Which Port of Entry - Greek Ionian

[Alenka]

From what I have read every Port of Entry into Greece makes up its own set of rules.
Anyone with first hand expereince care to comment on which offers the least hassle... Corfu, Levkas or maybe Igoumenista. Although the latter doesn't have much going for it as a destination it is quite close to my intended first port of call.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Vathi on Ithaca by far

[Palarran]

Do you need to get a transit log? Some of the smaller ports may not be used to issuing one. We came into Corfu and really it wasn't so bad. If you just need a depka you can do it at Gouvia Marina.

I will say the port police on Ithaca were quite nice.

[Alenka]

Thanks guys.

I'm bringing the boat in for an extended stay of a year or so. She registered on the UK SSR and all onboard are EU nationals. I gather I need a DEPKA. It was suggested to me that I could get that from the port police in Nidri and I didn't need to bother with customs.
But Nidri is not shown as a first port of entry so a little confused?
Is it that just non EU boats or crew have to clear in through these official ports of entry?
Vathi is just a little off by intended schedule and a touch difficult for some crew who are needing to fly home.

[rivonia]

Go to lefkas. Quick and efficient. I found them to be nice people.

Peter

[athene]

Originally Posted by Alenka

From what I have read every Port of Entry into Greece makes up its own set of rules.
Anyone with first hand expereince care to comment on which offers the least hassle... Corfu, Levkas or maybe Igoumenista. Although the latter doesn't have much going for it as a destination it is quite close to my intended first port of call.

You don't say which country you're coming from, but if it's an EU member, you don't (in practice) need to go through any formalities except reporting to the port police at your first port of call with your boat papers, insurance certificate (preferably a Greek translation) and crew passports (though they probably won't look at the latter two items). They may issue you with a DEKPA (sic) there and then or suggest you get one at your next port of call.

We've got a DEKPA aboard (acquired only after we'd sailed from Corfu round the Peloponnese to Yithio), but we've never been asked for it in the Ionian (although the port police are much stricter in the eastern Aegean and around the Corinth Canal area).

Having said that, while you're supposed to report to the port police in every harbour, many yachties don't unless requested to do so, since the regulations are very unevenly applied and many port police offices don't want the bother of dealing with you and some smaller harbours don't even have them.

GORDON

[AngeW]

We got our transit log from Corfu, although we had to go right into Corfu town to do it - because we are not an EU boat. If we were an EU registered boat we could have completed all the paperwork at Gouvia marina.
We'd recommend Corfu over Preveza for paperwork.

[goboatingnow]

Having said that, while you're supposed to report to the port police in every harbour, many yachties don't unless requested to do so, since the regulations are very unevenly applied and many port police offices don't want the bother of dealing with you and some smaller harbours don't even have them.

I thought that since 2005 theres a 30 day wavier on needing the DEPKA stamped, You still have to pay port taxes etc. I never bothered getting my DEPKA stamped

dave

[jckb]

Ports of entry . . . depends whether you're EU boat or not, and whether you're EU passports, and whether you're coming from outside Schengen. Whatever, you'll need to collect a circulation document (DEKPA, or Transit log if non-EU boat)

I don't think Ithaca is a port of entry. If so, you're unlikely to get a DEKPA or transit log there, and you won't get Schengen stamps for immigration there if you're non-EU passports.

Otherwise, it's best to enter to enter somewhere which is familiar with leisure traffic, and has relatively little foreign commercial traffic. The mainly commercial traffic places tend to treat you as large vessels, asking Q's about how many cubic metres of rubbish you'll be discharging, and how many cu m of water you'll be taking on. So, nicer to avoid places like Patras and Igoumenitsa.

And easiest to go, in order of convenience (Levkas, Preveza, Corfu town, Gouvia, Argostoli). Gouvia is low on the list, since the tax office (which you often have to visit) is in Corfu town - or was when I last enquired!

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by jckb

Ports of entry . . . depends whether you're EU boat or not, and whether you're EU passports, and whether you're coming from outside Schengen. Whatever, you'll need to collect a circulation document (DEKPA, or Transit log if non-EU boat)

I don't think Ithaca is a port of entry. If so, you're unlikely to get a DEKPA or transit log there, and you won't get Schengen stamps for immigration there if you're non-EU passports.

Otherwise, it's best to enter to enter somewhere which is familiar with leisure traffic, and has relatively little foreign commercial traffic. The mainly commercial traffic places tend to treat you as large vessels, asking Q's about how many cubic metres of rubbish you'll be discharging, and how many cu m of water you'll be taking on. So, nicer to avoid places like Patras and Igoumenitsa.

And easiest to go, in order of convenience (Levkas, Preveza, Corfu town, Gouvia, Argostoli). Gouvia is low on the list, since the tax office (which you often have to visit) is in Corfu town - or was when I last enquired!

Sorry, some of that information is incorrect, although I agree with your comments about Igoumenitsa.

At Vathi in Ithaca DEKPA documents were available from the port office when they were not available in Corfu town (this will obviously vary anywhere from week to week). Stamps for immigration are available if necessary from the police a few hundred metres up the hill.

You can anchor (at no charge) just metres in front of the town in a protected bay, or tie up right next to the port office.

The process took less than 10 minutes to complete. All the officials were very helpful, friendly and easy going. No fuss at all. The easiest dealings we have ever had with Greek officials .

[dalcanton]

Originally Posted by jckb

Ports of entry . . . depends whether you're EU boat or not, and whether you're EU passports, and whether you're coming from outside Schengen. Whatever, you'll need to collect a circulation document (DEKPA, or Transit log if non-EU boat)

I don't think Ithaca is a port of entry. If so, you're unlikely to get a DEKPA or transit log there, and you won't get Schengen stamps for immigration there if you're non-EU s.
Iac

OLOtherwise, it's best to enter to enter somewhere which is familiar with leisure traffic, and has relatively little foreign commercial traffic. The mainly commercial traffic places tend to treat you as large vessels, asking Q's about how many cubic metres of rubbish you'll be discharging, and how many cu m of water you'll be taking on. So, nicer to avoid places like Patras and Igoumenitsa.

And easiest to go, in order of convenience (Levkas, Preveza, Corfu town, Gouvia, Argostoli). Gouvia is low on the list, since the tax office (which you often have to visit) is in Corfu town - or was when I last enquired!

I have been iin Greece from Italy five times for the last 20 years, sailing in the ionian and in the egean sea, Moving from the .Italian coast at Capo Spartivento I always landed in Zakintos where I was never asked to pay any tax but for my last passage, two years ago. The fee was defined. Transit log by the coastguard officer and it was quite cheap , around two euro per person. Some sailors that were similarly asked to pay had an argument wirh the officer and did not pay wirhout any apparent immediate inconvenience. I paid, but I have to say that ijt was the only time I was bothered by the Greek policy. For the rest my experience in greece has been wonderful. Inderd it is the Coiuntry in the Mediterranean sea thatI i would rank the first as for freedom in sailing
.
.Antonio Dal Canton pavia Italy


N

[jckb]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

At Vathi in Ithaca DEKPA documents were available from the port office when they were not available in Corfu town (this will obviously vary anywhere from week to week). Stamps for immigration are available if necessary from the police a few hundred metres up the hill. .

That's interesting, because I can't find Ithaka/Vathi listed anywhere as an official port of entry. But then, I haven't got my pilot book to hand.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by jckb

That's interesting, because I can't find Ithaka/Vathi listed anywhere as an official port of entry. But then, I haven't got my pilot book to hand.

Greek ports of entry from Rod Heikell's Greek Waters Pilot (Vathi on Ithaca is seventh from the bottom):

[jckb]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Greek ports of entry from Rod Heikell's Greek Waters Pilot (Vathi on Ithaca is seventh from the bottom):

Thanks! My site brought up to date!

[dlymn]

We got our DEKPA from the old customs office in Igoumenitsa (very nice people). You have to get your passports checked by the police. You must provide every possible document including a boat operators licence. The insurance documents should be the originals and with a Greek translation. Many (most?) small ports don't have customs or port police. The interpretation of rules is very flexible ( in lefkas an overnight is charged at 2 days because a day ends at midnight) The port fees are quite reasonable (7 euros a day) Some ports have water and/or power for 5 eu a day or several days. Private marinas (lefkas, Vounaki, Gouvia, odysseus Meganisi etc) charge full fees for full service 35-50 eu/day)

Make sure you hand in and cancel your DEKPA when you leave greece. If you stay in Greece you might be charged several hundred Euros every 3 months if customs finds out you are there. It is very unlikely that you will be detected unless you tell them that you're leaving the boat there for winter for example.

Get the log stamped when asked and about once a month.