Who wants to sail to Greece?

[Guest]

http://www.cruising.org.uk/node/22634

 

That would be 1,900 Euros ($3,100NZ) for me to visit Greece.

[Steve Pope 243]

Oh for the good old days in Greece in the days of the Colonels, You got a cruising permit (3 months, renewable) you had to clear in and out of every port, not to hard as the port captains office was generally within cooee of the port and took all of about 10 minutes. Only a couple of Marina's, Zea and Vouliagmeni, otherwise you just tied up at the wharf (generally stern to) with the rest of the boats, fishing, small commercial etc. Just keep clear of the ferry areas. Most of the Charter boats were British or American, the greek charter boats (mostly large powered Caique's) generally didn't get a look in in those days as they weren't the friendliest and had a rep of taking charterers to where they wanted to go rather than where the charterers wanted to go. Eventually legislation was created that all charter boats had to have the Greek flag which meant a Greek partner and all the ramifications of that. Most foreign boats headed for Rhodes (free port) or the Turkish coast, (much more primitive then than today)

I remember a NZ boat Rainbird that the Greeks had freighted over there with its owner to race against the Greek racing fleet out of Turkolimani. I crewed 1 overnight race on her, can't remember where we got but do remember that the Skipper refused to relinquish the helm to anyone and kept dropping off to sleep. Rainbird later sailed herself out of Mykonos harbour after chafing her lines through during a meltemi while aforesaid owner was celebrating at a local taverna, she ended up on a beach further down the island with a substantial hole in her side, as luck would have it there was a crane on the island that was able to lift her while a sheet of ply was nailed over the hole. She was sailed back to Piraeus over several days by the owner on his own and pulled out and properly repaired, supposedly paid for by the Royal Greek yacht Squadron, before being shipped back here.

I guess that doesn't help much re the question, But with the Suez being ruled out because Somali Pirates it will become a bit of a backwater anyway. I think you will find similar charges in most of the Med though maybe not quite so eyewateringly high, lots of place expect you to pay to anchor.

Hiring a bare boat may be the cheapest option??