Dodecanese Tips Please

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Melody

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We'll have four yachts from 36 to 50 ft sailing in company for a week from Kos, starting 11 October. We haven't cruised in this area before so I'm looking for suggestions of places to go or avoid.

The largest yacht will head off to Astypalaia at some point. They have a strong crew and want to rack up the miles. The other three yachts have relatively inexperienced skippers and crew so we're probably looking at two different routes but with a chance to meet up with the bigger boat a few times during the week.

We've decided not to try to leave on Saturday as some crew won't arrive until late and we don't want to night sail the first day.

My first question is whether Leros would be a reasonable destination for Sunday? Or would we be better just to go to Kalymnos? Do either of these get very busy on Sunday nights? (I think that week will be busy with charter yachts as we found many companies fully booked) Any tips for either place?

Weather permitting I thought we might aim for Agathonisi and/or Arki. Will there still be tavernas open at that time of year on the smaller islands?

A final question is whether to try to include Nisiros and Tilos or to stick to north of Kos for this trip. If we enjoy it we'll probably do another trip there next year so could take in Rhodes and the southern islands then.

I've already looked at JimB's useful website, by the way, so don't refer me there. It's additional info I want :)
 
Everything is open currently, I don't expect much change in the next fortnight. Lots of boats around at the moment.

From Kos it will depend a little on the weather. Kalymnos is always good with plenty of space, especially in northerlies as berthing is stern-to into the wind, good first berthing experience for the inexperienced. I recommend Xerokampos on the south end of Leros, very sheltered in northerlies, lots of mooring buoys for three tavernas. I recommend the yellow or white buoys as our eating experience in the orange has not been good.

In a week I think that Kalymnos, Leros, Lipsi, Arki, Patmos and back will be plenty. A super place to go when your crews are more experienced is Vathi on the E coast of Kalymnos, spectacular but a little tricky. Two other good bays with tavernas on Kalymnos are Emborios (buoys and/anchor) and Vlixadia, a few buoys and good sandy anchorage. Tavernas in both bays highly recommended.

We are currently anchored at Arkangelos, north of Leros, another place not to be missed.
 
Mike - don't worry about places being open in the Saronic. They will be.

I only asked because my experience of the smaller islands in the Cyclades is that a lot of tavernas shut at the end of September.

I expect the bigger places to be okay in the Dodecanese but don't know if the smaller islands are like the Saronic or the Cyclades?
 
vyv_cox said:
Everything is open currently, I don't expect much change in the next fortnight. Lots of boats around at the moment.

I recommend Xerokampos on the south end of Leros, very sheltered in northerlies, lots of mooring buoys for three tavernas. I recommend the yellow or white buoys as our eating experience in the orange has not been good.

In a week I think that Kalymnos, Leros, Lipsi, Arki, Patmos and back will be plenty. A super place to go when your crews are more experienced is Vathi on the E coast of Kalymnos, spectacular but a little tricky. Two other good bays with tavernas on Kalymnos are Emborios (buoys and/anchor) and Vlixadia, a few buoys and good sandy anchorage. Tavernas in both bays highly recommended.

We are currently anchored at Arkangelos, north of Leros, another place not to be missed.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much. That's exactly the sort of information I was looking at. I hadn't noticed Xerokampos. Are the buoys proper visitors' moorings? I'm a bit wary of using buoys I don't know anything about but it would be good practice for our crews to pick up buoys as in this area it's all Med mooring on an anchor or lazy line.
 
Melody said:
Thank you so much. That's exactly the sort of information I was looking at. I hadn't noticed Xerokampos. Are the buoys proper visitors' moorings? I'm a bit wary of using buoys I don't know anything about but it would be good practice for our crews to pick up buoys as in this area it's all Med mooring on an anchor or lazy line.
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The yellow ones have chain attached to large concrete blocks, shackled to one inch rope with a spliced eye in the end, attached to the buoy with light line. Very substantial, we have used them in big blows. The white ones are fenders but they seem to be sound underwater. Orange were substantial last time we used them.

They are all provided by the tavernas, intended for visitors, although no penalties if you don't eat at them.

If you fancy the trip, Levitha is wonderful, one of our favourites but a bit out of the way unless visiting Astypalaia first. Twelve good mooring buoys in complete shelter but alternative anchoring if all occupied. The taverna is remote, up a rocky path. As different as you could find anywhere in the Med. Try the goat, superb.
 
That's great. I think our big boat will do an overnight sail to Astypalaia as they need to do a watch keeping trip. I'd considered Levitha for them for the following day, before meeting up again with the other boats in Patmos so thanks for the recommendation.
 
vyv_cox said:
Everything is open currently, I don't expect much change in the next fortnight. Lots of boats around at the moment.

From Kos it will depend a little on the weather. Kalymnos is always good with plenty of space, especially in northerlies as berthing is stern-to into the wind, good first berthing experience for the inexperienced. I recommend Xerokampos on the south end of Leros, very sheltered in northerlies, lots of mooring buoys for three tavernas. I recommend the yellow or white buoys as our eating experience in the orange has not been good.

In a week I think that Kalymnos, Leros, Lipsi, Arki, Patmos and back will be plenty. A super place to go when your crews are more experienced is Vathi on the E coast of Kalymnos, spectacular but a little tricky. Two other good bays with tavernas on Kalymnos are Emborios (buoys and/anchor) and Vlixadia, a few buoys and good sandy anchorage. Tavernas in both bays highly recommended.

We are currently anchored at Arkangelos, north of Leros, another place not to be missed.
Click to expand...

Hello Melody.Vyv has it about spot on..the only other suggestion I would recommend is Agathonisi,usually an excellent sail fron Arki,Lipsi etc.you should have a fantastic week in this area.. You are spoilt for choice.
Unfortunately we will be lifted out on The 10th,otherwise it would have been great to meet up again.
 
jamesmar said:
Hello Melody.Vyv has it about spot on..the only other suggestion I would recommend is Agathonisi,usually an excellent sail fron Arki,Lipsi etc.you should have a fantastic week in this area.. You are spoilt for choice.
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We have anchored in the bay more or less opposite the quay at Agathonisi, taking a line ashore. Last time we were there an official looking sign had appeared, written only in Greek, that we thought might be banning tying lines to the very convenient trees on the beach. After some period of time struggling with our Greek-English dictionary we found that it said 'No nude sunbathing'.
 
vyv_cox said:
We have anchored in the bay more or less opposite the quay at Agathonisi, taking a line ashore. Last time we were there an official looking sign had appeared, written only in Greek, that we thought might be banning tying lines to the very convenient trees on the beach. After some period of time struggling with our Greek-English dictionary we found that it said 'No nude sunbathing'.
Click to expand...
That must have really ruined your day Vyv! Pity it wasn't in German. Anyway we usually manage to go stern to the small quay in front of the shops,there is some ballasting there but not enough to cause any damage to a small boat.
Incidentally, did you appreciate the beautiful road which has been built from your bay round to the town? Complete with street lights (solar powered of course) and benches. Wish we had roads as good as that back home! There is an even longer one heading east from Megalo Xora ..leading nowhere costing us zillions.
 
vyv_cox said:
We have anchored in the bay more or less opposite the quay at Agathonisi, taking a line ashore. Last time we were there an official looking sign had appeared, written only in Greek, that we thought might be banning tying lines to the very convenient trees on the beach. After some period of time struggling with our Greek-English dictionary we found that it said 'No nude sunbathing'.
Click to expand...

Love it!
 
We just had lunch at the taverna overlooking Arkangelos anchorage. It would be hard to imagine a more spectacular setting. I have always thought that Emborios was hard to beat but this one does it. And the food was OK too.
 
If you are still looking for mooring buoys to practice on, there are several in O. Grikou, south of Skala on Patmos. They appear to be for large fishing boats (over winter?), all marked PRIVE and mostly with massive pickup ropes. We have used them twice this season, plenty vacant at the moment. Have not seen one occupied by a fishing boat and not seen anyone asked to move. The white painted taverna with arched windows on the small hill overlooking the moorings is superb.
 
In Agathonisi and very disappointed. I was expecting to find a lovely quiet bay. Instead it is jam packed with boats and was hard to find somewhere to anchor, but worse than that there is a huge water or fuel tanker that's been on the quay all afternoon running powerful motors and it's still here at 9.30pm. Completely destroyed any peace and quiet that might be found. Under Greek law it shouldn't be running noisy equipment late into the evening but it doesn't show any sign of letting up any time soon.

Sent my crew ashore but I decided to stay on board to drink wine and get my MiFi working. I'll be up and off at the crack of dawn if this noise continues all night.

Be warned if you're thinking of coming here.

On the plus side, we spent last night in Pandeli on Leros. Anchored off the beach and then went ashore to the Cafe Del Mare on the rocks. The owner apologised profusely that his winter menu wasn't ready, then proceeded to serve us one of best mezes I've had in almost 14 years in Greece. Prawn balls to die for, cheese balls that were out of this world, tasty pastrami, plus all the usuals. Can highly recommend.
 
Sorry about your Agathonisi experience, we nearly went there on Monday but now pleased we didn't. On Sunday night there were only three boats in P. Augusta, Arki. The taverna at Lera Lipsi is closed for winter. The one at Arkangelos was still open last week and very good.

You were fortunate to be at Pandeli in the current quiet weather. The swell there is often very uncomfortable. Are you returning via Lakki? We could come round and say Hello, returning to Evros today for end of season.
 
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