No one knows the Greek waters better than Rod Heikell. His  pilot books for sailors is a bible for any anyone navigating the coastal waters of Greece and the Aegean. We are delighted that this legendary author has agreed to come and talk about the more off-the-beaten track places that he has experienced in Greece. he will also give recommendations for some inland locations to visit.

Rod grew up in New Zealand and his family’s only connection to the sea was… a scandal: his grandfather had defected from a Finnish whaling boat! He sailed occasionally, he took part in races but was not very good, and the first time he was in charge of steering a vessel – owned by a family of doctors who employed his mother as a cleaning lady – was probably traumatic, featuring clumsy manoeuvres and (again) acute seasickness. Yet instead of discouraging him, something magical happened one night as he steered the vessel, while everyone else had gone to bed: he felt the unique sensation of freedom and fell instantly in love with the sea, to which he was destined to dedicate his life.

He sailed around the world, traversed oceans, explored the Mediterranean on multiple occasions and developed a profound connection to Greece – the object of his life’s work. It was approximately 1980 when, once more with an ignorance of the dangers involved, he decided to write a sailing guide on Greece. Forty years later, and Greek Waters Pilot is in its 13th updated edition (the most recent one dates from 2018), a reference point for amateur and professional sailors. The books cover the entire country, from the Ionian to the Aegean, Rhodes and Crete, and includes details on more than 450 gulfs, harbors and bays in one volume.