Diapontia 2 – Arrival on Othonoi

I’d mentioned in a previous post that although Othonoi is the largest of the three Diapontian Islands, I couldn’t find any accommodation on B.com. I had to dig a little deeper and went onto Google Maps and searched for hotels. It brought up a couple including the Calypso Hotel which I was able to contact through social media. It didn’t take long before I received a response which is always a good sign. Tonia told me that they have availability for a room and it would be 45€ per night – now that’s more like it!

I confirmed the reservation with her for 2 nights with the option to extend if the Chania Lines boat Vamos was unable to sail. When I arrived on Erikousa I sent her a message to say that I was on my way and would arrive in several days time. She responded to say that her uncle Pericles would pick me up from the port.

By the time I’d boarded the boat, several elderly ladies had already spread themselves out on the padded blue vinyl seats to sleep. They’d been up at a god-awful for the departure from Corfu at 0630 and I felt for them. The boat journey from Erikousa to Othoni took just 35 minutes. The ticket cost just 3€ which I purchased through Ferryhopper.

As we sailed towards the port I was already awestruck by its stunning landscape with its emerald green, gently rolling hills crowned by a halo of low lying cloud. It was breathtaking!

As soon as I disembarked an elderly, slight man stepped forward. I was easy to spot being the only non-local to arrive. “Mr Pericles?” I asked and he nodded his head with a broad smile. “No English” he said as he went to take my luggage. He was such a slender man that looked as though he would break in a gust of wind so I grabbed the bag and helped to pile it into the back of his utility truck. I’d only a vague idea of where Hotel Calypso was located but I quietly prayed that it wasn’t halfway up a mountain. Google Maps is never very clear about the type of gradient to expect. After leaving the port we followed the harbour along a concrete road and then took a right. Ahead I could see a steep narrow road and I gulped but thankfully we took a side road on the second right which led up to the hotel entrance. The hotel was much bigger than I’d expected. Yes, it’s up a short hill but perfectly doable and just think of the weight loss!

Tonia is waiting for me behind the reception desk. Mr Pericles bade us farewell and off he went. Tonia was very helpful. She provided me with a map of the island and said that it was possible to hike to some of the villages but advised not to walk back in the dark as none of the roads were lit. Having seen the mountain from the ferry, I don’t think that I’ll be hiking up mountains anytime soon, day or night!

Tonia said that it may be possible for Mr Pericles to drive me to a couple of places on the island such as Faros and Chorio. As this would probably be my only opportunity to see beyond the port village of Ammos, I told her that I would be very interested in that. I asked her if she could confirm the time and the price with Mr Pericles and I would be available at a time that would be best for him.

Together we carried my luggage up to the first floor and along a long corridor. The room was much bigger than I’d expected it to be. The room is simple with a wardrobe and integrated dressing table, a small kitchenette with a double ring cooker (completely wasted on me) and a fridge, a table and chairs and two single pine beds. The latter takes me back to my childhood bedroom but the mattress is soft and comfortable albeit a little creaky!

Two sets of patio doors lead out onto an amply-sized terrace with sea views. I’m very happy. This is more than I could have hoped for 45€ per night.

Before she left me to settle in, Tonia told me that she had tried to find out if the taverna would still be open this week but it was still unclear. She advised me to go and ask as soon as possible. In addition to the taverna, there were two small mini markets so at least I would be able to self-cater if necessary (shudders at the thought of it!). As I’ll only be here for two nights, I didn’t bother to unpack. I can live out of my suitcase for the next few days.

So – Othonoi. Firstly the mythology. In Homer’s Odyssey, he referred to Othonoi as Ogygia. Although there are theories contrary to this, it is generally accepted that Othonoi is the island referred to in the story. In a little corner of the island was (and is) a cave, home to the nymph Calypso. Odysseus was trying to make his way back home to Ithaca and his wife Penelope when Calypso captured him and held him prisoner where he remained for seven years. Calypso was besotted with Odysseus and wanted him for her husband. She plied him with wine and hypnotised him with her beautiful songs and would seduce him by night but Odysseus only had thoughts of Penelope. By day he would sit on the headland of Ogygia and yearn for his wife and his homeland.

Eventually, Odysseus’s patron Athena had a word with Zeus and told him the situation was now intolerable and that Odysseus had to be set free. Zeus sent the messenger Hermes to demand that Calypso release Odysseus and help him on his way back to Ithaca. She was enraged and said that Zeus just had a thing about goddesses having relations with mortals but she knew that whatever the great and powerful Zeus commanded, she would have to obey.

Calypso supplied Odysseus with tools and took him to a place where he could fell trees to provide the timber to make a boat. She provided him with clothes, food and wine and finally bade farewell to her reluctant lover, sending the wind to guide him towards Ithaca.

Othonoi isn’t the only island to claim to be the island of Calypso. So does the little island of Lipsi in the Dodecanese. If I had to put a bet on it, my money would be on Othonoi as it is so close to Ithaca, Odysseus’s proclaimed homeland. Who wouldn’t want to be associated with such a classic story!

The island has had a turbulent past being occupied by the Franks and the Venetians in the 11th and 12th centuries respectively. The island was frequently under attack from pirates from the coast of North Africa. During the late 14th century, Corfu was under the rule of Charles iii of Naples who gifted the Diapontians plus Diaplo and Vido Islands to a Knight named Theodore Skaliti though I can’t find much further information on who this man was.

In 1537, the notorious and fearsome pirate Barbarossa, ordered an attack on Othonoi. After a long and ferocious battle, all of the inhabitants of Othonoi were brutally massacred. A monument up in the village of Stavros bears testament to this tragic event.

Jump to 1815 when Othonoi was conquered by the British who used the island as a hospital for sick soldiers. In 1864, the island became part of Greece but life was tough for the islanders and they were poor. The island had a long tradition of seafarers and ship captains. It also had an olive oil and fishing industry but despite this the population began to decline with many residents leaving for Corfu and in many cases to New York to seek out a better life.

Othonoi is written in the plural because it is part of an archipelago of a cluster of rocks, islets and three inhabited islands, the latter of which all used to be called Othonoi. The most recent settlers on Othonoi during the 16th century came from Paxos, Parga and other parts of Epirus such Ioannina. The Battle of Nafpaktos had taken place and the Turkish fleet had been destroyed making it safer for people to move West. As the population grew, parts of the community moved to neighbouring islands which became known as Erikousa and Mathraki. Until today, the same familial surnames are shared across all three Diapontian islands.

Othonoi went under many different names including Fidonisi which means Snake Island due to the many snakes that once ‘invaded’ the islands. I’ll just push that one to the back of my head but really – snakes invaded the island? Did they construct their own little rafts made from wood from the forest just as Odysseus had done? Did they then sail onto the island under their own steam? Anyway, I haven’t found any evidence of how the slippery ones came to be on the island. Locals refer to Othonoi as Pera, meaning ‘beyond’ as it lies beyond Corfu.

Othonoi is as far West as you can get in Greece. Any further West and you arrive in the Adriatic and Italy. It’s the largest of the Diapontia with an area of 10.45 square kilometres. The highest mountain is called Imerovigli which stands at 393 metres high which also roughly corresponds with the number of summertime residents on the island. This drops dramatically during winter.

I now head out to do a recce, starting at Ammos Port. In the small marina, there is the little boat called the Othonoi Express. Tonia had told me that if I spoke to the man in the minimarket, I could arrange a trip to Aspri Ammos, a small bay around the headland, where Calypso’s cave is said to be. I was surprised at how few fishing boats were in the marina. There doesn’t appear to be a big fishing industry here. There are just a couple of yachts moored up which I take as a blessing. The small statue of the pair of seals represents the endangered colony of monk seals found on the other side of the island.

Following the road into the village, a tiled pavement leads around the back of the beach dotted with ornate concrete benches along the way. You can’t fail to see the large colony of cats here who seem to have commandeered the best bench in the shade for themselves.

The first part of the long stretch of beach is Agia Triada Beach mainly made up of large bright white stones that tumble down beyond the watersedge. The reflection of the lush green mountainside and the brightness of the stones along the shoreline gives them the appearance of pale yellow, green peridot gemstones, glinting in the sun.

You can’t miss the monument to the lost crew of the submarine Proteas located at the first road junction and just in front of the Church and Cemetery of Agia Triada. In 1940 the submarine Proteas launched an attack on a fleet of Italian ships transporting weapons. It sunk one ship but was subsequently rammed by the Italian torpedo boat Antares. The submarine sank just off the shores of Othinoi with a complete loss of lives. The Proteas was the first loss of the Greek Navy during WW2. Every year in December a remembrance service is held in the Church of Agia Triada.

Following the road around into the centre of the village I arrived at a cluster of olive trees giving shade to several picnic benches. On either side of this small wooded area were a pair of old canons pointing out to sea. Just beyond this is another harbour arm and jetty which serves small cargo ferries. Beyond here is Ammos Beach, a gently curving stretch of sand beach backed by several tavernas and cafe bars. Now it’s time to see what opportunities there are to be fed today!

The first place that I see open is Antonis Restaurant and Cafe Bar. It’s a modern affair with a shaded pergola and a seating area on the beach. The place is virtually empty except for two men drinking coffee by the beach and another lady paying for some drinks. I asked the lady in charge if she was serving food. She didn’t seem to understand me but the other lady translated in Italian. She asked me how many people I was. When I responded with “one” she shook her head and said no. The two women then seemed to have a bit of a conversation between themselves. It seems she’d had a change of heart. “Fritatta, Insalata Greca. Torna alla sette. Thank heavens my Italian is better than my Greek. Ok, so she’d be able to rustle me up an omelette and a Greek salad but I’ll have to come back at 7pm. That will do! Where are the Yachties when you need them!

I ordered a Coca-cola and take a seat under the pergola by the beach taking it all in. As long as I can be fed each day I think I’m going to love it here!