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Old 16-03-2016, 04:03   #1
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Where to charter in August in Europe

Hello,

Please can anyone offer me some advice on which area to sail in the last week of August. I have young children so am keen to avoid strong winds - we'll only be sailing 2-3 hours/day I expect and won't be going too far from land. We'll aim to anchor for most of the time with a couple of nights in marinas.

We've sailed around the Kornati Islands in Croatia last year in May (beautiful) and have the choice of either South France / Corfu / Dubrovnik / Montenegro. The charter in South France is a little cheaper for some reason.

A specific question about South France is whether there are enough bays to anchor overnight without masses of other boats (Croatia was deserted in May but I realise this is not peak season). I also wonder if we would need to book marinas in advance and if they are way more expensive then the other areas I have mentioned.

Thanks for any comments.
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Old 16-03-2016, 05:35   #2
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

It's many years since we cruised S. France, but the only places we were able to anchor (from memory) were the Iles d'Hyeres and the calanques around Marseilles. It's mostly port-hopping along that coast.

Corfu and the mainland opposite has lots of nice anchorages and small harbours where you can anchor moor back to the quay. Montenegro has an attractive but short coastline with only a few anchorages, but the Gulf of Kotor is of course spectacular and you could spend a week just exploring that. See http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Kotor.

Dubrovnik has some of Croatia's nicest islands within an easy day's sail, Mljet being the most attractive. See http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Mljet.

If you're into quiet, 'get away from it all' anchorages I guess the Corfu option would be your best bet, since from there you can explore some of the northern anchorages such as Kalami and Agni (see http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Corfu) or the ones on the mainland near the Albanian border such as Pagania.

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Old 16-03-2016, 08:23   #3
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

Quote:
Originally Posted by CartMan View Post
Hello,

Please can anyone offer me some advice on which area to sail in the last week of August. I have young children so am keen to avoid strong winds - we'll only be sailing 2-3 hours/day I expect and won't be going too far from land. We'll aim to anchor for most of the time with a couple of nights in marinas.

We've sailed around the Kornati Islands in Croatia last year in May (beautiful) and have the choice of either South France / Corfu / Dubrovnik / Montenegro. The charter in South France is a little cheaper for some reason.

A specific question about South France is whether there are enough bays to anchor overnight without masses of other boats (Croatia was deserted in May but I realise this is not peak season). I also wonder if we would need to book marinas in advance and if they are way more expensive then the other areas I have mentioned.

Thanks for any comments.
Sometimes it is hard to find places in marinas in Croatia at high season specially on central Croatia. As you know there are lots of buoy camps and it is easier to find a place on those. Also lots of restaurants with buoys that if you have dinner there cab stay for the night.

To anchor is a lot more difficult with anchorages full and with someone putting an anchor just near yours. For finding a place you have to start looking at early afternoon. Off course if you want to book marinas in advance that will take care of the problem and Croatia has some of the nicest and old river villages on the med. You can just make a trip following them with booked marinas because on those only by miracle you will have a place.

Regarding Croatia Dubrovnik is a good choice. Not only the city is beautiful as there are some very nice Islands around that are not as crowded as central Croatia. I had no difficulty in anchoring there.

The Ionian (Corfu) is crowded but less crowded than Central Croatia. Been there last year and if you avoid the more touristic spots you will find anchoring places easily. Normally you can find places without booking in Corfu, Preveza or Lefkas.

Montenegro is very beautiful, cheap but small. I had no problems anchoring there even if the anchorages are not many (rather deep most of the time).

Never been at the South of France and the reason is that there are less anchorages than on the Islands. I would rather consider Corsica or Sardinia than the South of France.
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Old 16-03-2016, 18:48   #4
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

Hi,

Knowing all the regions that you refer to, I agree with everything that has been said. In the South of France you need to consider marinas. In all of the other places, you can get good anchorages or public quays most of the time.

I have been 3 weeks in Croatia last July coming from Montenegro, going up to Sibenik and leaving Croatia from Lastovo. During that period, I used free anchorages except for 2 nigths in Marina Kastela, from where I took a bus to visit Split. In Dubrovnik, we left the boat in the nice anchorage of Kolocep, from where we took the ferry to visit Dubrovnik. In order to know where I could get paid or free anchorages, the following site (and map) was a must:

http://www.anchoragesincroatia.net

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Old 17-03-2016, 08:23   #5
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

Having sailed Croatia a couple of Summers and the South Ionian for many years I would really recommend the area south of the Lefkas Canal as a very good cruising area with lots of small anchorages on interesting islands. You will find good anchorages and often tavernas in the coves as well. Provisions are easy to get here. The only problem with that area is that it is small. If you include Corfu and the surrou
Rod Heikell has a good pilot for the area
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Old 17-03-2016, 11:58   #6
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

Quote:
Originally Posted by CartMan View Post
Hello,

Please can anyone offer me some advice on which area to sail in the last week of August. I have young children so am keen to avoid strong winds - we'll only be sailing 2-3 hours/day I expect and won't be going too far from land. We'll aim to anchor for most of the time with a couple of nights in marinas.

We've sailed around the Kornati Islands in Croatia last year in May (beautiful) and have the choice of either South France / Corfu / Dubrovnik / Montenegro. The charter in South France is a little cheaper for some reason.

A specific question about South France is whether there are enough bays to anchor overnight without masses of other boats (Croatia was deserted in May but I realise this is not peak season). I also wonder if we would need to book marinas in advance and if they are way more expensive then the other areas I have mentioned.

Thanks for any comments.
Hello,

I strongly recommend the South of Portugal and Spain. Here you have beautiful golden sand beaches, hot and clean waters, lots of historical monuments and you can live and eat like a king with 1/5 of the money that you will need en Italy or France. Mediterranean gastronomy is superb. So if you need any help to choose your plan, between the coast of Sagres (in Portugal) until the coast of Barcelona you can contact me to the email jpsalgueiro@yahoo.com. I´m experienced in all this coast, cause I sail it every August in my sailboat. It´s always a pleasure to help a sailor!!!
Best Regards
João Salgueiro
P.S. – I could recommend Baleares, but in August is overcrowded… Also marinas, buoys and “Callas” have not enough space for so many boats
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Old 17-03-2016, 14:29   #7
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

The Greek Ionians are definitely a good option that we know. The Dodecanese are also another option with lots of anchorages. The coast of Turkey between Bodrum and the Golf of Fethyie is also an option although it can be very hot in some anchorages. Regarding reserving marina space, I recommend you stay away from Fridays and Saturdays which are transition days for Charter crew, so most charter boats are back at their bases. For the remainder of the week you will be fine, no need for reservations which create unnecessary commitments.
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Old 17-03-2016, 17:28   #8
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

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The Greek Ionians are definitely a good option that we know. The Dodecanese are also another option with lots of anchorages. The coast of Turkey between Bodrum and the Golf of Fethyie is also an option although it can be very hot in some anchorages. Regarding reserving marina space, I recommend you stay away from Fridays and Saturdays which are transition days for Charter crew, so most charter boats are back at their bases. For the remainder of the week you will be fine, no need for reservations which create unnecessary commitments.
Dear Chalifour,
Greece and Turkey are beautiful countries with beautiful islands, but, unfortunately right now this part of Mediterranean Sea is not a vacation place. As you should know there as thousands of war refugees sailing in small boats without conditions, just trying to arrive to safe shore in Europe. 2016 Is definitely not a good year to go there if you are not in a warship. It´s a very, very dangerous place. We hope 2017 this problem is solved.

Best regards,
João Salgueiro
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Old 17-03-2016, 17:49   #9
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

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Old 17-03-2016, 18:01   #10
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

Where NOT to go in August is the Balearics. It's extremely hot, extremely crowded, and extremely expensive--and there's no wind.


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Old 17-03-2016, 18:36   #11
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

Just dropping in to say all seems good information from the contributors, so thank you. I am sure there are many like me who look on the comments with interest.
Thanks everyone !
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Old 17-03-2016, 19:02   #12
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

Quote:
Originally Posted by CartMan View Post
Hello,

Please can anyone offer me some advice on which area to sail in the last week of August. I have young children so am keen to avoid strong winds - we'll only be sailing 2-3 hours/day I expect and won't be going too far from land. We'll aim to anchor for most of the time with a couple of nights in marinas.

We've sailed around the Kornati Islands in Croatia last year in May (beautiful) and have the choice of either South France / Corfu / Dubrovnik / Montenegro. The charter in South France is a little cheaper for some reason.

A specific question about South France is whether there are enough bays to anchor overnight without masses of other boats (Croatia was deserted in May but I realise this is not peak season). I also wonder if we would need to book marinas in advance and if they are way more expensive then the other areas I have mentioned. As Athene said below, we found almost no well sheltered anchorages in France. I would avoid it for sure, IMO

Thanks for any comments.
The advice below is really good and IMO the Ionians would be best. Though I see no reason to go out of Corfu. Lefkas is better.

Quote:
Originally Posted by athene View Post
It's many years since we cruised S. France, but the only places we were able to anchor (from memory) were the Iles d'Hyeres and the calanques around Marseilles. It's mostly port-hopping along that coast.

Corfu and the mainland opposite has lots of nice anchorages and small harbours where you can anchor moor back to the quay. Montenegro has an attractive but short coastline with only a few anchorages, but the Gulf of Kotor is of course spectacular and you could spend a week just exploring that. See http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Kotor.

Dubrovnik has some of Croatia's nicest islands within an easy day's sail, Mljet being the most attractive. See http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Mljet.

If you're into quiet, 'get away from it all' anchorages I guess the Corfu option would be your best bet, since from there you can explore some of the northern anchorages such as Kalami and Agni (see http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Corfu) or the ones on the mainland near the Albanian border such as Pagania.

GORDON KNIGHT
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Old 18-03-2016, 02:47   #13
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

Montenegro. Definitely. I got a friends keeping boats there. In case you wanna hire - cheap and good. Besides I got my boat there too, antique (not for rent ;0)
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Old 18-03-2016, 04:26   #14
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

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Originally Posted by jpsalgueiro View Post
Dear Chalifour,
Greece and Turkey are beautiful countries with beautiful islands, but, unfortunately right now this part of Mediterranean Sea is not a vacation place. As you should know there as thousands of war refugees sailing in small boats without conditions, just trying to arrive to safe shore in Europe. 2016 Is definitely not a good year to go there if you are not in a warship. It´s a very, very dangerous place. We hope 2017 this problem is solved.

Best regards,
João Salgueiro
I would not say a dangerous place but a place with some problems, mostly humanitarian ones. However Greece and Turkey are big countries and those problems with refugees don't happen on all its shores buts mostly on the Greek Islands that are near the Turkish coast.

They don't happen on the Ionian or on the North Coast of Greece (Sporades) not even near Athens and adjacent Islands, Crete or the Cyclades.

There are also many regions of Turkey where refugees trying to reach Greece are not a problem for the simple reason they are far away of any Greek Island.

Here, at red the main problematic Greek and Turkish areas:


Regarding Portugal and the South Coast of Spain I agree with you even if on some parts of the coast of Spain is hard or impossible to find anchorages and others have expensive Marinas (Marbella region) and it is hard to find a place.
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Old 18-03-2016, 04:56   #15
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Re: Where to charter in August in Europe

I agree with you my sailor friend "Polux". As we are talking about the South of Portugal, try to look in google this two places: Alvor (37°06'12.00"N 8°36'11.58"O) and Ilha da Culatra (36°59'23.87"N 7°48'19.30"O). In August it´s Eden on eath!!!
Fair Winds
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