Saronic & E. Peloponnisos

The Aegean Sea is entered from the west round Cape Malea or through the
Corinth Canal, the southwestern and northwestern limits of the sea area covered in this chapter.

The Aegean takes its name from Aegeus, the father of Theseus, who flung himself into the sea when he believed his son to have been killed in Crete. Theseus had gone to Crete as part of the annual tribute of young Athenian men and women to the Minotaur, but with the help of Ariadne slew the monster and escaped. Ariadne was unceremoniously dumped on Naxos and perhaps the gods clouded his memory after this foul deed, because he forgot the prearranged signal to his father to tell him that all was well. If his ship carried a black sail then Aegeus would know his son had perished; a white sail would mean he was alive. Aegeus, seeing the black sail on the approaching ship, was overcome with grief and leapt to his death.

The Aegean geographically divides Europe from Asia, although the islands in the sea form a bridge between the two continents. Between the islands, without compass or sextant, the merchants of ancient times could cross the Aegean and be out of sight of land for only a few hours. Almost as important as the island bridge across the sea were the regular summer winds blowing from the north. These winds, now called by the Turkish name, the meltemi , were then called the etesian winds from the Greek etos, a year, because they blow regularly every year. Traders could sail across the Aegean with this wind and return in the spring or autumn when the northerlies are light and southerlies sometimes blow. The winter winds can be fierce and some ancient states forbade traders to cross the sea in the winter months.

The area covered in this chapter encompasses three significant historical centres. Mycenae at the head of the Argolic Gulf was the centre of the Mycenaean period, which succeeded the Minoans and provided the material for Homer's epics. Athens was of course the centre of Classical Greece, although it is all too easy to attribute too much to this ancient city and forget the contributions to art, oratory, science, and commerce from other city-states all over Greece. Lastly, the fleets of Îdhra (Hydra) and Spetsai were of key importance in determining the outcome of the War of Independence and both Navplion and Aigina were at different times the capitals of the newly liberated Greece.

Weather patterns in the Saronic and Eastern Peloponnisos

The normal summer wind differs radically depending on where you are in this area. Along the mainland coast from the Corinth Canal to Ák Sounion and the sea area between the mainland coast and Methana, the meltemi is the normal wind. It blows from the NNE to NE at about Force 4-6, although it may be stronger around Ák Sounion. Around the Methana peninsula and Poros it is usually less. The meltemi starts blowing in July and dies in October. If the meltemi does not blow, (and it is not as regular here as in the Cyclades or the Dodecanese), the wind in this sea area is generally from the south, usually getting up about midday, blowing Force 2-4, and dying off about sunset.

Moving south and west, in Kólpos Idhras (Gulf of Hydra) and Argolikos Kólpos (Argolic Gulf), the prevailing wind is from the SE. It gets up about midday, blows Force 3-5, occasionally more, and dies down at night. In Argolikos Kólpos this wind can be relied upon in the summer for 90% of the time. Down the eastern Peloponnisos the wind may be a meltemi from the NE or a southerly from the SE or SW. In the spring and autumn the wind is predominantly from the S over the whole area and is generally weak.

In general there are few weather problems in the area. When the meltemi is blowing there are strong gusts off the high land near the entrance to the Corinth Canal and around Ák Sounion. Along the eastern coast of the Peloponnisos there may be a katabatic wind at night. Âstrous is particularly notorious for this wind which arrives without warning and often reaches Force 6-7 where previously there was no wind. It usually lasts for 4-6 hours. In the spring and autumn there may be thunderstorms accompanied by a squall, but these last only one or two hours on average. In the winter the Saronic and Argolic Gulfs have a mild sunny climate, making them popular places for yachts to spend the winter.

Routes

Routes in the area covered by this chapter can be divided into three categories.
In the Saronic Gulf the yachtsman will come upon the greatest concentration of yachts in Greece. Most of these are based at the marinas along the Attic coast from where a considerable number of charter companies operate. Many charter yachts follow the Saronic trail to Aigina, Poros, Idhra and Spétsai and to nearby harbours and anchorages, so if you wish to avoid the crowds in the summer stay away from the charter yacht milk run and head for the eastern coast of the Peloponnisos where there are less crowded harbours and anchorages.

1. From the Corinth Canal heading Ε along the Attic coast and down towards the Argolic Gulf and Cape Maléa
   
   The prevailing wind in the Saronic Gulf is the meltemi blowing from the N-NE. To get to the marinas around Athens it is best to stick close to the Attic coast. Gusts can be fierce off the coast but the sea is generally fairly flat. Heading down towards Aigina and Poros you will be close or beam reaching and as you get towards Poros the wind usually moderates and may even turn to the S-SE.
   If you are heading towards the Cyclades from Athens then stick to the Attic coast until Sounion before departing for the islands. It can get very windy and bumpy around the Kea Channel and will get no better further Ε if the meltemi is at full strength. When I used to skipper charter boats from Athens it was not unusual for charterers who just had to visit the Cyclades to change their minds and enquire if there was somewhere a little less windy to go to. It was a relief to jibe over and head to Poros and the 'milk run'.
   From Poros to the Argolic Gulf the prevailing summer wind is the SE sea breeze and in general seas are slight to moderate. As the breeze does not get up until midday or so you can motor in the morning calm if you need to. Down the coast of the Peloponnisos the wind will often be variable or a light S-SE wind or, if the meltemi gets through, a fresh NE breeze.
   
2. The reverse route from Cape Maléa to the Argolic Gulf and the Attic coast
   
   See the notes on rounding Cape Maléa at the end of Chapter II. Often you will find that once around Cape Maléa the meltemi is light and often variable up the coast to Monemvásia. At times it does blow hard and if that is the case you have few options except to bash up against it. It is worth trying to leave early in the morning when the wind is often lighter although there is usually a residual swell from the central Aegean making things uncomfortable. As you get closer to the Argolic Gulf the wind will become fluky and then eventually turn to the SE sea breeze. It is worth threading your way up through Kolpos Idhras to Poros and Aigina as although the SE breeze can be brisk, the sea is usually moderate.
   To get from Poros and Aigina back to the marinas around Athens will entail either a wet and bruising beat against the meltemi, or if it is not blowing too hard, a more pleasant sail but still a beat to windward. At either end of the summer there is a higher frequency of southerly sea breezes and this makes the return to Athens an altogether more pleasant experience.
   
3. Routes coming W from the Cyclades
   
   This is probably the most debated of routes by charter skippers. When the meltemi is blowing strongly I think it is worth doing a bit more distance and heading for Idhra or Poros from the Cyclades. Generally you will get a good close reach from the southern Cyclades or a beam reach from the middle Cyclades. Once up to Idhra or Poros you can run up to Aigina and on back to Athens. Some charter skippers disagree and reckon you may as well beat back to Athens, though if you question them closely, what they mean is motorsail back to Athens. It really depends on how hard the meltemi is blowing as to whether it is worth beating back directly or taking the circular route via Idhra, Poros and Aigina.