Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Looking for a good bareboat location
If you are into partying and don't mind flying half way around the world, the British VIrgin Islands are the place. Pretty crowded though. Perhaps more space and variety - still enough partying - further south around the Grenadines. Big season between December and April - more humid after that. I see a lot of Oz charterers around the Greek islands. A bit of winter sun for Oz southerners, but the Mediterranean is a long way to travel. They seem to like the consistent big northerly winds around the Cyclades during July and August, when you may be hit with two or three days of 35kt winds when even the ferries stop sailing. This is not an area rich with sandy beaches and out of the way anchorages though. You usually tie to a town or village quay and become part of the local scene. Great variety, from millionaire's Mykonos to backpacker's Ios, from populations of 4 manning a yotties taverna to 30,000 (almost tourist free) on Syros. Full season starts mid May, ends mid Oct. My favourite for quieter cruising in Greek waters - slightly less wind and many smaller islands - is north from Kos along the Dodecanese (off the Turkish coast). Season mid-May to mid Oct, with occasional unsettled weather in the first and last months. Try Moorings from Kos, internal flights from Athens. Saronic (just south of Athens) and Ionian (west of Greece) are lighter wind areas, very popular, very crowded with flotillas of smaller cruisers. -- Jim B, Yacht RAPAZ, Summers in the Med, winters in UK jim[dot]baerselman[at]ntlworld[dot]com |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Looking for a good bareboat location
(comments based on our 1995-1998 circumnav, not on local charters)
We much preferred the Societies to Tonga. Tonga is a monarchy where the Royal Family owns 75% of the land. It was the only country, of 32 on our trip, where multiple officials actively solicted "gifts". (In fairness, I must add that on Niuatoputapu we shared a magnificent coming-of-age banquet put on by the local church -- the people there were wonderful.) If you look at a chart, you will find that there is a variety of places to go, but a sameness to them. There's little to do ashore (two good restaurants in the Vava'u Group, IIRC). The Moorings has a base on Raiatea, from which you can cruise Raiatea, Huahine, Tahaa, and Bora Bora. More variety both at sea and ashore than Tonga. We preferred Turkey to Greece, but both are good choices. You will find opportunities to anchor out in Turkey, sometimes alone, sometimes with other boats. The BVI are charter boats gone wild, crowded and difficult -- haven't been to the Grenadines, but they have to be better than BVI. There's also Saint Martin, Antigua, Guadalupe. I also have to mention Maine. While there's a 30% chance of fog in the summer, when it's clear, it's one of the best cruising grounds in the world. October can be gorgeous and fog free, if you don't mind cool. Jim Woodward www.mvfintry.com "Jim B" wrote in message ... If you are into partying and don't mind flying half way around the world, the British VIrgin Islands are the place. Pretty crowded though. Perhaps more space and variety - still enough partying - further south around the Grenadines. Big season between December and April - more humid after that. I see a lot of Oz charterers around the Greek islands. A bit of winter sun for Oz southerners, but the Mediterranean is a long way to travel. They seem to like the consistent big northerly winds around the Cyclades during July and August, when you may be hit with two or three days of 35kt winds when even the ferries stop sailing. This is not an area rich with sandy beaches and out of the way anchorages though. You usually tie to a town or village quay and become part of the local scene. Great variety, from millionaire's Mykonos to backpacker's Ios, from populations of 4 manning a yotties taverna to 30,000 (almost tourist free) on Syros. Full season starts mid May, ends mid Oct. My favourite for quieter cruising in Greek waters - slightly less wind and many smaller islands - is north from Kos along the Dodecanese (off the Turkish coast). Season mid-May to mid Oct, with occasional unsettled weather in the first and last months. Try Moorings from Kos, internal flights from Athens. Saronic (just south of Athens) and Ionian (west of Greece) are lighter wind areas, very popular, very crowded with flotillas of smaller cruisers. |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Good News, Good News, Good News | General | |||
O.T. Some Good Points | General | |||
A Dickens Christmas | General | |||
Good weekend, except for one little cover problem. | General |