Seasonal· Attica mainland (Cape Sounion)· Greece — Cyclades
Meltemi Season — Attica Departures
37° 39.0′ N · 24° 1.6′ E · approximate
The meltemi is the Aegean's dry summer N–NE wind, blowing mid-May to mid-September. It shapes every departure from Lavrio and Athens: sheltered sailing in the Saronic, a hard beat or fast reach into the Cyclades.
Practical
SailingIssues: along the Attica mainland coast the meltemi blows Force 4–6 at most from NNE–NE, but it is stronger near Cape Sounion. In Sounion bay, gusts come down from the north. The Dream Yacht guide says the Saronic Gulf usually escapes the full meltemi because of its sheltered position. Lavrio's northern breakwater shelters the town quay from it (Barbaros). Across the Kea channel and the Cyclades, expect stronger winds, acceleration zones and katabatic gusts in the lee of high islands such as Kea. Leave at dawn for windward legs. Many advisers send less experienced crews to Kea, Kythnos and Syros rather than further east in July–August. Coordinate is approximate: set at Cape Sounion as the regional reference point.
Best for
Deciding when and where to head out of Attica
Season
Mid-May to mid-Sep; peak Jul–Aug
Nearby
- Cape Sounion Sunset ViewpointRight here
- Temple of Athena Sounias0.1 NM away
- Temple of Poseidon, Cape Sounion0.1 NM away
- Sounion Rocky Shore Snorkel (Cape Sounion)0.2 NM away
- Sounion Beach & Dinghy Jetty0.3 NM away
- Sounion Beach Tavernas (Ilias & Akrogiali)0.3 NM away
- Sounion East Anchorage (below the temple)0.3 NM away
- Sounion Anchorage (Ormos Sounion)0.5 NM away