Pros and cons: Head south despite the summer heat?

​South or north: opinions differ when it comes to the perfect boating holiday. Martin Hager loves the heat, the turquoise-blue sea and relaxing days in the bays of the Mediterranean, whilst Christian Tiedt prefers cooler temperatures, changeable weather and the special light of the north. They explain their views in the pros and cons.

Why Martin Hager likes to go south

​Where else? When I’m on holiday, I want to have a great time by the sea with my family. For us, that means one thing above all else: heat. We love spending weeks just wearing flip-flops, board shorts and bikinis, lazing around in sheltered coves, swimming, splashing about or snorkelling. The sea as our playground, the sun as a reliable constant – that’s what a perfect summer’s day looks like to us. I still remember that feeling from my childhood. My parents loved to charter boats in Greece – in the Aegean and the Ionian Seas. I still remember the heat very well, and the wonderful relief when the anchor was dropped and we could finally jump into the water. Those moments shaped me, and I want to pass them on to my children. Of course, you can also enjoy wonderful sailing in the Danish South Sea or the Swedish archipelago. But let’s be honest: in July, August and September, the chances of enjoying weeks of sunshine, warmth and turquoise waters are significantly higher in the Mediterranean. For us, therefore, the south isn’t a question of ‘if’ – but simply of ‘where’.

Christian Tiedt prefers the north

​I’ll admit it: When the sun doesn’t show its face for weeks on end in winter, when snow and rain take turns or a mixture of both falls from the sky, when everything is wet, cold or wet and cold, then even I feel it – the longing for warmth on my face, for a gentle breeze, for shorts. No wonder, after all, we’re warm-blooded. However, everything has its limits. That applies to me when it’s hot, too. Too hot has never been my thing. When it gets tropical – that is, above thirty degrees, especially at night – my inner self points north very quickly, like a compass needle. It’s always been that way. Of course, you shouldn’t expect the same number of hours of sunshine or the same high temperatures in Karlskrona as you would in Kos. On the other hand, the weather from the Hebrides to Haparanda is, shall we say, more varied. So what? If you don’t like the weather, just wait half an hour, as the Norwegians say. In return, you get the Nordic night – beautiful with its magical light and cool enough to let you breathe deeply. And if you jump overboard for a swim in the morning, a refreshing dip is still guaranteed.

Survey

​​*** Vote/click to see the result! ***

Further pros and cons:

• ​Has the paper nautical chart finally had its day?
• ​Are electric outboard motors the better choice?
• ​Are outboard motors a good option even on large boats?