area (sorry, N Aegean isn't published yet, but I've finished the research - pm if the colder/wetter weather up there appeals).

Sounds as though you're doing winter afloat, preferably in a marina (guaranteed shore power, live aboard community), though there are plenty of 'no cost' or 'very low cost' options if you wish to keep clear of marina costs and don't mind making arrangements with a local cafe owner for long bits of wire to snake over the road . . .

Communities afloat: Gouvia, Preveza town (Levkas spill over, actually), Levkas town, Nidri/Vliho on Levkas, Kalamata (occasional surge), Poros, Kos,

Incredibly cheap options (DIY electricity, own anchors): Vonitsa (Amvraika gulf), Levkas town quay, Vliho, Levkas - Sivota (elec easy, but isolated), Mitikas (Inland Ionian mainland), Trizonia (isolated), Pylos marina (small expat community, nice town, WiFi), Methana (with elec and water! sulphurous), Syros - Ermoupolis marina (not quay, may have elec by now and be working marina, therefore pricy), Naxos (elec and charge, some surge), Thyra - harbour on south corner of island (maybe elec).

Easy access to transport? Buses in Greece run like Swiss trains, comfortable and timely. Kalamata to Athens airport 6hr, allowing 1hr wait for one easy change. Levkas, one hour more. Athens coastline marinas are expensive and difficult to find space in, book well ahead. There has been organised theft around some of the Athens coast (dinghies, liferafts), otherwise, security is not an issue anywhere in Greece.

Quite a few links to marina websites on my site. If you're around 14m, expect to pay under €3,000 for a one year contract at established marinas, 20 - 30% more at more newly completed places (Olympic, Levkas, Samos).

I can give more detail once you've narrowed your choice a bit.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your helpful reply, Jim, and if your website hit counter is showing a distinct jump today, it is because I have been trawling through your excellent site! Many thanks, will come back to you, if I may, when we have some more questions to ask.

 

[jimbaerselman]

About 60 sites or visitors a day trawl through the stuff on there! Some looking for bus timetables, some wanting to know about buying a house in Greece, but mostly they go for the 'sailing' bits. You'll only be a little blip!