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Dear Peter - From Oliver Cheetham |
Dear Peter,
Up here on the East coast in Portocristo we get a constant procession of cruising Yachties calling in and consequently a corresponding ever changing supply of sailing stories and anecdotes.
The tale that follows, however, is so appalling that it merits an individual airing and it demonstrates the underlying reason for the exodus of yachties to the cheaper, friendlier destinations of the eastern Med.
A British flagged boat was cruising Formentera and called in to Marina de Formentera to take on water and refuel. Being late afternoon, no one was manning the pumps and they assumed the pumps would re-open at the finish of Siesta, and tied up.
Imagine their surprise when the Port Police turned up, told them they had no right to be there and issued them an on the spot fine. Initially, because of the inevitable language barrier they gathered they had to pay 48 euros. That proved to be incorrect; the fine was a whopping 480 euros They asked if they had any right to appeal against the fine.
Yes, they were told, they could write in but no, the cops " didn't know where the letter should be sent" !!!
The astonishing severity of the fine aside, I wonder if the police actually had any juristriction over what is essentially a private quay.
Presumably the fuel company pays a rental for the use of the quay and as such should be the only people to decide who can moor there or not. Indeed when the fuel attendant came to resume dispensing fuel he told the hapless yachtsmen that they were welcome to wait for the station to open.
Sadly the boat is now headed for Greece, in the skippers words "Never, ever to return!"
Then I was told another story from the other end of the Balearics, in Menorca. A British couple on their own thirty-five foot yacht made Mahon their first call in the Islands from their home port of Denia.
On filling in the usual paperwork at the Marina they were surprised to see an additional 10% added to the already hefty bill. Upon querying the addition, they were told it was a tax called B zereo ( B.O.?- something certainly smells!) imposed on foreign yachts entering Spain for the first time. They argued that they had come from Denia, also in Spain, to no avail. So they paid, vowing this would be their first and last visit to the Islands.
I have sailed the islands and Peninsular for nine years and never have I been asked for proof of paying such a tax. Does this mean that all foreign flagged charter boats have to carry this receipt to avoid continually being charged in every port? Or maybe as the crisis bites deeper, are the banditos casting their nets ever-wider.
Doesn't all this make you want to weep?
Regards
Oliver Cheetham,
Porto's Wine Bar, PortoCristo
Eds Note: Yes Oliver it does, and its sad to print it, but ignoring it won’t make it go away either. Let´s hope the message gets through before we all suffer even more because of these anti-turista activities! |
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Dear Peter - From the crew of Scorpione dei Mari. |
Dear Peter,
I trust the long Summer days are treating you all well?
We have been on the go for some time now,mostly under sail between Gib & Sardinia ( 2 regattas, 3 months and 3250nm).
We are now tied up in Club de Mar again for the month of August, tying up a few loose ends, quality family time, crew holidays and an opportunity to reflect on our achievements in June.
The owners and crew have enjoyed our short lived "Claim to Fame" during the Palma SYC, however we were pleasantly surprised to read in the Islander's July and August newsletters, that our efforts will be remembered a little longer.
For me it's always amazing how wide spread this industry of ours is. The racing scene is such a small part of the game, and often the results from regattas don't reach many others. But as most yachties like to know who did what, when, they can catch up on all the latest know how and gossip from the Islander.
Thanks to your monthly newsletter and the whole team who collectively put together a very informative and enjoyable read, you have all managed to put Scorpione dei Mari on the map!
The owners and crew used to be a quite entity, getting on with the cruising/racing plans, and now we get greeted and congratulated every corner we turn.
Most of our key racing crew are from shore based companies on the island. They are very happy with their sudden popularity as well by being on the front cover of the August addition, and are now considering placing adverts The Islander.
Is there something the Scorpione Team can do for the Islander, other than continuing to read every edition from cover to cover and spread the word?
Finally it was a pleasure meeting with you all for the 1st time in Valencia last February, and I look forward to crossing tacks with you again shortly.
Thank you once again!
Take care,
Clive, Kim, Shirley, Kelly & the big Al.
(Capt. & crew - S/Y Scorpione dei Mari) |
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The monthly newsletter for boating and living in the Balearics
