Cyclades, Greece Itinerary - Comments and / or Local Knowledge

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Palarran

DoubleWhiskey, You said the Meltemi blows at 6 to 7 beaufort and I cut this from another site:
Usually the wind starts in the early afternoon reaching 4-5 Beaufort and dies out at sun set. However, not uncommonly it reaches 5-7 Bft during the day, perseveres during the night and blows 5-7 Bft again the next day; a pattern which can easily be repeated over many days, sometimes even up to ten days.

So, would a 33 kt. wind be on the very high side? It must be the steepness of the waves that cause the concern? I had expected the Meltemi to blow in the 50 kt range.

Hello Palarran

You generally got it right, Maltemi rarely blows more than sustained 35 knots. Less of sustained wind speed is most common. The problems with Meltemi are as follow:

1. Generally in Cyclades the waves are short and quite steep, making for unpleasant ride and - additionallly - low VMG against the wind, as waves stop the boat, throw it fom the groove and cause slamming.
2. As islands are close to each other there are unpredictable wave patterns, with crossing waves and occasionally higher, very steep, breaking waves.
3. Because the islands are close and - mostly - really high, there are acceleration zones. They are located where the wind is funneling from between the islands, where the wind funneling from the montaing gorges join the wind blowing alongside island shore, where the long and high island is angled at about 45 degrees to the prevailing wind, and at the end of the island the wind accelerated along the shore meets main mass of wind funneling between islands and under the lee of high islands, where the wind blowing along both shores join the wind coming from uphills. The last situation is often most dangerous, as the wind is slightly angled, blowing from high towards the sea surface. In such acceleration zones the wind can reach 40 - 50 + and 60 - 70 is not unknown (for example in strait north of Mykonos Island where almost every year dismastings happen).
4. Nature of Meltemi (wind slowing and accelerating in relatively short periods of about 6 - 12 hours) cause the periods, when the wave is substantially higher and steeper, as normally should be at present wind force, causing extremely unpleasant ride (not enough power for the sea state) - at least for monos.

Generally speaking - for boats under 40 - 45 ft Meltemi really can be dangerous. For bigger boats it is in most cases only a nuisance, as long You have a constant look at the wind direction, weather map taken from reliable forecast service and chart, predicting forward the acceleration zones and wave patterns. With chart and weather map before You it is not difficult, really.
As my Admiral is somewhat prone to seasickness, I'm practising something I call "antiwave navigation" and it can be done.
It is necessary to remember that weather pattern for Greece is changing. No more sustained Meltemi season. The periods of calm are longer now, but the blows itself happen more prolonged, lasting for four - six days, without much relief during night. And sometimes it can bo worse - few years ago for two weeks I had only two forecasts "six, locally seven" or "seven, locally eight". Somehow I was always "locally" placed. Add to this acceleration zones and You have a picture. But it was only once for my some twenty years of sailing in Greece

[Capitain Mike]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

Hello Palarran




You generally got it right, Maltemi rarely blows more than sustained 35 knots. Less of sustained wind speed is most common. The problems with Meltemi are as follow:

1. Generally in Cyclades the waves are short and quite steep, making for unpleasant ride and - additionallly - low VMG against the wind, as waves stop the boat, throw it fom the groove and cause slamming.
2. As islands are close to each other there are unpredictable wave patterns, with crossing waves and occasionally higher, very steep, breaking waves.
3. Because the islands are close and - mostly - really high, there are acceleration zones. They are located where the wind is funneling from between the islands, where the wind funneling from the montaing gorges join the wind blowing alongside island shore, where the long and high island is angled at about 45 degrees to the prevailing wind, and at the end of the island the wind accelerated along the shore meets main mass of wind funneling between islands and under the lee of high islands, where the wind blowing along both shores join the wind coming from uphills. The last situation is often most dangerous, as the wind is slightly angled, blowing from high towards the sea surface. In such acceleration zones the wind can reach 40 - 50 + and 60 - 70 is not unknown (for example in strait north of Mykonos Island where almost every year dismastings happen).
4. Nature of Meltemi (wind slowing and accelerating in relatively short periods of about 6 - 12 hours) cause the periods, when the wave is substantially higher and steeper, as normally should be at present wind force, causing extremely unpleasant ride (not enough power for the sea state) - at least for monos.

Generally speaking - for boats under 40 - 45 ft Meltemi really can be dangerous. For bigger boats it is in most cases only a nuisance, as long You have a constant look at the wind direction, weather map taken from reliable forecast service and chart, predicting forward the acceleration zones and wave patterns. With chart and weather map before You it is not difficult, really.
As my Admiral is somewhat prone to seasickness, I'm practising something I call "antiwave navigation" and it can be done.
It is necessary to remember that weather pattern for Greece is changing. No more sustained Meltemi season. The periods of calm are longer now, but the blows itself happen more prolonged, lasting for four - six days, without much relief during night. And sometimes it can bo worse - few years ago for two weeks I had only two forecasts "six, locally seven" or "seven, locally eight". Somehow I was always "locally" placed. Add to this acceleration zones and You have a picture. But it was only once for my some twenty years of sailing in Greece

I think you are right I have been in the position along the North side of the Island of Nikouria, Amorgos going to Naxos with a NNW wind and West waves and at 5-6 knots was stationery the waves weren't very comfortable so we about turned and went back to Ormus Aegiali. The weather can change dramaticaly not only in the Cyclades but all over Greece. It can be like a mill pond early am but with the wind gradually increasing during the day over a 30 mile stretch the waves can become very demanding. I also had this between Kefalonia and Ithica but managed to get into Limani Sami on the east coast of Kefalonia.Try arriving at your destination and mooring up by 2pm and you miss the worse if you are lucky. Whatever you do don't use an autopilot in rough seas. It's tiring without it but far safer,

[gfere40]

Hi there,
did you hear anything about a cruise in Eptanisa or Ionian Sea?

Thanx in Advance

Regards
Grigoris

[Capitain Mike]

Hi.
I have sailed the Ionian and usually the weather is fairly stable and pleasant although you can spend a lot of time motoring because of the lack of wind.

The Ionian is Lefkada Corfu etc for Chartering is expensive and a skipper and extra diesel can be an expensive luxury. With your experience I would think that you would not need a skipper. There is not usually a problem with water and it is generally cheap €5,00 or costs nothing for tanks full and washing the boat.

For the Agean the wind and waves are usually calm in the early am so leave at first light or with enough time to arrive at your next destination by at the latest 2-3pm 2 is better. most passages can be done in a day or less, the Islands are fairly close to each other.

The reason to arrive at 2-3 pm are several
A the wind and waves builds up during the day the longer the fetch the higher the waves.

B Docking There is a better chance for mooring selections in the marina/harbour/ports/.

My personal tip is if you are using C-Map the harbours generally look bigger than they actually are it is no good looking at the number of boats. most boats you will see are very small so the harbour looks big.
Always fill your tanks whenever you can.

Buy your own petrol and diesel funnels/filters don't buy cheap. They will say the diesel is clean but its not always so. Ditto the petrol.

If there is a south wind sail round the nort of an Island and vice versa.

If you are mooring on an island that has no port or harbour and using anchors do not more on the lee side of the island in the Agean the wind takes turns to blow from the south and the north don't get trapped in a bay west or east is not so bad.

[gfere40]

Hi there,
cheers, Capitain Mike,
skippers' price I have not check yet, but your are right regarding the weather at Ionian sea. Anyway thank you very much again, I let you know if I need some more info.
Grigoris

Originally Posted by Capitain Mike

Hi.
I have sailed the Ionian and usually the weather is fairly stable and pleasant although you can spend a lot of time motoring because of the lack of wind.

The Ionian is Lefkada Corfu etc for Chartering is expensive and a skipper and extra diesel can be an expensive luxury. With your experience I would think that you would not need a skipper. There is not usually a problem with water and it is generally cheap €5,00 or costs nothing for tanks full and washing the boat.

For the Agean the wind and waves are usually calm in the early am so leave at first light or with enough time to arrive at your next destination by at the latest 2-3pm 2 is better. most passages can be done in a day or less, the Islands are fairly close to each other.

The reason to arrive at 2-3 pm are several
A the wind and waves builds up during the day the longer the fetch the higher the waves.

B Docking There is a better chance for mooring selections in the marina/harbour/ports/.

My personal tip is if you are using C-Map the harbours generally look bigger than they actually are it is no good looking at the number of boats. most boats you will see are very small so the harbour looks big.
Always fill your tanks whenever you can.

Buy your own petrol and diesel funnels/filters don't buy cheap. They will say the diesel is clean but its not always so. Ditto the petrol.

If there is a south wind sail round the nort of an Island and vice versa.

If you are mooring on an island that has no port or harbour and using anchors do not more on the lee side of the island in the Agean the wind takes turns to blow from the south and the north don't get trapped in a bay west or east is not so bad.