Kastos

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WorldMediterraneanIonian SeaGreeceKastos
Kastos
38°34.372'N, 020°54.769'E Chart icon.png
lat=38.57286 | lon=20.91282 | zoom=12 | y
Greece Kastos-Kalaomos.jpg
Magnify-clip.png
Satellite View of Kastos and Kalamos

The small Greek island of Kastós (Καστός) lies 10 miles SE of the island of Lefkas in the so-called ‘Inland Sea’ enclosed by the islands of Levkas, Ithaca and Kefalonia on the west and the Greek mainland on the east. Together with these other islands and the smaller islands of Meganisi five miles to the NW and Kalamos just one mile to the N, Kastos is a popular overnight stop for yachts cruising the area between the Lefkas Canal and the Gulf of Patras. There is just one settlement, on the SE side of the island, which has a small harbour offering good shelter from most directions. The harbour has space for around 12-15 yachts only and is often full by mid-afternoon in high season. Apart from yachtsmen, the village has few other visitors, although there is a fair amount of new construction suggesting Kastos has a growing population of weekend and holiday tourists.

Charts

BA
203 Nisos Zakinthos to Nisos Paxoi
Imray-Tetra
G12 Nísos Levkas to Nísos Zákinthos
G121 Inland Sea Ionian
NIMA
54280 Corfu Channel to Nisis Proti
Greek
30 Kefalonia, Ithaki

Weather

The harbour of Kastos offers good shelter in all except E and SE winds, which send in an uncomfortable swell. In summer, katabatic winds may be experienced from the high mountains of the neighbouring island of Kalamos.

Passages

Islands

Key to symbols: |Harbour icon – harbour |Marina icon – marina |Anchorage icon – anchorage ||
  • Kalamos Kalamos/wiki/Kalamos Harbour icon – harbour |Anchorage icon – anchorage |
  • Meganisi Meganisi /wiki/Meganisi Harbour icon – harbour |Marina icon – marina |Anchorage icon – anchorage |

Communication

  • Coast Guard - VHF channel 12
  • Olympia Radio - VHF channel 03


Also see World Cruiser's Nets.

Navigation

The island is relatively low and can be difficult to identify against the much higher island of Kalamos to the NW, especially if arriving from S. From N, the island will not be seen until rounding the SW or NE end of Kalamos. If arriving round the NE end of Kalamos, a yacht can either pass outside the small islet of Prasonisi or, in settled weather, through the passage between it and an isolated reef 50 metres offshore. Minimum depths in this passage are just under 5.0 metres. The harbour lies roughly in the centre of the SE coast of Kastos and, from all directions except E, is invisible behind a low headland with a prominent windmill (now a café) on the top. The harbour opens up once this headland is rounded. The entrance faces due E, between a long southern and shorter northern breakwater. There is a conspicuous red light structure on the southern breakwater. Depths in the entrance are 6.0 – 7.0 metres and up to 3.5 metres at the quay

Entrance

A yacht cannot clear in at Kastos. Lefkas is the nearest port of entry.

Berthing

Ports

Kastos entrance with short N breakwater in background

Port Kastos

Port Kastos/wiki/Kastos#Port_Kastos
Harbour icon Port Kastos [[Kastos#Port Kastos|Port Kastos]] 38°34.12′N, 20°54.71′E

Port Kastos below the town of Kastos is the only harbour on the island and fills up rapidly during high season, when the charter business is in full swing. A yacht has four mooring options, depending on time of arrival and draft:

  1. Stern/bows-to the quay of the southern breakwater using the anchor. Depths at the quay range from only 1.5 metres at the root to 3.5 – 4.0 metres at the outer end. The quay is equipped with mooring staples but nothing else. There is space here for around 12 yachts. Note that the corner at the root of the breakwater is rocky and shallow. A small RIB with a line to an orange mooring buoy lies in the shallowest part, with depths of less than 1.5 metres on either side.
  2. Stern or bows to the northern breakwater. There is room for two or three yachts here in depths of 3.5 metres but care is needed to avoid the rocks.
  3. Stern-to the beach at the W end of the harbour, dropping the anchor in 3.0 – 4.0 metres and taking a long line ashore to the staples or lamp-posts along the promenade. There is room for around 8-9 yachts to moor in this way.
  4. Free anchored just inside the entrance in 3.5 – 4.5 metres, clear of the yachts on the quay. No more than 2-3 yachts can anchor in this way and it is usually not possible to use more than 35 metres of chain.
  5. Free anchored just outside the harbour in settled weather, where there is some shelter.
Holding in the harbour is only moderate in hard-packed sand and, if mooring on the quay or the beach, it is advisable to use a generous amount of chain and snub the anchor well before leaving the boat.
Yachts moored on Kastos S breakwater
Yacht moored with long line to beach

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

None.

Anchorages

Prasonisi islet

Prasonisi islet/wiki/Kastos#Prasonisi_islet
Anchorage icon Prasonisi islet [[Kastos#Prasonisi islet|Prasonisi islet]] 38°34.5′N, 20°55.3′E
In settled weather, anchor in the bay to the NW of the islet. Depths are 4.0 – 5.0 metres and the holding reasonable in sand. Shelter is good from the prevailing NW winds, but there may be a NE swell with the land breeze at night.

Port Sarakiniko

Port Sarakiniko/wiki/Kastos#Port_Sarakiniko
Anchorage icon Port Sarakiniko [[Kastos#Port Sarakiniko|Port Sarakiniko]] 38°34.05′N, 20°54.15′E
The deeply indented bay of Port Sarakiniko lies on the NW coast of the island. Anchor inside the small islet in 6.0 – 7.0 metres. The holding is good in sand. Shelter is poor with the prevailing NW winds and the anchorage is only suitable in settled weather or southerlies.

Amenities

Facilities
Water N/A (Not Available)
Electricity N/A
Toilets N/A
Showers In Windmill Taverna, & Chef John’s
Laundry Chef John’s has 3 washers and 3 dryers available free to their dinner customers
Garbage None. Take it with you
Supplies
Fuel N/A
Bottled gas ?
Chandlers None
Services
Repairs N/A
Internet In Chef John’s & Windmill Taverna
Mobile connectivity ?
Vehicle rentals N/A

Provisioning

Port Kastos/wiki/Kastos#.5B.5B.23Port_Kasto.7CPort_Kastos.5D.5DProvisions icon Port Kastos [[Kastos#Port Kastos|Port Kastos]] Small minimarket with only limited provisions.

Eating out

Windmill Taverna/wiki/Kastos#Windmill_TavernaEatingout icon Windmill Taverna [[Kastos#Windmill Taverna|Windmill Taverna]] next to Windmill Café on the headland S of the harbour. Showers E2.
Chef John’s/wiki/Kastos#Chef_John.E2.80.99sEatingout icon Chef John’s [[Kastos#Chef John’s|Chef John’s]] up the hill at the top of the village, has a shaded terrace that overlooks a small vineyard. Free laundry and showers.

Closed as of August 2020

Taverna Porto/wiki/Kastos#Taverna_PortoEatingout icon Taverna Porto [[Kastos#Taverna Porto|Taverna Porto]] on the S side of the harbour.

Transportation

Ferries to Kalamos and Astakos on mainland.

Tourism

Prasonisi islet from Kastos
Conspicuous Windmill Café, Kastos

Places to Visit

There is little to do in Kastos except chill out. The Windmill Café on the headland is a wonderful place to do just that, with magnificent views over the Dhragonera Islands to the south. If you are lucky, you may see dolphins from the terrace.

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

References

See Ionian Sea.

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.

  • Our visit here in port Kastos was unmitigated disaster. We fouled someone's chain while entering, tried again, the anchor dragged, so we left, but in the process got a gust of side wind and fell on a fishing boat nearby, scratching its paint (the owner was furious). We ended up in Porte Leone that evening, over on Kalamos, and had a great time there. I would never again enter this port unless my life depended on it. --Dimrub
  • In August 2020 we spent here one night. We counted 17 boats anchored stern-to the shore, 4 boats anchored stern-to the N side of the gulf, 15 boats on the inner side of the S quay, another 15 on the outer side of the S quay (many of these tied to one another after the quay ended), and another 18 in free anchor outside the port.

There was at least one flotilla. I love Kastos but I’m afraid it cannot take much more.


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



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SailorSmiley.gifContributors to this page

Names: Athene of Lymington, Vigdis, Monterey


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