Marinas?

[gsthomps]

Hi all,

I am returning to sailing after a gap of around 20 years. When I sailed before there were not many marinas, particularly in the areas I sailed (NE Scotland).

I'm planning to venture further afield this time around, probably down the Atlantic coasts to the Med.

Is there still a choice when entering a harbour of using the harbour wall or going onto a marina pontoon? I know marinas offer great facilities but do we still have the choice to decline them and just use the harbour wall.

All feedback and comments very welcome.

Cheers!

[multihullsailor6]

Welcome back to sailing!

I would venture to say it is far more reglemented and commercialised nowadays but with good planning you can still find the odd harbour wall (especially in Italy) or an anchoring area within a port, the latter rare though (as in Trapani). Or you anchor in front of the port entrance.

Enjoy your freedom!

[jckb]

Originally Posted by gsthomps

Is there still a choice when entering a harbour of using the harbour wall or going onto a marina pontoon? I know marinas offer great facilities but do we still have the choice to decline them and just use the harbour wall.

Along the Tidal Atlantic coasts there's still a good choice between harbour walls, marinas and anchorages - and marinas generally have increased the number of stops on a route, making day sailing more easy.

There is a tendency in popular (read "crowded") places to charge for anchoring, or even dis-allow it, providing mooring buoys instead. Salcombe, in Devon, comes to mind.

French and Atlantic Spain coasts still offer a wide range of anchoring/harbour wall options, though it's a bit difficult to find free space in peak season in parts of south Brittany.

There are wide differences between regions in the Mediterraean. Greece is all harbour walls with very few marinas. Turkey is 50/50. S Med Spain is marina heavy and anchorage light. So, choose your area to match your tastes!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, gsthomps.

[bil56]

what's new, gsthomps ?
arrived on west european coasts ?

[Joefloki]

Originally Posted by jckb

There are wide differences between regions in the Mediterraean. Greece is all harbour walls with very few marinas.

GREECE: The "harbour walls" in Greece are mostly blocked with local boats, everything disorganized, it is very hard to find a place, you would have to be very lucky to find one, and recently, because of the financial crisis, they charge in most places. - Marinas are few, as said, and some of them meanwhile more expensive than in Turkey or Italy.

[jckb]

Originally Posted by Joefloki

GREECE: The "harbour walls" in Greece are mostly blocked with local boats, everything disorganized, it is very hard to find a place, you would have to be very lucky to find one, and recently, because of the financial crisis, they charge in most places. - Marinas are few, as said, and some of them meanwhile more expensive than in Turkey or Italy.

Whilst I respect your personal views about Cruising in Greece, I think it's fair to say this is a minority opinion. Greece remains the most popular chartering destination in the Mediterranean. This would not be possible if most harbour walls were blocked by local boats. In fact, in the area of Greece enclosed by Levkada and Cephallinia, the majority of quaysides impose no charges (although they should), and are filled by leisure boats mostly crewed by non-Greeks. Other quaysides with water and electricity points do make a charge, but you don't have to use them.

When looking at prices, nearly every country has one or two marinas which are more expensive than marinas in other countries. Italy, I think, holds the record for the highest priced marina - Porto Cervo in Sardinia. Apart from these occasional "fashion" marinas (where people go to be seen) you seem to get what you pay for. Places with swimming pools, yacht clubs, quality washrooms and laundry facilities are expensive throughout. Simple quaysides with limited or no facilities or staff often don't charge at all. This, again, is true throughout the Med.

I agree that Greece is very dis-organised. Some people visit the country because it is so undeveloped - in many places it is like going back in time by 50 years, to a very different way of life. This is one reason why many people go to Greece. This doesn't appeal to you. Fair enough.

[Joefloki]

@jckb
IMHO your oppinion is whitewashing the facts.

I am not keen to discuss it further in detail, because we would not convince each other.

only something: Lefkas is not a city harbour, it is a marina
Because of the financial crisis they charge meanwhile in almost all harbours plus even anchor places (eg. Messilongi, Porto Heli, Kilada) !

Greece to be the most popular sailing area in the med, according you:

[fishtail]

Originally Posted by Joefloki

GREECE: The "harbour walls" in Greece are mostly blocked with local boats, everything disorganized, it is very hard to find a place, you would have to be very lucky to find one, and recently, because of the financial crisis, they charge in most places. - Marinas are few, as said, and some of them meanwhile more expensive than in Turkey or Italy.

Sorry but this is a bit misleading.
Firstly,harbour walls...or town harbours in Greece are rarely full. You can always find space .True,local boats tend to moor haphazardly,mainly nearest to the town itself,but we have never been unable to moor up.
Some of them charge,...occasionally...but it is usually a few euros.
Greece is littered with marinas.Many unfinished as they ran out of money because of the widespread corruption.you just go in and find yourself a place.
There are some very good well run marinas as well.Prices compare well with Italy and Turkey.
One problem you may find is that water is sometimes difficult to obtain on some islands.This is because it is delivered by tanker and is thus expensive .
I speak with some authority as we spend 4months every year cruising Greece and Turkey.

[jckb]

Originally Posted by Joefloki

Greece to be the most popular sailing area in the med, according you:

Well, no, not according to me. According to the numbers of charter boats operating, according to the percentage of Cruising Association members who base their boats there (with Turkey a close second) and according to the number of visitors who inspect the Greece pages on my website compared to pages of other areas.

Because of the financial crisis they charge meanwhile in almost all harbours plus even anchor places (eg. Messilongi, Porto Heli, Kilada) !

Well, no, not because of the financial crisis. They have been charging for all "arrivals" since at least 1980.

Welcome to Europe . . . you'll find the South coast of England far more expensive, double marina prices, boats often rafted up four deep on pontoons, SW harbours charging for anchoring, and bad weather to round it off.

I realise you dislike Greece intensely. But it does have some advantages as a cruising destination (as well as disadvantages) compared to other Mediteranean countries.