Sailing Tips for the Greek Islands – How to Moor in Hydra

Hydra is one of the most known and popular sailing destinations in Greece, being in close proximity to Athens and the Peloponnese Peninsula. It is located 42 nautical miles away from Athens, and more particularly from Kalamaki/Alimos Marina. Hydra is a long, narrow and relatively dry island, stretching parallel to the coast of the Peloponnese; it is picturesque and lovely, attracting visitors and sailors all year long. Being in the heart of the Saronic Gulf makes Hydra a perfect destination for those who want to practice sailing and have fun in an island that doesn’t really look or feel like the others – the lack of cars and the truly beautiful setting just add to that.

Hydra is fashionable; that would not be a problem if it was not fashionable for the sailing boats as well; this always causes a problem in the port of Hydra which is tiny for the large numbers of boats that try to moor there. The port becomes extremely crowded in the summer months, especially during weekends and it is not unusual to see crossed anchors, rows of sailing boats berthing one on the other, people jumping from boat to boat to reach the shore. Occasionally it can be fun, but just imagine that you reach Hydra tired, you go to swim and you just want to relax and sleep a little before getting ready for the night out. And then while you are relaxing and you feel sort of sleepy, a boat is coming and you need to run out and make sure that your boat is safe, as maneuvers in the port are extremely hazardous and have some pretty annoying results from time to time.

Tips to moor in the port of Hydra

If you really respect yourself try to avoid weekends in summer; if you are desperate about going to Hydra, you need to leave on Friday night and make sure that you are in Hydra very early in the morning, before anyone else. The best place to moor is at the right side of the harbor as you enter, close to the vertical dock, as the chances of weird maneuvers there are limited and most people usually avoid this part, as they are not that experienced. If though you cannot find a safe place to moor and you don’t want to tie yourself on four other boats, you can always opt for one of the small little bays and coves, such as the cove of Miramare, or the small port of Kamini, where you might still have some problem to anchor, but it’s a safe and protected harbor.

The best time to enjoy Hydra is from April to early November, although if you like sailing in winter and fall, you can definitely pay a visit to the island during the winter months; you will get to know a different part of the island, which is equally attractive and picturesque all year long.

source: http://www.sailingingreece.info