Cyclades Itinerary - Any Experiences/Suggestions?

[jv_chicago]

Hi Everyone! Hope you're having a great weekend!

We've figured out a rough itinerary for our charter time in Greece, and we'd love any thoughts/experiences from those who have traveled to the following - tips, suggestions, etc.

Paros
Kastro (Sifnos)
Faros (Sifnos)
Port Vahi (Sifnos)
Polyagios
Provatas Bay (Milos)
Kleftiko Bay (Milos)
Adamas (Milos)
Sikia Bay (Kimolos)

Thanks in advance!
Joanna

[De.windhoos]

Originally Posted by jv_chicago

Hi Everyone! Hope you're having a great weekend!

We've figured out a rough itinerary for our charter time in Greece, and we'd love any thoughts/experiences from those who have traveled to the following - tips, suggestions, etc.

Paros
Kastro (Sifnos)
Faros (Sifnos)
Port Vahi (Sifnos)
Polyagios
Provatas Bay (Milos)
Kleftiko Bay (Milos)
Adamas (Milos)
Sikia Bay (Kimolos)

Thanks in advance!
Joanna

If you go during the summer you will be in the Melthemi season. If that is the case go counter clockwise. Also be aware that there are acceleration zones between the islands. Also usually the wind is stronger on the south side of the islands. Last year the Melthemi was exceptionally strong and sustained. If think we averaged 22-25knts over a 2 months period.
If you have the time, Amorgos is very nice and has a laid back feeling. The old town of Vathi is lovely spot to visit

[jv_chicago]

Originally Posted by De.windhoos

If you go during the summer you will be in the Melthemi season. If that is the case go counter clockwise. Also be aware that there are acceleration zones between the islands. Also usually the wind is stronger on the south side of the islands. Last year the Melthemi was exceptionally strong and sustained. If think we averaged 22-25knts over a 2 months period.
If you have the time, Amorgos is very nice and has a laid back feeling. The old town of Vathi is lovely spot to visit

Thank you! I just mapped it counter-clockwise, and that itinerary may make more sense anyway. We'll try to visit Amorgos too.

[Palarran]

Are you leaving out of Paros? For how many days? Less is more IMO, especially where your starting from. And if there is any interest in Ancient History, Delos is a must see.

IMO, Naxos, Anti Paros, Amorgos, small Cyclades, would be my suggestions. Amorgos is my favorite but be careful of the wind prediction. Many, many problems there with a strong Meltemi.

[Barra]

Originally Posted by Palarran

Are you leaving out of Paros? For how many days? Less is more IMO, especially where your starting from. And if there is any interest in Ancient History, Delos is a must see.

IMO, Naxos, Anti Paros, Amorgos, small Cyclades, would be my suggestions. Amorgos is my favorite but be careful of the wind prediction. Many, many problems there with a strong Meltemi.

Sshhh dont let the cat out of the bag on the small cyclades

Main thing is keep it flexible and let the meltemi decide where you go. Not trying to fight it is the key to a good trip in these parts.

[Polux]

Last year on the Summer on the cyclades was particularly bad. A member reported to be stuck in an harbor for weeks while outside blowed a f8.

On the Cyclades on the summer the best strategy is to sail to where the wind allows us to go, or to the Islands that are not subjected to very strong winds at a given time. That's the wind conditions that decide your course not you, unless you are in for some very unpleasant and hard sailing that demand a well prepared boat and crew. Many charter boats don't sail well (to say the least) against the wind on nasty conditions and you can be in trouble to deliver the boat.

What you propose is not an easy thing to do with a charter boat that has to return to the same location at a given time, specially if you are doing it on short time. Sometimes you got stuck on a port or anchorage for several days.

Best is to decide the course on the spot while looking at the wind and sea forecast for the next sailing week and play safe with the wind. If you have not sailed the area you can be in for a surprise: Where on the Atlantic sailing upwind on a F7 is nothing out of ordinary, the same cannot be said on that area of the Aegean.

Yes it can be done with a good boat in an uncomfortable way but on a charter boat you are probably heading for trouble. The winds and forecasts there have not the reliability that have on the Atlantic and many times I saw winds two beaufort up the ones that were forecasted for a given area.

[kkostenko]

Some itineraries you could use as a start can be found here: Sailing yachts - itinerary suggestions for bareboat or

I am sailing Cyclades in about two weeks, would have first-hand experience soon.

[meirriba]

You did not specify the length of the charter. Is it two weeks?
Amorgos is nice and you should have time to tour it properly, i.e. not come in the evening/leave in next morning.
I personally like Syros/Ermoupolis as it produces what in my opinion is the best 'rahat lukum' in the world😄

[De.windhoos]

Originally Posted by Polux

Last year on the Summer on the cyclades was particularly bad. A member reported to be stuck in an harbor for weeks while outside blowed a f8.

On the Cyclades on the summer the best strategy is to sail to where the wind allows us to go, or to the Islands that are not subjected to very strong winds at a given time. That's the wind conditions that decide your course not you, unless you are in for some very unpleasant and hard sailing that demand a well prepared boat and crew. Many charter boats don't sail well (to say the least) against the wind on nasty conditions and you can be in trouble to deliver the boat.

What you propose is not an easy thing to do with a charter boat that has to return to the same location at a given time, specially if you are doing it on short time. Sometimes you got stuck on a port or anchorage for several days.

Best is to decide the course on the spot while looking at the wind and sea forecast for the next sailing week and play safe with the wind. If you have not sailed the area you can be in for a surprise: Where on the Atlantic sailing upwind on a F7 is nothing out of ordinary, the same cannot be said on that area of the Aegean.

Yes it can be done with a good boat in an uncomfortable way but on a charter boat you are probably heading for trouble. The winds and forecasts there have not the reliability that have on the Atlantic and many times I saw winds two beaufort up the ones that were forecasted for a given area.

At leest the direction is always the same. On the west side N-NE. On the east side N-NW
On the speed, I tend to add 10knts to the forecast. I also use Windfinder to check the local conditions on the islands that are on my route. This together with your favorite forecast app should give you a good average.

If you plan smart you can do it on a beam to broad reach. With maybe a little beating to get northerly again.

[Stakaman]

Aegean : great place to sail!!!
Monitoring the wheather can be useful for general planing but because of the complexity of the island and local wheather patterns ,some times thinks aren't follow the plan ,so being flexible with backup routes is the ideal way of thinking and sailing at Aegean !!Expect acceleration zones with many of them crossing each other which make the waves coming from all direction which slowly the boat down ..
Windy days or when "meltemia" strike cyclades ,usually there is a circle clocckwise patern coming from Northeast north of Cyclades then changing to east in the middle and Heavy southeast at the end ...
Expect rough seas on meltemia season !!!
I thing you can make early plans with alternative routes but the final decision will be when you step your foot to Greece !!
Local fisherman can provide great info !!
If the winds helps you will have a great time to greece !!
And the tip of the day .. ouzo is nice popular tradition drink ,but tsipouro is better [emoji41]

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Stakaman

... tsipouro is better [emoji41]

Tsipouro is basically a spirit you can find almost all over med and south of Europe with different names, a drink related with wine (made of the left overs destilation) and probably as old as it.

In Italy they call it Grappa; in Spain,Orujo; in Portugal, Bagaço; Rakia on the Balkans and Croatia, Marc in France and it has other names in other countries. Popular in all of them among the populations and part of the cultural traditions.

My grandmother when she caught a cold just had a cup of a hot drink made with a substantial amount of bagaço, two spoons of honey, some water and half a lemon squeezed, just before she goes to bed. The funny thing is that she did not drink alcohol, except in this case. It seemed to work for her...and it was a traditional and popular way to deal with colds.

[Stakaman]

Open invitation when the wind is set right ... come to creta and taste my family's production to follow our spirit .

[Palarran]

I've gotten pretty pie-eyed on Cretan Tsipouro several times. It's the best for blackouts that I've ever drank

A Cretan on Kos gave me an old water bottle with some of his private stock. Woke up one morning and found my Raki glass broken on my cockpit floor. I apparently lost function of my hand muscles, dropped it, and went to bed. That day I poured out the balance of the bottle. Later, I stayed up til the wee hours on Paros, Naousa marina drinking another Cretan's shine. Left my laptop sitting on deck, open and on, all night. Thank god the Greeks are so honest. I love it but boy, you had better be in a safe harbor and prepared for the aftermath.

This is my favorite for taste. It's kind of a mix between ouzo and Tsipouro.