Nisos Kalimnos

The sister island of Léros, lying immediately S of it and separated by Stenon Lerou. This great craggy lump of rock is for the most part steep-to and bare of vegetation. Kalimnos imparts a feeling of prehistoric permanence - long after the human race has disappeared, you feel that Kalimnos will remain much as it is today. It is not so much the height of the mountain range (Mt Profitis Ilias or Parasivia is a scant 679m, 2240ft) but the sheer bulk of it which is impressive from seaward.
In ancient and medieval times the island followed the fortunes of Kos. The Italian occupation in 1912 was actively opposed by the Kalimniots who painted the Greek national colours everywhere to annoy their masters. During the Second World War many of the islanders, faced with starvation when their livelihood of sponge-fishing was denied them, emigrated all over the world. You will meet many American and Australian Greeks in the capital who have returned home to live here.
The grubby sprawling capital of Pothia (Port Kalimnos) is the centre of sponge-fishing in Greece. In ancient times the sponge was used much as we use artificial sponges today - for washing and cleaning up the after-dinner mess. It also had other uses:
'The servants in the Odyssey' swabbed tables with it, while it was in great demand with artisans, who used it to apply paint, and with soldiers who had no drinking vessels to hand. In the Middle Ages, burned sponge was reputed to cure various illnesses. Together with olive oil it has been used from time immemorial as a contraceptive pessary by the oldest professionals - who oblivious of the fact that they figure in the pages of Athenaeos, still flourish in Plâka today - using roughly the same sort of slang, in which the word 'sponge' finds many a picturesque use.' Lawrence Durrell The Greek Islands
Artificial sponges have replaced many of the uses of this little animal and most of the natural sponges being washed out in Kalimnos harbour are sold to tourists.

LIMIN KALIMNOS (Kalymnos, Pothia)
BA 1531
Imray-Tetra G34

Approach
Conspicuous From the Ε the buildings of Kalimnos town around the bay and a number of white oil storage tanks to the Ε of the town are conspicuous. From the W the town will not be seen until you are up to the entrance of the bay. Closer in, the monastery on the hill above the town, the silver cupola of the cathedral on the waterfront and the outer mole are easily identified. By night Use the lights at the entrance: Fl.R.2s4M/ Fl.G.2s3M. The harbour lights are difficult to make out against the loom of the town lights. The church on the top of the ridge and a large cross lower down the slopes are floodlit at night.
Note At the time of writing the Fl.R had been removed and the buoy marking the end of the works was lit Q.R. The Fl.R will be repositioned at the end of the extended breakwater.
Dangers

1. With the meltemi blowing there are strong gusts off the high land down into the approaches and in Ormos Kalimnou itself.
2. 
   
3. At the time of writing the breakwater extension was still largely underwater. Its extremity is marked by a smallish red buoy (Q.R). Works are expected tobe completed on the breakwater in the near future.

Mooring Note Work on the basic structure of Kalimnos Marina was completed in 2002, but it is not yet fully operational.
Data 80 berths. Visitors' berths. Max LOA c.20m. Depths 2-5m. There are to be laid moorings tailed to the pontoons. Shelter Good shelter.
Authorities Harbourmaster. Port police and customs on the main ferry pier. A charge will be made in the marina.
Note If the marina is not operational then go stern or bows-to the S quay on the W side of the ferry pier. It is very crowded here and it can be difficult to find a berth. The bottom is mud and weed and not everywhere good holding. Good shelter although the meltemi gusts down onto the quay so make sure your anchor is well in.
Facilities
Services (Kalimnos Marina) Water and electricity to be installed. A shower and toilet block to be built. Water and electricity on the town quay. Fuel At the fuel quay on the Ν side of the bayoutside the harbour. Repairs Most mechanical repairs can be carried out. Some light engineering work. Kalymna Yachting on the yacht quay can provide a haul-out service using a crane and slings for yachts up to 10 tons. They also arrange repairs and gardiennage. A boatyard to the Ε of the town hauls out large caiques and a few yachts. Good hardware and tool-shops. Basic chandlery can be obtained from a number of shops near the fish quay.
Kalymna Yachting, PO Box 47, 85200 Kalimnos
Tel. 22430 24083/24084/23043 Fax 22430 29125
email kalymna@europlanet.com
Provisions Good shopping for all provisions. Ice available.
Eating out Tavernas on the waterfront and in the town. Noisy bars on the waterfront.
Other PO. OTE. Banks. ATMs. Greek gas and Camping Gaz. There is a gas filling factory just outside the town. Hire cars, motorbikes and bicycles. Intermittent bus service to the other villages on the island. Daily ferries to Piraeus and Rhodes.
General
Kalimnos is the home of the Kalimniot sponge-divers - the sponge-boats, most of the trehandin type and about 10-12m in length, are built in the boatyard immediately Ε of the town. Originally the sponge-divers fished in shallow waters, jumping overboard with a heavy stone slab and scooping the sponges off the bottom into a net. Nowadays a compressor is used and deeper waters off Africa and Cyprus are fished. An interesting book worth getting on the harrowing lives of the sponge fishermen has just been published by a resident Kalimniot: Bitter Sea by Faith Warn (available locally).
The town of Kalimnos is attractive from the distance. Many of the houses are washed in various shades of blue - a practice continued from the days of the Italian occupation when the blue houses reminded their Italian masters of the Greek colours. On closer inspection the town is rather dusty and grubby, with the hustle and bustle of tripper boats and fishing boats loading and unloading their cargoes, and trucks, cars, vans, motorbikes, three-wheeler mini-trucks and vans buzzing along the waterfront. Sponges are, of course, for sale everywhere.

ÓRMOS AKTI (Ati, Katsouni)

Immediately NW of Ák Kahli, the SE extremity of Kalimnos, lies Órmos Akti. Much of the bay is now obstructed by fish farms, though there is still room to anchor. With a strong meltemi a swell enters the bay and there are gusts off the surrounding hills. Care is needed of an underwater rock near the head of the bay which is sometimes marked by a white buoy. Anchor in 10m on the S side of the submerged rock. Tavernas ashore.

VATHI
One mile Ν of Órmos Akti lies the deep fjord of Vathi. From the Ε the deep slit in the hills can be seen from the distance. Go bows-to the pier or the quay after the pier, leaving the quay for the tripper boats clear. Care is needed as there is underwater ballasting extending out in places. It may also be possible to anchor fore and aft further in although it is reported there are now numerous local moorings here. The bottom is sand and weed - good holding.
Note It is reported that the bay is to be dredged and pontoons installed on the Ν side.
Good shelter from the meltemi although there are strong gusts off the surrounding hills.
Dangers It is reported that a new high speed ferry passing outside the bay sends in a considerable wash. Substantial damage has been caused to yachts thrown against the quay. Keep pulled off the quay and make sure your anchor is well in.
In the small hamlet at the shallow head of the inlet, limited provisions can be obtained and there are several tavernas. Water on the quay. A 'yacht club' near the quay.
The valley inland from Vathi is extremely attractive - orange and lemon groves and lush market gardens contrast with the steep red rock hills in this, one of the few lush parts of Kalimnos.