Where to overwinter in Greece

[curlysue]

Looking ahead to next winter already we are considering our options. We want to live onboard most of the winter with the boat in the water ( with a short christmas break to see the grandchildren ), then lift out the following spring for a weeks maintenance, then back in again. It would have to be secure enough that we could leave the boat with confidence. We have already looked at Crete and Kalamata which are options but wondered about the eastern Peleponese. Is there anywhere near Nafplion ? It would need to be somewhere with decent facilities to make the winter pleasant and not an endurance test so it would have to be a marina. Any info/recommendations ( to stay or stay away from ) or otherwise welcome.
Cheers

 

[CharlesSwallow]

Not much near Navplion that could be called " a pleasant (& bombproof-secure) winter hideaway". The big marinas near Athens (Kalamaki etc) and Kalamata which you've already mentioned would be best but Athens has direct flights to the UK. Otherwise it's back to the Ionian and "see you in Gouvia, Levkas or Preveza"! but Gouvia is by far the easiest of the three to get home from in winter.

Other thoughts; Porto Heli which is secure for the boat but I would imagine dreadful as a winter residence - latest I've been there was December.

Some of the winter storms in the area can be mighty affairs.

Chas

 

[vyv_cox]

Ermioni is about the only one I can think of in that area but you would probably be stern-to on your anchor, so not ideal for leaving the boat. You could be lucky though and manage to get alongside the wall. It's not likely to be very lively but there is a reasonable supermarket and a bus service. As Charles says Porto Heli is fairly secure: boats overwinter on the moorings but there is very little in the town. Epidavros further north might be a possibility but again you would be on anchor and shelter is not that great.

 

[CharlesSwallow]

Ermioni is about the only one I can think of in that area but you would probably be stern-to on your anchor, so not ideal for leaving the boat. You could be lucky though and manage to get alongside the wall. It's not likely to be very lively but there is a reasonable supermarket and a bus service. As Charles says Porto Heli is fairly secure: boats overwinter on the moorings but there is very little in the town. Epidavros further north might be a possibility but again you would be on anchor and shelter is not that great.

I did think of Ermione (oldest taverna in greece & run my an english lass!) and it's neat little square harbour but having spent a night in there a few years back with four other boats hanging onto my anchor in a nasty blow, I wasn't going to recommend it to a high windage boat like Curlysue!

Chas

EDIT: Well inside at Porros should be good and that stays alive through the winter. Some waterside residents might even allow you to plug-in!

 

[derk]

Hi
We wintered at basimakopouloi boatyard near Porto Heli a couple of years ago and can recommend it. However there is no marina just a boatyard.

URL to their website is -www.basimakopouloi.gr/index.htm

 

[grumpygit]

Hi
We wintered at basimakopouloi boatyard near Porto Heli a couple of years ago and can recommend it. However there is no marina just a boatyard.

URL to their website is -www.basimakopouloi.gr/index.htm

There is Kolida boatyard in the bay West of Porto Heli. Also Methana which is a safe harbour and ferries through to Piraeus, that's if the sulphur doen't rot your chain. You must remember most are bleak places to be in Winter and the Saronics are prone to very strong North Westerlies. Aegina is the only place around this area that has life as we know it.......but also gets the weather.

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[Eurydice]

winter mooring messolonghi

Curly sue,

No matter what you may read about Messolonghi you really should try it. We had a wonderful winter, the local people are great and if you check out U-Tube you'll see that they have a community room with lots of live-aboards and having a great party through this winter (sadly we weren't part of it this year).

We tried Kalamata but couldn't get a straight answer from them about the rumoured terrible surge that causes damage to boats over winter so we decided not to stay. The five lots of ropes and big tires were a put off also.

Messolonghi is not so far around the corner - we didn't find anything with any community life or safe mooring around the Peloponnese when we were there.

Enjoy your summer

 

[goosewing]

I'm in Lefkas and it's great, beautiful surroundings, great live aboard community, great marina staff, great locals and lovely town. Loads to do over the winter with lots of help with boat maintenance. Local gym, good bike riding, good shops all in walking distance, all in all ace.

 

[CharlesSwallow]

I'm in Lefkas and it's great, beautiful surroundings, great live aboard community, great marina staff, great locals and lovely town. Loads to do over the winter with lots of help with boat maintenance. Local gym, good bike riding, good shops all in walking distance, all in all ace.

Yes, I agree, it is a very nice place to winter but if you want to access the UK by air then Gouvia has the edge. (Is the Lighthouse open?)

Chas