Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[Ram]

Originally Posted by atoll

greek islands this time of year is when the octopus are inshore,all you need is a big weight lots of hooks anda bit of white cloth or plastic to jig for them on the bottom in about 30m in bays before they shelve off into deeper water.

the tavernas fill their deep freezers during the winter with octopus as later in the year the water is too warm and the buggers move into deeper water.

can normally catch 10-15 kilos in an hour or so,just gotta turn the buggers insideout otherwise they escape.

also try putting a wine cork in when cooking,tenderizes the flesh without having to beat them on the rocks.

in the med in general you need to get in the water to fish lots of decent sized grouper to be had spear fishing.

otherwise may,june and july is about the only time you will have any sucess trolling for yellow and blue fin tuna,in the eastern med.

took me years to find this out after fishing in the indian ocean,where it is childs play to catch anything.

Opps I forgot to mention I did shoot 1 octopuss and to tell you it broke my heart to watch it struggle trying to pull the spear from its head , it took about 1/2 hour for me to get him to the beach and that week each time I eat some of him I felt the pain of killing him again ! I have seen many and passed them by !

[atoll]

feel the pain as well,but the crew never seem to complain as they stuff my pulpo almare down their throats.
used to be loads of poor russians at one time in the eastern med and octopus was a staple for them,and belive you me they lived on a lot less than $500 a month in greece and cyprus.

hunger is a great motivator........

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Hey. Boaty, I'd put up with ya for more than hour.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Hannah on 'Rita T'

Hey. Boaty, I'd put up with ya for more than hour.

Well Boatman... looks like you've still got it!
What can I say. You're a legend

[w1651]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Like Ram, I have sailed the Greek Islands - but it was 30 years ago and back then catching fish was rarely possible. The waters were crystal clear, sort of oily due to high salt content, and devoid of any underwater life save lots of sea grass.
- - We met in Mikonos some local "fishermen" and they operate independently going out for about 10 days each month to fish. As was explained to me, the first 3 days and the last 3 days are used to evade and confuse anybody attempting to find out where they are going to fish. But they bring back fish and lobster - and - sell them for enough money to pay for the rest of the month tied to the quay and drinking in the Tavernas. Greek food back then was not expensive if it was "land" food. But a small fish, what in Florida we call a "crappie", cost upwards of US$50 per plate versus a couple dollars for local Greek land food. Lobsters in the restaurants started at US$100 - and this was 30 years ago. . .
- - Counting on living off your fishing can be a bad assumption. I personally am convinced that there is something you could call a "fishy" thumb. Those folks with one can catch fish anywhere while the rest of us lose lures, catch old tires and lots of sea grass but rarely anything edible.

Greece sounds like a great place to stay away from if you want to sail on 500 a month. The whole Med sounds way to expensive for a frugal sailor. This is what a lot of us are talking about. Stay away from the places where tourists go and find another anchorage some where more fiscally friendly.

[w1651]

Originally Posted by Hannah on 'Rita T'

Hey. Boaty, I'd put up with ya for more than hour.

Alright you !

Over to SSSM you go

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Hannah on 'Rita T'

Hey. Boaty, I'd put up with ya for more than hour.

Where's the champagne.......

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

Well Boatman... looks like you've still got it!
What can I say. You're a legend

Naaw..... thats an example of what folks are prepared to put up with for a cold beer...
Thats sailors for ya....

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by w1651

Greece sounds like a great place to stay away from if you want to sail on 500 a month. The whole Med sounds way to expensive for a frugal sailor. This is what a lot of us are talking about. Stay away from the places where tourists go and find another anchorage some where more fiscally friendly.

And if not being able to eat wasn't enough incentive...
Noonsite: New Tax for Cruising Boats in Greece - The Latest

[boatman61]

Ahhhh... that ones no worry for the shabby, freeloading 21ft-38ft bums living on the cheap... thats a tax on de rich folks....

[Bash]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Ahhhh... that ones no worry for the shabby, freeloading 21ft-38ft bums living on the cheap... thats a tax on de rich folks....

For the safe of accuracy, that tax only applies to sailing vessels over 15 meters. In other words, anyone under 49' LOA is not subject to that tax.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Counting on living off your fishing can be a bad assumption. I personally am convinced that there is something you could call a "fishy" thumb. Those folks with one can catch fish anywhere while the rest of us lose lures, catch old tires and lots of sea grass but rarely anything edible.

I can catch bait fish and catfish real good.

Can't eat the catfish (mud cat).

Can I eat the bait fish?

[Brent Swain]

When you say "freeloading bums" I think more of the top level executives, giving themselves multi million dollar bonuses, at the expense of the rest of us. They don't cruise in shabby 28 to 38 foot sailboats . Don' thave to. They only have to reach into our collective pockets to buy themselves whatever they want.

[Geoduck]

I remember when there was no pavement in Baja - anywhere!
Now those were the GOOD OLD DAYS!

[nonam]

Brent Swain When you say "freeloading bums" I think more of the top level executives, giving themselves multi million dollar bonuses, at the expense of the rest of us. They don't cruise in shabby 28 to 38 foot sailboats . Don' thave to. They only have to reach into our collective pockets to buy themselves whatever they want.

That is absolutely right.And their wealthy ways cause price rises and additional expenses for the common herd.