Where shall we move to from Mallorca?

[tudorsailor]

We have had our yacht in Palma for 3 years and need to move on. We are rather spoilt by 5 hours door to boat time. I wondered about Sardinia but have discovered that the only flights for London are from Gatwick at 5am. Checking in a 3.30am is not a good way to start a break!

Next place I thought of is Corsica. Any views on Corsica as a sailing destination for a year? Where are the best marinas and how far are they from an airport?


Thanks

Tudorsailor

 

[nickf]

Flights to Sardinia

Where do you want to fly from. Far more flights to Sardinia than from Gatwick. Birmingham, Stanstead, Liverpool, Luton , Manchester.......

EG - Stansted with Ryan air during winter are a 12 midday departure three times a week for example. Two a day during July,August. Rest of year 6.15am start seven days a week!

Did meet someone who had happily overwintered his boat in Bonifacio at a reasonable price. The berths, to my mind, are too tight to leave a boat unattended (given the cross winds) but he seemed happy.

 

[tudorsailor]

Where do you want to fly from. Far more flights to Sardinia than from Gatwick. Birmingham, Stanstead, Liverpool, Luton , Manchester.......

EG - Stansted with Ryan air during winter are a 12 midday departure three times a week for example. Two a day during July,August. Rest of year 6.15am start seven days a week!

Did meet someone who had happily overwintered his boat in Bonifacio at a reasonable price. The berths, to my mind, are too tight to leave a boat unattended (given the cross winds) but he seemed happy.

We live in north London and can easily reach Stansted,Luton and Heathrow. Gatwick is a bit of a trek. Flying to the south of Sardinia seems to then entail a 4 hour drive to the sailing area based on the Costa Smerelda. Even Alghero Airport looks like a 2 hour drive. Which airport do the twice a day departures from Stansted with Ryanair go to?

TudorSailor

 

[nickf]

Sardinia

Ryanair fly from Stanstead to Alghero three times a week in winter (from November) daily from March and twice daily August/September.
You are right in that it will be a bit of a treck to the Costa Smeralda from there. I am keeping my boat in Alghero for a second winter because (a) I like the town and (b)cheap flights and only a 70 cent 25 minute bus ride from the airport.
I spent May to end of August on the Costa Smeralda flying into Olbia ( Ryanair from Birmingham . Flights are March - end October). Stayed in marina for May/ June when prices are reasonable. July/August on boat anchoring off as going rate shoots up to 200 euros plus for 12m boat a night. Even at this price the marinas are full!!!
Some people recommend Cagliari (Easy jet from Luton). Easy Jet did pull their winter flights last year or the year before, leaving the treck to Alghero as the alternative. They are however at the moment showing flights twice a week for this winter.
Hope this helps.

 

[snowleopard]

How about Lagos? Lots of flights to Faro and the train from the airport stops in the marina.

 

[Woodlouse]

The La Spezia area of Italy is not bad, with Porto Venere and Cinque Terre. Not to mention being only an overnight trip away from the south of france, and Sardinia and corsica. Also I believe quite cheap for keeping a boat. Travel time would be similar to Palma.

 

[vyv_cox]

Corsica is an excellent sailing area, west coast in particular but the east has its good places too. Only 25 miles (AFAIR) from Elba, also well worth cruising. Port Toga is about 20 minutes in a taxi from Bastia airport, cheap flights to Southampton a few years ago, not too sure now. Well worth looking at for a season.

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

Go to Sardinia and more specifically go to the Marina Club Aquatica in Alghero.
www.aquaticasardegna.it (manager:Fabrizio Goldoni). From here you are well placed to cruise the Straits of Bonifacio, Corsica and Elba or south to Ischica, Sicily. Malta and Tunisia. Prices are reasonable and the old town of Alghero is on the doorstep. Only go to Fertillia with local guidance and negotiation because C.....r is still a rip-off merchant. Spent two excellent winters there and the flights to Stanstead are easy. Flights to Rome are sometimes available for 10€ return.
PM for more info.

 

[cladwalk]

Ionian

miss out on the expensive Italian marinas and come to the Ionian......you can do it easily in a month with 3 single overnight passages and day sails
during the season there are weekly charter flights to Preveza or Corfu

 

[jimbaerselman]

Check my web site. It describes Corsica/Sardinia pretty thoroughly. There are lots of boat storage options at reasonable prices if you keep away from the immediate Costa Smeralda area. The fullest descriptions of the area are on the Cruising Association's web site, but you have to be a member to access that!