Ionian
sea
This is perfect cruising ground! Green wooded
islands rise out of sparkling blue sea, and the weather is invariably good
throughout the summer months. The afternoon breeze makes it an ideal area for
sailing and there are many places of historic interest to visit.
Here, too, are quiet sandy beaches in picturesque coves where you can anchor
for a stroll in the cool shade of an olive grove, or enjoy an afternoon of
water sports such as swimming, snorkelling or windsurfing. In the evenings you
can tie up on the quay at one of a number of holiday resorts in the area such
as Nidri or Parga and join in the nightlife there, or if you prefer you can
visit a small village and sample traditional Greek hospitality at a local
tavern. Summer nights in Greece are quite magical and what better way to enjoy
them than to have your own beach barbecue beneath the bright stars.
The Ionian islands have a high incidence of winter rains and the islands and
coast maintain their fresh greenness throughout the summer even though from
late April to early October there is very little rainfall and almost
continuous sunshine. The sea is warm and clear. The summer weather patterns
are fairly constant. The moorings are generally calm and the breeze that get
up around mid-day rarely exceeds Beaufort 5, creating superb conditions for
sailing. By evening all is quiet again.
The winds blowing in the Ionian
during the summer are the NW "Maestros" winds, while in the
winter we also have the wet sirocco, that, when at its
strongest, can blow for 2 or 3 days without stop. Also in
the winter, and to a lesser extent in the summer, blows the
NE Central Mediterranean wind called "gregos", which comes
from Albania and Western Greece. It creates strong waves in
the winter, but does not blow in the summer.
