Crews Letter #2006 03   Not Every Marina is What We Want It to Be

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Transient sounds so negative.

 

Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

As mentioned in the previous Crews Letter, we sat out a three day storm at Olympic Marina about 60 km (40 miles) southeast of Athens.  At Loutra, we met a family from Princeton, NJ who now live in Athens.  They keep their boat at Olympic and it is only because of that connection we were able to get in.  The captain, Michael, told us he would speak to the office when he got there.  Olympic is filled with boats on annual contracts.  They have no space and usually do not take transients.  When we hailed the marina asking for a berth for three nights they asked our last port of call.  Only after the reply, “Loutra on Kythnos.” did they say, “The pilot boat will meet you and show you a place.”   Our guess is, the boat that normally docks in that place is still on the hard for the winter.

 

We found similar problems getting a berth at Zea in Piraeus just west of Athens.  There is no fuel dock.  There are several companies that will bring fuel to your boat by tanker if you want enough.  When Fred identified that he needed between 125 and 150 L, he was told, “Maybe tomorrow or the next day, if we get a real order.”  Perception only holds 250 L and we seldom let her get below half full.

 

The other marina that we have used in the Athens area is Kalimaki.  It is primarily for charter boats, three thousand of them.  The toilettes and showers are filthy.  Walking near them is to risk disease.  A disco here takes off each night before midnight and breaks the sound barrier until 0530.  Fred fears for structural damage to Perception’s mast if we are ever again overnight in Kalimaki.

 

 In these three marinas, they cater to their clientele and transients are not it. 

 

The advantages at Olympic are its proximity to the airport and it is on the Aegean side of Athens.  That’s the side we will be cruising this season.  They have a fuel dock and it is reported to sell diesel in quantities as little as 100 L.   For those of you in the states, diesel here is only $4.60 a gallon, about the same as last year.

 

We will be at Olympic when Sara and Lisa arrive for their cruise in mid May.

 

Steady, as she goes,

Phyl & Fred

 

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