The meltemi: what the Aegean's summer wind means for your charter

Every summer the same question arrives from guests who have read a forum: is the meltemi going to ruin the week? The short answer is no, if the route is chosen with it in mind. The long answer is below.

What it is

The meltemi (in Greek, meltemi; in Turkish, meltem) is a dry northerly wind that blows across the Aegean in high summer, driven by the pressure difference between a high over the Balkans and the monsoon low over Asia. It sets in from mid-July, peaks in August and fades through September. On a typical day it rises in late morning, blows force four to six through the afternoon and eases after sunset; in a strong spell it can hold at force seven for two or three days.

Where it blows hardest

The central and eastern Cyclades: Mykonos, Tinos, Naxos, Paros, Ios, Amorgos and Santorini, where the channels between the islands funnel it. The open Dodecanese crossings feel it in the afternoon. The Turkish Aegean north of Bodrum feels it too.

Where it does not

The Gulf of Fethiye, closed by the Kapıdağ peninsula and the Twelve Islands, is the calmest water on the coast in August. The Gulf of Gökova is sheltered along its southern shore. The Hisarönü Gulf lies in the lee of the Datça peninsula. The eastern Lycian coast from Kaş to Kekova is largely outside its reach. In the Dodecanese the islands themselves give good lee, and harbours such as Symi, Kos and Leros are comfortable.

How captains plan around it

Crossings are made in the morning calm and the yacht is at anchor in the lee by lunch. Routes run with the wind rather than against it, which is why our Cyclades itinerary goes from Mykonos south to Santorini and our two-country route runs from Bodrum south to Rhodes. Anchorages are chosen for shelter from the north (Despotiko off Antiparos, Rhenia off Mykonos, Livadia on Tilos), and the captain keeps a day in hand.

Which yacht

A motor yacht of forty metres or more with stabilisers crosses between islands in an hour and sits comfortably at anchor in a breeze; it is the yacht we recommend for the Cyclades in any month. A motor sailor is happier in the Turkish gulfs in August, where the wind is a pleasant afternoon breeze rather than a weather system. The gulet or motor yacht comparison explains why.

When to go instead

June and September give the Cyclades without the meltemi and are, by some distance, the best months for the islands. For families and for anyone who dislikes wind, we suggest the Turkish gulfs in July and August and the Greek islands in the shoulder months. The full calendar is in our month-by-month guide.

Is it dangerous?

Not for a crewed yacht with a professional captain: it is a known, forecast wind, not a storm. It is uncomfortable if you try to fight it, which is why nobody we work with does.