Spetses

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Latest revision as of 15:01, 21 August 2018

Spetses/wiki/Spetses

Spetses There are Port(s) of Entry here 37°15.440'N, 023°08.200'E37.25733;23.13667 destination

lat=37.25733 | lon=23.13667 | zoom=12 | y

Chart of Spetses

The island of Spetses (Σπέτσες) is within a day's sail from Athens. It is small but very beautiful. Its ancient name was Pityousa (Πιτυούσα) or Pityonesos from Pitys (Πίτυς - pine tree). This name is very apt for this pine-tree covered island.

Charts

BA

1031 Yerakas to Kea

Imray-Tetra

G14 Saronic and Argolic Gulfs

NIMA

54340 Nisos Spetsai - N. Vorioi Sp.

Greek

414 Poros mechri Monemvasia

Weather

See Aegean Sea.

Passages

• Circumnavigating the Peloponnese

Islands

None.

Communication

• Coast Guard - VHF channel 12
• Olympia Radio - VHF Channels 27 & 28

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

Navigation

Danger: When approaching Spetses from the E watch out for the underwater rocks off Cape Aimilianos, they are not always visible. Keep a respectful distance from the mainland.

Entrance

Spetses has a port of entry/exit, Dapia to Greece.

Berthing

Ports

Chart of Baltiza Harbor

Old Harbor or Baltiza

Old Harbor or Baltiza/wiki/Spetses#Old_Harbor_or_Baltiza

harbour Old Harbor or Baltiza [[Spetses#Old Harbor or Baltiza|Old Harbor or Baltiza]] 37°15.71′N, 23°9.9′EOld Harbor or Baltiza37.261833333333;23.165

The Old Harbor or Báltiza is the only yacht harbor in the island. It is almost always crowded and has been used for a long time. As a result fouled anchors are quite common. I once brought up a small row boat!--Istioploos 11:06, 23 April 2008 (MDT)

The most protected area is the inner harbor but finding an empty space there is rare except in early or late season, when sometimes a space can be found bows or stern-to next to the fuel quay. Alternatively, one may stay for short periods (e.g. a quick trip ashore) on the fuel quay itself, with the permission of the harbour staff. Warning: The fuel quay owner will charge you 25 Euro, if you stay there overnight. Water and electricity are available on the quay - if you can moor there.

Both the W and E shores of the outer harbor are full of rocks, so the only other option is to anchor in 4-5 m and take a long line ashore, where there are plenty of places to tie the line. The holding is not always good.

Warning: Avoid the Old Harbor during weekends; boats from Athens will surround you and you may not be able to leave until Monday.

Spetses Old Harbor

Dapia

Dapia/wiki/Spetses#Dapia

harbour Dapia [[Spetses#Dapia|Dapia]] 37°16.092'N, 023°09.376'EDapia37.2682;23.15627

Port of Entry

Dapia or New Harbor is used by commercial vessels and is not recommended for yachts.

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

None.

Anchorages

Chart of Zoyiergia

Zoyeryia

Zoyeryia/wiki/Spetses#Zoyeryia

anchorage Zoyeryia [[Spetses#Zoyeryia|Zoyeryia]] (Ζογεργιά) 37°16.7′N, 23°06.1′EZoyeryia37.278333333333;23.101666666667

Zoyeryiá or Zogergiá is a lovely deep cove. The water is very clear and you are surrounded by a pine forest). It can be crowded, however, during the weekends. Anchor in 5-8 m. The bottom is sand a weed and holds well. There is a good restaurant ashore (closed from late September to May) that serves traditional Greek food with local specialties.

Warning: There are some nasty rocks on the NE of the cove.

The lovely cove of Zoyiergia

Amenities

Provisioning

Stores in the old town.

Eating out

• Good food in Zoyieryiá (closed from late September to May)
• Also in Costis, right across from the ferry quay in Dapia

Transportation

There are daily, and in the summer several per day, hydrofoils to Athens serving both Spetses and Porto Heli.

Tourism

History

At Ayia Marina, not too far from the town on the SE side of the island, artifacts have been found dated from 2500 BC. In 1220 AD the island was conquered by the Venetians who are reputed to have named it Spezie - Spice. Its present name is a corrupted version of this Venetian name.

Statue of Laskarina Bouboulina

The Venetians were replaced by the Ottomans in 1460. In the early 18th century many Albanian Christians moved into the island. By this time the island had developed as a major ship-building center and the owner of a sizable shipping fleet. When the Greek War of Independence from the Ottomans broke out in 1821, Spetses was the first island to declare for the revolution. It played, a major role in this war with many distinguished captain/ship-owners. The most famous of these is Laskarina Bouboulina who commanded her own ship the Agamemnon and later became an admiral and was responsible for several Greek naval victories. She was also the mother of six children.

Today Spetses is a very popular island with the well to do from Athens. During the weekends the Old Harbor is completely crowded with large motor cruisers. Many of the old ship-owners' mansions have been renovated by their Athenian owners. The mansion of Hadziyiannis Mexis has been converted to a museum. It houses among other exhibits Bouboulina's guns and her "Freedom or Death" flag.

Places to Visit

• Visit the of Hadziyiannis Mexis mansion now a museum. It houses among other exhibits Bouboulina's guns and her "Freedom or Death" flag
• Nice walks and bicycle rides

Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

Links

• Spetses at the Wikipedia
• Spetses at the Wikivoyage

References

See Greece.

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

Verified by

Date of member's last visit to Spetses and this page's details validated:

• September 1995 (Old Harbor or Baltiza) --Istioploos Travels with S/Y Thetis
• May 2006 (Old Harbor or Baltiza) --Atheneoflymington 14:06, 13 January 2010 (UTC)
• September 2007 (Zoyeryia) --Istioploos

Contributors to this page
Names: Istioploos, Athene of Lymington