Strong winds have brought ferry travel in parts of Greece to a halt, leaving thousands of travelers stranded and unsure when they will be able to sail. The seasonal “meltemi” winds, which blow across the Aegean each summer, are especially powerful this week, reaching up to 9 on the Beaufort scale. Weather officials say they are unlikely to ease before early Saturday morning, and the ban on ferry departures will stay in place until at least then.
The worst conditions are in the southern central Aegean, the Karystos Strait—known as Cavo Doro—and the northern Icarian Sea, including the northern Cyclades islands. Normally the meltemi peaks in the middle of the day and weakens in the evening, but this time it has stayed strong.
In Piraeus, Greece’s main port near Athens, travelers turned up on Friday morning ready to set off, only to find all ferries tied up at the docks. Similar scenes have unfolded at Rafina and Lavrio, as well as on the short ferry route between Agia Marina and Nea Styra. With weather reports updated every six hours, passengers can do little but wait for the winds to die down.
