 | Greece flotilla sailing | Aegean Adventure
Sailing conditions |
Flotilla sailing in Greece is a great yacht charter destination for beginner to experienced level sailors. The best time to sail is May through October. A sailing license/certificate is required for bareboat and flotilla yacht charters. If you are on a skippered bareboat or cabin charter, you do not require any experience or certification to sail with a skipper.
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Location
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Sailing conditions
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Experience
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Saronic and Argolic Gulfs
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This is the best area for a first time bareboat charter in Greece offering line of sight navigation and short passages. This area is protected by mainland Attica which limits strong winds and any larger seas.
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Beginner to intermediate
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Central Aegean:
Cyclades
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The Cyclades are a more challenging area with longer open passages and potential for larger seas with stronger summer winds.
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Intermediate to advanced
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North and East Aegean: Sporades and Dodecanese
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Both areas offer shorter passages and line of sight navigation but larger seas and stronger summer winds occur.
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Intermediate to advanced
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Ionian
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A good choice for a first time charter in Greece with shorter passages, line of sight navigation and calmer conditions.
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Beginner to intermediate
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Wind and sea
The seas in the Saronic Gulf, north and east Aegean are generally calm with Ostria or southwesterly winds in the spring, and Meltemi northerly winds in the summer. Generally there is 5-15mph of wind offering wonderful light air sailing conditions May through October, however stronger winds above 20mph are not uncommon throughout the season.
On the Ionian side winds tend to be lighter and from the northwest in the spring and potentially stronger from the north or northwest in the hot summer months.
A one-meter short chop is the typical wave height in the eastern Mediterranean, but three to five-meter swells can develop. Longer passages of 40-60 miles are relaxing in light winds but can be more challenging if the wind and seas come up. Tides are minimal in the Mediterranean ranging between 20-60cm.
Mooring
To allow for more yachts in the tiny Greek ports, sailors do Mediterranean Mooring by dropping anchor and backing stern-to the wharf in the harbors. Some harbors offer lazy lines - fixed underwater moorings with access lines on the wharf. There are no mooring balls and dropping anchor off shore is limited, as it is often too deep to anchor safely. There are very few organized marinas for charter yachts in Greece, instead you pay nominal fees to moor in municipal town harbors. Read our Med Mooring tips.
Greece operates under region A of the international navigational system - red right leaving.
For details of weather at this location read more about Greece.