Greece 11-25 August 2018. Dodecanese or Crete?

[foucault76]

Hi there, I was wondering to charter bareboat in Greece from 11-25 August.

Would you suggest a trip to Dodecanese (Rhodes-Kastelorizo-Rhodes or Kos-Samos-Kos) or the Circumnavigation of Crete?

Thank for the advice!
F

[yeloya]

I know the Dodocanese quite well. If you start from Rhodes and end up in Kostelorizon , there is no greek islands in between..
On the other hand, Kostelorizon is a swimming distance to Turkish coast. Then you better charter from Göçek and make this beatiful coast Kas-Kalkan-Kekova roads..

If you go north from Rhodes, (yes it will be up wind all the time and sometimes you'll find 25+ kts of wind) Simi, Nisiros-Tilos, Cjhalki, they are beatiful island. The best would be to start from Kos one way to Rhodes (all the way down wind) they could charge a one way fee for that but it's worthed.

I have also been in Crete twice and sailed all the northern coast. Crete to me is unique. However circumnavigation of Crete is someting that I've never heart.. Southern part isn 't attractive (I went to see by car) at all.
You can make northern coast both ways. By the way, Iraklious is one of the ugliest cities in the Med. Retminos, Hanya, Agio Nicalau are awful. Unlike the vulcanic and dry Dodocanese islands, Crete is green and the people is more friendly than anywhere else in Greece.

Cheers

yeloya

[Stakaman]

I am living at south Crete (Sfakia) ..
I agree with yeloya ,North Crete has everything you will need and it’s unique..
But south Crete has hidden gems , it is more traditional than the northern part .it has wild beauty which nothern part hasn’t ..
Agia Eleni , agia roumeli , loutro , preveli, agia galini , sfakia , elafonisos , palaiohora , sougia , gavdos island and many more ...
The period that you planning to come ,northern part will be very crowded..
South will be less and with many traditional happenings from 10-25 /8 .
Expect generally rough waters ,sometimes not very pleasant for relax cruising .
Pm me if you come ..

[Clong40]

Although I recognise that the west of Crete may be better than the east, I have to say that the east is unattractive, and there are no safe harbours between Agios Nikolaos and the grossly overcrowded Heraklion. It is no accident that there are virtually no charter fleets in Crete. It is a poor cruising ground.

The Dodecanese on the other hand is great. I don't rate Rhodes, but Kos is a fine starting point; so is Samos. Happy to make charter company recommendations on request. I have no professional axe to grind.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Stakaman

I am living at south Crete (Sfakia) ..
I agree with yeloya ,North Crete has everything you will need and it’s unique..
But south Crete has hidden gems , it is more traditional than the northern part .it has wild beauty which nothern part hasn’t ..
Agia Eleni , agia roumeli , loutro , preveli, agia galini , sfakia , elafonisos , palaiohora , sougia , gavdos island and many more ...
The period that you planning to come ,northern part will be very crowded..
South will be less and with many traditional happenings from 10-25 /8 .
Expect generally rough waters ,sometimes not very pleasant for relax cruising .
Pm me if you come ..

I had done the South of Crete and agree that it is very beautiful and much less crowded. On all South of Greek I saw only another sailboat a NZ Amel.

Beautiful but not without some risks, huge gusts and I got there a F10. That's the price you sometimes pay to sail on more exclusive places LOL.

[phalo]

We two tried unsuccessfully to find a 3 week bare boat charter Co, May June 2018 to sail Crete, Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, this year and am about to book our flights Brisbane to Athens and Crete, then ferries to the other islands. However recent emails offering good last minute prices caused me to search options again and end up on your thread.
So any advice on island selection would be appreciated and maybe Klong 40 pass on some names and. We would consider doing some by ferry with a shorter charter and even shared or crew if psych reports are compatible.
We don't have much Med experience and a flotilla appeals like Amorgos provided when we charter sailed a 34ft Sun Odysey on the Dalmatian coat a couple of years back with a briefing each morning and destination established if you wanted it.
Thanks
Phalo

[phalo]

Oh and we can do the trip later but need to be back in Australia for sailing from Hamilton Is. by beginning of September 2018

[Pete7]

You have been before so yo don't need me to tell you it will be hot, really hot.

However, it is also high season so expensive and croweded too. Why not go in June?

Pete

[chuckr]

We sailed from northern Greece to Crete and across to Rhodes and Turkey last year during August - it was a bad wind year and we had to sit a few times for wind - we felt sorry for one charter boat that came in at the start of a meltimi and sat for almost a week as the winds were in excess of 40k and even big ocean going vessels were anchored off the harbor waiting - I would stay north
We also met and worked with a former Greek Navy rescue helicopter pilot and he told of the 3 worst places for Greek sailing and one was the area east of Crete - do not get me wrong the islands were great but you really have to be patient with the weather - and on a charter you do not have time to be patient -
Stay north for shorter hops