Ionian weather

[sailaboutvic]

We not complaining we had some good sailing over the last few weeks , our engine have only been used to anchor .
We in Paros and it's blowing hard last night , down side , looks like we may be in for a few days for light winds before the meltemi starts , thinking of catching the first part of it and sail over to main land Athens .

 

[capnsensible]

Rained most of yesterday afternoon and for a change it is raining again this morning, on the plus side it is cooler

That's the sort of problem you get when you are sailing up north.

 

[jordanbasset]

That's the sort of problem you get when you are sailing up north.

 

[RichardS]

Apparently the blocking depression over the Ionian is leaving us with the most continuously windy weather we have ever known in Croatia.

We have now been had 5 days of continuous 20 knot winds, day and night. Any other year during the last 10 I would be celebrating this but for reasons which I won't go into we can't use our mainsail until we have a few hours of calm weather so I can change the sailcover and lazy jacks. Every other year at this time we have had mostly calm nights and mornings with a few breezy afternoons but I've no idea what a calm looks like or feels like any more. :ambivalence:

We have an appointment at 8:00 tonight in the local restaurant to watch the England match but whether we will be able to make the journey across in our dinghy in this wind with these seas is still doubtful.

Richard

 

[sailaboutvic]

Apparently the blocking depression over the Ionian is leaving us with the most continuously windy weather we have ever known in Croatia.

We have now been had 5 days of continuous 20 knot winds, day and night. Any other year during the last 10 I would be celebrating this but for reasons which I won't go into we can't use our mainsail until we have a few hours of calm weather so I can change the sailcover and lazy jacks. Every other year at this time we have had mostly calm nights and mornings with a few breezy afternoons but I've no idea what a calm looks like or feels like any more. :ambivalence:

We have an appointment at 8:00 tonight in the local restaurant to watch the England match but whether we will be able to make the journey across in our dinghy in this wind with these seas is still doubtful.

Richard

Richard , I heard Croatia is reducing they charges next year , correct ?

 

[dslittle]

My wife mentioned the jet-stream thing this morning. Our home in Scotland will be warmer and drier for the next few days. She woke up this morning before 01:00 and told me the rain started here at 00:54, well worth closing up everything. Still torrential rain and you barely see the shore at times. Forecast is for more to come over the next day or so.

Scotland will be back to normal next week as we are going home!!!
Actually it will be a relief from the constant sun, 10-20 knots and 32C we currently have In Brittany. I do miss Greece...

 

[RichardS]

Richard , I heard Croatia is reducing they charges next year , correct ?

I've not heard anything about that Vic, although we have all our permits for 2018 paid up now so I haven't been to see the Harbourmaster on this cruise.

We did make it over to the restaurant to see the match (not a great experience) but apart from 3 tables with English crews on them, the restaurant was empty. I think this constant wind is putting people off.

Richard

 

[Artic Warrior]

In sporades.... last 2 months have been awsome. ... not much wind but soo calm and sunny especially for the newby that's with me.....but the last 10 days have been shocking.... thunder lightening....rain rain.....and again tonight here in skiathos

 

[sailaboutvic]

I've not heard anything about that Vic, although we have all our permits for 2018 paid up now so I haven't been to see the Harbourmaster on this cruise.

We did make it over to the restaurant to see the match (not a great experience) but apart from 3 tables with English crews on them, the restaurant was empty. I think this constant wind is putting people off.

Richard

Here you go Richard , sorry guys for the drift .

 

[sailaboutvic]

In sporades.... last 2 months have been awsome. ... not much wind but soo calm and sunny especially for the newby that's with me.....but the last 10 days have been shocking.... thunder lightening....rain rain.....and again tonight here in skiathos

We not had any of that luckily the odd drop the other day on Paros .
Heading for Andros today , might be the last day of sailing for a few days before the big M turn up next week .

 

[vyv_cox]

Vic, our experience of Andros in a strong meltemi is not good. The wind down the Kafirias Strait is at least a force more than elsewhere and this is probably true at the anchorage at Gavrion. Sandbar Bay at Kythnos is a much better anchorage and a nicer place.

 

[vyv_cox]

Richard , I heard Croatia is reducing they charges next year , correct ?

There has been an update overnight on the CA forum page. There is a small reduction in 2019 rates against 2018, roughly 20%, but not enough to tempt me there!

 

[Mr Cassandra]

Vic, our experience of Andros in a strong meltemi is not good. The wind down the Kafirias Strait is at least a force more than elsewhere and this is probably true at the anchorage at Gavrion. Sandbar Bay at Kythnos is a much better anchorage and a nicer place.

Have to agree Andros is one of the windiest places.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Vic, our experience of Andros in a strong meltemi is not good. The wind down the Kafirias Strait is at least a force more than elsewhere and this is probably true at the anchorage at Gavrion. Sandbar Bay at Kythnos is a much better anchorage and a nicer place.

And now you tell me , haha , we three miles off , it's the first day we not been able to sail all the way from A to B bit disappointed, especially the price of fuel in Greece , luckily we still have plenty of Tunisia fuel .
We spend a day here then move out before the Meltermi arrive , need to be in Athens anyway to pick a part up on the 15th .
Thanks for the info .
Anyone know a kind Marina in Athens that we can get a berth for a few hours with out having to sell my arm ?

 

[Mr Cassandra]

Go to Porto Rafti and anchor off short taxi ride (or ask nick at fish restaurant) to Kropi train station an hour to Athens.

 

[jordanbasset]

I think we may have turned the corner, okay cooler day than normal for this time of year, but no rain and although cloudy earlier there are now plenty of blue skies

 

[Mr Cassandra]

Just did Messy to Kiato, f4 most of thw way then f7 from behind, fast but uncomfortable no rain.

 

[AndrewB]

Certainly looks like a return to normal in the Dodocanese after weeks of calms and gentle breezes. The prediction is for a full-scale Meltemi starting late Monday, lasting 5 or 6 days, winds full gale at times.

I'll be looking to hole myself up a mangrove swamp.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Go to Porto Rafti and anchor off short taxi ride (or ask nick at fish restaurant) to Kropi train station an hour to Athens.

Need to give them a address to send it to

 

[Mr Cassandra]

Need to give them a address to send it to

I have my parcels delivered to the fish taverna. Its best to spend a bit of money there as well.