Where are you dropping the hook this winter

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Artic Warrior

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Hi ALL,

Where have you decided to anchor or moor up this winter,

I know south is slightly warmer, Cyprus, Crete, and turkey (visa problems).
But wonder if the north area around sporades, saronic or ionion, with maybe less winds is a better decision ???? I believe a few are anchoring in the saronic area at the moment.

Thank you for your input,,,,

Happy anchoring :)
 
I hope to winter with Poros Saronic as a base.
Winter sailing is perfectly possible, weather forecasts are almost on the hour precise so planing some days in advance is possible.
Saronic is a low wind area, annoying in summer but fine in winter.
Poros. Good connections with Athens. A town that lives in winter also. Safe in all weather.
Hope to winter in Poros, no idea how difficult officials are going to be. Past years no problems.
Liked South coast of Turkey, wintered there for 10 years.
Only 3 live aboard yachts outside marina´s on the whole Turkish south coast made us to sitting ducks for the coastguard who ware boring themselves to death in winter, so no thanks, Turkey is out for now.
Saronic climate is ok, much less rain than Ionian.

We ware the only live aboard on the hook winterers in this area last year. Flying cost peanuts, most go “Home”. Condensation is the big problem.
Our little yacht is a very good winter boat. Two inch wood, wood burning stove. No condensation since we cook on wood also. Cooking on gas creates water, condensation.
People create condensation also. Not me. I am dry as a bone. Trained for it. My hobby is collecting dust.
Any condensation my wife creates is absorbed by five tons of eighty years bone dry wood and 80 kg of dry Me.
 
Last edited:
OldBawley said:
People create condensation also. Not me. I am dry as a bone. Trained for it. My hobby is collecting dust.
Any condensation my wife creates is absorbed by five tons of eighty years bone dry wood and 80 kg of dry Me.
Click to expand...

That bit made me laugh, My life always envolves dust too,,,,, if it wasn't rebuilding my 400 year old cottage,... it is sanding the boat and applying new paint,,,,,Constant dust ha ha,,,,
 
I arrived the first time on Poros lake sailing from Porto Rafti in the middle of night.
Had CPN and a GPS so sailing in was easy as in daylight. Night sailing made easy since my binoculars are first class, have huge 30mm ocular´s, so are near perfect night vision.

It was early May, first bay I wanted to drop anchor into was Russian bay. There is a very small island with chapel in front of that bay, the island has a dangerous reef. With those trusted binoculars
I could see very well at sea, the moon reflecting on the water lets you see even a fishing buoy.
Daskalino island is totally dark, against a wooded shore. Invisible. Gave the reef a wide clearing, good thing, while Gps and map proved too be way off. Could see nothing except some small twinkling leds high up into Russian bay. Those lights turned out to be masthead anchoring lights.
Dahm things, entering an anchorage at night, those high up lights are useless. Just one yacht had a normal anchoring light. That yacht was perfectly visible. My top light was useless also into that small bay. Should have seen the faces of people drinking a glass at night when my dark boat passed them without a sound. Our engine is so deep below the water into that solid wooden hull it can´t be heard but from behind.
Anyway, Russian bay was much to crowded so I moved to Megalo Neorio, just a bit further east.
Found an empty spot, dropped anchor.
Next morning, first light I saw how beautiful Poros island is.
Decided on the spot to make it my next wintering place.
Turned out I was anchored in the middle of a water ski lane. Bob came over on his engine warming lap and asked me kind to move a little.

I my humble opinion one of the most important facts for choosing a wintering place . Could just not feel happy in a place where the scenery is crap. Witch are most marina´s.

Btw. I now use open CPN and make use of Google earth satellite pics to navigate on. Lots and lots better than any chart and way more accurate GPS wise.
 
Ah nice to read thanks for sharing,,,,CPN is laptop charts I suppose ?
Luckily in the night you didn't poke anyone with your bow sprit Ha ha

OldBawley said:
I arrived the first time on Poros lake sailing from Porto Rafti in the middle of night.
Had CPN and a GPS so sailing in was easy as in daylight. Night sailing made easy since my binoculars are first class, have huge 30mm ocular´s, so are near perfect night vision.

It was early May, first bay I wanted to drop anchor into was Russian bay. There is a very small island with chapel in front of that bay, the island has a dangerous reef. With those trusted binoculars
I could see very well at sea, the moon reflecting on the water lets you see even a fishing buoy.
Daskalino island is totally dark, against a wooded shore. Invisible. Gave the reef a wide clearing, good thing, while Gps and map proved too be way off. Could see nothing except some small twinkling leds high up into Russian bay. Those lights turned out to be masthead anchoring lights.
Dahm things, entering an anchorage at night, those high up lights are useless. Just one yacht had a normal anchoring light. That yacht was perfectly visible. My top light was useless also into that small bay. Should have seen the faces of people drinking a glass at night when my dark boat passed them without a sound. Our engine is so deep below the water into that solid wooden hull it can´t be heard but from behind.
Anyway, Russian bay was much to crowded so I moved to Megalo Neorio, just a bit further east.
Found an empty spot, dropped anchor.
Next morning, first light I saw how beautiful Poros island is.
Decided on the spot to make it my next wintering place.
Turned out I was anchored in the middle of a water ski lane. Bob came over on his engine warming lap and asked me kind to move a little.

I my humble opinion one of the most important facts for choosing a wintering place . Could just not feel happy in a place where the scenery is crap. Witch are most marina´s.

Btw. I now use open CPN and make use of Google earth satellite pics to navigate on. Lots and lots better than any chart and way more accurate GPS wise.
Click to expand...
 
We're going to carry on sailing around the Dodecanese islands this winter. We're currently in Crete for a few weeks then will head off to Kassos and Karpathos on our way up to Symi. We're hoping to be able to keep sailing around Symi, Nisyros, Kalymnos and Leros. We have heating on board and good internet access and there are enough good anchorages within easy reach of most places for when the weather is a bit rough.
 
Hi young lady,,,,,,
:) Hi how are you,
The weather around Simi is a bit warmer that way in winter for sure,
Ive had to put on me Refleks a couple of times up here (Evia) all ready, but still twice as warm as the uk thou ha ha


NornaBiron said:
We're going to carry on sailing around the Dodecanese islands this winter. We're currently in Crete for a few weeks then will head off to Kassos and Karpathos on our way up to Symi. We're hoping to be able to keep sailing around Symi, Nisyros, Kalymnos and Leros. We have heating on board and good internet access and there are enough good anchorages within easy reach of most places for when the weather is a bit rough.
Click to expand...
 
If one is not dependent of a marina or town quay it is wise too look for places with a micro climate.
For instance : we ware often hiding out in Kapi creek near Göcek. Temperature there was 6 to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than in Fethiye bay, just 10 miles away. Rain was a lot less also and at least 50% more sun. Even the water temperature was lots colder in Fethiye that has some rivers fed by snow.
Reason : Kapi creek is on a peninsula far into sea. Clouds are formed over land.
Fethiye suffers from the snow loaded Baba dagi mountain and has lots of shade by hills, in winter when the sun is low.
Other example : The big hill just south of Poros is now dotted with wind generators.
Those huge machines actually make the hill higher, a semi permanent cloud is forming over the hill.
In winter that cloud ( I call it the Galatas cloud ) is blocking the low standing sun in the southern part of the Poros lake. Result : much less solar energy and cold compared to the northern bay´s where the sun just peeks over the cloud. Just half a mile and world of difference.
 
Artic Warrior said:
Hi young lady,,,,,,
:) Hi how are you,
The weather around Simi is a bit warmer that way in winter for sure,
Ive had to put on me Refleks a couple of times up here (Evia) all ready, but still twice as warm as the uk thou ha ha
Click to expand...

Its not that warm down south either, had the webo on the other night and bangers and mash for lunch today.....
 
Have to review Poros as an easy to get to place.
Other years Hellenic seaways cancelled the flying catamarans and slow car ferry´s during winter.
That was a relief, because those two kinds of huge wave makers do lots of damage.
Living in a place where a tsunami hits a few times a day is no fun.
This year all ferry´s including the fast no wave making flying dolphins are cancelled.
Makes Poros hard to get to from Athens airport.
 
Artic Warrior said:
Hi young lady,,,,,,
:) Hi how are you,
The weather around Simi is a bit warmer that way in winter for sure,
Ive had to put on me Refleks a couple of times up here (Evia) all ready, but still twice as warm as the uk thou ha ha
Click to expand...

All good here thanks. Refleks has been on to provide hot water only so far!
 
NornaBiron said:
We're going to carry on sailing around the Dodecanese islands this winter. We're currently in Crete for a few weeks then will head off to Kassos and Karpathos on our way up to Symi. We're hoping to be able to keep sailing around Symi, Nisyros, Kalymnos and Leros. We have heating on board and good internet access and there are enough good anchorages within easy reach of most places for when the weather is a bit rough.
Click to expand...

That's a shame. We always look forward to seeing you at anchor there when we drive over to Elounda in the winter (for the chandlers of course). Have a good winter sailing!
 
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