Let's Dance - the Schengan Shuffle, and, the Two Big Questions

Maybe this post will be a little dry, and yachties will be more than familiar with this topic (and perhaps will correct me, I keep learning). This is for those who are new to this, or think we've been idling away in peaceful retirement.  An explanation of some of the complexities that have taken up our time while we wait for boat jobs to be completed, or the weather to improve. I'll chuck in a few photos of the saturday Finike Markets to brighten this all up... 

During the week, this whole area is filled with used cars for sale 

Look at how the tomatoes are arranged perfectly 

We'd arrived, settingly into our first week in Finike, during winter. We thought we wouldn't rush into any planning, let the first season in the Mediterranean be a relaxed learnng experience. Focus on what we needed to do to the boat, and then see where the wind took us.

But we really didn't understand how much forward planning needs to take place for us to legally and financially maintain this lifestyle

Some things we did know about, if only in theory. Such as the winds in the Med, which can be very changable and sometimes dangerous. In fact they have names: Boro, Sirocco, Tramontane, Lebeccio, Mistral, Marin and Meltemi - this last one is the one that will affect us in this region. We knew we'd need documentation, such as a transit log and Ikamet in Turkey, which would allow us to stay in Turkey for longer than 90 days. We also knew about The Schengen Zone, which we need to navigate, in every sense of the word, to sail in the Med. 

So what is the Schengen Zone? Either it's darstadly plot to thwarte the dreams of sailors and travellers, or it's an agreement between some European countries, and some non-European countries, to enable unrestricted travel for their citizens, a Europe without borders. First signed in 1985 by 5 countries, it now includes 27 countries of the EU and some non-EU. What a great idea! 

Whoopy-effin-do for them, a less than generous soul might say. Ok, that was me..

What does this mean for us? Citizens of non-Schengen countries are limited to travel within the entire zone for 90 days within each 180 days. This means if I travel to France for 90 days, I must leave the zone for 90 days before returning. To paraphrase Dr Seuss, to Spain I must not go, nor to Italy can I row... 

There are a few countries in the Med that are not in the zone. Turkey is the big one. This also includes Albania, Algeria, Montenegro, Morocco and Tunisia. Croatia, a very popular cruising area with good services and marinas, joined the zone in January of this year. Bummer big time. If you look at a map you will see large areas covered by the Zone, particuarly in the Western Med, and very few places to flee to, given that sailors are restricted by the winds and seas, which can dictate your direction for months at a time.

Brexit further complicated things, as having "left" Europe, UK left the Schengen zone, and all the British sailors are now like the Americans, Australians, New Zealanders etc, trying to find somewhere for their boat and themselves. And, Turkey is a safe haven for Russians. Either leaving in disgust, or avoiding the war, they have moved to Turkey, particularly in the region we are in. This has impacted the whole residency application process and they seem to have funds that most of us cannot match.

We intially thought that's ok, we can sail to Greece, and return to Turkey when the 90 days are up, as Turkey is not in the Schengen Zone, wait it out and go back etc.

Not so. Because once you get your head around the laws for you personally, you then have to look at the laws for your boat.  If we sail out of Turkey, we cannot sail back for six months - we may have residency but the boat cannot return. So no coming back here to reset the clock in that period. Also, and this may not be an issue, the boat itself, regardless of who owns her or what she's called, can only stay in Turkey for 5 years. Kirrikie has already been here 2.5 years.

Then if the EU VAT has been paid and is still valid for your boat, you're ok. Our's isn't. So if we find a way to stay in the Schengen Zone for longer than 90 days, we have to move the boat out of the zone before 180 days is up. Luckily, you don't have to stay out for very long, so that's doable-ish. 

Confused yet? 

We have spent daaaaayyss and weeeeks getting our head around this. This is the main preoccupation with Finike boaties, in fact thousands of boaties, trying to work out the Schengen Shuffle, moving the boat around in line with border laws and within weather windows. Avoiding the Meltemi and other winds.

So, we arrived in ignorant bliss. I joined an afternoon discussion 3 days after our arrival, in January, where the topic was where they were going to be next winter. Huh? I tentatively asked when should we be thinking about this? "NOW!" was the unanimous reply. This is because the demand for marina spots over the winter is very high, and you have to arrange it now. Yikes!

I hurried back to Mike as he was bum up in a boat locker somewhere and relayed the wonderful news that although we had yet to work out how to get the loos working properly, let alone sail 1 day, we had to work out where we would be at the end of the year. The first Big Question that we all discussed for weeks - what are you doing next winter?

The easiest solution would be extend the contract, stay in Finike, or another related marina along the coast. BUT. Thanks to the Schengen Shuffle, Brexit, Croatia now part of Schengen,  the flood of Russian rubles and Turkish inflation, the marina fees have sky rocketed, tripled and more, even more than when we signed last October. Even then I had to breathe into a paper bag to cope. So no-one, including us, can stay unless they have money..

This links into the other Big Question - where are you planning to sail/go this season? Those that have decided they can't or don't want to stay in the Med any longer are planing to be in Morocco or Tunisia towards the end of summer, ready to head west towards the Caribbean, or go north after passing through the Straits of Gibralta. (PS the Canaries? ... part of the Schengen Zone..). Some are staying in Turkey, with a lucky good deal eslewhere. Others will go west and north as soon as possible, as from end of June the head-winds make this a difficult journey, or leaving to go north and then head for Greece. And then they have to negotiate the shuffle.. and find somewhere to stay next winter. And so it goes round.

(In Turkey, there's just 'Delight')

And us? Who haven't really got a clue? The suggestion was Northern Cyprus, where many will be heading. Let's be clear, this isn't Cyprus - that is is in the south and is Greek territory. Northern Cyprus is Turkish, but with a different visa. Many countries including Australia don't recognise Northern Cyprus at all. But the marina is much cheaper...  so I applied for a contract to cover us from the end of October til the end of March. And waited. And waited. And called. And emailed...

Why not try leaving the boat in Greece instead? It will get us up further and ready to see Greece next year. Ok. Emailed more marinas. Got some replies. But then, we looked at the distance and time we'd be heading there after my sister and brother-in-law visit in - not going to work.

The marina in North Cyprus finally offered us a 6 month contract for winter - 1 month after I enquired. This was so they could sort out their fees, and of course they more than doubled in that time. AAAhiieeee! But it will be a safe place to leave the boat, so we can return to Perth for the most important job, welcoming our first grandchild into the world, who has decided to arrive early October. 

Baby Agostinho

Oh - one more tidbit - you can go from southern Cyprus to northern Cyprus, but not the other way around. The Greek Cypriots don't like that at all. And as Australia doesn't recognise Northern Cyprus, we have to fly via Turkey. And when we leave Northern Cyprus next year, we have to sail back to Turkey, then leave so that our paperwork is accepted in other countries... 

And I haven't mentioned our Turkish residency application - it involves the Russians again - or the bilateral agreements established in the 1950's between Australia and Greece, or Italy, that we can apply for, but only if we're in Australia. Which may or may not be accepted, depending on which port official is on duty at the time at various ports. 

Mind Blown!!

Time for a drink, hey?

Here's a winter sunrise instead...