Sailing in Greece

[Yiorgos]

I agree with you JimB. What's your site?

[JimB]

www.jimbaerselman.f2s.com

JimB

[seagypsywoman]

I have been in the Ionian for the past two years and it is the best place to start sailing in Greece in my opinion. There are many islands with beautiful anchorages, the winds are gentle, the people are friendly, there is lots to do and see and there are many friendly cruisers to learn from. I have also seen many partnership boats.

Furthermore, you can fly from the UK to Aktio, near Preveza on a cheap charter (Karyatis Travel has great deals every Sunday April to October). At Aktio there are three boat yards with boats for sale, chandleries and boat maintenance people. Preveza Yacht Services has some boats for sale. Preveza is big enough to have everything you need, yet small enough for walking everywhere.

I keep my boat at Aktio-Marine and highly recommend it for price, great service, and friendly staff.

[osirissail]

I have also sailed the Greek Island - although many moons ago - and only had a Meltemi for 2 out of 9 days. But Pilot Charts are based on averaged reports over many decades and as we know now things are changing in the earth's climate. Bottom line, Mother Nature does what Mother Nature wants to do, when she wants to do it. Add in that we prefer to remember the "good" times and forget or suppress the "bad" times - or - based on your personality maybe the other way around. So each person's experiences are probably just as valid during their time there as the next person's. And they are all very useful as you can prepare and be alert for such conditions ahead of time and then your own experience will be maximized into the "good" category.

[Jerry Cox]

Hi Folks.
Good to see some spirited discussions going on about sailing in Greece.
I live in Methoni, SW Peleponesse and intend to bring my 36ft gaff rigged Spray down from Marseille this spring. I have, a few years ago, sailed around the west coastal region of Greece.
I witness...from my house, which overlooks Methoni town a complete variety of weather. It is mostly very windy in the winter with S and SW force 6 and 7 on a regular basis. In summer the wind almost switches on about 10 am and off at around 6pm. I find the Posiedon weathersite about the most accurate but still you have to keep your eyes open and watch the barometer closely. Today for example is blowing hard with a low pressure reading and lots of rain squalls passing through. The sea is kicking with a long westerly swell
I would be interested to get any tips and comments on the passage from Marseille to here having never done that trip before. I intend to leave Marseille early May and take the shortest route to here.
I look forward to hearing from anyone with experience of this trip.
Cheers...Jerry

[Ram]

Hi Jerry

Ive stopped by Methoni 7 times in the last few years and its a sweet little place- fact is I was thinking of buying a home there-

Is it safe to keep your boat there in the winter? How long have you lived there?

I have never made the trip direct from Marseille but its mostly down wind- so should be easy- hop along the coast of Italy

[Jerry Cox]

Hi Ram
As a place to live...really nice...locals are cool..of course you have to work at that...at first I was rich english...not true...
I live a bit out of town and anyone living here should be up and away from the centre in high summer. It was historically known as a Malaria town..and the mossies love to drink you up!!!
We...that is my wife, daughter and grandson love being here. I have just made it full time after running a marine repair buisiness in Bermuda.
I am starting a charter business here with our boat which I recently bought in London. The attached Greek paper trail is at times wholly maddening, frustating and seems to have no logical basis. But thats the way it is....so I just accept it and get on with it. Its worth it in the long run. Its a really good place to sail from with plenty to see and do.
As far as mooring in winter...forget it...the weather here kicks hard and just last month a 46ft charter boat was smashed to matchwood on the rocks..the owner taking a chance on a cheap winter mooring.

Here we are in March and its still kicking!...
If you...or anyone else is this way this summer...shout me and I will happily join you for a beer at the beach square...
And I will be offering sailing trips around the local area plus if you have a problem...chances are I may be able to help...
Do stay in touch...cheers..Jerry

[uncle_fred]

hi zeppe you have probably more experience about sailing than me but i have spent most of my life on the med out everyday 2-3 times with a boat load of people as said in one post the wind will get up in the afternoon and die down when the sun goes down if it starts in the morning then can be a hard day but lots of beautiful places you can stop and wait, lots of people think the med is qa quiet sea i can assure you it can be rough and that in 5 min can change nice place to over winter as well. another advantage as the years have gone by on most bays you find a supermarket or restaurant you can eat and stock up. about your partnership in a boat look around first and see if you can find a reasonable boat a partner can be a problem with a boat i know many who do it, the Bavaria are normally very reasonable secondhand here that is why most are chartered have all in and look good and easier to sail you will love the med to sail around from spain italy greece africa and even go into the red sea without a problem best of luck to you.

[Ram]

Jerry I will most be stopping there a few times at least this summer and will look you up !

[vickyruairi]

Have to agree that Greece is slightly bigger that the Cyclades. Having lived here for twenty years, I would be delighted to go windsurfing in 35 knots of wind every morning, sadly unless you are in the Meltemi belt between May and late September this is more unlikely than snow!!
I have alas given up windsurfing due to lack of consistent wind ( and a spreading gut) for a more sedate sea life.
Regarding the origin of this thread, Vliho Yacht Club on Levkas will help with any of the questions you have. As this moves into the territory of advertising and not wishing to offend, I will offer a email address where you can contact us privatley!!

Rgds
Ruairi
vlihoyc@otenet.gr

[JimB]

Ram,

Best place to store your boat locally to Methoni is Pylos. There's an excellently sheltered marina framework there (no-one operating it) with no mooring charges. A 50 ton crane will pull you out for the winter, a local welder will knock up a frame to hold the boat.

Other than that, Kalamata marina is just a day sail away, with good all round facilities, and only 4 hours by car from Athens airport (or just over five hours on the incredibly reliable buses - one change) and good value by most Med standards.

Lots more about the area on my web site - Google 'jimb sail' to find it.

JimB

[swagman]

Hi Jerry,
You asked if anyone has sailed your planned route?
We sailed from Balearics to Greek Islands in 2006 and had to do it swiftly - guess the two routes would overlap from Sicily onward?
Go look at our blog from April 2006 for info on the legs we did and places we stopped at.Swagmans Sailing Blog
Enjoy
JOHN

[Jerry Cox]

Hi John
Thanks for the note..I will check out the blog...Cheers..Jerry

[Dockhead]

I've been sailing twice in two different years out of Bodrum in the Aegean, both times in August (height of Meltemi season). Both times we had some wild days when the wind piped up to 40 -- 45 knots -- continuous, not gusts! And stayed that way for hours.

Because the wind was not gusty, and blew out of a clear sky, it wasn't too frightening -- we just put the third reef into the main and rolled the gennie way in -- in one case, we sailed under rolled-in gennie alone. Sea got up quite a bit, especially at the end of the Gulf of Keramos, but again, it was a rolling swell, not too steep, and not really frightening (though hell on those prone to sea-sickness). This is in 42 to 45 foot bareboat charter boats.

The worst thing about the Meltemi for us was sleeping at night when it was blowing -- it's a very hot, stifling wind, shrieking in the rigging all night. Not too much sleep, and it would be scary at anchor I think.

So I don't know about 30 knots -- we saw 45 knots sustained, and on several occasions over two years.