Cruising Greece, summer 2005
We left our wonderful winter harbor in Chioggia, Italy April 29 and sailed nonstop 443 nm to Otranto in the south of Italy. This tiny marina is subject to all kinds of winds, with an uncomfortable surge, and their mooring lines tore apart during hard wind. Nonetheless, we love the place, mainly because the area is so lovely and the harbor master Andrea is a wonderfully helpful and nice guy. the charge for our 12 m boat would have been 15 euros, but the price is negotiable. We stayed 10 days. Do ask Andrea for rental cars, he has friends in the right places!
Preveza
Our first Greek town, 123 nm from Otranto. Our non EU friends had a good experience checking into Greece here. We did not bother - advised by other Swedes who have settled an unofficially run the unfinished marina in town. We stayed there one night before hauling out at Cleopatra Marina across the bay, and returned after launching for another couple of nights. Free mooring, but you might not find space unless you are Scandinavian. Preveza has excellent shopping, it's a good place to stock up. We also bought a local SIM-card for our phone from TIM - they are the only phone company in Greece which provides GPRS with a pre-paid card.
Pandelimon
We sailed through the narrow Levkas canal (the bridge opens on the hour) and passed several island before anchoring for the night at Pandelimon on the mainland. Go behind the fish farm and anchor in 5m, good holding and very quiet and calm, only goats and cows around.
Messalonghi
We moved into the Patras gulf and headed up the narrow, pretty passage to Messalonghi. The canal is line with beautiful fishermen's houses on stilts. looks quite exotic! The marina and a big part of town seem to be stalled EU projects, fancy, uncompleted and deteriorating. We stayed alongside in the "marina", no charge, and were given fish by a friendly fisherman. Long walk into shops and tavernas.
Trizonia
We passed under the new bridge connecting Peleponessos with the mainland at Patras. The height was not mentioned in our charts but doesn't seem to be the presumed 80-100m stated in our "Greek Waters Pilot". Maybe 50m? We stopped on our first Greek island, Trizonia, and moored alongside in the small uncompleted marina. No charge. Pretty place if you overlook the garbage along the shore (you'll just have to get used to this in Greece, sadly). We picked wild thyme on the hillside. Plenty of tavernas. Internet café at Lizzies. Small grocery store/minimarket.
Galaxidi
The rain stopped us and we only made a short hop to Galaxidi. Which became one of our favorite places! Pretty town with a great shipping history. We could moor alongside but you are supposed to go bows- or stern-to. A great place to check into Greece, friendly port police. Plenty of tavernas. Few shops. Bus to Delphi. We recommend Ganymedes for luxury breakfast and artist George Minas place for a tasty and absolutely wonderful Fawlty towers dinner experience. Free internet at a bar close to the dock.
Aliki
We tried to anchor in several bays recommended in our "Greek Waters Pilot" but found them too deep and too narrow. Finally ended up in Aliki.
The Corinth Canal
We hovered just outside the entrance and were called up by authorities on channel 9, and were told to wait in the NE corner and stand by for instructions. Shortly after, we could follow a passenger ship through. Stunning trip, and slightly nerve wrecking as there is a current in the narrow passage. We stopped at a quay to starboard at the E end of the canal to pay. Advice: hang your fenders high! Found anchorage in nearby Salamis bay. Dirty water, noisy mopeds.
Piraeus
Passed shipping anchorage and busy shipping lanes outside Piraeus to enter Zea Marina. We had no reservation but were given a nice spot near the office. Laid moorings and great service. We paid 30 €/night + 17€ electricity for our 4 days (whereof 12 € for reusable electricity card). Excellent chandlery near the harbour, Albatross. Recommended! Perfect communication to Athens with the new metro. Museums free on Sundays.
Varkitza
Anchored in Varkitza bay, few boats and very sheltered. Probably crowded in high season.
N. Xero
Found paradise at Nissos Xero. Beautiful quiet bay with several small beaches. However open to N causing our rapid escape.
Voufalo
We entered he bay of Voufalo on Evia. Very protected, good shelter from all wind directions. And pretty. Only one taverna open at the time we visited (early June), the one with the blue door. Good grilled octopus but a bit pricey.
Eretria
Anchored in the open bay of Eretria. Some swell from the big ferries. Good supermarket Atlantic a couple of blocks uptown from the ferry key. Expensive bars & tavernas.
Khalki
This is the narrowest part of the Evia sound, closed by a bridge. We anchored near the railway station (mainland). Going alongside on the Evia side was not an option as the current was too violent. Friendly old guys at the small boat club at the mainland side of the bridge let us moor our dingy there while we were going through the paperwork with the Hellenic Coast Guard - just up the stairs and across the street. The bridge opens only at night, after 10 PM and at slack water only. We were lucky, only had to wait until 11 PM and were called up on the VHF to pass. Then moored alongside on the Evia side. Good provisions in town. Internet cafe near the coast guards.
Kolpos Atlantic
Peaceful but not very picturesque anchorage on the mainland side. Some small bars.
Loutra Edipsos
We found space in the small fishing port of Loutra Edipsos, going alongside behind a fishing boat. Incredibly friendly place, an absolute favorite! We had many locals onboard and made lots of friends. Good shopping in two supermarkets. Saturday market on top of the hill (try the sheep yogurt!) Friendly ouzeri Koxyalis recommended (although avoid the micro heated octopus). And don't miss the hot springs on the beach beyond luxury hotel Thermae Sylla. If we hadn't had the boat, we would have stayed at the Hotel Aigli, oozing with old time charm and faded glamour. Port police asked 5 €/night. Don't Miss!!!
Taverna to Kioski
We day anchored at this lovely taverna by the beach at N 38.53.11 and E 22.57.55. Highly recommended, but do find better anchorage for the night.
Aigios Georgios
This sleepy village is another favorite with us. As anywhere on Evia, the tourists are mainly Greek and the atmosphere peaceful and friendly. Tied up alongside the fishing pier, N side. No charge. Water at the foot of the mole. Good food at noname taverna with Hemingway lookalike owner. Fuel by mini tanker. Some mini markets.
Amaliapolis
Left the Evia sound and entered Volos bay. Anchored at Amaliapolis below grand villas. Lovely clear waters but stirring up w S wind.
"Fearless cove"
Moved around the head of the peninsula to "Fearless cove", just behind Amaliapolis. Beautiful scenery in one direction, over olive groves. Keep looking that way, the other side is hideous, with steel industries and a rusty old shipyard. Dirty water. Very good shelter.
Volos
Volos town has three poor options for visiting boats.
The town itself is nice enough. Good shopping. Avoid Ouzeri Argos on the water front, by far the worst food we have had in Greece. European gave us a good deal on a rental car, an excursion to Mount Pilio is highly recommended, beautiful!
Koukounaries
We anchored in this Koukounaries bay on Skiathos. The anchorages mentioned i Heikell's pilot book had been blocked off for swimmers. We found a spot near the W beach. Some swell with the S.E sea breeze and constant turbulence with all the small speedboats dragging pink screaming tourists on various rubber toys. A playground for the ruthless. We had to stay four nights, waiting for the winds to calm down, and hated every second of it. Never went ashore, did not feel safe to leave the boat.
Skiathos town
Anchored in open bay just S of town. Lots of swell w sea breeze. Supermarkets nearby. 1 km walk to town.
Planitis Bay
We sailed along Skopelos (no good bays) and Alonissos (which seemed to have a few nice anchorages on the E side) and continued to Pelagos island. Planitis bay on the northern end is a gem, we renamed it "Must Go Bay". Very protected and beautiful. No provisions, just hoards of goats and the sounds of cikadas.
Nea Marmaras
Continued to the middle finger of Halkidiki and found a single space at the pontoon in the town marina. Only this is no longer an operating marina, it has been taken over by small craft from Tessaloniki. Their owners use it as a summer camp which calls for an "interesting" atmosphere, but at least it's free. The other option if you want to visit this town is to go to the Marina Porto Carras which is very expensive and quite off. The town would be really nice without all the cars. Good provisions up the hill. We rented a motorcycle and explored the peninsula. Well stocked Lidl a few km from town. Taverna Pefki is nice. Excellent market on Thursdays.
Porto Koufo
Porto Koufo, 12 nm S of Nea Marmaras, has a dramatically beautiful entrance and looks like a perfectly sheltered anchorage, but it is very deep. We found it impossible to anchor in the south end of the bay. In the north end we anchored at 8m and Olivia formed intimate relationships with some of the unused (?) small mooring buoys.
N. Dimitrios
The anchorages here on the NE end of the peninsula are among the nicest we have seen in Greece. Lots of little bays to tuck into and no boats. Highly recommended!
O. Panagias
Day anchored outside this little village to take cheap taxi to cheap Lidl. Returned t N. Dimitrios for the night.
O. Plati
After sailing the 61 nm around Mont Athos and the Akti peninsula, admiring the monasteries at 500 m distance, we anchored at O. Plati. Several boats stayed the night, which is OK as long as you don't go ashore. Good shelter, aggressive mosquitoes.
Thassos
Moored alongside in the new, huge and totally empty harbor in Thassos town. Electricity and water available. No charge! Port police showed no interest. Very good shelter although the hydrofoil brought up some wash. Nice town. Cheap car rental at Budget (35€/day as opposed to Avis' 63€/day!). Drove around the island and had a look at the other harbors and anchorages but none seemed appealing. Ferry to Kavala on the mainland, great town w excellent Saturday market. poor mooring for visiting boats there, too bad.
Myrina
Anchored in the town bay at Myrina, Limnos. Limited space at the quay. Lovely town. Interesting island w archeological sites. Western winds brought a huge uncomfortable, even dangerous, swell into the bay - another midnight escape for us.
Koufalis
Koufalis is a small village in the Moudros bay on Limnos, where we anchored. Cute sponge exhibiton.
Moudros village
We anchored and later went alongside the pier. Good provisions in lovely village on top of the hill. Annoying car traffic on the pier and late night disco nearby. We later anchored in a small bay south of Moudros. Good holding in sand, clear water.
Sigri
Crossed to Lesvos where we anchored near Sigri, in the south bay. Nice town.
Kolpi bay
Good sheltered anchorage near the sleepy village of Apotheke. Small taverna at the root of the pier with incredibly poor service. No way to get out of town except w overpriced taxi. Too bad, because the other bays on the south side of Lesbos are frighteningly unprotected.
Mytilini
We had a look in Plomari but had heard horror stories about the moorings, one couple we met had to sleep on the concrete pontoon as they could not even get back on their boat in the swell so we moved on to Mytilini town. Busy port but not as noisy as we expected. Dirty and smelly in the harbor, sure, but the town is nice and we stayed several days to visit Greek friends.
Mandraki
This exclusive village on Ionissos is home of the shipping fleet owners of Greece. They don't promote tourism but we found great hospitality even here. Anchored in the middle if the bay, very protected. Lovely.
Marathakampos
Stopped for a few hours in Chios town to stock up and continued to Samos island where we anchored in the small fishing harbor in Marathakampos. Did not go ashore.
Pythagorion
Anchored outside the town bay, protected enough unless the wind picks up. The fan shaped town quay was crowded and many achors got tangled up there. The town is nice, and a large and tasty Chinese buffet was a real treat after years of Med food!
Later we tied up in the new unfinished marina. No facilities, no electricity or water, pitch dark at night and they still asked 17€ a day, boo.
Agathonissos
Gorgeous bay on the south side of Agathonissos. Would have liked to stay longer to explore the pretty island but had to follow the winds.
Lakki
Sailed down to the island of Leros and over to the W side where we stopped at the marina in Lakki. Great service, nice place. Lakki is a different place, built by Italians. We stayed a couple of weeks and saw most of the island, beautiful. Good shopping. Excellent meat restaurant, Chez Ninos in town.
Xirokampos
Lovely bay on the south of Leros. Nice anchorage. Several tavernas ashore.
Kos
Tied up alongside in the big marina in Kos, as we were told the other spaces were full. Possibly a trick to make us pay 50% more! With guest on board we still stayed and had a good time. The nicest showers n the Med? Bar Amaryllis is friendly, as is the big bar on the square. Lots of tourist so a bit more pricey than in the north. This was our last stop in Greece before going to Turkey.