Tunisia

[Jad]

Hello,
We live on board since 8 months. We are currently in Sardinia and intend to sail to Tunisia (Jan 2010). But so far we could not get a lot of information about marinas, sailing conditions, people, repair costs, etc.
We would appreciate you to share your experience, telling openly the pros and the contras.
Thanks for your contribution.
Philippe
Jad
www.ovnijad.com

[anjou]

Hello

Tunisia is much cheaper than Europe once you show the locals your not a tourist. If you have repairs to do, local craftsmen and materials are much cheaper.

Where in Sardinia are you?

[Ram]

tunisa is booked solid, all the marinia are full months ahead of time- they are buiding a huge one with a few thousand births soon-

[Jad]

Dear ANJOU,
we are now in the North of Sardinia, in Palau. It is a very nice place, still animated (not like Porto Cervo that is all closed), in front of the beautiful islands of La Maddelenas.
Have a look at our site www.ovnijad.com or for pictures as well at Panoramio - Photos by ovnijad.com > Palau
And the marina is very cheap: less than 5€ per day all included!
All the best and happy new year.
Philippe
JAD

[Ram]

Originally Posted by Jad

And the marina is very cheap: less than 5€ per day all included!
All the best and happy new year.
Philippe
JAD

thats cheap do you have a contact number and website, i may like to put in there next winter

[Euro Cruiser]

At the risk of over-generalizing, I'd say there are two Tunisias insofar as yachties are concerned. One Tunisia is the country with the large, modern marinas that are each a part of larger resort complexes, which to my mind looked almost devoid of Tunisian culture and chock full of Euoprean tourists and yachts. We visited all but one of these by car, thanks to a kind Tunisian who was proud of his country, and I'm glad we didn't stop at any of them. The other Tunisia is the mix of fishing harbors and nice anchorages, and these may not be full even if the resort marinas are. Ram can tell you where he wintered, which was at the far W edge of Tunisia, as I recall, and we cleared into a fishing harbor (Kebili as I recall; full immigration/customs presence and a nice tho' small yachtie community) that would have been a nice stop. From that point, calling ahead to SBS (just outside Tunis) might help you locate a berth on a short-term basis, and access to Tunis from Sidi Bou Said is cheap and easy.

Jack

[Ram]

Jack , Last year I planned to stay at Tabkar-a small fishing port- the Western most port in Tunisia, where I had made arangments for the winter,and they were to hold my space- so I sailed from Greece and Stopped in at Kebili, and called ahead - to my suprice they had no record of me reserving a birth- and they were full up , in early OCT 08. So I called around and every where was full, so I stayed in Kebili and it worked out fine, but at about the same cost as it woud have been in a Yacht marina-Lots of working fishing boats there , and saw more than once a big boat bumping into the Yachts- my deck had metal filing rust all over it when I returned- , not the best place to keep your boat but it worked in a pinch- cost for 6 months about $2000 USD that included a man watching the boat-

[Euro Cruiser]

Ouch! Ram, it sounds like Tunisia is indeed not the place we visited in 2007 - or you the place you wintered in 2006-07. But since we didn't find weather there that different from elsewhere in the Med, and with the prices all pumped up now, I'm thinking perhaps Tunisia is no longer the Winter Promised Land. Would you agree?

Jack

[Ram]

Its changing for sure Jack,just like Turkey, Croatia,and others in the area-
--the haul out is a steal at 55 euros in & out including a week on the hard in Tunisia-Theres a big new marinina in the works near Carthage with some where over 1000+ births being put in- about half of my cost was to have a guy watch the boat-I did not need that at Tabarkar--likely did not need it in Kalibia ---


im hearing the next place is Algeria, there looking around at Tunisia and Marocco all building marinas and they have just started to build- and plan on building a few --they are also trying to change there image to a friendly one-

[butxeta]

We sailed Tunisia in our way back from Sicily last summer.

We arrived just when Ramadan had started, bad luck. I've been told that people is very friendly, but that was not our experience.

I must say the place is amazing. We sailed miles of unspoliled coast alone. We found pretty anchorages and planty of fish. I'd like to repeat it.

Just one problem: Customs and police... They all want somthing, and it takes too long every time you enter a new port. Or that was our experience.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by butxeta

We sailed Tunisia in our way back from Sicily last summer.

We arrived just when Ramadan had started, bad luck. I've been told that people is very friendly, but that was not our experience.

I must say the place is amazing. We sailed miles of unspoliled coast alone. We found pretty anchorages and planty of fish. I'd like to repeat it.

Just one problem: Customs and police... They all want somthing, and it takes too long every time you enter a new port. Or that was our experience.

I bring them a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red or about 10 euros when I first clear in then the paper work gets done much faster- just be sure to put it in a bag- ,

[bjvarley]

Originally Posted by Euro Cruiser

But since we didn't find weather there that different from elsewhere in the Med, and with the prices all pumped up now, I'm thinking perhaps Tunisia is no longer the Winter Promised Land.
Jack

Weather not different, up on the north coast I agree but further south on the east (currently we're in Monastir ) its very pleasant, temp high 20's, wind F3 max and got a berth for a month at around 7 euro a day, (about a third which is water and electric.) It is forecast to get a bit cooler next week though!

[Jad]

Originally Posted by Ram

thats cheap do you have a contact number and website, i may like to put in there next winter

The contact for the marina of Palau (North Sardinia) is:
www. palau.it
portoturistico@palau.it
Mr Igazio Sanna.
tel: 0039 (0)789708435.

All the best
Philippe
JAD
For our pictures of Palau: Panoramio - Photos by ovnijad.com > Palau

or www.ovnijad.com

[kathaiatsea]

Hi. I enjoyed your photos of Sardinia. Can you please advise....my Med Almanac says there is a "Sardinian Yacht Tax" of 500 Euros even if you stay for a day. Do they still collect this tax? Thanks. John "Kathai".

[fishwife]

Originally Posted by kathaiatsea

Hi. I enjoyed your photos of Sardinia. Can you please advise....my Med Almanac says there is a "Sardinian Yacht Tax" of 500 Euros even if you stay for a day. Do they still collect this tax? Thanks. John "Kathai".

I found this on Noonsite Noonsite: Sardinia Tax Abolished

P.