Khios Marina

Serafina
Rob & Sarah Bell
Thu 14 May 2009 20:34
38:23.21N 28:08.36E

Thursday 14th May
We agreed that we could not stay in Khios harbour any longer, so after Sarah
did a provisioning run, we set off for the little marina that is just 1 mile
up the coast. Now you might ask why we did not go there first and the reason
is that the pilot book gives it pretty bad press. It is yet another of the
Greek (probably EU money) projects that got started and then abandoned. The
marina is all concrete and actually very well built, but beyond putting in
the walls and concrete fingers, nothing more has happened in years, so as
usual the local fishermen have moved in and laid all sorts of dodgy tackle
on the sea bed making it pretty hazardous and restricting yachts to mooring
alongside if there is any room. In addition the approach is billed as
dangerous with a reef (unmarked of course) just 30 metres off the entrance,
so you need to be very careful on the way in, assuming you get over the bar
just off the entrance which restricts depth to just 3 metres and we draw 2.2
metres!

In the event this was a breeze and we eased our way into the fairly empty
unfinished marina. Plenty of fishing boats and three large rusting Greek
island ferries from an earlier age. No problem finding a space alongside the
wall and we spent a leisurely afternoon catching up on some sleep!

Tried a spot of fishing in the late afternoon using limpets that Sarah had
prised off the nearby rocks, but I had no more success than the local chap
on the quay opposite who looked as if he had been at this game rather longer
than me.

Much quieter night in prospect although we can hear the horns sounding from
the ferries as they leave the main harbour just a mile away and it still
makes me feel I should be rushing back on deck.