| Everybody knows that the Olympic Games are due | | | | are not yachties and will not know, or care, about |
| to be held in Athens in 2004. Apart from the | | | | the use of holding tanks and will simply dump the |
| accepted consequences, positive and negative, for | | | | results of the exercising of normal human bodily |
| the city of Athens and Greece in general this sporting | | | | functions into the sea. The shore facilities in these |
| extravaganza will seriously affect the yachting | | | | marinas will be nine times overstretched. |
| fraternity from mid-July to mid-September. | | | | I promised to refer to transportation again because |
| Two major crises will afflict the greater Athens area | | | | there will be massive shortages of flights over the |
| i.e. transportation and accommodation. I will refer to | | | | period. Don't miss the boat - book early your flight |
| certain aspects of transportation later but the | | | | aswell. |
| accommodation problem will directly affect | | | | You must also realise that the influx of yachts into |
| yachtsmen. How, you might ask ? I will tell you. | | | | Athens will produce shortages all over Greece, not |
| The Greek government is trying many ways to | | | | only for the period from mid-July to mid-September, |
| obviate the shortage of about 40,000 rooms. | | | | but beyond because of the positioning and |
| Athenians are being asked to offer rooms to visitors | | | | re-positioning times of the floating hotels. |
| in their own homes and 11 cruise ships are being | | | | My advice, therefore, is that if you are a yacht |
| chartered and moored in Piraeus harbour for the | | | | owner avoid Athens for the period, unless you are |
| duration of the Games. Not wishing to be left out of | | | | going to watch the Games, and if you are going to |
| this possible bonanza, yacht owners will be offering | | | | charter - DO IT EARLY, not forgetting to book your |
| their yachts as floating hotels in all the marinas along | | | | flights at the same time. The "last minute booking" |
| the Athens coastline, particularly Marina Alimos. Nor | | | | syndrome is not going to work in 2004 for the crucial |
| will this be restricted to Athenian yacht owners, as | | | | period of the Games and the immediate pre and post |
| owners from all over Greece will be climbing on the | | | | period - say 15 July to 15 September. |
| bandwagon and will be moving their yachts into the | | | | Finally - how early is early enough ? I would say by |
| Athens area for the Games. Many yachts are already | | | | Christmas 2003, at the very latest. This way you will |
| booked to regular charterers and thus the prices for | | | | both enjoy the early booking discounts, which most |
| the period will go up to alarming levels, not to | | | | of the charter companies are offering, and get the |
| mention the shortage of available yachts. | | | | yacht of your choice from the base of your choice. |
| Another serious problem will be the human waste | | | | Almi Yachts statistics are showing that by February |
| from all these vessels. Piraeus harbour and all the | | | | all yachts will be booked for July/August 2004 and |
| marinas in the vicinity will become enormous sewage | | | | only dinghies will be available! |
| dumps. The people chartering these yachts as hotels | | | | |