Cruising in the winter in the Southern Med – Doable or not?

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Barra

Well SWL I can tell you why we at least arent there this year - started beginning of last April in Preveza and shivered through 10 degree max days and snow on the hills with near constant rain at sea level. Im told it was unseasonal but there you go.

Admiral has banned me from starting that early again this year so we will splash 24 May this year and hopefully see the last of those yellowing slopes that look so nice in your pics. Am a bit jealous still though.

You were unlucky, it can still be cold occasionally like that in March (later this week we have a 11° day, but it jumps back up the next day), but not usually in April.

Ithaca in April has to be seen to be believed and that is just a short hop from Preveza. I will dig up some photos I took about five years ago and if you show your partner it may give her some incentive for next year . Splashing a week before summer starts means you miss out on spring completely.

SWL

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

You were unlucky, it can still be cold occasionally like that in March (later this week we have a 11° day, but it jumps back up the next day), but not usually in April.

Ithaca in April has to be seen to be believed and that is just a short hop from Preveza. I will dig up some photos I took about five years ago and if you show your partner it may give her some incentive for next year . Splashing a week before summer starts means you miss out on spring completely.

SWL

Lassie - not the least bit jealous. Why have to sit inside your cockpit tent to avoid the sun hurting your eyes, when you can sit inside a warm kitchen and look out at your boat that is rigged off for the wiinter. It is bobbing along under dark cloudy skies, the temperature is just now beginning to climb above freezing and the wind is blowing about 25-30 knots.

Green? We have a saying here in Denmark. Denmark has two winters, the gray one and the green one.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Unlike lots of sailors I am not superstitious by nature, nor do I have any phobias, but paraskevidekatriaphobia (great word isn't it ) may have me in its grips if the ugrib prediction for this coming Friday is anything to go by.

Weather forecasts can be erratic here over winter, but this one is a doozy. Someone at ugrib is obviously having a bit of a joke for Friday 13th.
At least I hope they are joking .

Here is the map for part of the Cyclades and Dodecanese.
The double super long feathers indicate 100 knots, not 20!
At this particular hour the wind strength indicated in the top right corner is 106.9 knots:

[SorinCT]

I've just spent 1 month in the SE Medit. The weather is ever changing. I was pinned at anchor for 1 week due to bad weather. Alexandria Port was completely shut for all traffic during this period. On the passage to Sicily, we had very strong wind coming frop our bow and 9-10 meter high waves.
Luckily i was in a sturdy ship, 260m in length and had no serious problem with pitching and rolling.
Winter timme is best to chill near the marinas or do some projects on your rig

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by SorinCT

I've just spent 1 month in the SE Medit. The weather is ever changing. I was pinned at anchor for 1 week due to bad weather. Alexandria Port was completely shut for all traffic during this period. On the passage to Sicily, we had very strong wind coming frop our bow and 9-10 meter high waves.
Luckily i was in a sturdy ship, 260m in length and had no serious problem with pitching and rolling.
Winter timme is best to chill near the marinas or do some projects on your rig

I got all excited thinking there was someone out here with us during winter LOL, then I read the bit about being on a 260m ship .

Sorin, welcome to CF .

We have just spent the entire winter at anchor in the Mediterranean. We haven't been near a marina for about a year now.

SWL

[SorinCT]

I'm sure there are other people out there in their cruisers. It's not really bad as long as you monitor the weather forecasts and things don't change too quickly. But as you may know by now, the sea can change quickly and it pose a serious threat especially in the winter. Nevertheless, good places to cruise around during the winter is Malta (the marina in Sliema is awesome), Sicily, and of course the greek islands.
The weather can be your friends as long as you appreciate it's true power. If you take it lightly, that's when things start to become nasty.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by SorinCT

I'm sure there are other people out there in their cruisers.

There are very few in the Greek Aegean. We have just seen the first other boat in three months (only the second in nearly five months).

Originally Posted by SorinCT

It's not really bad as long as you monitor the weather forecasts and things don't change too quickly. But as you may know by now, the sea can change quickly and it pose a serious threat especially in the winter. Nevertheless, good places to cruise around during the winter is Malta (the marina in Sliema is awesome), Sicily, and of course the greek islands.
The weather can be your friends as long as you appreciate it's true power. If you take it lightly, that's when things start to become nasty.

Our first winter was spent in northern Sicily. Within a couple of months of commencing this cruising lifestyle we sustained a storm with gusts to the mid 60's. Our old anchor wasn't holding despite repeated attempts, it was the middle of the night and pitch black with walls of horizontal spray coming off the water. When trying to raise the anchor there was no communication possible between the helm and bow, not even visual. Scariest night I have had at sea.

[carstenb]

106 knots? Hmm - makes me happy to be here in Copenhagen where we are expecting 20 knots

Good luck - might be a good idea to lay every anchor you've got

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by carstenb

106 knots? Hmm - makes me happy to be here in Copenhagen where we are expecting 20 knots

Good luck - might be a good idea to lay every anchor you've got

Carsten, I think they have made an error. I just can't see the wind spiking up like this twice in one day.

Makes you wonder what other errors slide in seeing something like this though.

If anything like this does ever hit, I can't see how anyone could not possibly subscribe to the "Bigger is Better" philosophy.

SWL

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

I can't see how anyone could not possibly subscribe to the "Bigger is Better" philosophy.

SWL

All you women say that

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by carstenb

All you women say that

Ba-Doom!!! Very Funny

SWL, thanks for giving us some feel for the winter over there. I wish I could join you and Noelex as a winter Med cruiser. It really sounds great.

I hope the wind forecast is in error, but at least you still have the old Rocna in addition to the Mantus.

[Sindbad]

We are still in Kilada on the hard. 2-3 bf forecasted for Friday. Launching is planned for end of March, can't wait. Hopefully we get all jobs done as scheduled.

[SGGeronimo]

We will somewhere between Greece and Turkey next winter. Wrapping up a trip in late October, hauling out for a few months, and then having a mostly land-based exploration and some sailing beginning mid-February.

Considering Argolic Gulf area in Greece or Gocek/Fethiye area in SW Turkey.
Any thoughts as to what place might be better? It seems like there is more rain in Turkey over the winter - and perhaps slightly warmer in Turkey.