Yachts & Yachting – April 2018

IMAGES C/O: OCEAN ELEMENTS/BAVARIA YACHTS; PROTEUS YACHT CHARTERS

run over two weeks starting with a beach

club/dinghy sailing holiday where you

and your family can learn sailing basics

and even take the required skipper

qualifications, then on week two you’ll

be free to set sail on your own yacht.

Best for experienced

sailors

Experienced sailors or those ready for

a bit of a challenge should head to the

Aegean side of Greece to eastern-most

destinations such as the Dodecanese

and Cyclades where there are more

consistently strong winds. Also with

longer passages between the islands in

the Aegean, sometimes 30-40nm, taking

the best part of a day, more time in the

day will be spent sailing. This area can

see winds build up to 30kt when the

Meltemi blows, so is definitely a region

for the more experienced charterer,

particularly during the height of summer

when the winds are at their strongest.

With the sailing area in the southeast

Aegean also stretching along the coast of

Turkey this is huge area to explore. The

good news is there are plenty of bases

in which to set off from, including Kos,

Rhodes and Athens, which makes this

area really accessible. From here there is

a chance to explore places like Santorini,

Mykonos and Syros, dotted with their

classic style white washed houses, as well

as some of the smaller and lesser-known

islands of the Dodecanese and Cyclades.

Best for building

confidence

The western side of Greece, namely the

Ionian with its predictable, and generally

settled conditions, is the ideal place to

build your confidence if you are new to

chartering, or even for the first timer to

experience the delights of sailing. With

so many companies catering for novices

in this area, you will be spoilt for choice.

Unless you already hold an

ICC (International Certificate of

Competence) or RYA Day Skipper

(or higher) certificate, chartering in

Greece will require a charter skipper

on board initially. However, it is

perfectly possible to acquire the relevant

qualifications during your holiday, and

subsequently take charge of your own

yacht. Tuition can be arranged over

one or two days, or for the duration

of the holiday, and can result in RYA

certification such as Competent

Crew or Day Skipper. Refresher

courses are also increasingly popular

offering, and are ideal for boosting

confidence and updating knowledge.

Look out for stay and sail holidays

that combine beach club and flotillas

thereby offering good all-round

tuition. Spend a week at a beach club

learning the ‘ropes’ on a dinghy, then

a week cruising the islands putting

it all into practice, all under the

watchful eye of RYA instructors.

If you are new to the sport and

can’t wait to get started, you’ll want

to spend as much time on the water

as possible so consider a destination

that offers short airport transfer

times such as Corfu, or Preveza.

The beginner or improver looking

for more of a challenge and a step up in

conditions may prefer the Saronic Gulf,

or the eastern Peloponnese. The Saronic

Gulf is sheltered from the predominant

north/northwesterly Meltemi yet offers

reliable winds for the improver. The

islands are also just far enough apart

to allow a good sail without being too

challenging and there are plenty of

interesting, unspoilt anchorages and

peaceful fishing villages on islands

such as Poros, Hydra, and Spetses.

Off the beaten track

For a stress-free option that enables

you to maximise exploring all of the

delights the region offers, seek out a

smaller company that offers skippered

‘bespoke’ charters. These skippers make

some of the best ‘tour guides’. Here are

three of the best hidden gems tucked

away from the main charter routes:

The islet of Moni – Located

southwest side of Aegina, opposite

Perdika village. This unspoilt

peaceful haven is the perfect place

foraspotoflunchoraswim.

Lesser Cyclades – Unspoilt cluster

of tiny islands south of Naxos, with

turquoise waters, sandy beaches and

plenty of anchorages. A good place for

exploring,bothonandoffthewater.

Kastos – Just 22nm from Lefkas

Marina in the Ionian Islands. Anchor

in the bay and enjoy a selection of

tavernas overlooking the harbour, or

head round the island to one of the many

picturesque, crystal clear water bays.

The islands are just far enough apart to allow

a good sail without being too challenging

Above

The warm waters

provide sailing to

suit all abilities

Below

The Greek island

of Santorini is

famous for its

blue-domed

churches

TRAVEL GREECE

April 2018 Yachts & Yachting 75