Sailing in the Ionian Sea, Greece

If dry rocky landscapes come to mind when thinking of Greece, then stop! This is the Ionian, one of the greenest areas of Greece, with lush vegetation reaching up to the coastline, with pine trees exchanging whispers with olive groves. Deep blue seas give their way to crystalline turquoise waters once you approach the coastline. Deep waters mean you can approach your yacht very close to the coast, making the Ionian the place you can take an afternoon nap on your deck under the shade of a pine tree!

Nature in Greece is human-friendly. The most dangerous creature is perhaps the sea urchin and the mighty mosquito…There are no sharks, no poisonous snakes, no venomous tarantulas and certainly no three-headed beasts. You can swim in the waters care-free and sleep on the beach at night. Goats are a common sight in the area and at sea you often see dolphins or sea turtles. Zante, in the south Ionian, is the home of the largest population of the Mediterranean seal in the Med. There are plenty of fish in the Ionian and you can try your luck fishing or perhaps tasting them ready and freshly cooked at a local seaside taverna.

Summer starts in May in Greece, so June is usually nice, warm, and sunny! June has also the longest days of the year, meaning that it gets dark around 9pm, so more time for sailing! Since the high season of August is still a couple of months away, you get to sail far away from the crowds and over-crowded harbors.

The Ionian is generally a safe sea, one which is not affected by the high meltemi winds that are found in Eastern Greece. The prevailing wind is normally Northwest, meaning that if you navigate on the east side of the islands the sea is usually calm with small or no waves. The midday light breeze perfect for sailing, gives way to tranquility once the sun approaches its set making sure you can easily moor or anchor in one of the hundreds of tranquil bays to enjoy your dinner and have a good night’s rest.  At no time is the land out of sight as the distances are short and there are many destinations close to each other. These superb conditions make the Ionian Sea one of the top sailing destinations in the Med!

Generally, there are 2 choices. You can either dock in a marina or in a protected bay. Marinas in Greece are still not organized enough to cater for mass tourism, and most do not even cater for water or electricity. Nevertheless, they usually cost very little to use and occasionally are completely free. Sometimes a guy from the local taverna will jump out to help you dock and perhaps offer you water or electricity for the yacht. Having a drink or a meal at his place is a nice way to say thank you. Mooring in marinas is always stern to, usually with an anchor at the bow. Mooring in a bay is with an anchor only, or anchor in the bow and long lines ashore.

As a family flotilla, we prefer to be protected by the weather and keep our distances short. Therefore, the South Ionian is selected as our cruising area. On our way we usually visit up to 7 different islands, namely:

• Lefkas
• Meganissi
• Kalamos
• Kastos
• Atokos
• Ithaca
• Kefalonia