Circumnavigating the Peloponnese

Introduction

The circumnavigation of the Peloponnese can be a challenge to the cruiser because of the many different weather conditions and the length of the cruise. On the other hand it can be very rewarding because of the variety of its ports and anchorages and the opportunities for sightseeing this part of Greece steeped in history.

The Peloponnese or Pelopónnisos (Πελοπόννησος) is one of the largest geometrical features of mainland Greece. It covers an area of some 21,549 km² and it may be considered a large island since the Corinth Canal separates it from the rest of the Greek mainland. It is mountainous region and there are three large capes on its south side that give it its characteristic shape, These capes are Cape Maleas in the East, Cape Tenaron or Matapan and Cavo Grosso both the middle, and Mount Taygetus on the west.

The history of Pelopónnisos starts from the Paleolithic times but it was during the Bronze Age when a brilliant civilization the Mycenaean civilization was centered there. The Mycenaeans, especially the people centered in Mycenae, Sparta, and Pylos were the heros immortalized by Homer in his two epic poems: the Iliad and the Odyssey. The name Pelopónnisos, Pelops' island, is derived from the Greek Mythology.

In classical times the Peloponnese was dominated by Sparta on the south, and Corinth on the north east, but also it was the home to the Pan Hellenic (including all the Greek city-states) Olympic games in Olympia on the north west. in 146 BC the Romans conquered Greece and the Peloponnese became the roman province of Achaea. The Roman were succeeded by the Byzantines who held the Peloponnese until the empire was overran, in 1204 AD, by the Franks and the Venetians of the Fourth Crusade. They divided the region between them as a number of principalities. The Byzantines recaptured their capital, Constantinople, in 1261 AD and in 1308 established in Pelopónnisos Despotate of Morea with its capital the mountain city of Mystras, overlooking ancient Sparta. in October 1443, the prince of this Despotate, Constantine XI Palaiologos became the last Byzantine emperor. He did not last long, in May 29, 1453 the Ottomans under Mehmed II sacked Constantinople and the emperor was killed while defending his city. By 1458 and until 1827 the Peloponnese was under the Ottoman Empire. There were some exception to this. The Venetians managed to capture some harbors and the rugged Mani Peninsula, with constant guerilla warfare remained semi-independent.

The Greek War of Independence from the Ottomans declared in the Pelopónnisos town of Kalavryta on March 25, 1821. Pelopónnisos played a decisive ro;e during this war and was the scene of many battles. The war effectively ended with the sea Battle of Navarino on 20 October 1827. In 1829, the Peloponnesian town of Nafplion became the capital of the newly established state of Greece.

Climate & Weather Information

The weather while circumnavigating the Peloponnese can be best described separately for each section of the cruise:

East side - Here the weather of the Aegean Sea dominates, conditions however tend to be milder.
South side - The weather here is influenced by the capes. For details see South Peloponese.
West side - Here the weather is that of the Ionian Sea. For details see Ionian Sea Weather.
North side - For weather details see Gulf of Patras and Gulf of Corinth.

Weather Windows

The best time to circumnavigating the Peloponnese is late Spring to early Autumn (May to September).

In general this is not a heavily cruised area and you, most likely, will not experience the crowded condition that prevail in the Aegean and the Northern Ionian Seas during the summer months.

Radio Nets

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

Greek Coast Guard - VHF channel 12
Olympia Radio - This is the Greek VHF network. Local channels are listed in each individual port
Cellular Phone(GSM/GPRS) - Despite the mountains and the numerous islands Greece and Italy have very good GSM/GPRS coverage.

Navigation Charts Required

BA: 189 Nisos Sapiénza to Nisos Paxoi; 682 Gulf of Kalamata; 1030 Southern entrance channels to the Aegean Sea; 1031 Yerakas to Kea; 1600 Korinthiakós Kólpos - Diórigha Korinthou; 1657 Saronikós Kólpos; 1685 Nisís Venetico to Nísos Spétsai including the channels between Akra Malléas and Kríti Yerakas
Imray-Tetra: G13 Gulfs of Patras and Corinth; G14 Saronic and Argolic Gulf; G15 Southern Peloponnisos
NIMA: 54287 PatraikosKolpos & Approaches; 54289 Korinthiakos Kolpos; 54301 Kalamai and Approaches; 54303 Lakonikos Kolpos S Greece; 54338 Approaches to (A) Korinthiakos and (B) Isthmia; 54340 Nisos Spetsai - N. Vorioi Sporadhes; 54341 Navplion and Appr Saronic Gulf Greece; 54344 Saronicos Kolpos & K. Petalion
Greek: 22 Ionio Sea - Southern Part Zakynthos I. to C. Tainaro; 40 Patraikos Kolpos; 43 Kriti I. - Wastern Part Cape Tainaro to Milos I.; 232 Korinthiakos Kolpos; 413 Saronikos Kolpos; 414 Poros mechri Monemvasia; 415 Ydra to Sikinos; 431 Monemvasia to Souda Bay

Passage Description

It is assumed that you start your Circumnavigation from the E side of the Corinth Canal. This is not necessary. You can start from convinient location.

The other assumption is that you sail in clockwise direction. This direction has a slight advantage during the suggested weather windows. The northerly meltemi at this time is stronger in the Aegean Sea so you will be sailing there down wind, while in the Ionian Sea the northerly headwinds will be weaker. So the clockwise direction is slightly more advantageous then the counterclockwise direction.

Distance & Duration

See Peloponnese Distances.

Possible Departure Points

Corinth Canal (Isthmia, East End) 37°54.91′N, 23°0.61′E

Note: You can start from any convenient location.

Route/Suggested Stopovers

Start from Isthmia 37°54.91′N, 23°0.61′E, the east entrance of the Corinth Canal.
Sail 26 nM S to Epidhavros 37°38.3′N, 23°09.5′E where you can, if there is a performance, take a taxi to the Ancient Theater.
From Epidhavros continue to the wooded island of Poros 37°30.2′N, 23°27.21′E, 19 nM.
Next, you visit the historic and picturesque island of Hydra 37°21.1′N, 23°28′E, 13 nM.
Sail 17 nM W to Spetses 37°15.81′N, 23°09.87′E, another wooded and historical island.
We then go 4.5 nM across to Porto Heli 37°18.9′N, 23°08.2′E in the mainland. Porto Heli is a large all weather harbor.
From Porto Heli we sail south for 18 nM to Leonidio 37°08.7′N, 22°53.61′E. From the port you can visit the Elona Monastery build on the shear cliffs of the mountain, about a 25 minutes by taxi.
Following the eastern coast we sail south 26 nM from Leonidio to the lovely fjord of Yerakas 36°47.07′N, 23°05.45′E. Make sure that yo do climb up the hill and see the impressive, probably Mycenaean, acropolis of Zarakas.
Next, you sail 8.6 nM to Monemvasía 36°41.4′N, 23°02.5′E, one of the most spectacular places in Greece. If you do not want to risk mooring in Monemvasía you can leave your boat in Yerakas and take a taxi, about 45 minutes.
From Monemvasía keep sailing 42.4 nM rounding Cape Maleas to Kapsáli 36°08.6′N, 22°59.89′E the main port of the island of Cythera, Aphrodite's birthplace.
Sail back N for 27 nM to secluded anchorage Lefkí 36°30.62′N, 22°58.96′E in the small island of Elafonisos.
Enter the Gulf of Lakonia and sail NW to the harbor of Yithio 36°45.58′N, 22°34.1′E, 30 nM. This is a good place to leave your yacht in order to visit Sparta and the incredible Byzantine site of Mystras.
Now head 21 nM S to the anchorage of Porto Kayo 36°25.8′N, 22°29.1′E, a few miles before Cape Tenaron.
Next we head SW and visit the Gulf of Kalamata by rounding both Cape Tenaron and Cavo Grosso. Our first stop, 25 nM from Porto Kayo, is Diros 36°38.4′N, 22°22.8′E. Here we can anchor only in settled weather but a visit to the renowned Diros Cave is a must.
From Diros sail 27 nM N to Kalamata Marina 37°01.4′N, 22°06.24′E where you can safely leave your boat and visit the interior.
Now head SW and sail for 15 nM to the pleasant anchorage of Koroni 36°48′N, 21°57.6′E.
The next stop is Methoni 36°48.89′N, 21°42.47′E. 22 nM SW, with an imposing Venetian castle.
On the way, you may want to deviate by about 2 nM and stop in the small island of Sapienza 36°45.25′N, 21°42.21′E that has one of the largest lighthouses in Greece.
From Methoni you round, the last cape Mount Taygetus and then head N to Pylos 36°54.9′N, 21°41.6′E, 8 nM. In Pylos you can leave your boat at the Pylos Marina 36°55.1′N, 21°41.9′E and visit the famous site of Nestor's Palace in Englianos.
Next, you continue sailing 52 nM N to harbor of Katakolo 37°38.8′N, 21°19.6′E where you can leave your boat and visit Olympia, 25 km away, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. In Olympia make sure that you do not miss the museum which houses the magnificent statue of Hermes by Praxiteles.
Now, continue heading N to the entrance of the Patraikos Kolpos (Gulf of Patras) when you turn NE to the historic harbor of Mesolongi 38°19.6′N, 21°24.8′E situated in a deep lagoon in the SW mainland, all together 59 nM.
If you want, you can extend this leg by about 4 nM by a lunch stop in sandy Araxos 38°12.19′N, 21°25.24′E.
From Mesolongi sail 17 nM to the largest city in the Peloponnese, Patras 38°15′N, 21°44′E, do not go the bysy commercial harbor but to the Patras Marina 38°15.6′N, 21°44.2′E instead.
We continue heading west and go under the large Rio-Antirio Bridge to the jewel of tiny mediaeval harbor in the Greek mainland of Nafpaktos 38°23.51′N, 21°49.75′E, 10.4 nM. In the most likely case that there is no room and that the weather condition do not permit anchoring off we continue to our next destination.
From Nafpaktos continue for 12 nM W to the unfinished but secure marina in the small island of Trizonia 38°22.08′N, 22°04.66′E.
The next stop is Galaxidhi 38°22.65′N, 22°23.34′E, also in the mainland, 20nM from Trizonia.
From Galaxidhi you can take a taxi for a 10 minute ride and visit Delphi, one of the most significant archaeological sites in Greece.
Next stop is the mainland village of Ayioi Saranda 38°21.78′N, 22°37.15′E, 18 nM from Galaxidhi.
The port of Corinth 37°56.47′N, 22°56.28′E, 30 nM from Ayioi Saranda, is the next stop.
If you want, you can stop on the way, with only a couple of miles diversion, to the wild Alkonides Islands 38°06.88′N, 22°59.25′E where many birds congregate.
Finally the circumnavigation of the Peloponnese ends 1.4 nM from Corinth in Poseidonia 37°57.2′N, 22°57.44′E the western entrance to the Corinth Canal.
Note that the canal is 4 nM wide and after transiting it and arriving in Isthmia the circumnavigation circle will be closed.

The total distance of the circumnavigation of the Peloponnese is 427 nM.

Possible Arrival Ports

Corinth 37°56.47′N, 22°56.28′E
Poseidonia 37°57.2′N, 22°57.44′E the western entrance to the Corinth Canal

Note: You can end at any convenient location.

CruiserLog Forum discussions

Links to discussions on the CruiserLog Forum

External Links

Peloponnese (Wikipedia)
Ancient Theater of Epidaurus (Wikipedia)
Greek Ministry of Culture

See also Aegean Sea and Ionian Sea.

References

See Aegean Sea and Ionian Sea.

Personal Notes

I have sailed this complete passage and visited all the anchorages with the exception of Mesolongi. --Istioploos

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Circumnavigating the Peloponnese

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