Cyclades Charter Itinerary Options - Feedback, Please

[jv_chicago]

Hi - first time posting, and I've appreciated all the advice I've read so far.

Next year in June, my husband and I are spending a few days in Santorini. Afterwards, we would like to charter a boat to explore the other islands.

I’ve been corresponding with a couple of companies, and below are the itineraries they’re suggesting.

Because of our plans in Santorini, we’d like to embark on the charter on a Monday and disembark on a Saturday. Embarking in Santorini isn't an option due to the current state of the marina.

Itinerary 1 – Paros to Paros
1. Starting the charter at 5pm on Monday, then heading to Ios on Tuesday, Folegandros on Wednesday, Milos on Thursday, and Sinfos and back to Paros on Friday to disembark the boat in Paros on Saturday morning.

Itinerary 2 – Mykonos to Sounion
1. The company has offered to deliver the boat to Mykonos for us (we’d head up there via ferry from Santorini on Sunday and spend the night). We’d take ownership of the charter on Sunday, and they’d need us to return it to their base in Sounion.
2. Starting the charter Monday morning, head to Paros, Antiparo and Despotiko. On Tuesday, it would be Milos (with a stop in Poliegros). Wednesday would be Sifnos, Thursday would be Kythnos, and Friday would be Sounion, and disembark Saturday morning in Sounion.

Because we’d like to see Mykonos, we can add it to the first itinerary by still traveling by ferry on Sunday, spending the night, and then taking the ferry from Mykonos to Paros on Monday.

With the second itinerary, we’d miss Ios and Folegandros, but we’d see Kythnos and Sounion. The pictures of the Temple of Poseidon look incredible.

What do you think? We know this will be a lot of sailing, and we're up for it.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Barra]

You may already know this but the meltemi has a habit of wrecking such tight itineraries in the cyclades.

Im currently waiting the first decent one out on mykonos and with 38 knot gusts and building you dont want to be heading back to a charter base for the next few days, particularly to the north. If the forecast is correct there will be only 1 day in the next week where sailing north will be doable.

Early June shouldnt be a problem but the closer you get to July the higher the chances one could blow up and have you harbor bound for 3 or 4 days or even the whole week.

For this reason the Paros return option gives you more flexibility to
change to suit the winds. Plus the islands are more interesting. I wouldnt bother with Ios though the boat gives you the chance to get away from the tourist traps (he says anchored in Ornos bay Mykonos)

[jv_chicago]

Thank you! Hope things are better for you and you're having a great sail!