Greek Island Bareboats

The Greek Islands have to be next on the list when you’ve finished exploring the Caribbean.  Bearing in mind, however, that the Mediterranean, in general, requires more experience and better boating skills than the Caribbean, if you are comfortable with your skills this place has to be next on the list.

First of all we need to address the seasonality.  Any kind of boating in the Med and especially the Greek Islands in winter is a big NO NO..!!  The boating season starts in May, preferably from mid-May onwards, and runs through mid October. This is quite a short season with May and June being generally low and medium priced months, July and August being premium season months and September and October having the most reasonable rates.

It seems like all of Europe is in the islands in July and August. This if fine for some sailors who enjoy the busy environment but for others who value their privacy and are looking for a more unique experience, these are not the months.  July and August are also “Meltemi” months when the nasty NW wind can blow for days on end and thoroughly spoil your vacation.

It’s important to note that the islands most affected by the Meltemi are precisely the ones that everyone wants to visit, i.e. Mykonos, Santorini, et al.  If you REALLY MUST see these two islands in July or August, take the ferry.  July and August are months to look for the protected waters of the Saronic or the Sporades. Even the Dodecanese islands of Kos, Symi and the Turkish coast can be less daunting.