Yacht Charter Greece: The Dodecanese

Directly to the area characteristics

GETTING THERE

The most important starting points for the Dodecanese are Kos and Rhodes. The islands are very easy to reach from many German airports. Due to a downright small boom in Greece in recent years, the flights have become relatively expensive, especially if the destination is Kos, 350 to 450 euros are the rule, but significantly higher prices between 500 and 600 euros have also been called during holiday periods. So take care of the flights in good time!

Photo gallery: Dodecanese photo gallery

Previous

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Next

CHARTER

Good selection of fleets in Kos and Rhodes. Kos is the more popular port of departurebecause you cast off right in the heart of the district. Some crews also sail over from Samos, but that is the exception as there are only a few fleets there. Hard-core sailors too from Athens in the Dodecanese and return the yacht there (One-way)what many charter companies offer. The surcharge for this is steep, it is usually somewhere between 500 to 1000 euros. In the case of a 14-day charter, the charter companies sometimes accept it at no extra charge if they have a crew that would sail in the other direction. Just ask.

CHARTER PROVIDER

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7

Weather statistics Dodecanese

Wind & weather

The Dodecanese is from mid-June to September Meltemi district. The wind is blowing northwestern Directions and is accelerated in many places by the topography of the sometimes steep islands (Downdraft), blocked or distracted (Cape effects). The lee coasts of the islands of Karpathos, Patmos, Kalymnos and Nisyros are known for this. These regional effects can be very pronounced and require some caution, dCrews should reduce the sail area in good time or bypass the capes and nozzles with a little detour if it is already blowing heavily. In summer this is not infrequently 4 to 6 Beaufort, but 5 to 8 Beaufort longer are also possible. Weaker winds from the southeast in spring and autumn. Occasional low pressure disturbances with strong winds come from this direction.

There are good weather and swell forecasts on the website of the Greek weather service Poseidon (www.poseidon.hcmr.gr) and the usual sources like Windy (www.windy.com) or Wind finder (www.windfinder.de) as well as their iOS and Android apps.

PORTS & ANCHORAGE

There are hardly any marinas (exception: Kos, Rhodes, Leros), instead City ports with simple piers where with Bow anchor and stern lines is created. Electricity is often available, but not always water. Just like in the Cyclades, water is an expensive, scarce commodity here and it just comes out more often by tankerlike the diesel too. Sanitary facilities are rarely found. Demanding crews, for whom excellent infrastructure is important, are not at the right place here. On the other hand, you lie very cheaply; you usually don't pay 20 euros or nothing for a 42-foot yacht. Almost every island has a wide range of well-protected anchorages.

NAVIGATION & SEAT CREW

Navigationally unproblematic area with one or the other shoal around the islands, but which are easy to bypass. The buoy is rather thin, as is often the case in Greece. Harbors and anchoring bays must be carefully selected for thicker Meltemi layers so that too much swell does not reach the place, which can quickly become uncomfortable. Pay attention to the advice on falling gusts and swell in the area guides! The Port maneuvers with strong meltemi require more caution: you often have to drove faster so that the yacht does not drive away too much. It is particularly important enough chain to be deployed with the bow anchor so that it really holds and can be stretched taut without it tearing out immediately. This also applies to anchoring nights: Put a lot of chain (five to seven times the depth) and drive in carefully! In the further passages, perhaps to Astipalay or from Rhodes to Karpathos, at Meltemi there are often high seas. In general, if there is a lot of wind, die Leeward sides of the islands Use as cover, unless downwinds are expected there.

LITERATURE

The Bible for the area: R. Heikell: Greek coasts, Edition Maritim, 69.90 euros. Is available on many yachts, but often only in English. The best nautical charts for the area are the Greek sports boat charts from Eagle Ray, which also contain port plans and photos. Many crews also use Imray's British sports boat cards, which are also very good.

AREA CHARACTERISTICS CYCLADES

The Greek islands off the Turkish coast are among the most varied areas. On the one hand there are the large tourist islands such as Rhodes with its grandiose old town from the times of the Crusaders, the lively Kos or Patmos, which is famous for its old Johannes monastery. On the other hand, there are the small islands on which the yachts do not encounter much tourism, such as Arki, Leros or Kalymnos. There you will find villages or bays with a few taverns, in front of which some yachts are anchored, a few shops and shops that provide some life and where you can relax and bathe in the crystal clear water. These include small optical highlights such as the Symi, which is spectacularly nestled in a crevice with its pastel-colored houses. Or the perfect anchorage bays of the old sponge diving stronghold Kalymnos, including an exciting museum on the subject. Something special is also the remote island of Astipalaya, whose island capital with its winding alleys seems to stick steeply to the mountain like a bird's nest. Or Leros with its magnificent old captain's houses. If you want to experience a sleeping volcano, drive to Nisyros, where the crews can take a trip to the volcanic crater, which still gives off powerful sulfur gases and bubbles away.

If you really want to conquer the whole of the Dodecanese in all its diversity, you can be on the road for months. Everywhere it is a little quieter and a little more relaxed than in the Cyclades, tourism is not so intrusive. The distances to the next destination are also significantly shorter than there, but the summer Meltemi is just as stable. The advantage of the Dodecanese in comparison is that between the more closely spaced islands you can find adequate protection and cover, even when there is more wind. However, here too, due to the sometimes quite mountainous islands, you have to reckon with down winds, cape effects and jet phenomena, which can require a bit of caution and timely reefing. The Dodecanese is as barren as the Cyclades, parched by the Meltemi, but Rhodes and Kos also have some green. Every now and then on an island there is a protected valley with a little more vegetation.

Most trips start in the charter hotspots Rhodes or Kos. If you want to travel the whole archipelago against the wind to Patmos, you should start from Kos, the same applies to those who want to go to the remote Astipalay. As a general tactic, it is always a good idea to stretch northwards at the beginning. From Kos, many crews first sail against the wind northwards via Kalymnos, Leros, Lipsi or Patmos and back. From Rhodes it usually goes north as well and then back via Symi, Nisyros and Kos in a loop. Every island is different, each has its own identity, which never lets you get bored.

In terms of sailing, the area is a touch less demanding than the Cyclades, with a lot of wind in summer. But you have to be prepared for down winds sometimes at night at the anchorage and port maneuvers with a lot of crosswind and sometimes a slipping anchor. The harbors are very cheap, as always in Greece, but offer little comfort, rarely sanitary facilities and almost never mooring lines. But the kitchen can stay cold, in the district you can eat very well and cheaply.

Some crews use the nearby Turkish coast for a trip abroad. This, however, involves complete clearing out and clearing in viPort of Entry (including Kos, Rhodes, Symi, on the Turkish side Datca, Marmaris, Bozburun - in the summer - or Bodrum) and the same procedure on the way back and it is best to do this in the Turkey sends an agent, it costs some effort and also around 150 to 200 euros. The effort is disproportionate for a one-week trip. Those who are on the road for a longer time can consider the detour, but must first ask their fleet operator whether they allow this. In general, the border traffic of charter yachts has decreased significantly.

DETAILED YACHT DISTRICT HISTORIES OF DODECANES IN DOWNLOAD