Chalki - visit Symi´s little sister with your sailing charteryacht

Chalki is often called Symi´s little sister. It is the main island of an archipelago with some small rocks and the island Alimnia, which was inhabited in nearlier years, but since about 20 years or more, there lives nobody anymore, only a fisherman stays there from time to time. It is possible to stay there in one of the bays, the water is deep enough everywhere except in the very rear angle of the bay, there the water becomes shallow quickly. If you sail in, there is an anchorage right on starbord side, drop your anchor on 6-8m, and use complete chain, because winds can be very strong in the night falling from the hills around.

If you go further inside, there are old ruins seen above left, which were part of the informational chain of the knights and earlier in ancient times - they did send lights from island to island to warn from dangers coming towards Rhodes. Nice view from up there into the aegaean sea. Anchorage same as the other one, good place is close behind the little rocks close to the small church, it´s around 3m there, but the rocks break the waves.

Chalki is about 6 nm cross the archipelago - if you sail over from Alimnia or if you come in at night, be carefull and watch some dangerous cliffs, that are very little above the water! At night a sector-light will guide you, however, it´s not recommended to sail in at night, if possible. Sailing into the bay of Chalki harbour, be carefull about falling winds, that can be 3-4 bft increase in strength in seconds and cause danger, if you are too close to the shore!

The architecture and style of Chalki are very similiar to Symi, but the little village stretches only a few hundred meters alongside the small bay. You find a hotel an nearly all houses are renovated by english holiday-home-companies for holiday renting. On the quai, there are several greek restaurants. The island houses in summertime mostly english tourists, families, quite tourism.

A walk up the hill behind the town hall brings you to the other side of the bay, where one as well can stay with anchor dropped in front of a beautifull and quite beach, which can be pretty full in high season, because it´s the only beach there.

Shopping in 2 markets and the bakery is right on the Post office´s place. Several restaurants and bars.

Mooring in Chalki varies:

If no big ferry is expeced, one can go alongside on the quai, but often, mostly you must leave that place after some time or early in the morning. The "official" sailingboat´s pontoon is a swimming-pontoon for about 6-8 boats which you see, when you come in to the harbour on the very right. he picture is a little poor, but you can see the pontoon, which is close to that brick, pre-restaurationn prepared building. This is there from May to beginning or middle of October. In spring and autumn, you can go stern to quai left of the Ferry-boat´s quai, be aware of the smaller ferryboat arriving in the evening, which goes alongside on the left side there, and needs a lot of space for it´s manouevres.           Here you have a view from the pontoon to the incoming right side , see the old building at the very left above and in and down here The fishermen there help you, sometimes.But IF they let you moore there, there is a water-hose available and a public toilet 20 m away.

The harbour master´s office is in the second white building you see on the babord-side, when you sail in.

First, you see a big white building, that is a hotel, next is a white villa in italian style and a greek flag. There you have to go in the morning before you leave, and pay your mooring-fee.

Chalki is Port of Entry and they control the papers, crewlists as usual.
Officers are relaxed and friendly, but don´t try to cheat them (nowhere in Greece), they don´t like it!

Choose from here below your next destination

From Chalki, you can sail to Rhodes (30 nm northeast), the beautiful island of Symi (23 nm east) or the turkish coast, either Datca (29 nm north) or Marmaris (50 nm), which are both Ports of Entry to Turkey. Sailing WNE, you visit Tilos (15 nm north), Nisyros (38 nm north) and Kos (52 nm NNW) or to the island of Karpathos (35 nm to Olimbos in the north)