Sailing Greece – yacht charters Sporades

Before the pandemic we spend a lovely – but calamitous – fortnight in Northern Greece on yacht charters in the Greek waters, below our sailing adventures.

Sporades • Northern Greece

This is the last part of the logbook that shows our sailing vacations and yacht charters in the Northern Sporades, and since we tried a yacht charter company that proved highly unreliable we got burned, and the yacht nearly sank.

Sailing holidays Mount Athos Halkidiki
Morning twilight with the sun still hidden behind the impressive mountain ranges of the Athos peninsula.'
We started our yacht charter, see my guide from Skiathos island in the Northern Sporades and Marine Park.
Sunrise Athos
Chalkidiki: moment of sunrise over Mount Athos! .
Our sailing holidays in Northern Greece
Early morning and sailing close-hauled towards the cape of the Mount Athos peninsula to reach for Lemnos island, to Myrina port.
The Athonite peak is just visible, port of the rigging.
Skiathos to Skopelos and Alonissos islands: route of our sailing holidays.
Skiathos port • Loutraki on Skopelos • Patitiri, Tzortzi bay, Steni Vala port on Alonissos • Monastery cove on Kyra Panagia.
The beautiful turquoise waters of the Aegean (Chalkidiki), we simply had to drop anchor.
The beautiful turquoise waters of the Aegean (Chalkidiki), we simply had to drop anchor.
Kastro Skiathos monastery
On our way to Kastro (Skiathos) we found this remarkable abandoned Monastery still in remarkable good condition
Sykias, we anchored stern-to the mole, which is now extended.
Sykia bay on the east coast of Sithonia peninsula just after sunset, were we anchored stern-to the mole, which is now extended.
Northern Sporades to Chalkidiki: route of our sailing holidays.
Monastery cove on Kyra Panagia • Porto Koufo, Sykia bay on Chalkidiki (Sithonia).
Sailing holidays from Chalkidiki to Lemnos
Northern Greece: Michiel battling the confused seas and gusts in the open stretch of water between Lemnos island (Limnos) and Chalkidiki, there are often difficulties when sailing close to Athos, see the Eagleray pilot.
The entrance to Planitis bay on Kyra Panagia: yacht charters in Northern Greece
Kyra Panagia (Pelagos) A4: Looking back towards the entrance after leaving the secluded Planitis bay.
The shallowest point is just 7 metres.
Great fun, and well inside the nature reserve (Marine Park of Alonissos).
Skopelos port
Skopelos Port on Skopelos island
Our yacht is the closest one to the entrance of the port. The ferries and hydrofoils dock towards the right.
Chalkidiki: route of our sailing holidays in Northern Greece.
Porto Koufo, Sykia bay, Diaporos bays, Panagia on Chalkidiki (Sithonia).
Skopelos waterfront
Skopelos island: the picturesque waterfront of Skopelos port, with just a handful of charter yachts and local vessels.
Skiathos ports and approach, islets
An overview of Skiathos port and the many islets surrounding the bay. Skiathos island is the main base for yacht charters in the Northern Sporades.
Happy crew
From left to right: Diederik [author of this website], Laura and Michiel, and we are clearly enjoying our sailing vacation in the Northern Sporades, Greece, despite having to sail a truly dangerous and disastrous charter yacht.
Disaster strikes on our way to Limnos from Athos
Diaporos • Lemnos (nearly sinking) • Sykia (repairs), Porto Koufo (further repairs) on Chalkidiki (Sithonia) • Planitis on Kyra Panagia • Skopelos • Skiathos.
Skopelos
Skopelos town:
City scene, with several man offloading unrefrigerated meat at the local butcher in the blistering heat.
Sailing guide to Skopelos and the Northern Sporades
The port of Skopelos after sunset. Total engine failure, so we had to enter the port under sail, and we even manage to avoid the huge ferry that came up from behind. Kudos for all our crew!
Sailing guide to Skiathos and the Northern Sporades
Skiathos island landscape on our way to Kastro in the north of the island.
Kriftos bay on Diaporos island in Halkidiki
You can tell why we call it “Camel island”. Officially called “Micro”, it lies in the strait between Alonissos and Skopelos and is a bird sanctuary together with its neighbour islet of Agios Georgios (just visible on the left).
Renting scooters is the way to see the islands of the Sporades
Skiathos inland: Laura & Diederik looking rather silly.
Michiel and his scooter
This time it is Michiel who is looking rather silly; renting scooters on Skiathos island.