Where to go?

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Sybarite

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As a potential long term cruiser I pop in here now again to read the blogs and to get the flavour.

However a lot of posts make mention of certain disagreements or admin hassle in various places. Life is too short for this and the world is so big.

So, where would you go to get the best hassle-free or bang-for-buck cruising satisfaction?
 
The charter companies have often beaten you to it.

The most delightful locations are those where there are large numbers of small ports, quaysides and anchorages within a day sail of each other, with reasonable weather factors, no shoreside threats, not excessive tidal and pilotage challenges, and good value for money.

However, if such places are within a day's travel of population centres, they will be saturated with charter boats, often seen as a threat by longer term cruising folk.

So you're going to have to sacrifice something if you wish to escape season crowding. And that's what most of the moaning is about.

West Scotland. Magic mountain scenery. Pity about the weather factor and midges.
SW Ireland. Magic craic. Pity about the 'soft' weather.
Channel Isles and nearby France. Magic cultural variety. Pity about the tidal traffic lights.
Swedish archipelagos. Threat free, very civilised, unlimited anchorages, long summer days. Pity about the cost and short season.
SW Brittany. Great food, good value, pretty scenery. Pity about the seasonal crowds.
Galicia. Brilliant seafood, big culture shift, lots of 'rias' to explore. Pity it's a long trip too get there.
Balearics. This picture says it all

And so on.

So the real excitement of cruising, for me, is exploring difference. Accept the downsides to sample the best. And revel in the variety.
 
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jimbaerselman said:
The charter companies have often beaten you to it.

The most delightful locations are those where there are large numbers of small ports, quaysides and anchorages within a day sail of each other, with reasonable weather factors, no shoreside threats, not excessive tidal and pilotage challenges, and good value for money.

However, if such places are within a day's travel of population centres, they will be saturated with charter boats, often seen as a threat by longer term cruising folk.

So you're going to have to sacrifice something if you wish to escape season crowding. And that's what most of the moaning is about.

West Scotland. Magic mountain scenery. Pity about the weather factor and midges.
SW Ireland. Magic craic. Pity about the 'soft' weather.
Channel Isles and nearby France. Magic cultural variety. Pity about the tidal traffic lights.
Swedish archipelagos. Threat free, very civilised, unlimited anchorages, long summer days. Pity about the cost and short season.
SW Brittany. Great food, good value, pretty scenery. Pity about the seasonal crowds.
Galicia. Brilliant seafood, big culture shift, lots of 'rias' to explore. Pity it's a long trip too get there.
Balearics. This picture says it all

And so on.

So the real excitement of cruising, for me, is exploring difference. Accept the downsides to sample the best. And revel in the variety.
Click to expand...

Like the b l o o d y Italian next to me who has just shot his wash hose through my portlights and wet my book collection, I suppose!
 
chinita said:
You missed:

East Coast: magic mud, lots of mud, cheap and delicious mud, midge free mud. Pity about the mud.
Click to expand...

I vaguely remember British mud but having been here since 1980 ( with occasional cruises) I suppose that some would call me a stick in the mud but I haven't found anywhere that suits me as well.
 
Cuba - its empty, great sailing and great people. not really a hassle but you do need to be patient and enjoy the experience - the clearing in and out is often actually enjoyable as the people are always up for a chat. Got to agree with jimbaerselman, going through a bit of inconvenience can open up a whole load of adventure.... that said We often found its not the sailing or anchorages, but the people that make it interesting, One attracts the other I suppose :-)
 
Thanks everybody. I suppose I was thinking of those traditional cruising zones which have become unenjoyable because of the extent of the hassle.

However, I recognize that it's all a question of balance and that moderate hassle wouldn't rule out some great areas.
 
Steve C Cronin said:
If you can retain such a good sense of humour after 2.5K+ of posts here, you are doing well!
Click to expand...

:D

Bit tongue in cheek I'll admit, but I'm new enough to the game to still actually believe that... places like Lymington, Yarmouth, Cowes, Beaulieu river still make me go "wow"... and I live on the south coast so the prices are not unexplainable, I have always sailed here so I don't notice the number of boats as I have nothing to compare the experience to... :cool:
 
if you have your own boat head for the Western Caribbean and Panama and Colombia. Great cruising, great people, and weather is good most of the time. If you do not have your own boat forget it as not much in terms of charting there. Althrough you can charter in Belieze.
 
jimbaerselman said:
So the real excitement of cruising, for me, is exploring difference. Accept the downsides to sample the best. And revel in the variety.
Click to expand...
Same applys to us , off cause free mooring and good anchorages are always a bonus .
The last two years we have cruiser what other have describe as some of the most expenses grounds in the Med , Italy , south of France and Croatia , we found there wasn't much of a different as long as you kept away from marinas .
No admin Hussle in Italy , one case of custom boarding in France , all very friendly and other then the check in and out which all went very smoothly in Croatia nothing really to complain about , but for easy cruising especially for novices it has to be the Ioninia .
Maybe that's why the rest of us try and keep away from there as much as possibly
www.bluewatersailorcroatia.webs.com
 
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