Sailing through Euripus Strait - the bridges of Chalkida

Euripus Strait is the central and narrowest part of the channel separating the island of Evia from the Greek mainland.
Sailing from South to North, the first bridge you encounter is the High Bridge.
Built in 1992, the bridge was the first cable-stayed road bridge in Greece and it is long 395 meters. A technical challenge during the design and the construction phase was the extremely slender (L/480) longitudinally and transversally pre-stressed concrete deck with only 45 centimetres (18 in) constant thickness, providing sufficient stiffness to omit longitudinal girders. For purpose of higher seismic performance, the concrete deck is monolithically connected with the towers.
The bottom under the bridge is around 6 meter, while the clearance of the bridge is 34.5 meters.
To sail safely under the high bridge, you have to follow the navigable channel as indicated by IALA A lateral marks.
As soon as you pass the High Bridge you are in the South Bay of Chalkida.
Chalkida, the capital of Evian, is also known as the city of the "crazy water"
The sea currents in the famous Evripus Channel, the extremely narrow strait of water separating Chalkida from the mainland of Greece, move in a northerly direction for six hours at a time, with a period of approximately eight minutes when the waters remain stationary.
The mystery behind the Phenomenon of Chalkid
On the 7th to 9th and 22nd to 24th lunar days, the waters do not reverse direction every six hours.It’s possible during these four days, which are called “The days of the mess,” for the waters to either change direction up to a total of fourteen times or not change direction at all but remain still for up to eight minutes instead.
The speed of the current peaks at about 12 kilometers per hour (7.5 mph or 6.5 knots), going both northward and southward, and smaller vessels are often incapable of sailing against it.
When nearing the time of the reversal of the flow, sailing is even more precarious because of the formation of whirlpools.
The best viewpoint to observe this unique phenomenon is from the old drawbridge in the middle of the city.
The old bridge, built in 1962, is located at the very narrowest point of the strait, where the waters are only 38 meters (125 feet) wide.
It opens every night to allow vessels to pass through the Strait.

[@nicolagravett5309]

Wow, exciting, glad you made it !

[@lazysail9513]

Thank you! Pass the bridges is a quite interesting experience.

[@hellassailing]

It is NOT opening every night, only 5 times a week in summer. In winter even less and not at all if there is only 2 boat. Best is call the port authority to be sure.
Sailing yacht Funny Girl.

[@lazysail9513]

Thanks for your note. We were lucky, we passed through 3 times in summer, and they opened in the night around 11:30 pm.