Boating in Crete

[Hooligan]

Hi. Has anyone experience or thoughts re Crete in terms of anchorages, wind, swell etc. Thinking of a trip down the Peloponnese and crossing from Kythira this summer so all thoughts and suggestions or warnings much appreciated.

 

[vas]

odd one this...
OK, I really love Crete (but I'm biased as wife is from Crete and my father was from there as well) and visiting often (at least once a year) by car to meet relatives, tour around, go various excursions etc.
HOWEVER, I'd never consider taking my boat there, for many reasons, some of them relate to the fact that I know the place well and have houses in Chania and Heraklion/Hersonissos to stay whenever I go there. So I'll list the other reasons.

Geography, check the map, N coast is smooth, nice beaches, AMAZINGLY (imho awfully!) developed, extremely touristy, full of large hotels and smaller b&b, rooms to let, et al. Few natural retreats when the N winds (meltemi) hit (often in the summer!) V.few (practically none) organise marinas/ports to hide. Tourism in Crete is by and large ignoring boating-doesn't need it tbh, it's already strugling at it is!
Very long island, if you're around the centre (Rethymnon-Heraclion) and N winds hit you you're buggered, probably 80-100nm to turn S either side to go to the "other" side. Now, that other side is indeed spectacular, v.rough, from W to centre the S coast has v.little development. Eastern half not that good (imho), except for the Easter coast (Vai area). Similarly, if the S winds (Liva - from Libya) hit, you have to rush to the N.
Generally lack of infrastructure and winds are your biggest enemies. It's acceptable in an Aegean isle which is 10nm across with an ondulated plan with lots of bays on all directions where it's easy to hide from the weather in half an hour max, not so in this massive oblong piece of land.

If you REALLY have to go to Crete, I'd cross from Kythira and spent a few days around the western part of the island only! From Chania in the north (and the massive bay of Souda) to the two peninsulas on the NW and then explore the west coast and particularly the SW tip of Elafonisi (amazing place!) and then down to Paliochora, Sougia and a visit to the isle of Gavdos (the southest tip of Europe - no it's not Gibraltar which is the southest tip of mainland Europe )

cheers

V.

 

[Davy_S]

I can recommend hiring a Pedalo in Georgeopolis and going up Turtle river, there are whirlpools at the far end! and beware of the locals plying you with Raki.

 

[Clancy Moped]

Tony Cross of this parish compiled a pilot pdf download you might want to do a search for.

 

[Hooligan]

Thanks for all the above. @vas very insightful and this may well clinch it. Kythira looks lovely so I may just stop there.

 

[vas]

Kythira is definitely lovely
if you do happen to be in Kythira and the forecast is v.good (no meltemi for a week- fat chance in Aug !) by all means go to Elafonisi and explore the s/w bit .
Basically two "marinas" you can visit: one at Paleochora on the south coast (nothing there, just dock to moor and supermarkets etc at walking distance) and the other at Chania old Venecian Port, really lovely spot, badly affected by N swells but smack in the middle of a city worth visiting! Not sure how easy to get a spot there though in Aug.
Don't forget I'm biased, so google and streetview will help make up your mind.

wherever you go have fun!

V.

 

[vas]

I can recommend hiring a Pedalo in Georgeopolis and going up Turtle river, there are whirlpools at the far end! and beware of the locals plying you with Raki.

never done that, I'll add it to my todo list ?

 

[SandyP]

Only it's Tsikoudia in the West, raki in the East
Homebrew is fab

Yeah, in the summer the North coast is almost constantly a lee shore, but i wouldn't mind having to stay for 6 weeks

 

[Davy_S]

Only it's Tsikoudia in the West, raki in the East
Homebrew is fab

Tsipouro is similar, it also makes you fall down!

 

[vas]

on the danger of going OT raki, tsikoudia and tsipouro are all practically identical, tsipouro tends to be slightly stronger, but homebrew on any of these can vary from lethal to tasty water
@SandyP the tsikoudia on Chania vs raki in Heraklion was indeed very much true in the 80s and 90s, I feel that nowadays you can hear it called either way anywhere in Crete...
I now live in tsipouroland (Thessaly), but still source tsikoudia for homeuse ?

To get back on track, I firmly believe Crete is an island worth visiting (more than once!) but you have to spent lots of time driving around up in the mountains, visit the N coast for the antiquities (Minoan civilisation was up north) and spend as much time as you can stand between the mountain villages and the on the S coast through the crappy windy roads.

V.

 

[Davy_S]

Its a few years since we were there, we stayed in Georgiopolis, when the scooter went back we hired a car, we set off heading towards Agios Nickolas, then went to Irapetra, it was a lot farther than we thought, we ended up staying a night at Mirtos, basic cheap room, we went out later and stood listening at a young lad learning to play the Bouzuki with his father at a bar, they beckoned us to come in, we did! it turned out to be a brilliant evening, some superb Bouzuki players turned up, the place was rocking and we were bladdered by closing time, being polite we sampled all the drinks we were offered

 

[SandyP]

I wish I could give you a simple answer, even though I've been there every year for 15 years. Hope to sail the in a few years time (and maybe never leave). There's town harbours around, but probably not deep as the local boats draw very little. Lots of little bays, maybe look everywhere but the North coast. You'll have a more immersive local experience that way too

Btw, raki is the ottoman word. Since i normally buy it in the villages, it comes in old mineral water bottles. We know it was Cretan water
φοτια νερα works well too