Kimolos Yacht Anchorages: The Complete Guide

Kimolos 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.

Ashore: Chorio with its medieval Kastro near Psathi, the ruined Castle of Palaiokastro, and uninhabited Polyaigos next door, the largest uninhabited island in the Aegean, a refuge for monk seals with magnificent beaches and sea caves.

Kimolos is the quiet neighbour of Milos and the way to Polyaigos, the largest uninhabited island in the Aegean.

The three records: Prassa on the north-east coast, five to twelve metres over sand with good holding, protected from the Meltemi and exposed to easterlies; Psathi, the main harbour on the south-east, stern-to the small quay with good Meltemi protection, open to the south and south-east with gusts, its published depths conflicting and confirmed on the chart; Polyaigos near Manolas islet, two to three metres over sand with good Meltemi shelter and no services at all, the anchorage for a catamaran that wants a beach to itself.

Milos and Adamas Bay, the reliable all-weather base of the group, are a short morning west.

On the Greek Charter Index 2026 a fully crewed sailing catamaran for eight runs EUR 18,900 to 48,000 a week at 16 to 19 metres and EUR 31,500 to 43,500 at 20 to 22, per yacht before VAT and APA.

Where can a yacht anchor at Kimolos?

Kimolos has 3 anchorages in this guide: Prassa (NE coast), Psathi (SE, main harbour), Polyaigos, near Manolas islet (uninhabited island to the E). Each entry below gives depth, holding, shelter direction and what is ashore.

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

Prassa (NE coast): Protection from the Meltemi (N-NE), exposed to easterlies. Psathi (SE, main harbour): Good protection from the Meltemi but open to S-SE; gusts. Polyaigos, near Manolas islet (uninhabited island to the E): Good shelter from the Meltemi.

How deep are the anchorages at Kimolos?

Prassa (NE coast) 5-12m; Polyaigos, near Manolas islet (uninhabited island to the E) 2-3m. Depths are typical sand-bottom anchoring depths; the captain drops on current chart data.

What is the holding like at Kimolos?

Prassa (NE coast): Sand, good. Psathi (SE, main harbour): Good. Polyaigos, near Manolas islet (uninhabited island to the E): Sand.

When is the best time to anchor at Kimolos?

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. Kimolos has two Meltemi lees, Prassa and Psathi, and Polyaigos a third for shallow-draft boats; what it does not have is a southerly shelter, and in a southerly the yacht goes to Adamas on Milos. Few yachts come in any month. June and September are the months for Polyaigos, 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 Kimolos?

Prassa, five to twelve metres over sand, for the Meltemi night when the party wants a beach; Psathi stern-to the quay, depths confirmed on the chart, for the village and the Chorio above it; Polyaigos by Manolas islet, two to three metres over sand, for a catamaran or a shallow motor yacht in the Meltemi, provisioned beforehand because there is nothing ashore. Adamas on Milos is the fallback in any wind the records do not cover. 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