Timbaki container port

[janm]

Have a look at this, and please sign it.   I found it on the explore crete forum, where there is further discussion.
http://www.petitiononline.com/forcrete/petition.html
Jan

[paxmere]

I have read recently on the Skifia forum of a subject that was originally raised on our forum in January by Shinaria, then followed up by Beachcombers, Leen and others.

I have looked further on the net to confirm the story and took the following cutting from the "Athens News"
"China Shipping wants as well to develop an international port and base in south Crete which would be able to accommodate mammoth ships of 8,500-container capacity with large feeder ships of 4,500-container capacity using the facility to serve North Africa, the Mediterranean and Europe".
So the story does seem to stand up.

Whilst on the beach at Amoudi in May we were very surprised to see a very large container ship pass by only a few miles off shore. Was this a trial run to test the practicalities and feasibilities of such a large ship in the coastal waters ?  
It was certainly a glimpse of the future!!

Whilst this subject is not really of concern to us as visitors to Crete, it is not our business; it is an isssue that only concerns the local people, after all it is "their" country, they have to decide what is best for them.
As lovers of Greece and Crete in particular, the construction of this container port will have far reaching consequences for the southern Crete region. None of which I feel would be good.  As visitors we shall just vote with our feet.  The recent new development outside Plaskias, a new hotel here, a container port there... the region will never be the same. It's a place I love and care about as much as our leafy lanes of England.

However, I am surprised that the subject raised recently by Janm and earlier in the year by Shinaria has not promoted more discussion..... It's now autumn, we are all just returned from Plak, the quiet season is over... Over to you folks, are you concerned??

Although speaking personally I do hope that a majority of Cretans will stop these plans!
If you wish to voice a protest please look at the following.

http://www.timbakiprotest.net/

[Santa]

I have read recently on the Skifia forum of a subject that was originally raised on our forum in January by Shinaria, then followed up by Beachcombers, Leen and others.

I have looked further on the net to confirm the story and took the following cutting from the "Athens News"
"China Shipping wants as well to develop an international port and base in south Crete which would be able to accommodate mammoth ships of 8,500-container capacity with large feeder ships of 4,500-container capacity using the facility to serve North Africa, the Mediterranean and Europe".
So the story does seem to stand up.

Whilst on the beach at Amoudi in May we were very surprised to see a very large container ship pass by only a few miles off shore. Was this a trial run to test the practicalities and feasibilities of such a large ship in the coastal waters ?  
It was certainly a glimpse of the future!!

Whilst this subject is not really of concern to us as visitors to Crete, it is not our business; it is an isssue that only concerns the local people, after all it is "their" country, they have to decide what is best for them.
As lovers of Greece and Crete in particular, the construction of this container port will have far reaching consequences for the southern Crete region. None of which I feel would be good.  As visitors we shall just vote with our feet.  The recent new development outside Plaskias, a new hotel here, a container port there... the region will never be the same. It's a place I love and care about as much as our leafy lanes of England.

However, I am surprised that the subject raised recently by Janm and earlier in the year by Shinaria has not promoted more discussion..... It's now autumn, we are all just returned from Plak, the quiet season is over... Over to you folks, are you concerned??

Although speaking personally I do hope that a majority of Cretans will stop these plans!
If you wish to voice a protest please look at the following.

http://www.timbakiprotest.net/

Speaking of Harbours- I just spent the weekend and the official sign has been posted announcing the project. It is posted just at the beginning of the bend in the road below Skinos 2. They just waitng for the last tourists to leave at the end of the month and then we will see some action- Can't wait- It will be a great addition to Plakias.  In any case, I know from reading the posts, that most of you never make it further west than Ostraco- so it probably won't mattger to you.
Santa

[jenny]

We returned from Plakias yesterday having spent a seriously and unexpectedly hot week baking our bodies down at the far end.  However before we went I made time to write to our Euro MP and have a rant about the Matala project.  He suggested the name of another Euro MP to write to, which I did, but have not had any response from her whatever.  Will keep you posted if I hear anything on that score.

As we were in room 7 at Zorbas we were delighted (not) to find out a) Finikas is alive and kicking until approx 2.30 am on Fridays and Saturdays (who wants to sleep anyway lol) and  that at 8.30/9.00 am every morning the compressor on the dredger smack in front of our balcony started up and just kept going until tea-time.  On Monday the digger moved the reclaimed sand and now there is once more a strip of beach in front of the Souvlaki house.  A large flatbed lorry has now taken residence on the sea-front carpark there, along with the digger and the dredger.  Because there was a frogman with the dredger who we kept seeing in the middle of the harbour, we thought at first it was the guys from the diving shop giving lessons and thought it was a bit odd they relied on a compressor on a JCB to breathe instead of having their own tanks lol.

It absolutely heaved it down with rain as we left at 10.30 am yesterday, absolutely torrential all the way through the gorge, although it did stop at some stage after we got into the airport building and the sun was shining brightly again when we went outside to get on the plane at 3.00 pm.

Jenny