Advice on Dodecanese Please.

[PeterHoare]

My wife and I are considering chartering in the Dodecanese (going west from Rhodes to Kos and Kalimnos and back). The dilemma really is would it be better to go in September or May? We've sailed along the Turkish coast a few times in Septembber and October and have mostly had good conditions although we've also experienced two pretty impressive storms. We don't know what we should expect if we were to go in May however.

Any advice/info will be gratefully accepted.

Thanks.

 

[tennisgirl1]

We have been based in the Dodecs for the past 4 years. You can obviously get a storm at any time of the year and we have known thunderstorms in May in Kos, but based on our experience, the strong winds that can keep you in harbour for days on end begin in mid June and end in mid August.

 

[jimi]

We've been there in late May, the weather was marvelous and the Meltemi kicked in in the afternoon. Personally I'd have said that is the best time to go before it gets too hot!

 

[charles_reed]

I beat up through the Dodecanese July/October 2011. No lack of wind and occasionally I had to run for shelter in the lee of an island and await a reduction to a more manageable Bf 5-6.

In May the meltemi is probably not fully established as it is later, but you can expect some fairly spectacular blows - exciting if in a well-found, strong crewed boat but liable to put most wives off the exercise. September is definitely full blow.

Depends how much experience and how stressful you like your sailing to be. Personally I'd run downwind and let someone else bring it W and N.

This is a quite good site:-

http://www.sailingissues.com/meltemi.html

 

[PeterHoare]

Many thanks.

One supplementary question if I may, have any of you gone into Turkish ports or small bays while sailing through the Greek islands? If so were there any problems with the paperwork or did you just sneakily change the courtesy flag and hope for the best?

 

[DaveRo]

Most threads about Turkish and Greek regulations are on the Liveaboard forum.
See this thread for example.
I imagine the charterer will have some rules too.

 

[Whiskey Bravo]

Many thanks.

One supplementary question if I may, have any of you gone into Turkish ports or small bays while sailing through the Greek islands? If so were there any problems with the paperwork or did you just sneakily change the courtesy flag and hope for the best?

When we chartered in Turkey last year our charterer told us on no acccount must we even anchor in Greek waters, never mind moor in Rhodes/Sani etc and there were patrols to check. We didn't try, but saw no evidence of patrols despite almost touching Greece.

 

[mjcoon]

When we chartered in Turkey last year our charterer told us on no acccount must we even anchor in Greek waters, never mind moor in Rhodes/Sani etc and there were patrols to check. We didn't try, but saw no evidence of patrols despite almost touching Greece.

Conversely we have booked a flotilla in this area that claims to visit both Turkey and Greece (http://www.seafarersailing.co.uk/flotillas/dodecanese/).

The first time we did a flotilla in Turkey we flew to and from Rhodes, but that was in 1981! And I believe that the bureaucracy was quite onerous, but of course it was done by the flotilla leaders. The only effect on us was a rather delayed departure; we occupied the delay by tucking into the booze we had bought in the duty-free port of Rhodes. As a result our skipper fell over when we did get going, and being portly he fitted the small cockpit exactly. Lacking any way of getting him upright again we just sailed round him, as it were!

Mike.

 

[KellysEye]

I would go in September when the seawater is at it's warmest, if you like swimming. Also I'd go from Kos not Rhodes, to the north there are lot of small pretty islands, bays to anchor and small harbours with Tavernas. We've sailed from the Mount Athos peninsular area to the Peloppenese and it's one of favourite areas.

 

[vyv_cox]

There are no rules where the weather is concerned. In 2012 in Leros we saw many southerly winds in the early part of the season, including a big storm in May with wind speeds in the marina of 58 knots. The southerly winds were recorded for 21 consecutive days, a record by most locals' reckoning There was a brief respite, then the meltemi started early, giving fresh to strong north-westerlies for days on end from early in June.

In 2011 my son Owen used the boat for a fortnight in July, when the winds were light throughout. He never even fitted the mainsail, motoring everywhere. We used it for six weeks, September - October, when the meltemi was fitful but allowing us many good sailing days.

The recommendation for September for water temperature is a good one, but you could well have seriously strong winds throughout. May is usually our favourite month, although last year many of the tavernas had not opened then.

 

[PeterHoare]

Thanks Everyone, very helpful, and I especially liked the drunk skipper story.

What we are actually thinking of is the flotilla that mjcoon refers to but doing three weeks, leaving the flotilla for a time, and extending our stay in Turkish waters to visit some favourite bays from previous trips. We spoke to Chris Lorenzo, Seafarer's owner, at the LBS last Sunday and he seemed quite relaxed about us doing this. However, as the only ports of entry seem to be Datca and Bozburun we anticipate that we might have to check out officially before we actually leave Turkey in practice. Last time we were in Turkey I know some people anchored in a bay on Symi unofficially by just swapping courtesy flags.

 

[mjcoon]

As something of an aside, the other time we crossed between Turkey and Greece, with no formalities, was when visiting Castelorizon/Kastelorizo, just off Kaş. But that is such an isolated Greek island that I gather such visits are normally ignored.

Mike.