If you've never sailed before, this is what the week actually looks like.
No yacht-broker fantasy. The real shape of a charter week.
What a day looks like
You wake on board, usually before the heat builds. The boat is at anchor or in a small harbour. Someone makes coffee. You swim before breakfast — it's the best swim of the day. Breakfast is on deck, bread from yesterday's bakery, tomatoes, eggs if anyone's up for cooking. By ten, the anchor is up and you motor out of the bay; the wind doesn't fill in until midday in most regions. You sail or motor for two to four hours, depending on the leg, with a swim stop on the way. Lunch is at sea: bread, cheese, fruit. You arrive at the next bay by mid-afternoon, set the anchor, and the rest of the day is yours. You swim more, read, nap, walk into the village if there is one. Dinner is at a taverna or on board. Stars are extraordinary. You sleep early because the sun and the salt have done their work.
That's the shape. The route changes. The shape doesn't.
What to bring (and not)
Pack as much as possible in soft duffle bags — they are far easier to stow away in the cabins. If you don't have any, let us know and we will try to have soft bags ready so you can repack at the boat. We will also check if we can store some of your luggage locally. Two or three swimsuits per person. Reef-safe sunscreen. Light layers for evenings; it cools at sea. Boat shoes or anything with a non-marking sole. A wide-brimmed hat that won't blow off, or one with a string. A book you actually want to read. Patches for seasickness, even if you don't think you'll need them.
Leave at home: high heels, hairdryers (the boat's electrical system can handle them but no one uses them), heavy cosmetics, jewellery you'd hate to lose, hard suitcases, and anything you'd worry about getting wet.
The five things that surprise people most
The first surprise is how dark it gets. There are no streetlights at anchor. The night sky is the night sky from a thousand years ago. Bring a small head torch.
The second is how little you wear. By day three, most people are in a swimsuit from morning to evening. Some clothes you packed will not leave the bag.
The third is how the days lose their names. Most charter weeks run Saturday to Saturday. By Tuesday, no one remembers what day it is. This is not a problem.
The fourth is how good the bread is. Greek village bakeries are still real bakeries. We tell you which ones.
The fifth is how quiet a 40-foot boat is at three in the morning, with everyone asleep and the water against the hull. It is the quietest noise in the world.
We'll match the week to your group.