Manuela Jungo sets sail for adventure on a kite cruise in Europe, looking at the images you would be forgiven for thinking it was shot in the middle of the Pacific. It turns out Greece has got it going on and kite cruising catamarans are well and truly on Europe’s doorstep!

Usually, luxury catamaran trips are the preserves of the Caribbean or some remote atoll in the Pacific that takes about a week to get to. Increasingly we are seeing more of these types of trips closer to our European home, and when a boat trip in Greece can look this good, it's hard not to consider getting the credit card out! Manuela Jungo went to explore the Cyclades in Greece just a short flight but a whole world away from her home in Switzerland!

I boarded the plane from Zurich, Switzerland, and within two and a half hours, I was already in Athens, Greece. Once all our kiteboarding gear was aboard the 'Action Cruise's' 47ft Nautitech catamaran. We settled into our cosy cabins and were introduced to the other seven guests aboard, alongside Fede, who would be our captain on the journey, and Giulio, the chef. Everyone was excited, and sleep was hard to come by that night, the following morning, the adventure was due to begin.

I had been on a catamaran trip a few years back, and I remember I had made the brutal mistake of eating a sandwich as we left the harbour. Moments later, the seasickness hit me; you get the picture! This time, I was better prepared! I had my breakfast before we left, and made my way to the top deck to wave the beautiful city of Athens goodbye.

Over six thousand islands populate Greece, and most of them are untouched and only reachable by boat. High cliffs dive into the deep blue sea while little village's rise on the rocks and wait to be discovered. It is the perfect combination of wilderness and local discovery with plenty of wind, thanks to the strong local Meltemi, which turns Greece also into kiteboarding heaven during the summer months.

I was excited to share my passion and enthusiasm for exploring, kiting, sailing and adventure with the rest of the guests. Being confined to a relatively small space, with people you barely know for ten days sounds challenging, but when you share the same interests and goals, it's hard not to get along! There is a unique bond created through exploring different kite spots, discovering villages, cliff diving, island hopping, and snorkelling in the piercing blue water.

The first day went as planned, mostly sailing, which was an excellent opportunity to get to know the other guests and to relax.

We were all a bit wary about getting seasick, but the sea was calm, and everyone felt okay. We also had the chance to assess the forecast; the best thing about being on a catamaran is that you can go wherever the wind was blowing! I was eager to finally kiteboard and see if it was as beautiful as everyone had said it was.

Over the next few days, we sailed around the central Cyclades. The routes were chosen according to the weather patterns and wind conditions. The main islands we visited were Paros, Antiparos, Naxos, Kofounissi, Rinia, and Mykonos.

It felt unbelievable to kiteboard at these mind-blowing locations! We were alone most of the time and the conditions could not have been any better. For me, that meant flat water as far as the eye can see. The colours in the water had all the different shades of turquoise you could imagine, and it was so clear that even in deeper waters, I could still see the bottom.

A small dingy would take us to the deserted beaches to rig up, which was fantastic but launching from the catamaran was also an option and personally, my favourite!

At first, I was a bit concerned that I wouldn't enjoy being on a boat for that long, without much space, but to my surprise, I didn't mind it at all! There was always a quiet place to escape to if I wanted to be alone. My favourite thing to do was to unwind lying on the net on the top of the catamaran, with a good book or to sleep in and feel the movement of the sea, which was incredibly relaxing.

On a boat, you have to work together as a team, and from the beginning, the atmosphere was very positive. We were a mix of people from all over the world, different ages, different professions, but shared interests!

It was wonderful to be able to anchor the catamaran in front or even in the harbour of small Greek towns. Using words like stunning, picturesque, scenic, beautiful, to describe these villages honestly don't do them justice, they were genuinely breathtaking! 

I fell in love with the Greek cuisine; they mainly use local ingredients, such as delicious Mediterranean vegetables, thick olive oil, lemon infused foods, various species of fish and local meat, and grains and legumes. Dishes are flavoursome and packed with a variety of fresh and dried herbs.

We were able to kiteboard on most days, and when the wind dropped, we had the chance to enjoy the other amazing things on offer. Diving off the catamaran into the turquoise water and snorkelling around the boat became part of my daily routine. Some days, I would climb up the mast, looking down, I would see the rest of the people relaxing, and as I would look onto the horizon, I'd always be blown away by the view.

I have been fortunate enough to travel a lot over the last few years, but this was honestly one of my favourite trips of all time. I never thought that I would enjoy life on a catamaran this much. The simplicity of it is so captivating, all you do is kite, eat, sleep and check the weather and wind conditions to look for the next place to explore. That's why I decided to team up with The Action Cruise and organise a clinic this summer. I cannot wait to take my guests in July on this fantastic adventure!

With more and more companies organising trips like this in the Mediterranean, it has become an adventure we should all have on our bucket list. No longer the preserve of an expensive long haul flight the kite trip of a lifetime is now on our European doorstep!

The Climate In The Cyclades

Summer: From June to mid-September, the weather is warm, sunny and windy. The Meltemi blows for long periods, especially in July and August, and it is stronger in the afternoon but sometimes lasts towards the evenings.

Direction: N – NNE – NNW

Wind Speed: 12 – 35 knots | Kite sizes: 6m – 14m

Due to the wind, the temperature remains below 30 °C (86 °F)

Day air temperature: 25 - 29 °C. Water temperature: 25 °C.

- https://www.manuelajungo.com
- https://www.theactioncruise.com

By Manuela Jungo

Comments