Sailing in Greek Waters - a Few Questions

[st599]

Just signed up to skipper a boat around:

Lavrio
Kea
Poros
Dhokos
Plaka
Spetses
Hydra

Looking on Amazon for a pilotage book, but none of the screenshots show in enough detail the coverage area. Which Pilotage guide would be best, "The Greek Waters pilot" or the Wiley West Aegean one?

Does anyone know if there are any buses or similar from Athens airport to Lavrion?

Any recommendations for must visit places, tavernas etc.?

[swagman]

Greek Water Pilot.
We sailed the area in 2007 so some places shown in our blog if you go back that far.
Enjoy
JOHN

[beneteau-500]

well you cant get lost going around those little islands thats for sure

[Joefloki]

From Athens Airport you have to go by bus (something Euro 3,--) to the central bus station, from there you have buses all over Greece.

IMHO the best sea pilot is this:
Greece Sea Guide
(much more better than Heikell and others)

[Jacques2]

Hi !
I am in Greece (Evstrtios = a small island south of LImnos). I was in Lavrio a few weeks ago. There are direct buses fro Athens airport to Lavrio. You do not need to go to Athens (Lavrio and airport are north of Athens)
Taxi are not so much expansive..
The Imray Pilot guide is indispensable with good maps...

[bobnlesley]

The Rod Heikell 'Greek Waters Pilot' published by Imray will cover your needs, or if it's to be a one-off visit, I think they publish a cheaper and more detailed 'Western Aegean' pilot book, which would cover all the ports you mention.

As mentioned earlier, you can get a bus directly from the Athens International Airport to Lavrion, and even by taxi the fare's only about €20.

As for your intended stop-overs:
Lavrio - Leave as quickly as possible
Kea - unless it's blowing hard from the north and contray to the pilot books advice, we've always found Korissia a better quay and anchorage than Vourkari; if you're anchoring get close in-shore on the east side, or you'll have trouble with the ferries. Take a bus or taxi up to the chora (Kea Town) and walk back down to Korissia -very pretty place, great views and go see the lion - any local will point you in the right direction.
Poros - Pretty, but very much a tourist orientated spot and unless the weather's light, we've found the quay uncomfortable - always lots of ferry movements, so prefer to anchor off Galatas on the south side of the channel, or in one of the bays in the NW corner of the gulf.
Dhokos - Nothing there, but pretty enough; in fact it's one of our favourits - best protection is tucked up in 'Crane Cove' in the far NW of the bay.
Plaka - Do you mean the suburb of Athens, where the Acropolis etc are? If so the harbour's at Piraeus, but it's an over-priced bog-hole and rarely has any berths available. Leave the boat at Poros, Methoni or Aegeana and take the ferry to Piraeus and then a metro-train to Athens - get off at Monastraki station.
Spetses - we've never managed to secure a decent berth/anchorage there, so prefer to anchor in Porto Khelli on the mainland just N and take a ferry/water-taxi across; the main town is cute and very Italian.
Hydra - Absolutely manic, but everyone should visit once; very touristy, but absolutely gorgeous. The suggested anchorages are all useless and the harbour's bedlam - get in early, plan on leaving late the next day and above all, stay calm - getting wound-up won't alter anything. Try to get a place on the south quay, but stay away in anything but settled weather, the sheer number of boats in there precludes being secure and if there's a blow, then boats invariably get damaged.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by bobnlesley

As for your intended stop-overs: .

OK, they are all the ones you would not go to. What are the ones you would go to?

Thanks

We will be there in a few weeks so we are in full reseach mode


Mark

[bobnlesley]

Don't get me wrong, I love Kea, Poros (at anchor) and Dhokos. Even though it's madness/manic I think everyone should go to Hydra at least once too.

To add to your list, I like Ak Sounion, just around he corner from Lavrion; though again you need light weather as any swell soon works in there and the holding's not the best. Methana (doesn't smell as badly as reported), Vathi (small, so avoid weekends) Epidhavrous and Aegena (Very busy weekends and Thursdays too) in the Saronic. Just outside there's Ermioni (don't anchor - you'll roll all night) just N of Dhokos and Porto Khelli across from Spetsai. We like Astrous & Navplion too, though they're quite a haul with only a week from Lavrion.

Also the western Cyclades going south from Kea - Kithnos, Siros and Serifos (our favourite) are lovely, though don't head too far east/south and watch the weather, as it can be a wicked windward beat back up to Lavrion if a Meltemi sets in.

Just go where the wind suits best and enjoy.