Cyclades

The Cyclades are the arc of volcanic and limestone islands at the centre of the Aegean Sea, between mainland Greece and the Dodecanese. The Aegean is microtidal — spring range 0.2–0.4 m — making the tide a minor factor in coastal planning. What drives water-level change and sea conditions instead is the Meltemi: the strong northerly wind that blows from late June through August, lowering Aegean water levels by up to 0.3 m and producing 1.5–2.0 m chop in exposed channels. Ferry schedules, anchorage choice, and swim safety here are all governed by the Meltemi, not the tide. Santorini's caldera — the flooded crater of a Bronze Age eruption — has 300 m walls above water with no beach; access for swimmers is by boat or by descending the cliff steps. Paros and Naxos are renowned windsurfing destinations exploiting the consistent summer Meltemi. Sea temperatures hit 25°C in August.