This short but demanding power-and-sail training cruise was designed for two aspiring Swiss skipper license candidates, with a clear focus on mileage, seamanship, and real offshore conditions in the Northern Aegean. Departing from Porto Carras, we set course south immediately after evening embarkation, using the calm night hours to cover ground efficiently.
Rather than a destination, Porto Koufo served as our tactical staging point—an exceptionally sheltered anchorage that allows early offshore departures toward the Aegean. We dropped anchor for a brief rest before dawn.
At sunrise, under deep blue skies and a light easterly breeze, we set sail for Kyra Panagia in the Northern Sporades. By midday, we entered Planitis Bay, a spectacular natural anchorage on the island’s north coast, famous for its heart-shaped outline and wild, untouched scenery. After securing the boat, our trainees went hiking across the island’s hills at sunset, accompanied only by the sound of the wind and the island’s resident goats. The night was spent in complete tranquility, far from any civilization.
The following morning brought a stiff easterly wind, providing perfect conditions for advanced sailing practice. We sailed toward Alonnisos, heeling hard and cutting through spray as the yacht powered up on the rail. South of the island, we spent several hours running structured sailing exercises, focusing on boat handling, sail trim, and navigation in open waters.
In the afternoon, we anchored in the protected bay of Paralia Rousoum Gialos, just outside Patitiri. A well-earned dinner at a local taverna followed, after which the crew took a short walk into town. With worsening weather forecast for the next day, a decision was made to depart overnight—an invaluable training opportunity.
At 23:00, we recalled the crew, raised anchor, and began a night passage back toward Chalkidiki. With steady easterly winds of Beaufort 6, we maintained a fast and controlled cruising speed of around 9 knots, reaching Porto Koufo safely at 07:00 the next morning.
The final day was spent in the Toronean Gulf, running additional sailing drills and consolidating the experience gained over the previous days. In the evening, our skipper trainees disembarked in Porto Carras, having completed an intense and highly rewarding training cruise combining navigation, night sailing, weather assessment, and real Aegean conditions.
