Cruising in the winter in the Southern Med – Doable or not?

[Seaworthy Lass]

Feedback from wintering in the Med:

Taking the wind chills factor into account, temps never rose above zero yesterday.

Much as I hate chilly conditions, at least there are some advantages when a cold snap hits. Unlimited refrigeration is one big bonus (just pop everything into the cockpit). Secondly..... let me think...... well, apparently a little adversity is character building .

Brilliant sunshine today reminded me of those glorious sunny days that I've encountered occasionally skiing in spring. Skies almost painfully blue, distant mountain ranges covered in pristine snow. High above our anchorage the roadside puddles were topped in thick ice. One of the local hunters picked me up as I made my way to the port for provisions and I shared the ride with nine pheasants trussed up on the floor behind my seat. We detoured so that he could drop his hound off on his father's farm and I was treated to "off the beaten track ruins" that I was told were a "kastro". Huge rectangular lower blocks pointed to even older origins.

Supplies in town were limited as conditions had been too rough for the ferry to come in. The common word cropping up everywhere was "krio".

Typical Greek hospitality warmed me from the inside out on the bus ride back. I was the driver's only passenger and following a quick call he paused along the way to collect a big pink package that he promptly passed back to me. There was a new addition to his family - a daughter Evangelia, and the joy was being spread around.

These are some of the experiences summer (and wintering in a marina) will never provide .

SWL

[yeloya]

Sorry Google taranslation ...

Storm sank boats in Datca

Muğla's Datça effective because of the storm sank two boats, two boats ran aground, was damaged in a number of boats and harbors.




More here..


Three British sailors rescued after getting shipwrecked on rocks off Turkey | Daily Mail Online

Anyway, if you just meant the entire bay and not Datça per se, of course Selimiye and Orhaniye at the buttom of the bay are safe..
I said, the northern coast of this bay (not only Datça) can be risky in winter if an easterly or southerly sets in..

Cheers

Yeloya

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Sigh... It's 51 days.



Wonder if I can hibernate that long?

1st February in Ireland is officially spring !!!

Dave


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Well, we have had the "good" and now the first taste of the "bad" for the season is coming up on Wednesday - wind in the high 30's with gusts close to 50 knots predicted.

This is why almost all cruising boats in the Aegean retreat to marinas for the winter months.

On the positive side it is still T-shirt and shorts temperature - not bad with a third of the winter almost over .

It seems you are going to have strong winds from the North and then strong winds from the South.

A nice weather site, maybe not the better but certainly the most beautiful.

https://www.windyty.com/?surface,win...7.658,23.939,7

[FilBrown]

What kind of wet weather gear would anyone recommend for year round use in the Med?
Is it worth having lightweight gear for use through the year with layers under for the colder times and survival suits for the more extreme encounters. Or would it be better to go with reasonably heavy gear for use all year round?

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by FilBrown

What kind of wet weather gear would anyone recommend for year round use in the Med?
Is it worth having lightweight gear for use through the year with layers under for the colder times and survival suits for the more extreme encounters. Or would it be better to go with reasonably heavy gear for use all year round?

We would only consider carrying survival suits in high latitudes.

I use Offshore Musto jacket and overalls with as many polartec layers as needed to stay warm (including balaclava and gloves). I have occasionally hugged a hot water bottle as well . Shoulder season no overalls are required. In summer I have blissfully never reached for wet weather gear.

Lightweight Goretex jackets are very useful ashore.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Polux

It seems you are going to have strong winds from the North and then strong winds from the South.

A nice weather site, maybe not the better but certainly the most beautiful.

https://www.windyty.com/?surface,win...7.658,23.939,7

I have just remembered the third advantage of winter . When the wind flips to a southerly, the temperature soars (all the way to 15° today) and sunshine on bare skin feels sooooooo delicious .

It is the contrasts that contribute to making winter special. Although I truly dislike being cold, it somehow adds an edge to living, something I lost out on when cocooned in heated comfort back home. A brief dip this morning left every nerve ending on fire .

My walk today was in shorts and T-shirt, cross country through pine forests and clambering up to rock clad peaks dropping sharply to azure water. Almost total solitude - the only company were tiny kids on uncertain legs, tortoises and finches.

Countdown to spring forgotten for the moment .
SWL

Today:

[Polux]

Originally Posted by yeloya

Sorry Google taranslation ...

Storm sank boats in Datca

Muğla's Datça effective because of the storm sank two boats, two boats ran aground, was damaged in a number of boats and harbors.



...
Anyway, if you just meant the entire bay and not Datça per se, of course Selimiye and Orhaniye at the buttom of the bay are safe..
I said, the northern coast of this bay (not only Datça) can be risky in winter if an easterly or southerly sets in..

Cheers

Yeloya

That is not inside the port, as you know, but just in front of the beach. It seems to me the Port is safe even if there are very few places. I was there last summer and seemed well protected from all quadrants.



Cheers

[Seaworthy Lass]

Marinas are unfortunately not immune.

In the Jan 2009 storm, a shed collapsed in Marmaris Yacht Marine damaging several boats. We were anchored in the Ionian at the time, so were unaffected by this particular storm, but generally have encountered one on average each winter:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BnP7_Lh0ZQY

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

1st February in Ireland is officially spring !!!

Dave


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

LOL

I spent 2 years in Dublin and to me it felt like 11 months of winter with spring & autumn sharing the 12th month with one day of summer separating them

[Seaworthy Lass]

Update from wintering at anchor in the southern Med .

It has been an unseasonably warm winter. We had about three icy days early January and at the moment temps have dropped a few degrees to 13°C or so, but otherwise it has been shorts and T-shirt conditions for much of the time.

The winds have been flipping back and forth as usual in winter. Today (Tuesday) 20 knot southerlies changed to 30 knot northerlies within an hour or so. This is where an anchorage with 360 degrees protection and a good anchor is vital.

Yesterday a thick layer of hail covered the deck. Weather for snuggling down on the settees with quilts and hot water bottles and indulging in backgammon games . Tomorrow 40+ knots is predicted for a chunk of the day.

Only a few weeks until spring .

SWL

[Seaworthy Lass]

Spring has sprung .
The sun is now 16 degrees higher at its peak than at the solstice (the solar panels are loving it) and we have nearly two hours of extra daylight.

The wild pink cyclamen of winter are being overrun by a carpet of white and yellow with touches of pink and mauve and the blood red of poppies amongst lush green. In a couple of weeks it will look absolutely spectacular - the Greek islands in spring are one of the most beautiful sights I have seen.

It has been a good winter. Temperatures have been mild (just two brief cold snaps). We have not tied to shore all winter. In fact apart from a half hour stop to refuel, we have not been tethered to anything other than the anchor since we were dropped back in the water following haul-out nearly a year ago.

So now that spring is here, where are the cruisers? We are still alone in the Greek Aegean. Only one other cruising boat has been seen since the end of October and I doubt there is more than a handful of boats (if that) that have ventured out for any length of time all winter. If other years are anything to go by, it will be well into April before we see anyone else.

We had a lovely sail today then spent a few hours sitting in the cockpit with the boom tent sheltering us from the blazing sunshine. 17-18°C is forecast for the next four days. I have taken my first brief dip for spring (I may brave the water for a long swim to check the anchor in the next couple of days).

SWL

[Palarran]

Which island are you on now? Looks beautiful. A southern Aegean island with green growing? And pretty big. I can't guess.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Palarran

Which island are you on now? Looks beautiful. A southern Aegean island with green growing? And pretty big. I can't guess.

That was Tilos about a week ago.
Palarran, they are amazingly ALL bright green at this time of year with an intensity that almost hurts your eyes . By early May it is yellowing, by June it has disappeared.

This was the chorio at Tilos. If you look closely, there is a green sheen covering even the rocky slopes all the way to the top. This will be completely bare soon:

[Barra]

Well SWL I can tell you why we at least arent there this year - started beginning of last April in Preveza and shivered through 10 degree max days and snow on the hills with near constant rain at sea level. Im told it was unseasonal but there you go.

Admiral has banned me from starting that early again this year so we will splash 24 May this year and hopefully see the last of those yellowing slopes that look so nice in your pics. Am a bit jealous still though.