Nisos Zákinthos

Zákinthos, the ancient name now officially readopted, is the southernmost of the Heptanesoi. (Kithera and Andikithera, although originally part of the Heptanesoi, are now administered separately.) Like a bowl holding something precious, the mountains of Zákinthos enclose the fertile central plain except where it overflows onto the sands of Lagana Beach. The Venetians called Zákinthos 'the flower of the Levant' and looking down on the plain planted with vines, mostly of the dwarf variety for currants, figs, olives, orange and lemon groves, it is easy to see why.

The first time I saw Zákinthos was in the autumn. After the baked islands of the Cyclades, the green slopes dotted with grazing cows were reminiscent of England. Yet despite English rule before Greece became independent, and English commercial interests in the currant trade, there is little apart from the green fields to remind you of England -Zákinthos is an Italianate island. Until the 1953 earthquake destroyed much of the Venetian architecture it must have appeared to be almost a cameo left behind by Venice.

‘Only in Italy itself could one find this sort of baroque style, fruit of the seventeenth and eighteenth-century mind. Then in 1953 came the definitive earthquake which engulfed the whole of the Venetian past and left the shattered town to struggle to its knees once more. This it has done, in a manner of speaking; but it is like a beautiful woman whose face has been splashed with vitriol. Here and there, an arch, a pendent, a shattered remains of arcade, is all that is left of her renowned beauty.’
Lawrence Durrell The Greek Islands

Lawrence Durrell goes on to slate the modern town, which I personally do not find so distasteful -but then I never saw the old Venetian town.

Zákinthos town overlooks a sheltered bay that has harboured naval fleets since ancient times. Anybody who wanted to move south needed Zákinthos to control the strait into the Gulf of Patras and the route south around the Peloponnisos. First the Athenians, then Philip of Macedon, the Romans, Vandals, Normans, Turks, Venetians, French, Russians and finally the British held the island. While under British rule the island was a constant source of irritation to the Turks, since Greeks could easily escape to it and seek protection under the neutral Ionian flag - only to venture out again to fight the Turks on the mainland.

Twenty-five miles to the south of Zákinthos lie the remote Strophades Islands (Nisidhes Strofadhes). Administered from Zákinthos, the largest island was once a prosperous monastery until the Turks sacked it.

PORT ZÁKINTHOS (Zante, Zakynthos)

BA 2404
Imray-Tetra G12

Approach

Conspicuous From the Ν the hills dominated by Mt Skopio (520m) to the Ε of the central plain look like a separate island from the distance. As you near Ák Krionéri the hotels on the beach to the Ν of the cape and a tower on the hills immediately above are conspicuous. The buildings of Zákinthos are obscured until you round the cape when the Ν mole will be easily identified. From the S the buildings of Zákinthos stand out well against the eroded cliffs behind.
By night From the Ν use the lights on Ák Skinari F1.5s20M, Áy Nikolaos F1.2s7M and on Ák Krionéri Fl(2)16s6M and Ák Krionéri Fl(2)16s6M. From the S use the lights on Ák Keri F1.10sl7M. A constant red aerobeacon just W of the town is visible for about 5 miles and two alternate flashing red aerobeacons are also visible for about 3 miles to the W of the town. The entrance to the harbour is lit: Fl.G.l-5s5M/Fl.R.l-5s4M, though in the approach from the S the lights at the entrance are difficult to make out against the lights of the town until you are near the harbour.

Dangers

1. Care is needed of Ifalos Dhimitris, a reef and shoal water lying approximately 900m ESE of the harbour entrance. There are reported least depths of 3·5m. It is marked by a red conical buoy.
2. Closer to the coast there is a group of unlit mooring buoys off the end of an oil pipeline.
3. A good lookout should be kept for ferries, which are constantly coming and going from the harbour.

Mooring

Berth stern or bows-to on the NE or NW quays. The NE quay is the base for many of the large trip boats which use the top half of the quay. There is usually space to go south of them, clear of the ferry berth marked on the plan. The town quay on the NW side has been dredged and there is plenty of room to go stern or bows-to on the northern half of the quay. Further south has not been dredged and it is too shallow for most yachts. The bottom is mud and good holding.
Shelter Good shelter from the prevailing NW wind. With strong southerlies a surge builds up in the harbour and it may make berths on the NW quay untenable.
Note Any craft entering at speed (such as the coastguard boat) creates a significant wash so ensure your anchor is well in and you are pulled far enough off the quay to prevent damage.
Authorities A port of entry. Port police, customs and immigration.

Facilities

Services Water and electricity on the NE quay.
Fuel A mini-tanker can deliver. Also petrol stations around the waterfront.
Repairs Caiques are hauled out at the root of the S mole. Some mechanical repairs. Hardware shops. Chandlers.
Provisions Good shopping for all provisions in the town.
Eating out Tavernas in the town. Komi's fish restaurant at the waterside in the marina and others nearby.
Other PO. OTE. Banks. ATMs. Greek gas and Camping Gaz. Hire cars and motorbikes. Ferries to Killini. International and internal flights.

General

Until its total destruction in the 1953 earthquake the town consisted largely of Venetian buildings. In the rebuilding of the town a Venetian aura has been retained - spacious boulevards, arcaded shops, central square and imposing public buildings, yet somehow the town cannot be described as anything approaching an aesthetic reconstruction of the pre-'53 town. There is just too much slab-sided reinforced concrete and too little sympathetic detail. A museum in the town houses some of the relics, particularly some fine icons, recovered after the earthquake. Zâkinthos is the logical spot to leave a yacht and explore the interior of the island - I suggest you head for the W side where there is some spectacular scenery, small villages, and fewer tourists.

ZÁKINTHOS MARINA

The marina has been ‘under construction’ for many years now, but finally the infrastructure at least appears to be reaching completion. The quays are in place, although mooring rings and bollards are scarce. Light structures guard the almost finished breakwaters, but rusting hulks hog much of the quay space. Although this rush of activity has provided local boats with new berths, a viable yacht marina still seems to be some way off.

PORTO ROMA

A fair-weather anchorage on the SE tip of the island on the Ε coast. Porto Roma is sheltered from the prevailing NW-W wind, but a swell tends to roll into here. Taverna on the beach and several others a short walk away.