peloponnese

[jacaldo]

Hi, We have just returned from a two week charter out of Poros, into the Argolic Gulf and down to Monemvasia. Great sailing and area, but next year we are thinking of chartering out of Kalamata and doing the South Peloponnese. Does anyone (maybe Jim) have good information on chartering in this area, we used Greek sails this year and were very happy with the company and boats. Thanks

 

[jimbaerselman]

There has been no significant long term charter operation operating out of Kalamata. Small operations (one or two boats) have come or gone. I don't know whether anyone is at present chartering. Your best bet would be to enquire directly of the marina. Same applies to Pylos - except there's no means of communicating with the town.

You're off the beaten track down here! Which is why I love the area . . . and wonder why so many live-aboard folk rush through the gulfs of Patras and Corinth canal to get to Turkey as fast as they can.

 

[jacaldo]

Thanks Jim, don't really want to go to Pylos , we went there down from Levkas. Will look into the marinas for a private charter.

There has been no significant long term charter operation operating out of Kalamata. Small operations (one or two boats) have come or gone. I don't know whether anyone is at present chartering. Your best bet would be to enquire directly of the marina. Same applies to Pylos - except there's no means of communicating with the town.

You're off the beaten track down here! Which is why I love the area . . . and wonder why so many live-aboard folk rush through the gulfs of Patras and Corinth canal to get to Turkey as fast as they can.

 

[charles_reed]

Thanks Jim, don't really want to go to Pylos , we went there down from Levkas. Will look into the marinas for a private charter.

I spent a week in Kalamata in June - there are 3 boats for private charter in the marina.
I suggest you contact the marina office and negotiate direct with one of the three owners.
I'd agree that the Peloponnesus and Aegean are vastly superior sailing to the Ionian - the only problem being the lack of facilities.

 

[jacaldo]

Ok Decided against Kalamata, we are now looking at the Dodecanese. Lots of charter choice and plenty of quiet anchorages, north of Kos seems to be better for shorter hops.

 

[BobnLesley]

...I love the area . . . and wonder why so many live-aboard folk rush through the gulfs of Patras and Corinth canal to get to Turkey as fast as they can...

+1

We been twice around the Peloponnese and really enjoyed the west/south sides, though I'm not sure that I'd want to take a one-week charter there? You need time to get ashore and see what's there, but also to duck the weather if necessary for a few days, even a week, should a couple of weather system converge and blow through.

The first time around, we too were surprised not only by how few other boats we saw, but particularly the absence of British-flagged yachts; whilst they made up perhaps 50%+ of the 1-onion fleet, they were less than 10% down there - far more Netherlands, German, French and Scandahoovians, though nowadays we find that less surprising. Admittedly a generalisation, but we found lots of Red/Blue Ensigns in the North Ionian and SW Turkey, or when we got to the Caribbean, down the main line of the Leeward/Windward Islands, especially around Antigua and St Lucia, but once we headed to the less accessible and more exposed sailing areas - mid/north Aegean, west/south Peloponnese (areas where Sky TV and 'English breakfasts' are less widely available too?) the British fleet just disappears, other than those who're rushing through on their way to wherever, which they must reach before next Saturday's Premier League soccer match on TV and the roast beef and Yorkshire-pud Sunday lunch.

 

[vyv_cox]

Dodecanese

Ok Decided against Kalamata, we are now looking at the Dodecanese. Lots of charter choice and plenty of quiet anchorages, north of Kos seems to be better for shorter hops.

You have the option to charter out of Kos or Samos. The latter might well be cheaper(?) but we saw the down side of it in the past week. The meltemi has been out in force, F 6-7 almost constant for well over a week. We saw several charter boats motoring desperately trying to get back for their turnaround. Whereas you will always get back to Kos assuming you head for the many islands to the north.

 

[KellysEye]

Bear in mind three depression tracks meet in the Peloppenese, Sunsail opened there and closed the base after six months for that reason. We bare boat chartered there in June with Sunsail and had a gale which we used to head north. We happened to arrive where the Sunsail fleet were sheltered and the lead crew were rather surprised had been sailing and asked us to a free dinner, we were covered in salt as was the boat.

 

[jacaldo]

Re: Dodecanese

Plan on going early or later on so may miss the worst of the meltemi.

You have the option to charter out of Kos or Samos. The latter might well be cheaper(?) but we saw the down side of it in the past week. The meltemi has been out in force, F 6-7 almost constant for well over a week. We saw several charter boats motoring desperately trying to get back for their turnaround. Whereas you will always get back to Kos assuming you head for the many islands to the north.

 

[jimbaerselman]

Bear in mind three depression tracks meet in the Peloppenese, Sunsail opened there and closed the base after six months for that reason. We bare boat chartered there in June with Sunsail and had a gale which we used to head north. We happened to arrive where the Sunsail fleet were sheltered and the lead crew were rather surprised had been sailing and asked us to a free dinner, we were covered in salt as was the boat.

And yet consistency in the summer winds, and lack of summer unsettled weather (W through to N all summer; season 3 to 6 weeks longer than S Ionian) led us to open a dinghy sailing and windsurfing centre in Finikounda in 1984. This stayed in commission for over 20 years. Overall weather was very similar to SW Turkey, where the Ortakent centre still operates, just west of Bodrum. The "three depression paths" may apply in winter - end October to mid May. Not in summer, when you may see one depression if it's an unlucky year.

The area is OK for cruising between Pylos and Kalamata, with 3 town options, 3 villages and many coves, and not too many gust alleys for the offshore winds.

But west of the Mani in the Lakonikos gulf, things are limited. Port Kayio, Gythion, Plitra, Elafonisos, some tiny villages and several empty coves. Variable winds are accelerated over the Mani ridge, with some very strong gust alleys.

It's fine there for one or two boats which know how to anchor reliably so they don't disappear over the horizon when the wind picks up overnight. But very difficult to satisfy a larger group of boats, when some of the crews have limited experience.

We watched the Sunsail experiment with some interest. They were based in Gythion at first, but we never saw them come through Finikounda.

 

[CatCouple]

Have to say Jim b that you live in a beautiful part of the world. We were so pleased to have done the southern route from Turkey via the cyclades and had time to explore the Peloponese for the first time. loved Monemvassia limani Methoni Finakouda Voidhokoilia even kalamta had it's upside ! Greta cruising good value lovely food and lovely people.

 

[Max K]

We have tonight abandoned our plans for a circumnavigation of the plop despite the forecast winds looking absolutely perfect for the exercise. This is on the basis that the distance between ports makes it more of an endurance event than a pleasure cruise. We will, instead, re-visit old haunts in the Gulfs in August and visit new ones in the north eastern Korinthiakos before returning to the "Re-claimed" Ionian for September.

Max.

.

 

[1bobt]

We have tonight abandoned our plans for a circumnavigation of the plop despite the forecast winds looking absolutely perfect for the exercise. This is on the basis that the distance between ports makes it more of an endurance event than a pleasure cruise. We will, instead, re-visit old haunts in the Gulfs in August and visit new ones in the north eastern Korinthiakos before returning to the "Re-claimed" Ionian for September.

Max.

.

Well you are missing out on a wonderful part of Greece .We did it 2001 a little to quickly and have often consider going back.

 

[Max K]

Well you are missing out on a wonderful part of Greece .We did it 2001 a little to quickly and have often consider going back.

Probably the reasons you havn't are the same as ours for not doing so?

Max.

.

 

[1bobt]

Probably the reasons you havn't are the same as ours for not doing so?

Max.

.

I know it can be difficult from the I onion but its worth it, I frequently go down to and around the first cape . from this side.

 

[alexsailor]

South Peloponnese is one or not to say the last unspoiled parts of Greece by mass charter tourism. Yes sometimes you have to pay the price beacuse of strong winds but it is a beautiful, peaceful place.
Returning from South to North Ionian feels like going from a queit coffe bar to a disco.

 

[Max K]

I know it can be difficult from the I onion but its worth it, I frequently go down to and around the first cape . from this side.

But we've done that SO many times Bob from both sides! It's just the closing the gap that we can't be bothered with.

Max.

.

 

[1bobt]

Have you been to the caves cannot remember the name Diuros? Well worth a boat trip under the mountains.

 

[KellysEye]

>Yes sometimes you have to pay the price beacuse of strong winds but it is a beautiful, peaceful place.

It is indeed, it was one of the two nicest unspoilt places we saw. The only place similar is the peninsulas that include Mount Athos in the North.

 

[charles_reed]

We have tonight abandoned our plans for a circumnavigation of the plop despite the forecast winds looking absolutely perfect for the exercise. This is on the basis that the distance between ports makes it more of an endurance event than a pleasure cruise. We will, instead, re-visit old haunts in the Gulfs in August and visit new ones in the north eastern Korinthiakos before returning to the "Re-claimed" Ionian for September.

Max.

.

Having circumnavigated (in whole or in part), the Pelopponnesus, 6 times in 5 years, there is little endurance involved in making stopovers. You do need to leave at least a fortnight to do it in case of adverse winds and , as pointed out by JimB, stopovers are fairly spread out especially round Malea.
IMHO the most rewarding sailing area in Greece, infinitely better then the Ionian (where I'm currently languishing what with misdelivered parcels and insurance surveys). To be honest this is the first time I've been caught in the Ionian in August and an horrid, overcrowded and angst-ridden place it is.