GREECE - ARGUABLY THE WORLD'S GREATEST CRUISING AREA

Envoy is berthed in Lefkas Marina for the winter while we're home in Auckland enjoying the exceptionally hot southern hemisphere summer. 

Our future cruising plans aren't clear at this point and we'll have a better idea shortly.

This is an edited version of our article recently published in Pacific PowerBoat magazine.

The north-east coast of New Zealand's North Island's offers incredible cruising, particularly within its prime area ranging from Whitianga in the south to Whangaroa in the north, a distance of around 250 miles following the coast with about 50 offshore islands suitable for overnight anchoring along the way, a handful of which are virtually all-weather. Imagine an area many times this size with hundreds of offshore islands offering not only spectacular safe anchorages, but interesting atmospheric villages, welcoming rustic tavernas and historic ruins dating back thousands of years.

This is Greece, offering incredible cruising particularly from April through October with mostly stable warm weather, spectacular natural scenery, clean waters, areas of great historical interest, friendly and honest people, a high level of personal safety and reasonable costs. What about their economic crisis and the refugees? Well for the visitor there's little sign of any crisis and we've not yet seen a single refugee as they're mainly confined to a few islands close to Turkey.

Envoy moored stern-to in Rhodes harbour

Although thousands of boats cruise Greece during summer the area is so vast that even the popular anchorages are no more crowded than Auckland's Kawau or Waiheke islands during holiday weekends.

You don't need to own a boat to cruise here as there are many charter boats offered to high standards at reasonable costs. Depending on your experience level you can charter skippered or bareboat and cruise independently or as part of a flotilla. This is a great way to check out whether Med cruising is for you.

Envoy anchored off Spinalonga

 July and August are hot by our standards often reaching mid 30s, although the humidity is low and the sun doesn't have New Zealand's high U/V level so it doesn't seem uncomfortable. Although Envoy has air conditioning we never find conditions warrant using it, in any case preferring fresh air flowing through open windows and portholes.

It's easy to leave your boat in a marina and travel around Greece for sightseeing using high quality and regular coaches and ferries as well as rental cars (foreign licenses accepted). Motorways connect most of the major cities, but rural roads can be pretty basic. Many people speak passable English, particularly younger ones and most people are very polite and helpful.

Supplies are readily available with most prices cheap by our standards at supermarkets, markets and smaller shops while fuel and water are widely available dockside. Interestingly fuel pumps are not common and fuel is often delivered in small road tankers.

The main convenient international airports are Athens, Corfu and Iraklion, although there are others.

Greece is a natural gateway to other destinations as it's relatively easy to cruise north-east to Albania, Montenegro and Croatia, west to Italy and east to Turkey.

It's not unusual to encounter wandering stock on rural roads

Greece can be broadly divided into the four main regions mentioned below:

1 Mainland including Peloponnisos

Athens can be accessed from the port of Piraeus. A guided walking tour will show you most sights with the Parthenon atop the Acropolis and its adjacent museum of particular interest.

From the port of Itea in the Gulf of Corinth you can visit Delphi's many spectacular ruins, where in ancient times wealthy people paid a fortune to have the oracle interpreted, supposedly predicting their future.

Cruising around the Peloponnisos coast is a great experience visiting historic towns such as (west to east) Pilos, Methoni, Koroni, Kalamata, Yithion, the island of Kithera and Monemvasia.

2 Western side – Ionian Sea islands

Preveza on the mainland is a great place to rent a car to visit Meteora with its amazing ancient monasteries perched atop originally impregnable rock formations and accessed using rope ladders. Nearby Mystras has a great castle set upon a craggy hilltop. On the way you will pass through Ioannina, an historic Turkish town with an impressive lakeside castle

Anchor off the village of Parga with its narrow cobbled lanes, great waterfront and castle. Slightly further north is Mourtos with several spectacular anchorages set among several uninhabited islands.

Further north is the island of Corfu with its historic city, castles and spectacular seaside villages such as Ormos Agni, Ormos Kalami, Kassiopi and Palaiokastrita.

Just south of Corfu the island of Paxoi has great anchorages at Lakka, Longos and Gaios.

3 Eastern side – Aegean Sea islands

By far the most famous island is Santorini. Yes it's a bit crowded, but the Caldera is unforgettable.

There are many other stunning islands contained within the Northern and Eastern Sporades, the Cyclades and Dodecanese. Watch for the Meltemi – the strong north-westerly which often blows in the afternoon and can last several days.

4 Crete

You could easily cruise a few weeks here with plenty to see. Of particular interest from east to west are Ayios Nikolaos, Rethimno, Khania, Soudha Bay (visit the New Zealand war cemetery) and stunning Gramvousa Island with its spectacular hilltop castle.

NZ war cemetery at Soudha Bay

Envoy anchored off Dia Island

Because a place isn't mentioned in this article doesn't mean it's not great – there are just too many to mention! The only negatives to cruising in Greece are that the fishing is lousy (locals mostly fish using nets) and scuba diving is mostly not allowed except as part of a guided dive group (to prevent theft of artifacts).

Very shortly we'll post an article about preparing yourselves for the live-aboard cruising life.