Patras

PATRAS (Limin Patron, Pátrai)

BA 2404
imray-Tetra G13

Approach

Conspicuous The buildings of the city are easily identified from some distance off. The dome of Ay Andreas church is conspicuous close to the S entrance to the harbour. A chimney is conspicuous just inland from the Ν entrance. The outer breakwater is quite low and it can be difficult to identify until closer in, but the cargo ships and ferries within the harbour show up well.
By night The S entrance is lit: F1.G.3M on the inner breakwater/Fl.R on the buoy off the breakwater. The Ν entrance is lit: Fl.G.SsSM and F.R on the buoy off the yacht 'marina'. The elbow of the detached breakwater is lit Fl.G.l-5s3M. The harbour lights are difficult to distinguish against the lights of the city until 1-2 miles off. On calm nights there are numerous fishing boats with bright lamps outside the harbour whose bright lights bobbing up and down in the swell give the appearance of navigation lights. The aero beacon Fl.R on Profitis (6½ miles SE of Ák Pâppas) shows up well. VHP Ch 16, 12 for port authorities. Ch 12 for Nautilus Yachting (call sign Nautilus).

Dangers

1. With the brisk prevailing breeze from the W there can be a confused sea off the breakwater, bothersome rather than dangerous.
2. 
   
3. Large ferries are constantly coming and going from the port and a good lookout must be kept in the approaches and the harbour itself. Wore Yachts should make for the yacht harbour at M end of the commercial harbour. Large yachts ould call up the harbour authorities in advance to 'ange a berth in the commercial harbour.

Mooring Patras Yacht Harbour

The entrance to the yacht harbour is difficult to identify until close to. Once into the entrance keep close to the breakwater as the harbour shallows towards the quay. Go stern or bows-to where directed or where convenient. Most berths have laid moorings tailed to the quay or to a small buoy. Shelter All round shelter.
Authorities Harbourmaster. Charge band 2/3. Yacht harbour guardian Llanos Vasilli Tel. 2610 429130
Nautilus Yachting Can assist with berthing at the marina and provides other services including clearing yachts in and out of Greece (non-EU flags), fuel, water, provisioning and so on. A charge is made for services and it is mostly concerned with larger yachts. VHP Ch 12
Tel. 2610 622676/270019 Fax 2610 621400.

Patras commercial harbour

Go alongside or stern-to the central pier. It is oftendifficult to find a berth here as workboats and tugs occupy much of the quay space. Large yachts should arrange a berth in advance.
Shelter Adequate shelter although the coming and going of tugs, workboats and ferries creates a lot of wash in the harbour. Authorities Port police. Customs. Immigration. A port of entry.

Facilities

Services Water and electricity in the yacht harbour. Toilets and showers in the yacht harbour. Fuel A mini-tanker may deliver to the yacht harbour. Repairs A yard near the yacht harbour can haul up to 20 tons. Most yacht work can be arranged but for specialist work you will need to go elsewhere. Hardware shops and chandlers near the marina.
Provisions Excellent shopping for all provisions in town. Supermarket about 500m going towards Patras from the yacht harbour. Eating out Tavernas and restaurants of all types in town. Bars and cafés near the waterfront. Other PO. OTE. Banks. ATMs. Greek gas and Camping Gaz. Hire cars and motorbikes. Regular buses to Athens, around a 2 Va hour trip. Ferries to Ithaca, Cephalonia, Corfu and Italy.

General

Patras is the largest city in the Peloponnisos and the third largest in Greece. The city and the harbour are noisy and grubby but lively. You enter Patras thinking you will dislike it and slowly you end up quite liking it. The carnival (in late February and early March - traditionally ten days before Lent) is celebrated with as much gusto as Easter in Patras.
The first time I entered Patras it was 0100 in early March and it was rather an odd experience to be handed sweets and hit on the head by masked strangers after a gruelling slog to windward. What do you do? You buy your own plastic club and mask and walk around hitting other strangers on the head as this seemed the proper thing to do during carnival.
Historically the city has always been important as a commercial centre and the western gateway to Greece. The city was celebrated during the War of Independence when the Bishop of Patras first raised the Greek flag here. This patriotism was remembered all over Greece for many years and was the subject of countless illustrations which can be seen in many of the museums. The Turks retaliated by razing the town and the present city was laid out on a grid system.
The wine from the region is excellent despite the ubiquitous Demestica, and a visit to the Achaia-Klauss wine factory that makes this and other wines is well worth while.

DHIAVOLOS RION AND ANDIRRION

(Strait of Rhion and Anti-Rhion)

This narrow strait, only one mile wide, is the western entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. A Venetian fort stands on Rion (conspicuous) and another on Andirrion. A current of up to 2 knots has been reported to flow either way through this strait depending on the wind direction, though in my experience there is normally a W-going current despite the prevailing W winds. If the wind is against the current it is easily seen as a small patch of troubled water. Care needs to be taken of the numerous car ferries plying between Rion and Andirrion, at least until the bridge is finished. The strait is lit on either side: Rion Fl.osoM and Andirrion Fl (2) 10s 10M.
In 1999 construction began on the Rion Andirrion suspension bridge across the strait. At the time of writing construction is in full swing with all four of the cable columns in place. The bridge will be a five span cable suspension structure with a total length of 2,290 metres. Air height for the bridge is not known at this stage, but will probably be in the vicinity of 80-100 metres under the main navigable span.
At present the cable columns are lit by quick flash lights atop the structures or the cranes and are visible for a considerable distance off. The navigable channel in either direction is buoyed and will change as work proceeds. When the bridge is complete it is likely the channels Ε or W will be buoyed and the navigable channel indicated on the bridge. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2004.
Communication with bridge coastguard VHP Ch 14. Yachts should call up Rion traffic 5 miles off and then again at 2 miles off to get permission to pass.

ANDIRRION

38°19'·7Ν 21°46··ΟΕ

Immediately Ε of the car ferry ramps there is a very small basin. The entrance is around 20m wide and the basin itself is approximately 100m by 30m wide.
There are 2m depths in the entrance and 1·5m depths in the outer part of the basin. It is ecommended you do not use the basin as a matter course, but in an emergency it could be useful for very small yachts. At the time of writing it is in the middle of the construction site for the bridge project.