Ionian Sailing Pilot

Most people think that the Ionian is plagued with benign weather conditions but those that regularly sail there realise that can provide some interesting weather and exhilarating sailing conditions.

During the height of the season the weather is usually quite predictable with regular Maestro winds blowing from the Northwest. These winds usually blow from mid-afternoon onwards and can be anywhere between F3-6 depending in what area of the Ionian you are cruising. During the 2011 season, several storms interrupted the predictable conditions.

This clip shows a residual moderate sea immediately after a gale had blown from the West for a day. We are hard pressed, although winds were moderating (c.25-30knots) and making towards the top of the Ithaca Straight separating Kefalonia and Ithaca.

We were well reefed, to minimise leeway, but still maintaining 6-7knots. We could have pointed higher into the wind but the flat fore-foot of the Bavaria 40 was prone to slamming and slowed the yacht considerably. The high land on Lefkas and Kefalonia squeeze the westerly wind in a Venturi type effect and create an acceleration zone.

The wind coupled with the residual sea made for very exhilarating sailing. However, the conditions meant that most yachts were stormbound for the day, and space was limited in Fiscardho on Kefalonia. However we managed to get some space and were rewarded a fantastic meal in the Lord Falcon, the Ionians bestThai restaurant (:



Davie Nairn
www.ioniansailingpilot.com

The Heiromiti Reef is a potentially dangerous place and despite being well marked still claims a few yachts each year.

The shoal can be found in the Inland Sea, between Scorpios and Meganissi Island in the Ionian Sea area of Greece. It is composed of two hazardous rocky patches and a shoal patch in slightly deeper water.

The reef can be easily avoided by passing close to the Scorpios or Meganissi coastlines, although occasionally marked can be difficult to pinpoint. During the season the reef is invariably marked with charter and flotilla company flags but does get knocked down in storms and is often completely absent out-with charter season.

Most of the vessels that hit the reef are crewed by the curious wanting to closer inspect the danger. The reef is marked as a single rock on the charts and leads the foolhardy into underestimating the size of the reef and sometimes thinking they are clear of danger bump a slightly deeper part of the reef.

The dangerous part of the reef is on a transit between the NE headland of Vathi Bay and Politi Point on the SE cape of Scorpios island beside Changing Room Bay. Its located 1/3 distance or 1km from the Scorpios shore.

There are two distinct sections 150m apart with 1m of water above the rock and is possible to see the rock poking just above water surface when there is a really high pressure system coupled with spring tide after period of prolonged southerlies.

The shoal patch, distinct from the rocks lies midway between Scorpios and Meganissi, with 3.5m over it does not usually present any problems to passing yacht but can cause a bit of alarm when suddenly look at the depth gauge and see it reading below 3.5m.

Both areas are good spots to anchor, for a spot of snorkelling, when the nearby bays and coves are mobbed with charter yachts, albeit when the winds are light. The reef is best approached from westerly direction. I like to go astern into about 3-4m and drop the hook. You can manoeuvre very close to the rocks and on closer inspection will find that they are indeed two huge concrete cubes….. I wonder who placed them there? Was it Onassis when kept his super yacht Christina on Scorpios?

www.ioniansailingpilot.com