Tips for Greece

[Palarran]

That's some good information from everybody - thank you. I just received my Greek Waters Pilot and spent quite a few hours last night reading it. The more I imagine my trip, the more I think I'm better to visit fewer islands for longer periods. Like three days instead of 1, afterall, there are a lot of islands .

I'm still looking forward to posting the route and getting some advise from all of you. Thank you again.
David.

[hoppy]

I'm sure most people already know this, but for the sake of anyone new to the idea of sailing in Greece, this website is very good for weather Poseidon System

[yeloya]

Originally Posted by svBeBe

American friends ran into problems when clearing out of Greece in Simi. They had overstayed the total 90 days allowed in the total EU as per the Schengen Treaty. They had only been in Greece less than 30 days, but over the 90 day limit covering all the other countries combined. They were charged 1250 Euro per person in Simi for being in the EU longer than 90 days. When we cleared into Greece (and the EU for the first time) the Customs officer in Pythagorion (Samos) warned us that we must clear out of Greece no later than the 89th day, or we would be charged a high fee on the 90th day.

Just pointing out the possibilities and reminding non-EU readers than some places do rigidly enforce the Schengen Treaty limits.

Judy
S/V BeBe

I have frequently visited both Rhodes and Simi. I don't know the reason why but Simi has always been more problemetic. It is very closed to Turkish coast (8 nm) and many Turkish boats are going there, mostly motor yatchs for getting cheaper fuel. Remember that 90 % nof turkish motor yatches are carrying US flag (Delaware..) for not paying any tax in Turkey. This could be the reason, I don't know..
Talking about Simi, the port is very narrow, buttom is V shaped and not holding very well. The richiest man in the island is the drunk diver who is freeing the jammed anchors each morning for 100 € per boat

Cheers

Yeloya

[Palarran]

Good Morning guys. I have a couple more questions about cruising Greece.

How hard is it to get ice? Is it available everywhere or seldom?

How about butane refill's? Do you just buy new gaz cylinders or do you refill your old ones? I'm looking at buying one of these: US LPG System Adapter

Thanks,
David.

[goboatingnow]

Ice isn't a problem you can get it from the bars and supermarkets

Butane is best got using camping gaz , this is a bottle exchange system. Refils are available but are harder to find.

Dave

[Frederik V]

Originally Posted by Palarran

That's some good information from everybody - thank you. I just received my Greek Waters Pilot and spent quite a few hours last night reading it. The more I imagine my trip, the more I think I'm better to visit fewer islands for longer periods. Like three days instead of 1, afterall, there are a lot of islands .

I'm still looking forward to posting the route and getting some advise from all of you. Thank you again.
David.

I have visited all Greek Islands south of Andros and my top 10 are :
Santorini (but go to the harbour in Ios and take the speedferry, unless your keel is less than 1,6 meter you go to the the Vlikhada harbour. Hire a car to visit Oia.)
Nisiros : and visit the Vulcano
Symi : and hire a scooter to drive around the island (panormitis)
Paros : visit Naoussa, anchor in the northern bay but first have a look at the harbour; you might find a place on the outside pier if you are lucky in the morning (beware of your rudder, go bows to)
Naxos : well equipped harbour and a very nice town
Astypalaia : Vathy - very peacefull with one little restaurant, plenty of room to anchor or go to the pier.
Kalymnos : Vathy (best to anchor or going to the pier as close as possible towards the sea)
Schoinoussa : the west bay
Levitha : try to arrive not later than 11 am to fin yourself a buoy. Anchoring in the bay on the westside is possible but I cannot recommand.
Mykonos : the town is worth a visit, well equipped harbour
Kythnos Loutra : and take a bath in the hotsprings running in the sea
Paxoi : on the westcoast of Greece (Ionic islands) on your way to Croatia, but that is another story ...

And don't go to :
Leros : Lakki

Frederik

[Jacques2]

Originally Posted by Palarran

buy new gaz cylinders or do you refill your old ones? ]

David.

Hi ! It is possible to refill a camping gaz cylinder in some islands : I did it in Kalymnos last May. But you have to find a taxi to go to the gas station which is at about 3 kms from the port.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by hoppy

anyone know of any good Greek ferry sites for working out locations for exchanging crews?

I have tried using ferries.gr but their site is poorly designed and no useful mapping.

I don't want to be tied down to fixed dates and ports when cruising. I'd rather plan to be in certain regions on dates and make final meeting arrange just a day or two beforehand and sail to the nearest port that my crew can take a ferry to their airport island or back to Athens.

A map with ferry routes on it is what I need, then maybe ferries.gr will become useful.

I'm doing a similar situation. All my guests are flying from the states. I just found EasyJet out of London Gatwick. The ticket prices are super low. So, my friends can fly to London, check it out for a few days, then fly direct to the island I'm on.

[Palarran]

Thank you all for the information. I hope to see you on the water when I am there. I will buy a nice bottle of wine for us to enjoy. I am also learning to cook Greek dishes and enjoying it. I would like to post my route but it is constantly getting smaller. We feel it is better to visit fewer places and spend more time at those.

[Palarran]

Is anyone concerned about cruising Greece next year? I'm constantly hearing they are going to be forced to leave the euro and that the drachma will be near worthless. It is supposed to be good for tourism as we will have a strong currency but I'm getting concerned that the country might go into gridlock. This would be a problem for many of my friends that are considering visiting us.

How do you think cruising will be affected next year?

Thanks,
David.

[savoir]

Greece going to the Drachma would be great for cruisers. The value of the Drachma would fall giving everyone the cheapest vacations in Europe. Greece's tourism industry would surge and might be the only industry to surge.

So far there are no signs of that happening.

[hoppy]

On Thursday I was at the marina in Samos trying to call a taxi to get me to the airport but there was no answer. Only when I asked at the marina bar did I find out about the taxi strike. I went to the marina office and luckily the manager was about to go to the airport, so I got a lift.

My flight to Athens was delayed because of a air traffic controller flight. Then in Athens my flight home was delayed by a couple of hours for the same reason.

Dropping out of the euro may be a good thing for tourism but if they shoot themselves in the foot by causing chaos to tourists, then they will stay away. Whilst waiting at the airport I could not help thinking I would be avoiding Greece in the future if I did not have my boat there.

The Greeks need to understand that nothing good will come out of the strikes. Their economy is screwed and they need to grin and bare with it. At the end of the day the need to get organised and create a new political movement untainted by corruption who can oust the government at the next election. But I don't see that happening.

[savoir]

There were several riots in Athens last week but they received the barest media mention. It seems like they are all trying to put a positive spin on the bailout idea. I'm darned if I know why. It strikes me as just throwing good money after bad.

[hoppy]

Greece needs a massive cultural shift. So many cash transactions and no receipts and thus no taxes paid.

The European holiday culture does not help Greece the way whole countries go on holiday at once. It means that the tourist season in places like Greece, Spain and so on are only July & August whilst the summer is June to September. I was amazed how empty it was in September and yet it was great weather.

[svBeBe]

Originally Posted by hoppy

Greece needs a massive cultural shift. So many cash transactions and no receipts and thus no taxes paid.

The European holiday culture does not help Greece the way whole countries go on holiday at once. It means that the tourist season in places like Greece, Spain and so on are only July & August whilst the summer is June to September. I was amazed how empty it was in September and yet it was great weather.

We spent 86 days in Greece over the summer -- going from Samos to Piraeus (stopped there several times) and various islands down to Crete before heading east again. Rented cars on several islands. Bought various trinkets; purchased a few boat items (including 13 batteries); visiting family members bought many souvenir items; visited lots of restaurants, etc. Not once was there a cash transaction without receiving a receipt; even when visiting a hair salon. The Greeks always gave us a receipt. We saw no evidence of a black economy. It might exist or it might be an assumption. But we saw none.

Judy
S/V BeBe