Which Pilot?

Gypsyjoss

Member
Joined
29 May 2008
Messages
268
Location
Midlands -a long way from the sea!
Visit site
We want to explore the Cyclades this year. We have the charts and a 2001 Ed.of Rod's Greek Waters Pilot. Believing that much has changed I seem to have the choice of the latest 2007 10th Ed. plus supplements, or the 2009 2nd Ed. West Aegean pilot by Rod. But does this cover all of the Cyclades viz the islands Tinos, Mykonos, Naxos, Amorgos and Astipalea? The Imray site doesn't make this clear.
Will someone have a look at their copy please?

Thanks
Pete
 

tennisgirl1

Member
Joined
1 Mar 2009
Messages
117
Location
UK & Greece
yachtvigdis.wordpress.com
We have all three Heikell pilots. The Greek Waters Pilot covers the whole area but in less detail than the paperbacks. In the GWP the plans of harbours/anchorages are smaller and there is not so much extra information. On the other hand it has all the detail about sailing in the Cyclades re weather patterns, formalities etc.

I like the paperbacks for the full page harbour plans and the history and tourist information. Where they overlap with the GWP they sometimes show more anchorages.

As I recall the paperback West Aegean Pilot has the western islands of the Cyclades including Kea and Kithnos and the East Aegean Pilot has the Dodecanese and parts of Western Turkey, but for the central area of the Cyclades i.e. Mykonos, Naxos, Siros, Amorgos etc. you will need the Greek Waters Pilot.
 
Last edited:

Gypsyjoss

Member
Joined
29 May 2008
Messages
268
Location
Midlands -a long way from the sea!
Visit site
Thanks to Lillebee and Tennisgirl1.

It's as I suspected - It's a bit mean of Rod not to cover the eastern Cycades islands in either of the two paperbacks East Aegean or West Aegean!

Will have to discuss this with SWMBO. The Elias guides are very expensive (97 Euros on the website) though I'm sure that in Greece you can get the one without charts. One good thing - his corrections are up to date to Jan 2011.


Cheers
 

Gypsyjoss

Member
Joined
29 May 2008
Messages
268
Location
Midlands -a long way from the sea!
Visit site
How do you get hold of one of these if based in the UK? The internet sales link leads to a shop which only seems to ship to Greece.

Hi Mike
I shall wait until I get to Greece. I've seen these for sale in many places.

However, if you follow the Points of Sale link you can find stockists in various countries but not UK. If you click on Papasatiriou in Athens you'll find it's an internet sales site. Guess you could order there.

pete
 

lille_bee

New member
Joined
2 Dec 2004
Messages
403
Location
North Wales
Visit site
The Elias guides are very expensive (97 Euros on the website) though I'm sure that in Greece you can get the one without charts. One good thing - his corrections are up to date to Jan 2011.
OK, so they're not the cheapest things on earth, but they are definitely excellent value for money. Never heard of a version without the charts, though...
 

Gypsyjoss

Member
Joined
29 May 2008
Messages
268
Location
Midlands -a long way from the sea!
Visit site
OK, so they're not the cheapest things on earth, but they are definitely excellent value for money. Never heard of a version without the charts, though...

You're probably correct Lille Bee. I think you can buy the charts without the pilot but not the other way around.
I've just ordered the 2nd Ed 2009 West Aegean by Rod - £14 from WHSmith. That'll get us going! We've got our old tatty 2001 Greek Waters Pilot which we'll no doubt update from someone else's copy of the Elias guide. Why don't I want to buy it - well, we're only sailing the Cyclades this year and after two years of considerable expenditure, we're trying to have a cheap one! - I can see you all now falling out of your bosuns chairs with laughter.
Pete
 

grumpygit

Well-known member
Joined
29 Jul 2007
Messages
1,169
Location
Sailing the Aegean
Visit site
Pay for what you get !

we have found Rod Heikell's books to be very out-of-date, even the latest editions, let alone a 2001 edition!
I would recommend the Elias guides:http://www.eagleray.gr/seaguide_en.htm
No photos, but much more detailed charts & plans.

I totally agree with you, RH's books are not only out of date they carry mis information. He obviously has not been into quite a lot of the places he pontificates about. On a plus side RH's are well written and quite an entertaining read with some very interesting facts on Greek history, but that is not why we buy them.

We stopped using them as a primary source of information and use the Elias as our main guide. Fair enough they are quite expensive but how do you put a price on good information. I'm sure if one rings them they will send to the UK.

Another point with pilot guides (guide being the word). Remember the boats out there are getting much bigger especially in the charter world and the deceptive pictures which also look to be taken out of season make places look empty or anchorages massive these do not always bear up in reality. Anchorages and small ports can soon fill with mono and cats of over 17 mtrs being quite common in high season.

_________________________________________________________________________
 

DaiB

Member
Joined
1 Oct 2001
Messages
282
Visit site
Elias

Another big plus for the Elias pilots, hurts when you shell out but really well worth the money. Plus I don't like being lectured to as RH pilots do in my opinion.
 
Top