Hi. My wife and I are thinking about a 4-week cruise from Kos to Athens
in June. We have sailed throughout BVI and in the New York area, but
this would be our longest bareboat to-date. Does anyone have experience
and/or information about the best charter companies, times of the year,
and level of difficulty we are likely to experience in Greece?
Appreciate any tips/advice!
Thilo

We bareboat chartered a Jeaneau 43 through Moorings and picked it up at
Kalamaki Marina in June '97. We decided to go early to find the locals in a
good mood for dealing with us tourists, and we weren't disappointed. We did
find the water to be too cool for swimming in most locations in the
Cyclades, which was a disappointment.
Going early in the summer to avoid Meltemi wind was not successful.
www.sailingissues.com/meltemi.html
On the day we visited Delos (which cannot be missed) so we took the ferry
over from Mykonos (or Mikinos depending upon who you listen to). And had a
pleasant ride downwind to Paros (and took the hydrofoil from there to
Santorini) the next day in another blow, so our strategy of sailing early in
the summer to avoid Meltemi wind did not work out; however we defeated the
wind by touring the Cyclades in a clockwise direction, so we never had to
beat into that fierce breeze.

It's a great trip, and we had a lot of fun (2 other couples went with us,
and although it's sometime a trial trying to decide where to go and what to
do, it's recommended to take a few extra hands - did I mention that the wind
does blow, sometimes!).

Oh, by the way, the Greeks don't sleep at night, they have their evening
meal at 10 PM local time, and play most of the night (well the young ones
do) and sleep during the heat of the day (yes, it can get hot).

Phil


"Captain-T" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi. My wife and I are thinking about a 4-week cruise from Kos to Athens
in June. We have sailed throughout BVI and in the New York area, but
this would be our longest bareboat to-date. Does anyone have experience
and/or information about the best charter companies, times of the year,
and level of difficulty we are likely to experience in Greece?
Appreciate any tips/advice!
Thilo

Thanks Phil -- this is great info! And we will certainly plan for
Meltemi. How did you find the privacy of the bows to / stern to
arrangement, and ability to catch some winks at night? We're only used
to the more-private set up in the Caribbean...
Cheers,
Thilo

No problems with privicy, it had 3 cabins, one for each couple. I think it
even had 2 heads, one for females, one for the guys (for some bizarre
reason, they didn't want to share ) I'm sure you learned to pump the head
dry and close the valve so as not to suffer sloshing of the contents? and I
hope you didn't learn it the hard way Darned hard to get rid of the smell
if you don't!
Phil

"Captain-T" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks Phil -- this is great info! And we will certainly plan for
Meltemi. How did you find the privacy of the bows to / stern to
arrangement, and ability to catch some winks at night? We're only used
to the more-private set up in the Caribbean...
Cheers,
Thilo

i say you better go from athens to kos as delivering the yacht in
athens will be difficult against the local winds.
I d change the starting point as it is also easier to get to athens
marinas and get on board from the airport.
good luck anyway.