Ferrying in Greece 2019

Ferrying in Greece 2019

Friday 13th September 2019
It was still dark as I flew out of London Gatwick airport at 05.35 on a damp English morning with my small rucksack in the rack above my seat. I was on a new Airbus A320 aircraft heading out to Athens. Tea and porridge were soon served (thanks easyJet), before sleep overtook most of us on the flight. Three and a half hours later we arrived in hot bright sunshine in Athens airport, and I headed off to the bus stop to take me to the port of Rafina.

Waiting at the stop I got talking with a group of British teachers also going to Rafina. They were planning to get the ferry out from there to Marmari, just an hour's sail across the water, to attend the wedding of friends. By this time I'd had texts from Greek ferry booking agents to tell me that high winds in Greece were going to prevent my booked sailings in the near future. I told the teachers about this so at least they were warned.

Once in Rafina I could feel the effects of the ever-strengthening wind and hurried to my accommodation. By this time all ferries had been cancelled leaving Rafina, including my first sailing early tomorrow morning.

I walked back into the port area and checked with the local ferry agent about sailings and she said everything had been cancelled due to very high winds. I was advised to come back tomorrow. I decided to watch the ship arrivals from a safe place.

Ships seen: Fast Ferries Andros rolled in and berthed, Panorama actually sailed over to Marmari, Sea Jets Paros Jet, Fast Ferries Hellenic Highspeed arrived off the port and had the utmost difficulty in coming astern to tie up.

I watched the Hellenic Highspeed try to turn and come astern. I stood probably 200 yards back from the quayside, in a safe and sheltered place, as I think the wind would have blown me over otherwise. The wind was blowing her all over the place, as she edged astern; ropes were thrown and fixed; more ropes were thrown and kept loose; she was trying to get astern and also to get her port side close to the quay. It took her 35 minutes to do this, with 16 ropes on her port side, and finally her ramps were lowered and the cars and vehicles were hurried off the ship. Foot passengers came down the allocated ramps and staggered across the quays, whether from seasickness or the strong winds or both, I don't know. The engines were stopped, the ramps came up partway and she was finally home for the duration.

Panorama ready to sail over to Marmari

Paros Jet

Paros Jet finally berthed

Fast Ferries Andros rolling in

Hellenic High Speed arriving

High Speed berthed at last


To be continued...

MED STAR 15th May 2017

This is MED STAR in Drapetsona, Greece, that I photographed yesterday as I sailed to Salamina and back.

Med Star in Drapetsona in her new hull colour, 15th May 2017

Med Star seen on my way back from Salamina into the Great Harbour of Piraeus

Greece 2012 Part 4

Click on pictures to enlarge

Piraeus and Ships
Friday 31st August 2012

We arrived in Patras, in Greece at last, at 5.30 a.m. even before the sun was over the horizon.

Goodbye Kriti II

Hello Aegean Tiffany

Kriti II

Hundreds of us foot passengers disembarked and crowded near the port bus but it was quicker to walk along the quayside to the gates and out towards the bus terminal for the fast bus to Athens.

What were these two laid up cruise ships?

I slept most of the way but woke as we crossed the road bridge over the Corinth Canal; almost immediately we could see two small cruise ships bow to stern, and very close together so it was impossible to identify them. This will need the help of others on our return. A few miles later we could see several laid up ships in the waters off Elefsis, including two Speedrunners.

Speedrunner 2 and 3

Athens was terrifically hot, but the air-conditioned bus terminal provided reviving coffee before we took a local bus to Piraeus near the Great Harbour. I love coming here to this port and think it must be one of the best in the world, for ships, views and general activity. There may be fewer cruise ships or ferries each summer, but it is still very exciting to watch them all or be part of it, especially during the early morning entry and exodus.

A visit to one of the many ferry agents just outside the port gates provided tickets for several of our upcoming sailings, plus the offer to mind our rucksacks during tomorrow’s day trip. That was much appreciated as we would then be able to collect them and board our ferry for the overnight trip. Finally it was time to get to the ideal Ideal Hotel for an overnight stay, leave the luggage and return to the harbour. En route we located the new premises of the Telstar-named bookshop and exchanged greetings with Mr Costas Papaconstantinou (he recognised me from other visits) and admired his lovely new shop. We could see many maritime books that we recognised, by authors that we knew. He also provides Lloyd’s List, newspapers and maritime publications in several languages.

By this time we needed a sea trip so we boarded a Salamis (or Salamina) Island ferry for the lovely cooling 30 minutes trip to the nearby island. At first the camera worked overtime, with so many ships to look at and photograph as we sailed from Piraeus Great Harbour. We saw lots of ferries and other vessels en route: many were laid up, some had sunk, and others were being worked on, but mostly they were sailing. What a contrast it all was with yesterday at sea!

Elli T

4 ferries

Olympic Champion, Elyros, Prevelis & Elli T

Signs of wear and tear

Vitsentzos Kornaros

Nissos Chios

Croisi Mer's La Belle d'Adriatique

Agios Nektarios Aeginas, the ferry to Aegina island

Alexandros

Adamantios Korais

Posidon Hellas

Olympic Champion

There's a fine sight

Near the cruise terminal

European Express

Ierepetra L, our Saturday/Sunday overnight ferry

Hellas Liberty

Blue Star 2

Panagia Agiasou

Diagoras

Jet Ferry 1

Blue Star Paros heading in

In Keratsini, La Galera

In Keratsini, Sea Breeze III

Mykonos (ex Heysham - Belfast ferry),Cosmos Jet, Golden Blaze

Aeolos Kenteris I

Ocean Life (ex Easy Cruise Life)

Kefalonia

Ocean Life again

Beside the quay at Salamis

Our ferry to Salamis island

It was so hot when we arrived at Salamis that even the usual stray dog was nowhere in sight, so we found a welcoming air-conditioned café nearby and stayed for coffee. The return journey to Piraeus was on another Greek-named ferry.

View heading into Piraeus Great Harbour

Phivos

The Salamina ferry we took back to Piraeus

After a break back at the Ideal Hotel, we walked to the other nearby harbour over the hill in search of a local restaurant for dinner. After strolling for some time we headed back towards the Harbour again, through busy shopping streets full of other strollers. We saw lots of places serving coffee and drinks, but not one restaurant for food. I fear this shows the true state of the Greek economy, with some people able to go out for drinks of some kind, but no-one with money enough for a meal. It was only when we were back on the far side of the harbour, by this time after dark, that we could smell meat cooking in the open air. We followed the fragrance, and discovered fresh meat being barbecued outside a little side-street café, right next to the meat market, although that was now closed. There was just a choice of chicken or lamb – both of which were wonderful – plus a small carafe of local wine, bread and water, all of which cost just a few Euros.

What an amazing day.

Ships seen: At Patras: Kriti II, Aegean Tiffany

Soon after Corinth Canal Bridge: the two small cruise ships seen tied up close together. We would welcome identification of these please.

At Elefsis: Speedrunners 2 and 3,

At Pireaus: Elli T, Prevelis, Elyros, Olympic Champion, Vitsentzos Kornaros, Nissos Chios, Croisi Mer’s La Belle d’Adriatique, a cruise ship whose name I couldn’t see, a 3 masted yacht whose name I couldn’t read, Agios Nektarios Aeginas (the Aegina island ferry), Alexandros, Flying Dolphin 29, Flying Dolphin 17, Adamantios Korais, Poseidon Hellas, European Express, Ierapetra L, Hellas Liberty, Blue Star 2, Ocean Majesty?, Panagia Agiasou, Jet Ferry 1, Diagoras, Blue Star Paros, High Speed 5,

At Keratsini/Drapetsona Bay/Perama/Salamis island: Sea Breeze III (ex Scorpio), Pelagitis, La Galera (ex Nefeli), Mykonos (the ex Heysham-Belfast ferry), 3 x 74 m Incats, Golden Blaze, Cosmos Jet, Cyclades Express, Anna Maru, Aeolos Kenteris I, Penelope, Ocean Life (ex Easy Cruise Life), Kefalonia, numerous landing craft, Flying Cat III, Samos Spirit, The Martha (a laid up car ferry), Ruzgar, Mam I, Festos Palace, Alkyon, Phivos


To be continued….

Greece 2012, Part 1, Venice

Greece 2012

Some time ago I was invited to take some ferry trips with a friend, and then shown the itinerary. The journey for me would start in Venice, Italy, and continue to Patras in Greece, before visiting several of the Greek Isles in the Aegean. How could I refuse a wonderful offer like that? Of course I couldn’t!

Wednesday 29th August 2012 found me flying early from London’s Gatwick Airport to Venice, with my rucksack safely tucked in the hold as, officially, an oversized bag. It really wasn’t but, as an unconventionally shaped piece of luggage with straps, that was where it had to travel, which was fine with me. From my front side window seat I could take photographs once we were airborne, and I was fascinated with the vistas far below me. I could see harbours, ships, mountains with snow and glaciers, lakes, deep green valleys, then the flat fertile plains of Italy under a cloudless blue sky.

Over the South coast of England

Over the Continental coast

Over mountains and snow

Over lakes and valleys

With my watch set one hour forward from British Summer Time, we landed at 11.30 in Venice’s Marco Polo airport and stepped out into glorious hot sunshine. Far away I could see a huge cruise ship at what must be the Cruise Terminal, but the small bus took us all from the aircraft to the small terminal to collect luggage and then board the Aerobus (6 Euros) to the city. I knew I could take a water taxi to get there, but the time and cost were too much, and I wanted to see Venice as soon as possible.

The land and plants looked scorched from all the recent high temperatures, but once on the causeway leading into the small islands that are Venice there was glittering water on both sides and ahead I could see some of the many towers and domes of the city.

The causeway into Venice

I was so excited to be here and able to enjoy the sights and sounds for a few hours. From the bus station in the Piazzale Roma I joined all the tourists milling about, but soon met my travelling companion under the new Grand Canal Bridge, the controversial Ponte della Costituzione footbridge.

The Ponte della Costituzione footbridge

Under the bridge

The shade was welcome as plans were made for the day. Luggage was left in safe-keeping at the Railway Station (5 Euros) on production of a passport being shown and copied, and then we were free to see some sights. We travelled on several big water taxis (the famous vaporettos), which were cheap and fast, and packed with people enjoying the breeze as we sailed along the waterways. Boats of all kinds were everywhere, in a kind of organized chaos. We found a little local café for home-cooked Venetian lunch and then the exploring continued.

Map of Venice on a Vaporetto pontoon

Venice view

Venice view

Venice metalwork of all kinds

Venice view

Venice view

Venice view

Venice view

Venice vaporetto route and stops

Under the Rialto Bridge

Rialto Bridge from the vaporetto

Venice view

Venice view

Venice view

We finally had to collect our rucksacks and make our way to the Ferry Terminal, ready to board the first ferry of my trip. We were to sail with ANEK Lines from Venice to Patras, on board the good ship ‘KRITI II’.

To be continued....