Tips for Greece

[DoubleWhisky]

Tip for today

Just near the Lipsi Island lies even smaller Arkoi Island .
You can find its name spelled Arkhi or Arki also.
As often in greece GoogleMaps wrongly indicates the placement of island's harbour. The proper location is here .
The island is populated mainly by goats and sheeps. Only very few people live there. Very primitive and unspoilt place.
Some Arkoi Island Photos You can find in the album.
But it has wonderful places to anchor for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling. The harbour is very small but perfectly sheltered and there are quite decent if very simple taverns.
From time to time the evenings with regional music and dances are arranged and even being a show for tourists, they are much more real, than in other, more "on the track" places. To join such an evening You can contact one of local taverns:
+30 2247032477; +30 6972923367; nico_kavouras@yahoo.com
If You are sailing in bigger group, they surely will arrange such an evening just for You for really modest price, reserving the berths in the harbour, so it is not bad place to arrange a meeting with other frienly boats

[DoubleWhisky]

Sorry, but it looks something is wrong with the link for Arkoi Island in my previous post. Hope this will be a proper link

[Capitain Mike]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

The season in Med is closer and closer, so I'm starting this thread for exchange of tips for summer cruise in Greece.

For the begenning my first tip:

LEVITHA ISLAND (NISIDA LEVITHA)

Here is the link for GoogleMaps:

Levitha


It is just a tiny piece of rock in the middle of nowhere (really between the Dodecanese and Cyclades - formally belongs to Dodecanese, as part of Leros community, but actually it is closer to Amorgos in Cyclades).

The island is unspoilt place, without water tap or electricity, but it has a fine anchorage, completely protected from Meltemi. Only one family of four or five live there and they run small tavern. Fantastic grilled fish and - if You were lucky - You will find there the best, probably, grilled lobster in Aegean.

Definitely worth a visit

You are correct but stay away from kinaros all the bays are in the south and if there is a south wind you are dead

[Capitain Mike]

Its the only safe harbour between Amorgos and Leros/Kalymnos. I live on Amorgos

[Capitain Mike]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

I personally think Athens are the least interesting base for charter in Greece.

The best starting points - in my personal opinion - are:
Lefkas (Ionian Islands)
Samos (Eastern Aegean Islands - but just off Northern Dodecanese)
Kos (Dodecanese Islands)
Paros (Cyclades)

There is good domestic communication in Greece, and most of mentioned above islands are served by air charters and cheap airlines, so it is not great problem to start Your charter there

Lekas is good tou can spend a couple of weeks or more in the area Preveza Corfu Ithica Kefalonia etc without sailing to the same place twice. Last year we sailed from Levkas Lefkada to Amorgos where we are now. but thats another story.

[Capitain Mike]

Hmm never had that problem but most boats have tanks that will last at least 2 days. be more economical save the planet. seawater in the toilet use a bucket. seawater to shower then fresh to rinse off saltwater for washing up then rinse off (BUT NOT IN THE HARBOUR)mY WIFE WON'T DRINK THE WATER FROM THE TANKS EVEN THOUGH IT IS FRESH FROM THE ONSHORE CLEAN WATER SUPPLY) So she has the bottled and I have the tank. No bad stomachs so far

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Capitain Mike

You are correct but stay away from kinaros all the bays are in the south and if there is a south wind you are dead

Good point. Kinaros Island can be really dangerous in any wind with southern component. It is better to be avoided at all.

[Capitain Mike]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I can recommend a little town called Platania...
it lies on the mainland just north of Evia and the last anchorage before the crossing to Skiathos...
no water tap or electric but nice food n drink....
oh no cash machines for 30kms either so if you stop have cash...
credit cards not accepted....
Marmaris on the SW coast of Evia is really nice as well....
Has water on tap at quay and an excellent eatery on the edge of town looking across the bay....
Both the kind of simple places I love...

Same as Loutra re ATMs

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Capitain Mike

Same as Loutra re ATMs

You mean Loutra on Kithnos Island, I believe?
There are some eight or nine different Loutras along Greek shores...

[Jacques2]

To Palaran...
"I do have a question that you may be able to answer. If I want to get a berth in Rhodes that is in the old harbor, how do I go about reserving it and how long in advance do you think I will have to book it? I understand they are very difficult to get."
__________________

We tried to get a berth in Rodos' old harbour 2 years ago and it was really impossible. It was the late evening and we had to go to the ""future"" ""new"" ""marina"" (south) which has been under construction for years... Not the slightest service or pontoon, only 2 quays ...We were there with only 2 other boats... With our anchor and a line ashore fixed on a ... I don't remember what but nothing traditional in a marina...

And we stayed onboard all the night waiting for the morning in order to leave Rodos !!!
I have heard on another forum (STW) that the marina will open next June... Any news about that ?

[Palarran]

Thank you Jacques for the information. I really would like to stay for around 3 days so maybe what I should do is call the marina. I'm thinking I'll need to somehow book this 3 months in advance. Rhodes is a place that I need to be at on a specific date as I will be dropping off friends and taking on a new crew. I should be around the island for 6 days in total.

I'd like to thank DoubleWhiskey again for keeping this thread going with good information. We spend a day in Patmos last September and it was very nice. We look forward to returning.

[Capitain Mike]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

You mean Loutra on Kithnos Island, I believe?
There are some eight or nine different Loutras along Greek shores...

Yes Kythinos. Sorry. I should have been more specific. The ATM is in Merichas the port on the west coast You hve to catch the 9am bus to get you there with time to spare.

[DoubleWhisky]

Loutra on Kithnos (Kithinos) Island... Little place... And little magic too...
Some years ago we put to sea from Alimos Marina after midnight, bound for Finikas on Siros Island. Just behind Cape Sounion the blow came. Part of the crew were first time on sea this year, so soon the sea sickness problems developed. I was not in the hurry and decided to retire to Loutra to give the sick ones a time to recover. It was my first time to Loutra. There was not a place in tiny harbour, so we moored alongside to the outr side of breakwater. The bay is quite well protected, swell not penetrated inside, so we were quite comfortable there. Had our breakfast and retreated to berths, to catch some sleep. About midday we went ashore. The place looked a little grubby and dusted. Some smallish shops, few simple tavernas. Not well maintained road meandering somewher uphill. Old hydropatic institute - there are hot springs on Kithnos - for long out of business. We felt a little like in the middle of nowhere. We took dinghy to the nearest beach for some swimming, did some things on the boat (it was first sailing after wintering her - always something to do).
The sunset came and we went to look for a place for dinner. Before we seated ourselves in the basic tavern (happily they had some quite decent wine) the dark covered island. And the whole place suddenly became fabulous... The whitewashed houses were not anymore looking grubby and dusty. Lights were mirrored in the water inside the harbour. Tavernas came to life. It was something unbelievable. The place transformed from something forgotten by God and people into the village from fairytale...
And next morning we took up mooring lines and left behind the small, sleepy, dusty place... Yes, it is something magical about Loutra

[Capitain Mike]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

Loutra on Kithnos (Kithinos) Island... Little place... And little magic too...
Some years ago we put to sea from Alimos Marina after midnight, bound for Finikas on Siros Island. Just behind Cape Sounion the blow came. Part of the crew were first time on sea this year, so soon the sea sickness problems developed. I was not in the hurry and decided to retire to Loutra to give the sick ones a time to recover. It was my first time to Loutra. There was not a place in tiny harbour, so we moored alongside to the outr side of breakwater. The bay is quite well protected, swell not penetrated inside, so we were quite comfortable there. Had our breakfast and retreated to berths, to catch some sleep. About midday we went ashore. The place looked a little grubby and dusted. Some smallish shops, few simple tavernas. Not well maintained road meandering somewher uphill. Old hydropatic institute - there are hot springs on Kithnos - for long out of business. We felt a little like in the middle of nowhere. We took dinghy to the nearest beach for some swimming, did some things on the boat (it was first sailing after wintering her - always something to do).
The sunset came and we went to look for a place for dinner. Before we seated ourselves in the basic tavern (happily they had some quite decent wine) the dark covered island. And the whole place suddenly became fabulous... The whitewashed houses were not anymore looking grubby and dusty. Lights were mirrored in the water inside the harbour. Tavernas came to life. It was something unbelievable. The place transformed from something forgotten by God and people into the village from fairytale...
And next morning we took up mooring lines and left behind the small, sleepy, dusty place... Yes, it is something magical about Loutra

You have a great turn of phrase brought back good memories we met some really nice greek people sailing there boats there and and we still remember them. We stayed about a week originally on the outside of the harbour arm where the big boats more but its not so well protected opposite the house like a castle and it began to blow for a couple of days. You should have seen the masts rock and like all greek harbours they look bigger on the chart than they actually are especially with all the berths full.

[DoubleWhisky]

At the given wind direction the outer side of breakwater was not disturbed place. I supposed that harbour will be full - the size of it was obvious from the photos and drawings in Greek Waters Pilot. I consulted the chart and was pretty sure the harbour should be protected with this wind direction. In other case I would decided otherwise than seeking some rest in Loutra