That’s the first thing that strikes you about the colour of the sea as you fly in to land in the Aegean Greek paradise of Kalymnos.
This island is not a main-stream tourist trap. It is probably one of the most famous climbing destinations in Europe and has spectacular diving.
It’s November, officially low season. I have just missed the 2014 North Face Climbing competition and event – 2-3 weeks of complete climbing madness where the island of 17000 inhabitants is descended on by over 2000 climbers for various competitions and mayhem. it is now November and the tourist season is closing - most of the climbers (certainly from the festival) have sloped off back under (or on top of) their various rocks in other lands.
I don't know what to expect of this place. It was a suggestion of Paul Jenkins whom I met in France climbing with his sister Ruth at whose home I stayed for a month. Paul said it was a placed in Europe that you could pretty much climb year round. I booked the accommodation through booking.com at the recommendation of another climber. Climbers are not renowned for luxurious accommodation (or need for personal hygiene) when on trips - so I do not expect too much. Thankfully fate smiled on me in this transaction (as it has done for me on this trip overall). The Apollonia Hotel in the area of Masouri turns out to be one of the cleanest, best views, largest rooms and well appointed I could have hoped for (to be fair, the rating in booking .com did indicate that).
My room overlooks the azure sea and the nearby island of Talendos. It used to be one island until an earthquake separated them. Now they are about a kilometre apart. The balcony provides a beautiful vista of the bay, serene sea, sunset and, turning inland and looking upward, of some of the best climbing in Europe - all 2500 routes of it, most of which are walking distance from here.
First stop - water, not Rock
I am itching to get some of my climbing skills that I honed in France out of my backpack, back on my feet and practiced on some of this fantastic and high rock. However, there's another factor at play here. Kalymnos also turns out to be an excellent diving location and my new found qualification from Koh Tao has not been exercised since I earned it 3 months ago.
Some discussions with the locals and it seems that there is a consensus- “talk to Dmitrious at Kalymnos Diving Club.” Turns out I had already chosen this club as a contact and had emailed him in advance.
I’ve booked to be here for 2 weeks. I elect for a week’s diving and a week’s climbing.
Dmitrious has that infectious Greek smile and an easy-going manner that belie his background and experience as a Geek Navy trained SEAL – a specialist in water based defence. I immediately feel a bond in humour and safety with him. While in late Autumn, the water is still around 21 degrees and crystal clear. The dive club is around the back of the harbour and is on the waterfront in a quiet bay that was originally a natural spa. The first dive is a familiarisation one – he insists it is for me to get used to the local environment, I sense it is also for him to gauge my level of competence. He shows us some of the old diving equipment from the sponge divers – historically what Kalymnos is famous for. He has dredged around the island for some old relics including from World War 2 and has assembled a playground of sights within 100m from the shore of the dive club and from 5m-20m depth. We explore.
An interrupted sky and reminder of reality
It is after day 2 of our diving and we are washing our gear down outside. The silence of the day is interrupted by the hum of rotors – many of them. From inland and low come a formation of 3 sleek black choppers – Apache gunships. They fan out as the reach the bay, stay low and head out to sea. They are eerily quiet for their proximity and speed – at odds with the louder thud ding behind them. Basilio looks skyward. “That’s the Hueys” he comments. “They have the troops in them. Something is going down.” He points to the point farthest away in the distance. “They will fan the bay then drop the troops there.” It is not supposition, Basilio was in signals intelligence and used to direct the troop movement from the Greek military in this area. Sure enough, over the brow of the hill thump two grey and thuggish looking hulks - they lope along in comparison to their more nimble guard gunships and disappear toward the point Basilio had mentioned.
“Why so much interest here?” I ask. After all, Kalymnos seems small and relatively innocuous.
‘It’s the closest point to Turkey. We are less than 20km away from here from the Turkish mainland The military are fiercely protective of our space. There are sometimes incursions into our air and sea space by Turkey and our military is wary of this.” Dmitrious looks quietly skyward but does not comment. While these two share a love of recreational diving, I sense their old training has instilled a Pavlov type reaction every time something triggers that military drum in their heads.
As if to reinforce that point about the military being "twitchy" about this area, the sunset view from my balcony is interrupted two days later by 4 Greek Air force jets screaming past in formation – low, fast and hard like a nest of interrupted hornets.
While the locals share good relationships with their Turkish neighbours, Kalymnos apparently bears witness to the inevitable flexing of more macro level powers between the two nations. I am reminded of witnessing similar displays in Singapore in earlier years.
Diving – visibility versus sea life
Diving here is a joy –as much for the variety and company. One thing that I notice is that while the sea is warm and visibility excellent, the sea life itself is lacking. There are beautiful fauna in some of the caves we dive, the sleek moray eels we see, the occasional roman relics – though not the abundant coral, reef and fish life I have witnessed in Thailand, Fiji and other places. Still - the colour, clarity and warmth of the water far makes up for this and I enjoy my Aegean diving experience.
http://www.greeka.com/dodecanese/kalymnos/sponge-diving-tradition.htm
Kalymnos is a hidden treasure in the Aegean. Good for diving, climbing and generally good for the soul.
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