Hydra 

General Data

Features

Dock Services

Description

Small and pictureque: these two properties are sufficient to describe the port on Hydra Island, a natural paradise of Peloponnese characterized by the total absence of paved roads and cars, except for fire brigade and garbage men's ones.

Thanks to its central position near Athens and many other islands and islets, Hydra is a very crowded and appreciated port, especially in high season. Summer is not the ideal season to get it but, if you want to spend a night here anyway, we recommend to reach it from Monday to Thursday and before 16:00.

Getting Hydra by boat is not difficult. The entrance to the small natural bay hosting the port presents no troubles, apart that to find a place.

There are neither marinas nor mooring operators in Hydra; mooring is free, controlled by the port police which requires a symbolic tourist tax. Since the police is very attentive, we recommend to ask them the confirmation that your mooring is ok in order to avoid an unpleasant surprise.

In mid-season ( until late spring) finding a mooring place both at the southern quay and at the breakwater is not hard. The eastern dock, on the contrary, is reserved for ferries.

But in high season, the port is very crowded by boats, taxi-boats and fishing vessels.

Two other two potential dangers are represented by the many rocks surrounding the breakwater and an annoying long wave which can be generated by northern and north-western winds: in the latter case, we suggest to choose another anchorage.

Free anchorage is not allowed in the bay since there's no room and depth reaches 20 m just out of the breakwater.

Fortunately, however, Hydra presents many alternative anchorages, often served by taxi-boats. The large bay of Mandraki is the nearest and most comfortable one, located at less than one mile east of the port; there, the seabed is composed by sand, mud and seaweeds and its depth varies from 3 to 6 m. There is, however, no shelter from northern winds.

The same applies to Vikhos, another anchorage point covered by taxi service but located at West.

Always west of Hydra but farther, there's the bay of Molos, where the bottom is stable enough and 3-5 m deep.

The port of Hydra offers just a little water and only in low and mid-season.

However, the island offers many taverns, cafeterias, restaurants and supermarkets. With just 3000 inhabitants, the island still preserves its wild nature and picturesque atmosphere

 

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