HYDRA GULF: CRUISING IN GREECE

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Ermione

Hydra gulf is a small gulf between the big Argolic and big Saronic Gulfs, with Hydra Island partially closing it to the South, with the continent closing it to the North,  partially closed to the East by several Islands, being Spetses the bigger one. 

Spetses Island - Zogerias

Probably it would be more correct to consider Dokos island as the gulf western closure, instead of Spetses but, for the purpose of this region, I will consider it as going from Chinitsa and Spetses Islands, on the West, to the Kelevini islands, on the East.

Zogerias

This is a very beautiful region, with all the islands and the indented continental coast contributing to a magnificent scenario. However, sailing conditions are far from being as good as on the Argolic Gulf, with many periods without wind, and sudden wind changes, sometimes increasing from almost no wind to 20kt in a blink of an eye. It has also a much bigger density of cruising boats if compared with the Argolic gulf, and some anchorages tend to be crowded.

Zogerias

This region, like Argolic Gulf, is protected from the Meltemi. Here nights and mornings tend to have no wind, or weak wind, a perfect region for those that like more cruising than sailing, don't mind using the engine, and are not bothered by having many boats on an anchorage, even if in what regards that we can still find some spots that tend to have fewer boats.

The gulf has several good anchorages which means that in ancient times it was suitable as a fishing and trading location, between the Peloponnese, Saronic Gulf, and Attica, and, as in most cases that reunite these conditions, it lead to the existence of one of the big Greek ancient cities, Hermione, that was situated on the continent, near where Ermioni is today. 

Kouverta - Continent 

You can find its ruins on the deeply forested peninsula that is located at Erninione bay entrance. For those that like to know the history of the places where they sail, I will post an appetizer of a very good and interesting article about the history of this region. I recommend reading it fully, and I will post the link below. Truly interesting: 

"During the Mycenaean period, the city was honored to Hermione, daughter of Helen and Menelaus, King of Sparta. 

Kouverta

When Helen and Paris sailed together for Troy, Hermione was cared for by Helen's sister Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon, King of Argos and Mycenae....

...Homer described Ancient Hermione's involvement in the Trojan War, 1194-1184 BC....By the 6th Century BC, some of these villages had grown into real towns and large cities, such as Hermione (Ermioni), Halieis (Porto Heli), Mases (Kilada) and Eileoi (Iliokastro). 

Lefke - Continent

This laid the foundations for the archaic Hermionis kingdom, ruled from the walled city of Hermione......In antiquity, it was clearly stated that Hydra belonged to the Hermionians, which were still referred to as Dryopians at the time of the Greco-Persian Wars....

...Hermione had always been historically allied with Mycenae, Tiryns, Asine and Sparta, and member of the Peloponnesian League. 

Lefke, Ermione on the right

The city sent 3 trireme warships to fight the Persians at the naval Battle of Salamis in 480 BC and a year later sent 300 heavily-armed hoplite warriors, and an equal number of support troops, to fight the Persian invaders at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC.....

Hermione continued to flourish in the 5th and 4th Centuries BC, and during the Classical period ..grew during the Hellenistic and Roman periods and had a population of over 7,000 inhabitants (there are just over 3,000 permanent residents today)...."

Spetses Island, anchored outside the village

https://ermioni.info/things-to-know/history-ermioni

Let's start looking at what this region has to offer, starting from the Argolic Gulf and Heli port and sailing East and following the coast. You will find the big Kranidi Peninsula and on both sides, you will find plenty of anchorages, even if none are protected from all the winds.  You can have a look at them on Navily:

Lots of cruisers motoring in the gulf

https://www.navily.com/carte/mouillage/26252

Choosing one over the other will depend on the number of sailboats that are on each anchorage and on wind direction, but remember that in this region wind changes direction frequently and that the direction of the wind at midday is often different than the direction during the night and it can change again in the morning. However, the winds during the night and morning are generally weak. 

Dokos Island - Ormus Skindos

But to those, I prefer one that is located on the Island that lies just in front, Zogerias, at the south of Spetses Island. Probably it offers the best protection from the predominant, afternoon and night, SE winds: it is relatively big, I never saw it crowded and the bottom is sand, with some rocks. Good holding, beautiful scenery, and you have a nice beach restaurant on the little cove to the west (where it is forbidden to anchor). Prices are a bit high, as in most restaurants in these parts, the food is average, but it has a nice view.

Ormos Skindos

Spetses and Hydra Islands are both nice but very touristic places with few good anchorages. The village ports are always full, subjected to heavy ferry traffic and disorganized mooring, with many charters wanting to come in at any cost, many times without a clue about what they are doing. So, even if you can find a place there be prepared for having the anchor fouled, and to avoid being hit, to push the boats that want to moor at your side. Many times charters try to put the boat in an insufficient space or maneuver the wrong way, so if you like action, you will have plenty.

Ormos Skindos

If the wind is right you can anchor out of Spetses Port, I mean out of the cove, where it is forbidden to anchor, for having a look at the urban landscape, and if somebody stays aboard you can even visit the town. I would not leave there the boat unattended, but I saw it done. 

The bottom has a reasonable depth but the holding is not good. To the right, you have a small beach where the holding is much better. Anyway, for passing the night there are in the vicinity much better places to anchor.

Ermione, the cove entrance

Hydra is even worse, not possible to anchor in front of the nice village, the island anchorages are quite deep and in most cases, you will need to tie the boat to land.That with only two aboard is not easy, especially when only one knows how to handle the boat, and the bottom has only average holding. If you want to visit the villages of Hydra and Spetses, I would suggest you leave the boat in Porto Cheli or Ermioni and pick up a ferry to the Islands' ports: you would be much more relaxed regarding boat security and would enjoy your visit a lot more. Porto Cheli has a good port and Marina.

Ermione

Ermione has a small port that is normally crowded. You will find only a place on the outside quay that is not protected. But Ermioni anchorage is better than anything you can find in Spetses or Hydra, and soon will have a marina too.

Continuing sailing East along the continent, past Kranidi Peninsula, after passing a large bay with some average anchorages you will find two other smaller bays,  that will offer good shelter on a mud and sand bottom. 

Ermione

The first is Kouverta and the second one is Lefkes. Lefkes has Ermione on the right. I don't know why, but these are the ones in the region that are never crowded, being nice and quiet, and Lefkas has a good taberna ashore. Lefkes is one of the best anchorages in this region, and a nice one too.

Ermione

In the same bay, on the south side of Ermioni, you have a quay, but it is the base of a catamaran charter fleet, with a fair deal of movement, and when the wind turns from South, it offers little shelter. 

To go to Ermione, which is a nice place, less touristic than Spetses or Hydra, with better prices, good markets, and restaurants, go on the other side, inside the cove. Avoid the port that is always crowded, and don't put the boat on the outside quay, where at the end of the afternoon conditions can be nasty.

Ermione. The ruins of the ancient city are just ahead

The place I prefer for being on anchor there is at the entrance of the new village, and at the end of the ancient one (today a forest).

There is a place to leave the dinghy and it is the most sheltered place. You can also leave the boat further in, in front of the port but will find out that at the end of the afternoon there will be more swell there. I do really like Ermioni, especially in the evening when it is quieter. It has a really nice atmosphere.

The ferry does not create a big wash wave

To the East of Ermioni, there is another big bay, with a particularly sheltered spot on the right side. More to the East and till the entrance of the gulf, the coast continues to offer good bottom for anchoring and several spots that offer some protection. The problem here is the number of sailing boats in all anchorages, and staying overnight, because the winds tend to change direction from morning to afternoon and again late in the night. Have a look at the region, on Navily:

Ermione

https://www.navily.com/carte/port/1484

Ermioni (both sides) offers the better overall protection in the gulf (it is not by accident that the ancient city was there) being the second best anchorage probably the one in Dokos Island, just in front of Ermione. There, the best is Ormos Skindos, on a bay, more or less protected on one side or the other, depending on wind direction.

Ermione

Because it is rather deep, many choose to anchor there with a line to the shore, but I prefer to stay on anchor and that is possible in several places, namely just in front of the small chapel.

When the wind is from the North, and that is not unusual, you can find shelter in a small cove at the entrance of Ormos Skindos, to the right. Good holding in sand, but you will need to tie the transom to the shore, and this anchorage is normally crowded.

Ermione

If the wind changes to the north and you cannot find a place here, you can always find shelter in the bay just in front, on the continental coast, the one I have already referred to, and that has Ermioni to its right.

https://www.navily.com/carte/mouillage/13882

Not a big gulf and a bit spoiled due to having not good options to explore Hydra and Spetses villages, but a very beautiful one, with breathtaking scenery anywhere you look. 

Ermione

I have sailed there many times when the Meltemi makes it uncomfortable to cruise in the Cyclades, and Ermioni has been a popular place for us, as a stopping place and to get provisions. 

The anchorage is good providing a nice view from the boat, there is Spirandreas restaurant, which offers one of the best Gemista (stuffed tomatoes and peppers) in Greece.

Ermione, the cove entrance

And don't miss Drougas bakery, which offers not only excellent bread but a lot of great cookies and biscuits including, the ones that are salty and can be eaten at lunch. It has also small, but nice supermarkets, and even a good butcher.

Nothing is perfect, and sometimes there is some swell on the anchorage, nothing to worry about and a small payment for not having it full of charters.

Probably things will change when the big marina is built, limiting the places available to anchor.

Ermione view from the other side (Lefkes bay)

Like the Argolic gulf, this one is going to get more crowded with the two new marinas (Porto Heli and Ermione), which will not add much to the availability of places for cruisers, because they will be full of charter fleets, and these ones will contribute to crowding the available anchorages.

This small gulf is in between the Argolic and Saronic Gulfs and those who cruise here probably will visit the three. We will talk next about the Saronic gulf. We have already talked about the Argolic gulf and you can look for information about it here:

https://cruisingalma.blogspot.com/2022/11/argolic-gulf-cruising-in-different.html

ARGOLIC GULF: CRUISING IN DIFFERENT GREEK REGIONS

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Kilada entrance

2017 at the Argolic Gulf entrance - time to reef the sails

The Continental Coast of Greece has many big gulfs. We have already talked about the ones in South Peloponnese, the Messiniakos and Lakonikos gulfs. From the South coast, sailing 60nm to the North along the Peloponnese we will enter the Argolic gulf, named after the oldest European city, Argos, which was once one of the Greek major cities, well before classical times.

Argos lies at the end of the gulf, and I have referred to its brilliant history, in the previous post, about the region that is continuous to this one:

Waiting for the big wind - Genoa furled and two reefs on the main

https://cruisingalma.blogspot.com/2022/10/sailing-and-cruising-in-different-greek_25.html

For the ones that sail from the North, sailing from the Saronic Gulf, the Argolic gulf is the first big one to SW, after passing through the small Hydra gulf. It lies a bit more than 50nm from Athens, the major city in the Saronic gulf, and Greece's modern capital city.

As on the East coast of the Peloponnese, the Meltemi blows here with much less force, and for the same reason: strong katabatic winds coming down from the continental mountains run along the gulf and oppose the Meltemi. 

Astros' port

When the Meltemi runs wild on the islands of central Aegean this gulf is heaven and, contrary to the East coast of Peloponesse, it offers great sailing conditions.

In this gulf, except at night, there is rarely no wind. The wind blows with less force in the morning and increases in the afternoon but rarely blows over 20kt. 10 to 15 knots are the prevailing conditions and that is one of the reasons I really like to sail there.

Astros' beach

For that reason, and also because, as the wind blows parallel to the gulf's length, there is always a nice place to stay at the end of 16nm of great upwind sailing, on one, or the other side of the gulf, because this gulf offers a big number of nice places, ports, and anchorages.

But, pay attention, and if you see, far away towards the continent, the sky turning dark gray or even black,  don't hesitate to reef your sails (a lot), and don't do it too late.

Astros, view from the port

Two times, sailing there I saw the wind turning almost instantly from 12 or 13kts to 45, and one of the times I saw a catamaran escape narrowly from a nasty accident, unable to take the main down and heading to an island, without the possibility of changing direction, due to a potential capsize. 

At the last moment, they succeeded in bringing the main down, controlling the boat with the engine. I saw things so badly for them that I followed the cat to pick the crew up, in case they chose to jump out before the cat hit the rocks. With only a little bit of genoa out, I was doing 14 to 15kts, and not looking for speed, just trying to prevent the boat from going faster, and maintaining full control.

Nafplio: at the right, the old walls

These sudden squalls are not predictable and are not previewed in the forecast, have to do with katabatic wind amplified by a front, and don't last more than half an hour. 

If you reef your boat in time they will not cause any problems because the sea has no time to grow, and even if the waves are very steep, they will not be bigger than one meter.

Note that you will find much more cruising boats here, and incomparably more charters than in the previous regions I posted about, but even so much less than on the Saronic Gulf.

Nafplio: the fort at the port entrance

The proximity of Athens international airport and the many charter boats that are stationed around are the main reasons, as also the generally gentle or moderate wind conditions that characterize these two gulfs. 

There are fewer charters but there are at least two fleets that operate in the gulf.

There are many ports and anchorages in the gulf and the chances are that the two fleets are somewhere else, but if you sail enough time here, you will have the bad experience of seeing one fleet arriving at what was before a quiet port or anchorage, and that will probably spoil you the day. 

Tolo and Tolon island

You will think that no way, there would not be enough places for them, but you will be wrong because they will find a place in a way any other cruiser would refuse, rafting the boats, mooring alongside several boats, or anchoring the boats very close, without respect for any privacy, or even security, making a lot of noise and partying.

Anyway, you will get lucky most of the time, and there are some locations where they usually will not go, like for instance Tolo. 

Tolo, at the right, Plateia island

Continuing sailing North along the coast and exploring the gulf's left shore, at about 12 nm of Tyro (see the previous post) we will find Astros. 

You can anchor on each side of the port, along the beach. The bottom provides good holding, in both cases, but the North anchorage is better, because on the South one they don't allow you to go near the port entrance, or the beach and the protection will therefore be limited.

Providing there is not a strong wind from the South, the port is surprisingly good, deep, with many places, water and electricity are available.

Unfortunately, since the last time I have been there, it seems that the port was turned into a sort of base for a charter flotilla and only 6 places are left for visitors, a very small number if we take into account the number of places available in the port, that is relatively big. 

Tolo

On the weekend it is not advised to visit because that's when the charter boats use the port and besides the confusion, there will be few places, if any available.

Astros is a very nice little town, a fishing port that is now mainly turned to tourism but not yet to mass tourism. You will find plenty of restaurants, a nice ambiance, and affordable prices.

Sailing from there to the North gulf coast, which we could call the end of the gulf, there is plenty of places you can anchor, being the bottom mud with good holding and small depths, but the landscape is not particularly nice and you will be far away from land.

Tolo

After Astros, the first truly interesting place is Nafplio, near the end but already on the gulf's right side. Nafplio origins are very ancient,  being independent of Argos till 2600 years ago when it was conquered by Argos and became its port.

The city's origins were linked to its qualities as a natural port, and the strategic defensive position that the nearby hill provided. 

Vivari, entrance

The ancient city was there, surrounded by walls and only its location explains how it was able to survive so many years independently, having as a neighbor the powerful Argos, which was 2700 years ago one of the main powers, in ancient Greece.

In more recent times Nafplio didn't lose its importance as a commercial port, first, as a Byzantine city, then, conquered by the Franks (in the 4th crusade), and later as a Venitian city, before being conquered by the Ottomans. 

Vivari

Few will know that the city was, in modern times, for some years, the capital of the First Hellenic Republic.

You can anchor outside, but North of the city the protection is limited because the depths will not allow you to get protection under the port walls. South, the protection is better but the bottom is a mix of rocks, seaweed, sand, and mud and the visibility is not always good to choose the right place for setting the anchor. 

The port has almost always places for mooring and the city deserves a visit. It is a nice quiet place that escaped mass tourism and a good place to rent a car to visit ancient Argos, the oldest European city.

Vivari

The port had a problem with a bad smell (that seems to be taken care of), it does not have electricity and you have to take care with the holding of your anchor (let it go far away from the quay) because the bottom is mud, and in some places soft mud, that does not provide a good holding.

If strong North winds are expected I would not leave the boat there unattended, but in normal circumstances, if you previously tried the holding pulling the boat against the quay with the engine, it is adequate and those disadvantages are well worth the quietness, and the availability of places without too much fuss.

View from the anchorage at the entrance of Kilada

To the South, among the Gulf East shore, the first nice anchorage is Karathonas bay, a big one with a sandy bottom.

Plenty of people ashore on the beach but few cruising boats and the bottom allows you to stay far away from the beach, and from the noise. Three beach restaurants ashore that close at the end of the afternoon.  At the weekend loud music is to be expected, and the restaurants will close later.

View from the anchorage at the entrance of Kilada

            

Near, to the East, you will find Vivari, a very protected anchorage, at the end of a deep and large cove. One that was hard to find when the navigation was not by GPS and plotter.

Anchorage at the entrance of Kilada

The landscape is not as nice as in Tolo, but the protection is even better, the restaurants are cheaper and I had never had trouble finding a place to anchor, without excessive proximity to other boats.

Such good anchorages have been used since ancient times and normally have a story, and an ancient city behind them, and that is the case here.

At the end of Tolo bay, on the hill, over the rocky promontory, you can find the ruins of Asine, which were already old in Pausania's time. 

Anchorage at Kilada's entrance. At the right, the little chapel

He says that then only the Apollo temple was standing.

The ancient city that Homer named among the ones that had a fleet, was razed by Argos during its war with Sparta. Asine allied itself with Sparta, but after an initial success, when the Spartan returned to Lakonia, Argos completely destroyed Asine, leaving only the Apollo temple standing.

The inhabitants fled in the fleet and the Spartans gave them land, in the Messiniakos gulf, for building a new city. 

Kilada cove

They raised a new Asine where today is Koroni. You can find there the ruins of another Apollo temple. I have talked about Koroni and the Messianakos gulf in this post:

https://cruisingalma.blogspot.com/2022/10/sailing-and-cruising-in-different-greek.html

From there, sailing North you get to a big bay with two beaches, spoiled by several sea farms. 

To the East you will find Salantis, a deserted small bay, with an almost deserted beach, and nice scenery, only a bit spoiled by the ruins of a hotel.

Kilada cove

You will find a sand bottom and suitable depths to anchor. If the wind is strong from the North probably you will experience some swell and some rolling.

But I do prefer the small cove that you will find to the East, almost at the entrance of Kilada and that is almost always deserted.

It is easy to spot because on the North side it has a chapel.

Kilada cove, the entrance

It does not look to offer much protection, but I have been there several times without any problem, and the protection is much better than it looks. The bottom is sand with some rocks. You have to search, but if you do that you will find a perfect place to lay anchor (to the center), and it is worth the trouble because the scenery all around is beautiful.

From there if you sail to the East you will enter the big Kilada cove, which, protected by Koronida Island (private), that lies in its entrance, offers one of the most protected anchorages in all of Greece. 

Kilada cove, the entrance

As would be expected you will always find there a lot of cruisers, but the space is so big that there is always space for another sailing boat, without being too close to your neighbors.

Amazingly the surrounding area and Kilada village seem to have escaped a massive touristic occupation and the general impression is of tranquility, being the views around quite nice.

The village is very agreeable, with good restaurants, good provisions, nice prices, and nice people. There are some small quays there where boats with small draft can moor, but it is always crowded and I prefer to stay on anchor. There are plenty of places to leave the dinghy when going ashore.

Kilada cove, the village

I like the place a lot and I have thought several times about leaving the boat on the hard for winter in the shipyard that lies at the end of the cove, and that manages the miracle of not being conspicuous, being almost invisible from the anchorage. The shipyard has an excellent reputation, but the prices are a bit too high for the ones that have a low budget.

Koronida, the private island that closes Kilada cove

Just a bit more to the North you will find Porto Heli an amazingly good natural port that was a bit spoiled by an extensive urban occupation along its shores, and that last year was further spoiled by a new huge marina, that is constituted mainly by floating pontoons that occupy part of the area that was used for anchoring. 

It is ugly, expensive, badly projected even if I believe that it will bring more charters to Porto Heli, as well as permanently fixed fleets, and that's what they want.

Porto Heli, the quay and the city

Before this monstrosity, you could moor at the city quay, and because there was no electricity and the water was expensive, it was not particularly difficult to find a place.

The quay is nicely integrated into the city, that without being beautiful, has a nice atmosphere, good cafés and restaurants and was a great place to replenish the boat with food, water, and diesel, with supermarkets just in front of the quay.

Porto Heli, entrance

It has also one of the best chandleries to buy anything needed for the boat. The shop is small but the owner is very helpful and knowledgeable, and if needed, will go to Athens to get what you want, without charging more.

I have not been there since they built the new marina (2021), but for sure, Porto Heli did not become nicer, and that is not something new.

This should have been a very beautiful place before beauty has been taken away by men and their disorganized urban occupation. The new marina is just the last chapter of a long process.

Porto Heli

But I know that they still allow boats on the pier and probably it will be easier now to find a place.

Probably it is still a good place to replenish diesel and water tanks (by trucks) and to take shelter from bad weather, in the quay, at anchor, or even at the marina if you don't mind paying 5 times more than on the quay.

With Port Heli, we reached the East entrance of the Argolic Gulf. To the East lies Athens and the Saronic Gulf, with the small but beautiful  Hydra Gulf in between. 

Porto Heli

That is the region where most Aegean charters are located, one of the regions with more cruising boats around.

Maybe I will talk next about the few anchorages in that region that are not crowded, even if I only cruise there when I am escaping from a strong Meltemi. 

Port Heli, view from the quay 

I prefer to do that than to be forced to stay for a week or more, in a port, or in an anchorage, waiting for the Meltemi to subside.

But one thing is for sure, with new big marinas in Porto Heli and Ermione there will be new charter fleets operating from there, and with these places as a new center, the relative Argolic Gulf tranquility will have its days numbered.

 So, if you want to know the Argolic Gulf as I have described it, hurry, because it is not going to take long for the Argolic Gulf to be as crowded as the Saronic Gulf.