Flotilla holidays

[rex_seadog]

So you thought you looked like a loon! When I went flotilla sailing in the Ionian in mid summer I found the perfect answer to protect my northern skin. There were no biminis supplied then and I used to wear an arab dishdash (aka thaub or various other names) which I had picked up in Kuwait many years before. However, to complete the sartorial elegance, rather than the arab head scarf (ghutra) I topped it off with a straw hat! Needless to say, when approaching harbour I used to slip off this fancy dress and risk the sun's rays for a few minutes.

In fact we had two very succesful holidays about 6-7 years ago with Sailing Holidays and although the boats had obviously been well used they were well maintained. The lead crews were very helpful and allowed plenty of free sailing if you were considered competent. The idea of stepping off the boat and straight into a taverna was of particular appeal to SWMBO. Found most of the ports of call in both N and S Ionian reasonably clean, if not pristine, not overly commercialised and with enough local charm.

 

[sailbadthesinner]

ooh a native of the royal borough

yes the ionian is great for that. bows to and off to taverna.
but second time i went there we had no bloody wind for 4 days then a force 7-8. which shook the crew a bit




Ok brain let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.

 

[Melody]

We run skippered charters in the Aegean, and come across a number of flotilla companies. The one that has really impressed me is Neilson who operate out of Porto Kheli. They have nice boats and excellent flotilla leaders. If you are a complete beginner you can do a week in a hotel with some dinghy and yacht tuition before going on the flotilla. They sail around the Saronic and Pelopponisos which is far less crowded than the Ionian in the middle of summer (and the winds have been far better there the past couple of years - the 'gentle' Ionian winds have raeched F7 on several days) I haven't been at all impressed with Sunsail but I know people who love them.

Melody McKay Burton
Yacht Valentine, Greece

 

[lauradee]

don em for the last 2 years

12 year old and worldly wise 14 year old,
Sailing Holidays, brand new beneteau 331 last yr, brand new 361 year before, kids want to know why we are not going this year? cause weve bought a benteau 351 stupid!!
could not fault them in organisation or equipment, kids on flot form "gang" we form a g+t gang, every night they do their thing, every night we do our thing.
winds in ionian bit slack in august altho got the 331 up to 8.5 knots a couple of times, mam got it to broach with some catabatics. come to to think of it wonder if i can do a deal and swop 2 weeks in pwllheli with 2 weeks in fiscardo?