Is Europe worth it?

[jozamom]

Hello
I have been a lurker for a long time.
We are a family of six who are in St Thomas Vi.
Our plan had always been to eventually head down island than hopefully to less expensive cruising areas.
Recently we have been considering Europe. I have heard how expensive or is over there. If we went we would lol to spend a couple of years. We enjoy slow travel, and enjoy seeing one place for a bot rather than checking off a bunch of spots on our itenerary.
We enjoy anchoring and don't need or necessarily want to be in the center of the action. Is this possible over there?
One of the big draws is all of the History! I believe the best way to learn something is by experiencing it. Plus my kids are really into Greek and Roman mythology.
Is it feasible to do Europe on a budget? We don't eat out much, like to buy local and don't drink. We do enjoy hitting up ice cream shops.
Thanks for any help on this matter.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by jozamom

Hello
I have been a lurker for a long time.
We are a family of six who are in St Thomas Vi.
Our plan had always been to eventually head down island than hopefully to less expensive cruising areas.
Recently we have been considering Europe. I have heard how expensive or is over there. If we went we would lol to spend a couple of years. We enjoy slow travel, and enjoy seeing one place for a bot rather than checking off a bunch of spots on our itenerary.
We enjoy anchoring and don't need or necessarily want to be in the center of the action. Is this possible over there?
One of the big draws is all of the History! I believe the best way to learn something is by experiencing it. Plus my kids are really into Greek and Roman mythology.
Is it feasible to do Europe on a budget? We don't eat out much, like to buy local and don't drink. We do enjoy hitting up ice cream shops.
Thanks for any help on this matter.

Yes, europe is worth it. And it doesn't have to be expensive. In the Med, marinas are usually dear, but you can anchor most anywhere and take the dink in. Foods great and there is more history than you can shake a stick at.

Going north, the Baltic is arguably the greatest cruising area in the world, marinas are not expensive, you can anchor anywhere, foods great, women are beautiful and the in the summer it is light 18-20 hours per day. Only drawback is some years it rains a lot LOL.

[Dockhead]

Yes, it's worth it. To twist a little the words of Gertrude Stein, there's simply a lot more "there" there. More to see and do and experience than any other piece of geography of its size anywhere in the world, and by far, without any even near comparison.

[LakeSuperior]

You wouldn't be able stay legally in 95% of Europe over 90 days in any 180 day period. Search the Schengen Agreement in CF. This really can be a show stopper.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Yes, europe is worth it. And it doesn't have to be expensive. In the Med, marinas are usually dear, but you can anchor most anywhere and take the dink in. Foods great and there is more history than you can shake a stick at.

Going north, the Baltic is arguably the greatest cruising area in the world, marinas are not expensive, you can anchor anywhere, foods great, women are beautiful and the in the summer it is light 18-20 hours per day. Only drawback is some years it rains a lot LOL.

\\
Some people may be inclined to discount Carsten's comments on the Baltic due to his obvious bias

However, I can say, and I have never sailed there, so no bias, that every sailor who comes back from the Baltic, whom I've ever known, says exactly the same thing. I can hardly imagine how the Baltic can be more interesting than the Med (which is, after all, the original Ocean of our civilization), but everyone says it is.

To cruise the Baltic, the Atlantic coasts of Europe, and the Med would be a lifelong occupation. You just couldn't see it all in one lifetime, even if you sailed 24/7 and didn't need to work.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

You wouldn't be able stay legally in 95% of Europe over 90 days in any 180 day period. Search the Schengen Agreement in CF. This really can be a show stopper.

True, this is an important point.

However, not all of Europe, by a long shot is in Schengen. The UK, Channel Islands, and Southern and Eastern Med are not in Schengen.

Besides that, there's no requirement that your boat has to be gone 90 out of 180 days. Your boat is subject to a different regime -- generally 18 months in and one day out does it, which is fairly easy if you plan well.

[atoll]

having a shallow draft vessel will considerably open up opertunitys for inland travel on the vast system of inland waterways and eastuaries in europe.

a vessel that can dry out at low tide will further open up many free extrodinarily beautiful places as all of europe is tidal,apart from the med.

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

True, this is an important point.

However, not all of Europe, by a long shot is in Schengen. The UK, Channel Islands, and Southern and Eastern Med are not in Schengen.

Besides that, there's no requirement that your boat has to be gone 90 out of 180 days. Your boat is subject to a different regime -- generally 18 months in and one day out does it, which is fairly easy if you plan well.

Wouldn't the Southern Med be considered the African continent and not Europe?

We found it almost impossible to cruise Europe legally without heading for the UK for every 3 months out of 6. A leisurely "smell the roses" cruise of Europe for a non-Schengen country citizen is no longer a possibility.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

Wouldn't the Southern Med be considered the African continent and not Europe?

We found it almost impossible to cruise Europe legally without heading for the UK for every 3 months out of 6. A leisurely "smell the roses" cruise of Europe for a non-Schengen country citizen is no longer a possibility.

yes lots of oppotunity there as well!
lebanon,isreal,egypt,tunisia, ceuta,morrocco,all reasonably safe and 10,000 years of culture to immerse yourself in ,cheap as well!

[Oliver L.]

Atoll,

add the Baltic to the virtually non-tidal oceans. The small gap between Denmark and Norway is not able to handle this much water...

Oliver

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, jozamom.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Oliver L.

Atoll,

add the Baltic to the virtually non-tidal oceans. The small gap between Denmark and Norway is not able to handle this much water...

Oliver

quite correct! and lots of lovely marinas and inlets to tie up in though heating and a well insulated boat is a must if visiting outside of the fantastic summer months.

[jozamom]

Thank you so much for all the feedback!!

It is good to know that there are places to anchor and we wouldn't have to stay in marinas. We would love to check out the Baltic and go south to areas like Morocco. My hubby would like the cold but I am a fair weather girl.

I guess we would have to figure out the logistics of the Schenegan. Since we are a large family we just can't fly off somewhere and than clear back in.


I would love,love to do the rivers but I think we might draw a bit too much. We draw 4"11.

Thanks again. I never thought Europe and the surrounding area might be possible. It is exciting to think we might be able to make a go of it.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by jozamom

Thank you so much for all the feedback!!

It is good to know that there are places to anchor and we wouldn't have to stay in marinas. We would love to check out the Baltic and go south to areas like Morocco. My hubby would like the cold but I am a fair weather girl.

I guess we would have to figure out the logistics of the Schenegan. Since we are a large family we just can't fly off somewhere and than clear back in.


I would love,love to do the rivers but I think we might draw a bit too much. We draw 4"11.

Thanks again. I never thought Europe and the surrounding area might be possible. It is exciting to think we might be able to make a go of it.

4"11 is ideal for the majority of the waterways in europe,apart from the canal system in the uk!

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by jozamom

I guess we would have to figure out the logistics of the Schenegan. Since we are a large family we just can't fly off somewhere and than clear back in.

There are a number of threads on CF that beat the Schengen issue into fine dust particles. This info on CF will be valuable for your planning in the future. Just use the search function. Good luck as Europe is a beautiful place to cruise and it is filled with friendly, fun loving, like minded, people.