Kilada
This is a well protected anchorage, with plenty of room and shallow (<3m) water with good holding in mud or sand. Many yachts winter afloat here, on moorings.
There is an excellent winter storage yard here called Basimakopouloi Shipyard.
Just Imagine wintered here in 2010.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 16-Sep-2010
http://www.ballgate.com/safehavens/koiladhia.shtml
Howard [ Just Imagine ] 08-Jan-2009
Francthi Cave (Point of Interest)
Archaeologists have shown that this cave has the longest known human occupation in the world. Their excavations have shown, using carbon dating that this cave was occupied by humans from 20, 000 BCE up until 3,000 BCE. That is not a typo, it is 22 thousand years ago.
It is a fascinating cave with an entrance to the north, and then two collapsed windows toward the south, which let plenty of light into the cave. The thick rock ceiling shows huge cracks, some of which are quite scary to look down, as they seem to go on and on.
At the bottom of the cave is a lake which has a water level 1 meter below sea level. The water is apparently brackish, though it looks crystal clear. Some divers explored the lake many years ago with hookah equipment and their line extended 50 meters into the cavern and they submerged to a depth 45 ft.
It is worth scrambling over the huge fallen rocks from the ceiling and over the top to the first window, and then back down into the second chamber to the second window.
We dinghied over to the little dock in front of the cave and climbed all the way through to the last chimney.
The cave is lit up with spotlights at night.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franchthi_CaveHoward and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 16-Sep-2010
First window (Point of Interest)
Second window (Point of Interest)
Kilada Yacht Services (Mooring)
Several yachts winter on moorings in Kilada, under the watchfull eye of a Frenchman, Didier Chesel.
I was told that Didier is hard of hearing after a diving accident, so it is best to email him at chesselgrece@yahoo.fr or text him at +30 693 875 0211.
He provides the moorings (corps-mort in french translated as "body dead" on his website).
I have seen his excellent carpentary work on the beautiful 83 foot Sangimani yawl, Arent, that he takes care of in the anchorage.
http://www.kiladayachtservices.com/Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 16-Sep-2010
Private island
This island is reputed to be owned by a Greek shipping magnate. He has his own regular ferry service that runs from the island to the town each day.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 16-Sep-2010
Basimakopouloi Shipyard (Boat Yard)
We were so happy with the great service in this shipyard that we decided not to go to Turkey as planned, but return to Basimakopouloi for a third winter.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 28-Sep-2012Just Imagine is wintering here in 2010.
Very profesional haulout with a large travel lift and steel cradles that they move into position with a special tractor device.
There is no dockage here, so you can only come to the dock when you are due to haul out. The anchrage is a large bay with fairly good holding, but it can get gusty.
It is a great place to spend time at anchor in spring and autumn, preparing for hauling or launching. Several small supermarkets, and many restauarnts to choose from.
We saw some boats come in to the haul out slip for water after the yard was closed. There are water hoses to the east of the haulout slip and the water measures good quality on my watermaker TDS meter.
There is a clearly marked channel leading into the boat yard slip.
Very helpful English speaking staff in the office.
www.BSG.com.grHoward and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 16-Sep-2010
Lift and Launch permit (Formalities)
Before hauling the boat you need to get a lifting permit from the port police. I think this cost €5. In the spring, you need to get a launching permit for another €5. This is when they complete the entry on the transit log.
If you are a non-EU boat, this is also when they charge you the dreaded Cruising Tax.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 08-Dec-2012
Transit Log to Customs in Navplion (Formalities)
When hauling out, the shipyard gives you a copy of your transit log, and sends the original to Customs in Nafplion. They charge a fee of €40 for this service. In the spring, you need to go and fetch the papers in person.
I caught the 1020 bus outside the shipyard to Kranidi, and then the 1100 bus from Kranidi to Nafplion. It takes about 2 hours but one has to change buses at a stop along the way.
Nobody told me about the bus change, the first time, and I ended up in Corinth and had to catch another bus back to Navplion.
The customs is located
here in Nafplio. It is an easy walk from the bus stop in Navplio. Customs closes at 2pm.
There is plenty of time to conclude business and catch the return bus to Kranidi, but you will have to get a taxi from Kranidi back to Kilada as the last bus will have left.
Navplion is such an interesting place and you may want to consider spending the night and exploring. Some people rent a car in Kilada and drive themselves up to Navplion, and then use the car fopr an excusion to Mycenae. I prefer to relax and leave the driving and navigating up to a bus driver.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 08-Dec-2012
Cruising Tax (Formalities)
When I went to get my launch permit from the port police this last spring, they scrutinized my transit log and said I needed to pay one year cruising tax. For a 10 meter boat this amounted to €700. When they saw how distressed I was, they relented and only charged me for 3 months or €177.
I needed to catch the 10 am bus to Kranidi and find the tax office to pay, and then return to Kilada with the receipt, before I could get my launch permit.
They told me that if I returned to haul out in Kilada again this year, next spring I would need to pay the full €700. Apparently, if you leave the EU and return, then you are good for another year without the tax.
We did not make it out of Greece this year, and we planned to go to Turkey to avoid next years tax, but in the end, we are so comfortable with the haulout procedure here in Kilada that we decided to bite the bullet and risk having to pay the cruising tax next spring. The port policeman said that they may even rescind the tax by next year.
It seems silly to have a tax that causes boats to leave Greece for Turkey, when they need all the income they can get.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 08-Dec-2012
Metal workshop (Services)
Metal work shop
This is a full service metal fabrication shop located next door, but not part of the shipyard
I have taken a few metal projects to the metal shop. They are the nicest people, and have often refused payment for things like drilling holes in my stainless anchor roller, or releasing my rusted exhault bracket.
I believe that they do good stainless steel fabrication.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 08-Dec-2012
Office and Internet (Internet)
Office manager Evangelos is quick to point out that the new, sheltered, internet lounge outside the office door, can not be called a "cafe", because they do not plan to be serving any coffee.
There is no wifi, but you can plug in your laptop at one of several comfortable workstations, for good internet conectivity.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 08-Dec-2012
Bus to Kranidi (Bus)
The bus to Kranidi is never on time, but it will pick you up at the shipyard gate after looping through town at about 1020 in the morning. It is scheduledto leave Kranidi to come back to Kilada at 1pm, but I once watched it leaving as I was approaching, 5 minutes early, at 1255. When I asked why it left early, the man said that it sometimes does that.
I had to get a taxi back to Kilada which is quite expensive.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 08-Dec-2012
Kilada Town Dock (Town Dock)
Some boats anchor bow or stern to the north side of this peer.
Water was aviailable from a long hose on the keyside.
Howard [ Just Imagine ] 18-Sep-2010
Flying out of Kilada (Transport)
We took the Flying Dolphin hydrafoil from Ermioni to Piraeus and then the #96 bus from Piraeus to Athens Airport.
The taxi to Ermioni cost €20 and took about 20 minutes. We left Kilada at 0900 to catch the 1025 ferry and had plenty of time for coffee before the ferry arrived in Ermioni.
The day before, we went on the Hellenic Seaways website
www.hsw,gr to book and pay for our tickets which cost €29.50 per person. The taxi will drop you at the Hellenic Seaways ticket office where you give them your reservation number and they print out your tickets.
The flying Dolphin ride takes 2 hours with brief stops at Hydra and Poros. There was no snack service onboard, so you need to bring your own.
After arrival in Piraeus, you walk out of the gate onto the main road and walk about 500 m toward the north and cross the road to the
bus stop and ticket kiosk. The bus took over an hour to the airport but cost only €3.20 per person.
It is also possible to rent a car in Kilada for about €90 and drive one way to the airport, if you are confident drving and navigating in Greece, but we decided to take the less stressful taxi/ferry/bus route for a total of €85.40 for two of us(€20 taxi + 2x€29.50 ferry + 2x€3.20 bus).
Howard [ Just Imagine ] 18-Sep-2010
Flying Dolphin to Athens (Transport)
Costs €29.50 to Piraeus
Howard [ Just Imagine ] 18-Sep-2010
Hellenic Seaways Ticket Office (Transport)
Bus to Athens (Bus)
There is also a bus to Athens from Kranidi which takes about 3 hours. You can catch the 1020 bus from the shipyard gate to Kranidi and the 11 am bus to Athens. The bus stops at the central bus station in Athens and there are regular #93 busses from the central station to the airport. This takes about an hour.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 08-Dec-2012