Winter Sail on the Greek Islands

Unless you are a very creative person, very rich, or very lucky, it would be difficult to find a sense of freedom more exquisite than sailing the Greek islands with your family or friends in a yacht selected especially to fit your particular needs.

Yet this is the unique service offered by Skipper Stefan Ritscher who has connections with charter companies throughout Greece and offers exclusive and personalized sailing cruises—even in the winter.

In fact, some seafarers believe one of the best times for sailing in Greece is in the winter during the season known as “Alkyonides.” According to Matt Barrett, a friend of Skipper Ritscher, the Alkyonides, a word taken from Greek mythology, “is a two- to three-week period between Christmas and mid-January considered to be a rare ‘meteorological phenomenon.’” He says that almost every day during these weeks the skies are cloudless and a brilliant blue and the temperature is usually a warm 60 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Keep this in mind for next year, but remember it is never too early to plan ahead for something so extraordinary that you will most likely remember it for the rest of your life.



Skipper Ritscher has decades of experience on the sea and his wife, Fotini, is an archaeologist. Together they specialize in offering memorable excursions tailored to the desires of their clients, but making sure the magnificent treasurers of antiquity are included. He said he and his wife conceived the idea motivated by the realization that a yacht perfect for one customer can be all wrong for another. Because he works so closely with all the charter companies of Greece, his service is distinctive. Your yacht is selected after you tell the skipper how you envision your dream trip. “Our voyages are absolutely unique and you will see Greece from a new perspective when you sail off the beaten track,” says the Skipper. He adds, “We offer what no other charter company can and we are committed to making our guests feel warn and welcome, especially in the winter!”

Skipper Ritscher says you will find winter cruises to be more peaceful than those in summer because you will have freedom from crowds and humidity and you will be invigorated by the cooler temperatures, rather than oppressed by summer’s heat. He adds that you will be able to leisurely explore the beauty of islands and the ancient sites as nature shows you a different face. A skipper as experienced as Mr. Ritscher keeps his eye on the weather and plans trips with that taken into account.

For further information, search the Internet for Skipper Stefan Ritschter, Greece or visit www.greektravel.com.

Published in The National Herald - February 2014