What should you not miss when sailing the Mediterranean ...

[A CheeseHead]

I helped my friends sail from Kalamata to Italy-Sicily-Corsica-France, taking 3 weeks to accomplish it .... but in May. The trip from Corsica to Antibes got a tad breezy, such as a 60' super trimaran capsized maybe 60 miles W of our route in 40-50 kts of air (we learned about it afterward, being a little busy reefing down).

So I second all of the "don't sail the Med in winter" suggestions.

But let me add Santorini, Folegandros in the Aegean, and suggest Cefalu (Sicily) and Bonifacio (Corsica) and totally ace places to visit.

[p435]

Originally Posted by 369thegoose

Med has big winds that pop up without warning..... check out winter conditions for sailing .....

Sailing for 3 seasons from April to October in the Adriatic Sea (Croatian waters) I only can recommend to learn about the winds in the Med.

Be prepared and have a good time.


By the way, in July and August the winds are pretty weak. I had this year one weak during which I did not even think about to hoist a sail. Flat sea every day. Winter is a good time if you are prepared.

[p435]

[QUOTE=mtns2marinas;2740601......sailing to Beirut, Lebanon & Egypt....[/QUOTE]


Also I would love to go to these places, they are not on my route for next year simply because of political reasons. I consider them a bit dangerous. Beirut might still be safe.

[Xlantic]

Originally Posted by mtns2marinas

This novice Canadian is considering sailing to the Mediterranean next winter for 3 months and am trying to construct an itinerary. I was hoping that I could get a few ideas as to where I should visit and why.

Thus far, I have been planning to visit the following places: Corinth Canal in Greece ; Cala Luna, Italy ; Navagio Beach, Zakynthos, Greece to dive the Panagiotis; Saranda, Alabania to dive, and a few more places.

I am also considering sailing to Beirut, Lebanon & Egypt.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Diving the Panagiotis?????

Not to be overly cynical but I agree with Doctor Bob's we-are-being-trolled theory.

[Todor]

People do make mistakes and you are about to do one taking that decision. Of course at end of the day decision is all yours but I am sure you will regret it.

Better go skiing but not sailing.
Just as an advise.

[chook]

I would have to agree with most of what has been said. I have just wintered in Kos for 2 months before crossing the cyclades in Feb and didn't see another sail boat. The winter was particularly bad this year with 5 storms 40-50 knot, 2 storms 50 -55 knots and 1 storm gusting to 65 knots, so a solid itinerary would be hard to stick to. The med is beautiful and we have just sailed to santorini and Ios, will attach a video.

I have just arrived in the Ionian and it seems even more spectacular, but everyone is different. Good luck. I am sailing the med for the next year and documenting our sails so check them out if you want to see many places.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVmqV5qilHo

[Gruz]

What should you not miss when sailing the Mediterranean ...



Bora, for example....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvUaYdUeoow

[Yellow bird]

Originally Posted by mtns2marinas

This novice Canadian is considering sailing to the Mediterranean next winter for 3 months and am trying to construct an itinerary. I was hoping that I could get a few ideas as to where I should visit and why.

Thus far, I have been planning to visit the following places: Corinth Canal in Greece ; Cala Luna, Italy ; Navagio Beach, Zakynthos, Greece to dive the Panagiotis; Saranda, Alabania to dive, and a few more places.

I am also considering sailing to Beirut, Lebanon & Egypt.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I work as skipper and sailing instructor in Liguria(ITA), near French Riviera, and I sail almost all the Weekends during winter, sometime I have a cruising sailing of 7/10 days during Christmas and New Year's Eve, and I've been doing for several years sailing yacht delivery all winter long.
So, not only can it be done, but it also has several positive sides, but you must know very well what you're going to meet.
Of course you have to check the weather forecast every day, but storm and gale are well forecast in advance.
Pros
- Most of the time the winds are not as strong as some OP's suggested. And you can go under sail much more time than in summer.
- Most nice places too much crowded in summer, will be deserted and wonderful in winter
- People are much more welcoming and friendly, the quality of the services is way higher than in summer
- It is much easier to find a place in marinas, less crowed than summer

Although I agree with most of the considerations made so far
Cons
- Avoid the whole coast from the Turkish-Syrian border to Morocco due to obvious security reasons
- You can’t do the whole Mediterranean tour in three months, you have to choose one zone (Tyrrhenian, or Adriatic, or Aegean) and focus on it.
[I suggest you the Tyrrhenian or the Adriatic for a considerable presence of well equipped and sheltered marinas, compared to the Aegean, and this is important when a storm is expected to arrive, or if you like to leave the boat for spending some days in inland]
- Be very flexible on your travel program, you may be forced to stay in a marina for several days due to the bad weather
- Forget to swim at sea in a swimsuit
- Forget about sailing in shorts and T-shirt
- Get ready to sail in the rain
- Get excellent winter clothing, and sailing gear
- You must have an excellent heating system
- Sailing at night could be very cold
- Forget to do no-stop offshore cruising more than a couple of days, and with a high attentions to the forecast

Sailing Mediterranean in winter is not so far than sailing North Sea in summer,
not the same but not so far

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Black Eagle

I work as skipper and sailing instructor in Liguria(ITA), near French Riviera, and I sail almost all the Weekends during winter, sometime I have a cruising sailing of 7/10 days during Christmas and New Year's Eve, and I've been doing for several years sailing yacht delivery all winter long.
So, not only can it be done, but it also has several positive sides, but you must know very well what you're going to meet.
Of course you have to check the weather forecast every day, but storm and gale are well forecast in advance.
Pros
- Most of the time the winds are not as strong as some OP's suggested. And you can go under sail much more time than in summer.
- Most nice places too much crowded in summer, will be deserted and wonderful in winter
- People are much more welcoming and friendly, the quality of the services is way higher than in summer
- It is much easier to find a place in marinas, less crowed than summer

Although I agree with most of the considerations made so far
Cons
- Avoid the whole coast from the Turkish-Syrian border to Morocco due to obvious security reasons
- You can’t do the whole Mediterranean tour in three months, you have to choose one zone (Tyrrhenian, or Adriatic, or Aegean) and focus on it.
[I suggest you the Tyrrhenian or the Adriatic for a considerable presence of well equipped and sheltered marinas, compared to the Aegean, and this is important when a storm is expected to arrive, or if you like to leave the boat for spending some days in inland]
- Be very flexible on your travel program, you may be forced to stay in a marina for several days due to the bad weather
- Forget to swim at sea in a swimsuit
- Forget about sailing in shorts and T-shirt
- Get ready to sail in the rain
- Get excellent winter clothing, and sailing gear
- You must have an excellent heating system
- Sailing at night could be very cold
- Forget to do no-stop offshore cruising more than a couple of days, and with a high attentions to the forecast

Sailing Mediterranean in winter is not so far than sailing North Sea in summer,
not the same but not so far

Hi Black Eagle.

Thank you very much for the information on Med sailing. I am very glad to hear that sailing is not as bad as some say but it still sounds like there is a lot of very strong or very calm winds compared to Caribbean sailing.

I have visited parts of the Mediterranean coast in late fall and early winter (by land only so far) and found the weather not that cold most of the time.

I find your comment about avoiding all of N Africa very interesting. From previous discussions and news I had already decided the same but I do hear from a lot of sailors that Tunis is OK as long as you stay in the safe area of town. Any thoughts on this?

Still for Americans it can be tricky avoiding the limitations of Schengen. I think it can be done and have some suggestions from EU cruisers but it does require some thought to deal with it.

Hopefully next year I can make it to the Med and see the sights from the water.

[Yellow bird]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Hi Black Eagle.

Thank you very much for the information on Med sailing. I am very glad to hear that sailing is not as bad as some say but it still sounds like there is a lot of very strong or very calm winds compared to Caribbean sailing.

I have visited parts of the Mediterranean coast in late fall and early winter (by land only so far) and found the weather not that cold most of the time.

I find your comment about avoiding all of N Africa very interesting. From previous discussions and news I had already decided the same but I do hear from a lot of sailors that Tunis is OK as long as you stay in the safe area of town. Any thoughts on this?

Still for Americans it can be tricky avoiding the limitations of Schengen. I think it can be done and have some suggestions from EU cruisers but it does require some thought to deal with it.

Hopefully next year I can make it to the Med and see the sights from the water.

Obviously I sail in Med in winter because I can reach the boat in an hour by car, if I'd have to take a plane and fly for hours, I would certainly prefer the caribbean
But there are a lot of spot that are realy better in winter time than in summer (I hate too crowded places ),
mostly if you sail for enjoying to go under sail, and see beatuful places, and not for taking sunbath, and swim in warm sea only.

About Tunis, you are right, I did a delivery from Tuscani to Tunis this autumn, and it was a nice place, but as you say "as long as you stay in the safe area of town", and in a sailing cruise I like to sail the cost and find nice place to mooring, and that it could be less safety (or may be not, but I dont like betting), so not my cruise (IMHO);
but could be a place where spend the 90 days off for the non EU citizens, even if for this thing I'd prefer Turkey or Montenegro.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Black Eagle

Obviously I sail in Med in winter because I can reach the boat in an hour by car, if I'd have to take a plane and fly for hours, I would certainly prefer the caribbean
But there are a lot of spot that are realy better in winter time than in summer (I hate too crowded places ),
mostly if you sail for enjoying to go under sail, and see beatuful places, and not for taking sunbath, and swim in warm sea only.

About Tunis, you are right, I did a delivery from Tuscani to Tunis this autumn, and it was a nice place, but as you say "as long as you stay in the safe area of town", and in a sailing cruise I like to sail the cost and find nice place to mooring, and that it could be less safety (or may be not, but I dont like betting), so not my cruise (IMHO);
but could be a place where spend the 90 days off for the non EU citizens, even if for this thing I'd prefer Turkey or Montenegro.

Thank you again. While I do like to swim in warm waters, like you I prefer uncrowded harbors and beautiful scenery. The Caribbean is very nice but I have been cruising there for 40 years and it's time to see something new. I have seen parts of the Mediterranean coast when traveling Europe on business and holiday and look forward to cruising there. Last year we made our first pleasure trip to Italy and we must go back to see more.

Yes I consider Tunis only as a place to go to spend my 90 days. Turkey is nice as well as Israel but it is a long way to go from Gibraltar to the eastern Mediterranean just to find a place out of Schengen. There is too much to see and do in between and I don't want to hurry the trip. Now I'm thinking the best plan is to leave the boat in the EU and fly back to the US every few months. With new grandchildren in the family we don't like to stay away too long anyway.

When (not if, I like to remain positive) we make it to your side of the ocean I hope I can ask you for suggestions on places to stay and some cruising suggestions.

[chuckr]

We have spent 6 years in the Med and sailed most of it. What we have not sailed and is safe we will sail this summer. Not safe Syria, Lebanon (issues and problems are brewing there) Libya, Algeria -
We are wintering in Israel and love it and really glad this winter as this has been one of the worst winters in the Med. The Med is not a nice place in the winter. And after spending 2 winters in Tunisia and 3 in Turkey and this winter in Israel we wish we had spent more than one winter here. We sail almost every week.

[Menlim3]

Beirut is in Lebanon. Northern Israel is nice.

[chuckr]

[QUOTE=Black Eagle;2839924- Avoid the whole coast from the Turkish-Syrian border to Morocco due to obvious security reasons
[/QUOTE]


Really?? We sailed into Mersin Turkey and travelled extensively through SE Turkey to some of the greatest archeological finds ever.

We are wintering in Israel and wow what a great place to winter over.

Our next stop is Egypt and maybe the Red Sea.

From there were head to northern Europe (may see you there) then south and if things calm down in Algeria we will stop there before going to Morocco.

We also spent 2 winters in Tunisia and drove over 5,000km around Tunisia and what a wonderful great and safe country.

But the best so far Israel.

[skipmac]

[

Originally Posted by chuckr

Really?? We sailed into Mersin Turkey and travelled extensively through SE Turkey to some of the greatest archeological finds ever.

We are wintering in Israel and wow what a great place to winter over.

Our next stop is Egypt and maybe the Red Sea.

From there were head to northern Europe (may see you there) then south and if things calm down in Algeria we will stop there before going to Morocco.

We also spent 2 winters in Tunisia and drove over 5,000km around Tunisia and what a wonderful great and safe country.

But the best so far Israel.

I may be wrong but think the previous comment was meant warn about security once you reached Syria, not in southern Turkey.

Not sure about Tunis outside Tunisia. I've read a number of warnings from EU cruisers about some areas outside the city.

Israel on the other hand was one of my favorite countries I've visited around the Med and would love to sail there. Tel Aviv was very nice but I walked by the marina there and didn't see an empty slip.