Donousa Yacht Anchorages: The Complete Guide

Donousa sits in the Cyclades.

The Cyclades are dominated by the summer Meltemi (Etesian) northerly, strongest mid-July to mid-August (around Force 5 to 7, gusting higher in open water).

Plan south legs downwind and overnight on lee and south coasts.

May, June and September are calmer.

This guide covers the island's main anchorages with the practical detail charterers and captains actually use: depth where a published cruising source documents it, holding, and shelter direction.

Where a figure was not documented we say so rather than guess.

Donousa is the loneliest and most remote of the Lesser Cyclades, relatively open and exposed, with limited shelter and facilities.

Ashore: The blue-domed Church of Timios Stavros, Kedros beach with the sunken WWII ship just offshore, the Fokospilia seal cave, and the Geometric-period ruins at Vathi Limenari.

Donousa is the loneliest of the Small Cyclades, relatively open and exposed, and the reward for a yacht that carries the wind: a morning east of Naxos, with Amorgos beyond.

The three records: Roussa on the north and north-east, eight to ten metres with excellent holding, two anchorages guarded by Skilonisi islet and Meltemi-proof in the north corner near Kalotaritissa, open only to the south-east, the best shelter on the island; Stavros, the port and village on the east coast, four to eight metres over sand with moderate holding and partial shelter from northerlies, alongside the ferry quay with the ferries taking priority; Kedro bay east of Stavros, more suitable in a strong north-westerly, affected only by south-east to south-west winds, the seafloor rising sharply, anchored south of the wartime wreck with care and the published depths conflicting.

The yachts that carry the Cyclades wind comfortably are the 20 metre and larger catamarans and the 26 metre and larger motor yachts: on the Greek Charter Index 2026 a 20 to 22 metre sailing catamaran runs EUR 31,500 to 43,500 a week, a 23 to 24 metre EUR 54,900 to 90,000, a 26 to 31 metre motor yacht EUR 35,900 to 75,000, per yacht before VAT and APA.

Where can a yacht anchor at Donousa?

Donousa has 3 anchorages in this guide: Roussa (north / NE), Stavros (east coast, main port and village), Kedro / Dendro bay (E of Stavros). Each entry below gives depth, holding, shelter direction and what is ashore.

Which Donousa anchorages are sheltered from the meltemi, the summer north wind?

Roussa (north / NE): Two anchorages guarded by Skilonisi islet; Meltemi-proof in the N corner near Kalotaritissa, open only S-E. Stavros (east coast, main port and village): Partial shelter from northerlies.

How deep are the anchorages at Donousa?

Roussa (north / NE) 8-10m; Stavros (east coast, main port and village) 4-8m. Depths are typical sand-bottom anchoring depths; the captain drops on current chart data.

What is the holding like at Donousa?

Roussa (north / NE): Excellent. Stavros (east coast, main port and village): Sand, moderate.

When is the best time to anchor at Donousa?

The Cyclades are dominated by the summer Meltemi, the northerly that blows hardest from mid-July to mid-August, around Force 5 to 7 and gusting higher in open water, and Donousa sits in it with one Meltemi-proof corner, Roussa, which is why the island is for the settled weeks or the yachts that can run for Naxos. Few yachts come in any month; the beaches are empty even in August. June and September are the months, and on the Greek Charter Index the shoulder months price 15 to 25% below peak on the same rate card with three to four months of lead time rather than a year.

What does the captain plan around at Donousa?

Roussa, eight to ten metres with excellent holding in the north corner near Kalotaritissa, for the Meltemi night and most other nights; Stavros alongside the ferry quay, four to eight metres, for the village and the taverna, the ferry given priority; Kedro east of Stavros in a strong north-westerly only, south of the wreck with care and the depth confirmed on the chart. Naxos is the morning west when the forecast says leave; Amorgos and its Katapola shelter are the morning east. Depths and holding here follow published cruising sources; the captain confirms the anchor drop against current charts on arrival.

Cyclades

Saronic

Ionian

Sporades

Dodecanese

Crete