Southern Cyclades

Nisos Mflos (Melos)

The southwesternmost of the Cyclades, Milos is an ancient volcano which, like Thira, long ago erupted and scooped out the giant bay. The circular mountain ridge enclosing the bay is mostly barren and sterile. Tre summit at the SW end is Mt Profitis Ilias, rising to 751m (2,464ft). Alum, sulphur (hot sulphur springs still exist), barium and kaolin are mined and the open-cast mines around the slopes of the island are easily identified from seaward.

Milos was the centre of a pre-Minoan Bronze Age civilization and finds on the island of the distinctive 'harpy' sculptures have added much to our knowledge of this early Cycladic civilization. No doubt these early settlers used the island as a stepping stone during their island by island colonization of the Aegean. Later it came under the Minoans and later still passed to the Mycenaeans.

Milos opted for the Spartan side during the Peloponnesian War, thereby angering the Athenians to such an extent that they carried out the infamous massacre recorded by Thucydides. The Athenians besieged Milos which, after some months, surrendered unconditionally, whereupon all able males were slaughtered and the women and children enslaved.
The Franks and later the Turks colonised the island, but it enjoyed considerable freedom and prospered. A large part of the income of the island during this time was derived from pirate fleets who used the remote anchorages around the islands and sold their booty at Milos from where it was resold to merchants. In the First World War the large natural harbour was a British naval base.

It was during the Hellenistic period that the Venus de Milo, properly, the Aphrodite of Milos, was sculpted, and though it is probably one of the best-known pieces of ancient Greek sculpture, reproduced thousands of times in history and art history books, its source and the island it comes from are little known. The statue was found in the late 19th century by a farmer collecting old Greek stones for fieldwalls. He removed the top half (the statue is carved from two pieces of marble) and negotiated to sell it to the French consul who took it to his house for safekeeping. The French ship sent to collect it arrived to find that the Sultan's governor had forcibly taken the statue and put it aboard a ship bound for Istanbul. Captain de Marcellus decided to retake the statue and landed an armed party which, after a brief skirmish, got it back and aboard the French ship. It is said that it was during this skirmish that the Venus de Milo lost her arms which were spirited away by a local. Despite reports of the arms being rediscovered at various times, the Venus still hasn't acquired them and probably shouldn't lest it change our accepted perception of the armless beauty art historians are so familiar with.

ADHAMAS (Port Milos)

BA 1539

Approach

Conspicuous Approaching the entrance to Órmos Milos the lighthouse on Nisidhes Akrádhia and the village of Milos (the chord) on the peak on the Ε side of the entrance are conspicuous. Rounding Ák Bombârdha the village of Adhamas will be seen.
By night Use the light on Nisidhes Akrádhia Fl.10s10M and Ák Bombárdha F1.5sl2M. The jetties off the opencast mine on the Ε side of Órmos Milou are lit: 2F.R.3M and F.R.3M.

Dangers

1. With the meltemi there are heavy confused seas off the entrance to Órmos Milou. Special care must be taken between Voi Kounidhi and Nisidhes Akrádhia where the waves rebound off the Ν side of Milos and cause a heavy sea up to a mile off.
2. Care must be taken of rocks and reefs bordering the Ε side of the entrance to Órmos Milou. Vos Monppodhro is a square rock easily identified. Off Ák Fourkovouni there are several detached above-water rocks eroded into fantastic wind-sculpted shapes.
3. At times the meltemi can gust down off the high land in the vicinity of Âk Bombârdha.

Mooring

Go stern or bows-to the town quay between the two piers or the T-pier to the E. Alternatively anchor off the village Ε of the short pier. The bottom is mud, rocks and weed - poor holding in places.
Shelter Good shelter from the meltemi although there is some residual swell. With strong S winds Adhamas is dangerous from the long fetch across the bay.
Authorities Port police and customs.

Facilities

Water On the ferry pier. Apply to the tourist office nearby.
Fuel On the outskirts of town. A mini-tanker can deliver.
Repairs Limited mechanical repairs. Hardware shop.
Provisions Good shopping for most provisions. Ice available.
Eating out Tavernas at Adhamas. Others along the waterfront.
Other PO. OTE. Bank. ATM. Greek gas andCamping Gaz. Hire cars, motorbikes and bicycles.
Ferries to Piraeus, Thira and Soudha. Internal flights to Athens. General The huge natural harbour is impressive to look at but the yachtsman is liable to curse this very size for the sea that can be raised inside in strong winds. I have always found Adhamas an indifferent sort of place - perhaps a few too many reinforced concrete buildings to be classified as attractive and a few too many tourists for the size of the place. Others disagree and find it has its own charm. The chora (Milos) on the hill above is attractive and the view over the bay superb. As at Thira, the eye sees the volcanic crater that is now the bay, but the mind finds it difficult to compute the size of the explosion that produced it.

General

The huge natural harbour is impressive to look at but the yachtsman is liable to curse this very size for the sea that can be raised inside in strong winds. I have always found Adhamas an indifferent sort of place - perhaps a few too many reinforced concrete buildings to be classified as attractive and a few too many tourists for the size of the place. Others disagree and find it has its own charm.
The chora (Milos) on the hill above is attractive and the view over the bay superb. As at Thira, the eye sees the volcanic crater that is now the bay, but the mind finds it difficult to compute the size of the explosion that produced it.

Nisos Folégandros (Pholegandhros, Polikandros)

A barren rocky island lying 14 miles east of Milos. It is steep-to with some impressive cliffs on the south side. At the NW end the island is 311m (1,020ft) high and at the SE end Mt Elevtherios is 415m (1,361ft) high. The small chora sits on the edge of the cliff on the NE side and is a delightful oasis of green trees and shrubs in the otherwise barren island.

KARAVOSTÁSI

BA 1541

Approach

Conspicuous Nisidhes Adhelfia, the jagged islets lying Ε of Karavostási and SW of Nisis Kardhiotissa, are easily recognised. Closer in Ohio Adhelfia, the small islet in the middle of the entrance to Karavostási, will be seen. The white houses around the bay and a church on a low hill behind are also conspicuous.
By night A night approach is not recommended. Use the light on the Ν side of the entrance (Fl.WR.6slO/7M red sector covers 202°-248° and 322°-344° over Ifalos Poulioxeres) and the light on the end of the mole Q.G.3M.

Dangers

1. Care is needed of Ifalos Poulioxeresi to the NNE of the entrance and the reef running NE from the Ν entrance point to Karavostási.
   
2. With the meltemi there are strong gusts and a disturbed swell at the entrance to the bay.

Mooring

Go stern or bows-to the mole where shown. When the W side of the ferry mole is not in use a yacht can go alongside here overnight. When the harbour is packed you may be able to squeeze in somewhere in the fishing boat area though berths here are jealously guarded. The bottom is sand and rock - poor holding in places.
Shelter Reasonable shelter from the meltemi although a prolonged blow sets up a surge in the bay which makes things uncomfortable though still tenable. Open SE-E.
Anchorage In calm weather you can anchor off in Órmos Karavostási. It is uncomfortable and can beuntenable in here with the meltemi. Likewise in calm weather Órmos Vintsentsos and Ormos Livâdhi have suitable depths for anchoring.

Facilities

Limited. Some provisions can be obtained although supplies are much dependent on the ferry. Tavernas and bars. Bus to the chora. Ferry to los and Milos.

General

The bay with its jagged headland and small islets in the approaches is attractive in a parched sun-baked way. A few backpackers come here in the summer. It is about an hour's walk (or much shorter bus ride) to the chora sited on the edge of a cliff and something of an oasis with trees and greenery contrasting with the otherwise barren island. There are a few tavernas and limited supplies here.
Karavostâsi literally means a 'ship-stop'. Before the new ferry mole was built the ferry would anchor in the bay and passengers and cargo were brought ashore in small boats. Even a strong meltemi could not stop the ferry and it literally roared into the bay, unloading and loading again as quickly as possible, before steaming off to some more secure port.

Nisos Thira

(Thera, Psira, Santorini)

Like Milos, Thira is a giant volcano. The principal island is Thira, shaped like a new moon encircling the rim of the crater now filled with water. To the NW Thirasia forms another part of the rim and in the middle a black mass of cinder and lava (Kamméni and Néa Kamméni) is the volcanic plug. Thira is steep-to on the west coast: variegated pumice cliffs in pastel shades of red, brown, grey, green and slate blue drop sheer into the sea from 150-300m and keep going down for another 300m. The east coast is low-lying, sloping evenly up to a hilly ridge running along the island. The summit of Thira, Mt Áyios Ilias, is a conical peak in the SE of the island with a white monastery and a cluster of communication towers on top which are conspicuous from seaward. The white domed houses of the capital, Thira (Fira), extend along the cliff top on the west coast about 213m (700ft) above the tiny harbour and present a remarkable (and much photographed) sight from seaward.

Legend has it that Thira originated from a lump of earth presented to Jason and the Argonauts by Triton (a local African god) which was later dropped into the sea where Thira (or Kalliste - the most beautiful - as it was called then) is now. The island was an important Minoan settlement until it blew itself to pieces in c. 1440-1450 BC and destroyed the Minoan civilization as well (see 'Thira and the Atlantis Legend' below). It was later subject to Athens and the Egyptian Ptolemys made it into a naval base. In the Middle Ages it was part of the duchy of Naxos. In the early 20th century it was a place of exile for political prisoners.

Thira is unlike anywhere else in the world. The volcanic crater is some six miles long by four miles wide and viewing it from Thira town, the mind cannot comprehend the sort of massive explosion that moved so much solid material to scoop out this deep bay. It may give you pause for thought to remember that the volcano is still active and that your yacht is moored in the crater.

The strange landscape breeds strange tales. Vampires are said to exist on the island and the inhabitants report that ghostly apparitions haunt the countryside at night. The volcanic soil is especially fertile and like the land around Mt Etna and Vesuvius the soil produces fine grapes for wine. Of the bottled wines Atlantis white or red and Nikteri white are good. Local wine can also be obtained from the barrel.

Thira is unique and consequently it is one of the places in the Aegean that must be visited. In the summer as many as four cruise ships may be anchored in the bay beneath Thira town disembarking thousands of sightseers. Yachtsmen are lucky in so far as they can visit Thira town and then retire to the peace of another anchorage around the crater.

NISIS THIRASIA

The westernmost island. The only anchorage is in Órmos Áyios Nikólaou (36°25'·3Ν 25°21'·2Ε). Anchor off the small hamlet at the foot of the cliffs. The short pier has 3m depths at its extremity but it is used by caΪque-ferries from Thira and Finikia. Good shelter from the meltemi although there is invariably some swell in the bay. Open to the S and E. Tavernas ashore. A zig-zag track leads up the cliffs to the village above where some provisions can be obtained.

NISIS NÉA KAMMÉNI

The once hot lump of ash and cinders in the middle of the crater. There are a number of very small inlets around the island where a yacht can anchor. The anchor must have a trip line as the bottom consists of very large rocks which easily snag an anchor.

The best anchorage on Néa Kamméni is in a cove on the SE corner. There is a light structure on the S side of the entrance (F1.3s5M). Unfortunately most of the quayed area here is used by the local tripper boats and there is little room for even small yachts. Squeeze in where you can. Care must be taken of a foul area off the W side of the cove where a sunken coaster lies on the bottom. There is a small chapel ashore. Open only to the E.

A yacht can also anchor immediately Ν of the entrance to the cove with a long line ashore. There is reasonable shelter from the meltemi here. Several coves Ν of this anchorage can also be used with care.

Caution Néa Kamméni is infested with very big and bold rats who will not hesitate to come aboard.

Thira and the Atlantis legend

Plato first recorded the Atlantis legend that has baffled historians to the present. His description of an ancient island civilization which vanished as the result of a great natural catastrophe has been variously fixed in the Antilles, America, an island somewhere on the continental shelf off the Mediterranean, Malta - and most often in Plato's imagination. In the last forty years the location of Atlantis has moved to Greece and many eminent authorities now believe that Thira was in fact the fabled island.

We know that Thira was populated before 2000 BC and that in the period before the catastrophic eruption an advanced and inventive Minoan civilization existed on Thira and Crete. Although the excavations at Akrotiri on Thira are interesting, the range of technological and artistic achievements of the Minoans is best seen at Iraklion and the Palace of Knossos. This civilization ended abruptly around 1400 BC and for some time it was hypothesized that a Mycenaean invasion had simply swept it away. Yet Thira erupted at about the same time and the hypothesis of Professor Marinatos and others is that this mega-explosion not only destroyed Thira but also caused a tsunami or seismic sea wave which destroyed the Cretan-based Minoans.

Thira is the largest known active caldera in the Mediterranean and one of the largest in the world. It is about five times the size of Krakatoa near Java and the eruption of Thira is estimated have been about three times greater than that of Krakatoa in 1883. Here is a description of that recent eruption:

'In the course of two days, 26-27 August 1883, 23 sq. km of Krakatoa disappeared as a result of a series of violent explosions. The biggest explosion at 10 a.m. on the 27th, was heard from Alice Springs in Australia to Martinique, and from Ceylon to Northern Malaya. Atmospheric shock waves from it travelled three and a half times round the globe. The blast caused serious damage to houses up to 160 km away. Tidal waves were associated with the explosions and that associated with the biggest explosion was reliably reported as 17m high at Vlakke Hoek lighthouse 88 km away from Krakatoa. The waves destroyed nearly 300 towns and villages on the surrounding coasts of Java and Sumatra, and a large proportion of the coast population, amounting to over 36,000 people, was drowned.' J. V. Luce The End of Atlantis

From this it may be inferred that the earlier Thira explosion could effectively destroy life on Crete only 60 miles away. The blast would destroy buildings and tidal waves perhaps 60-100m high moving at 160 km per hour would swamp nearby islands. Crete would have been covered in a layer of acidic ash between 10-75cm thick (10cm effectively destroys the soil for 2 years or more). And so in the end we come back to Plato's words: 'But afterwards there occurred violent earthquakes and floods; and in a single day and night of misfortune the island of Atlantis disappeared in the depths of the sea.'

The excavation of Akrotiri on the south of Thira has revealed a prosperous city with three-storey mansions and wall paintings of quite exquisite beauty. However the excavations have added to the puzzle of Thira as not a single inhabitant has been found buried in the ash and pumice. Excavations on Crete and other islands in the vicinity reveal previous eruptions and it is likely that Thira was abandoned before the final catastrophic eruption that engulfed Akrotiri.

Since the great eruption of about 1400 BC the volcano of Thira has remained active. In 236 BC it erupted again and separated Thirasia from the NW end of Thira. In 196 BC Old Kameni (Hiera) appeared. In AD 1570 the south coast of Thira collapsed into the sea. Three years later Small (Mikra) Kamméni appeared and in 1711-12 Néa Kamméni appeared. In 1866 a violent eruption began and lasted two years. At the end of 1868 an islet, Afotessa, appeared and then disappeared again. In 1925-26 another eruption joined Small Kamméni to Néa Kamméni. In July 1956 a massive earthquake caused much damage destroying many of the buildings at Finikia and Thira. The epicentre of this earthquake was off the north coast of Amorgos and it produced tsunamis up to 17m high.

Thira

BA 1541

The principal island. There are a number of anchorages around the island:

1. Finikia (Epanomeria) Lies on the Ν end of Thira under Ák Epanomeria. There is a short pier with 6m depths at the extremity, but it is usually crowded with fishing boats and caϊque -ferries. Anchor to the W of the mole in 10-20m. The bottom is rocky and the anchor should have a trip line. Some shelter from the meltemi although there is always some ground swell here. Completely open to the S.
   Tavernas on the waterfront. A track leads up the cliff to the village of Finikia above.
   
2. Skala Thira The harbour for the capital of Thira (Fira) on the steep slopes above. The harbour here, really just a quay cut into the base of the cliff, is very open and you should not leave a yacht unattended. Go stern or bows-to the quay using your anchor or a long line to the buoy. (See Note). If you are using the buoy there is invariably considerable confusion when a yacht on the inside wants to leave. All the yachts on one side or the other must drop their lines or pass them around the yacht leaving, an exercise whichleaves ample scope for confusion. Getting out from the spider's web of lines is further complicated by the wash from tripper boats, ferries,, and boats carrying passengers to and fro from the cruise ships anchored off. It is recommended you do not leave a yacht unattended on the quay.
   
   Berths on the quay have a lee from the meltemi although there is a slop onto the quay. However the wash from other craft passing nearby, especially ferries and cruise ships, is significantly worse than any slop generated by the wind. The small harbour is mostly for local boats. There may be room in the NW corner of the harbour for a few yachts to go stern or bows-to. Alternatively yachts may be able to go alongside the outside of the mole. Make sure you have plenty of fenders out if alongside. The coastguard station in the main square in Thira appreciates a visit. There are plans to make the harbour more yacht-friendly.
   
   Water on the outer quay. There are several taverna/cafés by the harbour. A donkey can be hired for the climb up to the town above or you can take the recently installed funicular. At Thira town there is good shopping for provisions and excellent restaurants and bars. The view from the chora is simply stupendous.
   
   Note The buoy is not always in place and not always in the best condition. Winter storms or more likely galvanic corrosion in the sulphurous waters corrodes the mooring chain and it can take some time before the authorities replace it. If it is not in place there are few alternatives. You can drop an anchor and go stern or bows-to, but it shelves very steeply off the quay to 20 plus metres. In addition the bottom is foul with large boulders and a trip-line on the anchor is essential. If you take a long line to the buoy it is at your own risk. Americans should take note that a libel action against the port authorities is doomed to failure in the Byzantine intricacies of the Greek legal system.
   
3. Athinios A small harbour 4 miles ENE of Ák Akrotiri used for loading pumice from nearby quarries. It is usually crowded with coasters loading or waiting to be loaded. The village of Mégalo Khorion stands atop the cliff behind. If you are going to berth here care must be taken of a submerged mole and debris immediately Ε of the short pier. There are mostly 6m depths off the quay. Go and reconnoitre by dinghy before attempting to berth. Shelter is not the greatest here as the prevailing wind pushes a swell straight onto the quay.
   
4. Ák Akrotiri On the S side of Ák Akrotiri there are a number of anchorages sheltered from the meltemi.
   Directly under the cape there is a deserted bay used by a few local fishing boats on permanent moorings. Anchor in 4-6m on a boulder-strewn bottom - use a trip line. A light breeze blows around the W point of the bay and holds you into the ground swell making for a comfortable night's sleep.
   Approximately 1½ miles to the Ε there is a bight with a few houses and a taverna on the shore. Anchor in 4-5m. A further 11A miles to the ESE there is another bight used by local fishing boats. The bottom off the S coast is coarse sand - good holding. These latter anchorages get some ground swell which causes yachts here to roll awfully.
   
5. Monolithos A small harbour approximately halfway along the Ε coast. A rough breakwater extends for 150m in an easterly direction with 2-3m depths inside the outer end. The western half of the harbour is shallow. Go bows-to with a long line ashore to the breakwater near its extremity. With the meltemi some swell works its way into the harbour. Ashore there is a taverna and showers.

VLIKADHA

Approach

Care is needed in the approach because of the old breakwaters now underwater and the associated rocks and reefs in the vicinity. From approximately ¾ Μ off the coast head on a course of 45° for the chimneys on the shore. Approximately 400 metres off the harbour head for the end of the outer breakwater.
Conspicuous The chimneys and hotel immediately Ε of the harbour are easily identified. Closer in the outer breakwater and boats in the harbour will be seen.
By night The entrance is not lit at present and an approach by night would be dangerous because of the reefs in the approaches.

Dangers

1. Care is needed of the reefs which border both the Ε and W approaches to the harbour. At the time of writing the dangers are marked in a haphazard fashion with a red flag marking the end of the reef that must be left to starboard.
2. Unless you get exactly the right line into the harbour, depths are variable with some shallow patches. You should have someone up front conning you in.
3. In the entrance to the marina there is an underwater rock just off the inner breakwater and you should keep close to the end of the outer breakwater.

Note I have had reports of silting reducing depths in the approach channel to 2m. Recent reports from other yachts indicate depths are much as charted. Care is needed in the approach channel and yachts over 2m draught should go easy in the channel and maybe send someone ahead in the dinghy to reconnoitre.

Mooring

Go stern or bows-to where possible. Out of season some yachts go alongside.
Shelter Good all-round shelter.

Facilities

Services Water by mini-tanker. Water and electricity points to be installed.
Fuel By mini-tanker. Fuel jetty to be established on the Ε pier.
Eating out Taverna ashore.
Other Bus to chora. A taxi can be arranged from the hotel.

General

Vlikadha affords the best shelter on Thira and for that it is worth making for. The entrance is tricky5 although once you have piloted your way in it does not present the same adrenalin rush as the first time. You can get to chora from here and at least take your time over a visit without worrying about your boat down on the exposed quay at Skála.