PenYDraig liveaboard in Greece

DIVE THE
GREEK ISLANDS
WITH REEFCOMBER TOURS

The Pen Y Ddraig liveaboard:

We are pleased to be able to invite on board people wanting a gentle, informal, crewed sailing holiday, pottering about the Greek Islands on our 65' Schooner. Your holiday can, if that's your required style, be very relaxing with much book reading and the occasional swim, or it can be a bit more energetic with sails to haul up and let down, waves to wind-surf over, or longer swims exploring caves and remote beaches.

greekboat.jpg (18993 bytes) The Boat:

The Pen Y Ddraig (PYD) is a fun boat, not a luxury motor cruiser. She has great charm and character and is very much loved by virtually all who sail her. The rig is a schooner, which means the rear mast is taller than the front one and is thus very distinctive and always creates interest. Four sails are the full sailing norm but often one or two will suffice (and there's also a fifth called a Fisherman's, which is difficult to erect.) Given a good wind she can really cruise along (at up to about 10 knots) and even then she's very stable - no hanging on for dear life over the edge! Experienced racers of smaller faster boats have wondered at her capabilities and character, though she's not going to win any races (or even be entered.)
Much of last summer and autumn was spent on major renotations of the boat with engine overhaul and complete hull stripping down, checking out and repainting. Slightly tatty window frames were replaced and the whole should be now looking very smart!
To assist in harbours and bays (and rescue lost wind-surfers) we have a 12-foot Humber rigid hull inflatable ("RIB") with 40hp outboard. Naturally we have on board full safety equipment, plus CD player, mobile phone, a new larger fridge, and other modern conveniences. We have three beginners/intermediate wind-surfers for your (free) enjoyment.
Pen Y Ddraig has three guests cabins, one large roomy quad (4 bunks), a comfortable twin, and a slightly cramped double (with little head-height but it's OK once you're lying down; two of my friends who are in their fifties always insist on having this cabin so it can't be too bad! - and anyway all boats up to about 75' and over are bound to be a bit cramped.) That's cabins for eight guests - but a group booking the whole boat can make use of the two sofas in the saloon. There are two "heads" with shower, loo and hand basin each; and there's a shower on deck to rinse off the sea-salt.
The deck spacious and ideal for sunbathing.

A typical day:

The crew won't as a rule make the breakfast until enough people are up and about to justify possibly waking the remainder. You'll normally have docked in a quiet bay, within tender-reach of a taverna, but sometimes you could be in a port.
After breakfast and perhaps a swim, you'll usually head for another bay to swim and windsurf, lounge about, and have lunch. After that, you'll probably go somewhere else for the evening.
Dinner is normally taken ashore in a taverna, but if, instead, you can persuade the crew (normally for about a fiver) to cook for you on board or on a beach, they'll normally do it if they have the energy and it's practical. But don't forget please that the crew are on board, and in charge of a large inanimate object, for basically 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 5 months. Realize please that sometimes they must be allowed to rest up and do their own thing; but it won't be often.
Generally, itinerary decisions are taken on a daily basis and the captain will try and do what the guests ask him. His job is to please as many people as possible for as much of the time as possible, with safety and, eventually, your ultimate week ending transfer always firmly in mind.

Meals:

Breakfast and a light lunch. Dinner is taken ashore at your expense (and in Greece won't cost a fortune, far from it.) Drinks are available from the crew's bar at reasonable prices. Though breakfast is served in the saloon, we eat (lunch in particular) outside on a large table under an awning between the masts

Suntanning:

This is Greece and it's hot, so don't forget some cream to protect yourself against the increasing risks of sunburn. Many guests prefer to swim and sunbathe naked and that's certainly fine by us; so we hope and expect it's fine by all other guests too, and not an excuse for silly comments, please. (Conversely we don't expect ardent naturists to behave in a way that might make others feel uncomfortable.)

The Crew:

Captain, Cook and Mate. We don't expect them to be treated as skivvies, but rather friends and neighbours, integral to your holiday's enjoyment. We find guests often ask the crew (not necessarily en masse every night) out to dinner with them. It's that sort of environment. We have fun, and to date four of our seasonal captains have returned for the next summer; not to mention many of our regular guests.

Who can come?:

Anyone over 21 on their own, or as a couple, or in a group. Singles of either sex will normally be put in the four-bunker. Groups or families can book the whole boat any time and bring children of any age. In August, teenagers can come with parents even if not booking the whole boat. Traditionally our guests have come from the UK as that was solely where we advertised. Now with the Internet we hope to have a more cosmopolitan clientele.

Getting There:

Flight price per person excluding taxes:
Johannesburg - Athens - Johannesburg R3700
Athens - Preveza - Athens R390

Package cost:

7 nights on the boat, breakfast and light lunch, transfers to and from the boat
Rate per person June from R2900
Rate per person July from R3560
Rate per person August from R3990
Rate per person September from R3790

Night in Athens from R350 per person sharing

Visas are required for visiting Greece.

BACK TO TOP