Warsaw-Greece 2015, Family trip+HIGHFIELD OM540DL - Page 2

MatFromPoland · 09 July 2015, 19:29

From Gythio to Paleochora (South part of Crete Island)

Ferry:

Gythio 15.40
Kithra ???
Antykithra ???
Kissamos (Crete) 23.20

By car:
Kissamos 23.30
Paleochora 1 AM

Road through hell. 1 km after Kissamos road width is not wider than my car ...
And I tow a trailer and boat (car 5m, trialer 6.5m)

You can checkt this road on

google maps

Trip on the map:

Awaiting ferry in Gythio ... tavern

Here it is:

On the ferry:

Kithyra:

Antykithyra:

MatFromPoland · 09 July 2015, 20:02

Empty port in Paleochora:

By the way. I have paid 92 EOROCENTS (less than 1 EUR) for 5 days in port Gythio

This is the reason why we do love Paleochora (South of Crete) 40m visibility under water. Pure clear crystal:

Unfortunately temperatur of the Se is 24.7 - we have to use 2mm neoprenes (we do like warmer water) especially when in the shadow it is 37 C

Again really empty port in Paleochora

MatFromPoland · 09 July 2015, 20:06

It is me, nice to meet you ... We love snorkeling in Paleochora

MatFromPoland · 09 July 2015, 20:19

First trip Paleochora - Lissos

MatFromPoland · 10 July 2015, 17:52

Memories from LISSOS.

It is ancient city (ruins only) allowed to walk by tourist (boats from Sougia) and goats

MatFromPoland · 10 July 2015, 17:58

Two more pictures from LISSOS

Do not be fooled by flat water in this bay. 500m away from it you will find regular Med waves flowing along Crete island. Not dramatic (usually 50cm 1-1.5m) very width.

They change when bottom of Sea changes so sometimes you have few km width regular waves and suddenly they change to less width, more freq. waves.

To plan any longer trip you have to keep in your mind that it be not flat Sea - never.

There are several big bays temporary covered from these waves but sooner or later you will go out of such bay ...

MatFromPoland · 14 July 2015, 19:34

Still alive, still happy. It can be our good bay for Crete.
We have been here (Paleochora, South-West part of Crete) since 6 years.
Cost reduction

Ferry is expensive for 5 persons + car + boat.

But:

1. 40 meters visibility under water
2. A few boats in port
3. A few tourists in South
4. A lot of empty beaches (or almost empty)
5. Low fees for port and facilities in port (for inflatable it was free of charge, for 5m RIB they are still nothing - and they calculate 5m till 5,49

Still somewhere between Paleochora, Lissos, Sougia

There are mostly pebbles beaches here
My wife returned to Poland via airplane from Chania, so I'm alone with 3 kids

Not too small kids (2x12 yo, 1x16 old - daughter)

One warning:

Use forecast and from Paleochora safe trips are to East.

be very close to coast because 1km from coast you can face strong wind and waves
look at weather forecast 6 BF or 7 BF is regular wind here. There are high mountains along coast and they cover you against wind

MatFromPoland · 18 July 2015, 18:07

Trip to Lutro Loutro, the first image

Tripiti beach:

Nice place for picnic

Agia Roumieli. End of Samaria gorge

Here we go. LUTRO !!! But it i more people than we expected

Daughter wants to swim on the center of bay. 25m depth (bottom is visible)

Go to swim:

MatFromPoland · 18 July 2015, 18:07

One of many bays - we anchored here.

Relax

MatFromPoland · 20 July 2015, 09:25

If you be (by any chance) in Paleochora (west-south part of Crete) you can have nice short trips range 15-een 20-y km left or right (West or East). West and next to North famous Elafonisi (or less know Kedrodasos) and East - Lissos, Sougia or Gialiskari

Yesterday my made both trips in fact that Sea was unusually calm (2 - 4 BF wind)

I have turned on navigation after 8km so total trips were about 60 km.
You can be in Elafonisi use RIB in 30 - 40 minutes. It is much better than 3 - 3.5 hr by car around via mountains.

On below mentioned picture you can see left-down (East-South) corner of Crete Island.
Even if Sea looks calm be aware what can face after this corner.
Usually there be Med regular waves, sometimes accelerate by North wind

Some empty beaches perfect for family picnic:

When you approach Elafonisi or Kedrodasos it be less waves (land will cover you)
Water is perfect blue and transparent clear. Sand is white-pink in Kedrodasos but it is significant smaller than Elafonisi. And Elafonisi is a Lagoon and Kedrodasos is regular beach so water is more cooler.

We have anchored at 8 meters

Daughter went to water

And boys used fishing equipment:

When you look at Sea by your own eyes bottom was perfectly visible.
On the picture is not

On returning way in calm bays we have even 65 km/h speed

So it was trip to left (West)

MatFromPoland · 20 July 2015, 09:28

Trip to right East is very simple. Go to empty and calm bay, snorkel around stones and go back

Time to snorkel

Go back to boat, do not even change clothes it is 25 at evening and go back to port

MatFromPoland · 21 July 2015, 18:04

Time to check beach Glyka Nera/Sweet Water

This is end part of trip:

About this area: Loutro, Glyka Nera beach

But (data on this webpage are not up to date):

1. There are not naturist at all
2. There are some trees now
3. Quite a lot of people for such hard accessible beach

Lutro on returning way:

I do recommed this beach near Agia Roumieli

Some caves and rocks offering shadows:

All beach ours:

MatFromPoland · 21 July 2015, 18:05

A few pictures of this amazing pebbles (very small ones) beach:

This place on trip:

TorontoDiver · 21 July 2015, 18:21

Very nice Mat! I'm jealous

Ian M · 21 July 2015, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorontoDiver

Very nice Mat! I'm jealous

+1

MatFromPoland · 21 July 2015, 19:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorontoDiver

Very nice Mat! I'm jealous

Do not be. Check airplanes to Chania (Crete Island)

I will pick up you from airport and organize apartment.
I'm here one week more.
Standing in front of wheel-drive and looking at 50km/hr at bottom of Sea (does not matter if 6, 8, or 20 meters) is priceless.

I have some offers to keep boat here. Have to think about it.
But on returning way I have one week more on continent so will need my boat.
Plus in Poland boat is very good tool to keep boys away from any electronics like smartphones, PS3, laptops ...

willk · 21 July 2015, 22:26

Matt - thanks for posting this. I've read your RIB posts from the beginning and I'm delighted to see your plans come to fruition. All the very best of luck in your boating future....

I'm gonna fix your thread title now

MatFromPoland · 22 July 2015, 16:55

I saw the same reason i a few posts (to visit Greece with RIB)

To make it until I be not too old for it.

I'm jealous for people living in Crete. Still crystal clear water.
Underwater live is not so colorful like in Egipt or famous coral reefs.

But for me South-West part of Crete is a paradise for RIB-ing.
My certification (2 nautical miles away from coast) and boat (cat. C) not allow me to make a trip to Gavdos (80 km). This week Sea is really calm so such trip be pleasure.

I think that for next year destination be somewhere near Igumenisa.
So again ferry from Triest but destination port be Igumenisa. And probably continent in a front of Korfu island. And not so long trip like now ... Cost reduction.

TorontoDiver · 22 July 2015, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatFromPoland

Do not be. Check airplanes to Chania (Crete Island)

I will pick up you from airport and organize apartment.
I'm here one week more.
Standing in front of wheel-drive and looking at 50km/hr at bottom of Sea (does not matter if 6, 8, or 20 meters) is priceless.

I have some offers to keep boat here. Have to think about it.
But on returning way I have one week more on continent so will need my boat.
Plus in Poland boat is very good tool to keep boys away from any electronics like smartphones, PS3, laptops ...

Don't be so tempting! Have to stay in Toronto for now. Sailing events at Panam games are done, so my boat is back to dealer, and getting prepped for delivery no later than July 31st! christmas in July

Also looking forward to boat being a reason my daughters eventually (they're 3 and 6 months old) learn to love the water and get outside

MatFromPoland · 23 July 2015, 17:05

beach name is DOMATA and it is river canion, dry on Summer

Zoom. I do recommend to park/anchor on the right side.
There are only small pebbles here and some caves gives shadow.
If there be some boats already and people in caves do not bother them - they are usually naturists

Approaching:

Anchoring:

We have tried to inspect river by foot but we faced a lot of big stones so we decided to reallocate boat to left side of beach:

Bottom has here a lot of big stones:

Somewhere must be gold here (boys with small metal decoder GARRET POINTER)

River without water:

Place is nice and right side allow to have a picnic and be whole day