Melissani Cave Lake and Drogkarati Cave

Fathers Day 17^th June, 2012.

After a good start to the day with sausage and egg we were ready for our cycle ride to Melissani Cave Lake.  We set off along the harbour wall and found the beach pavement around the bay which we followed until it ran out.  We turned left and walked up the hill past the 5 star hotels and continued through the village and after another left and right we found the tavern where the Melissani Cave Lake entrance is hiding beneath.  After being out in the very warm sun on entering the long slope down to the lake the coolness hits you. The boatman rode us around the subterranean lake where the water is so blue and clear and the sun hits the top of the cave and the walls light up with colours. Part of the ceiling has collapsed creating a haunting place with a deep blue water. Lake Melissani is an underground cave and the lake fed by seawater entering near Argostoli and then travelling underground across the island to the lake and then continues into the sea on the east coast. At Theodhoroi there is reported to be a reconstruction of a mill built by an Englishman by the name of Stevens in the 19^th century.  It is powered by the sea pouring into the subterranean channels.  A team of Austrian scientists put dye into the water and it eventually reappeared in the cave at Melissani.  They have discovered that since the 1953 earthquake the flow of water has been reduced.

The cave lake was supposed to have been a sanctuary of Pan in Mycenaean times.  A channel leads to the enclosed section, where the legend says that the nymph Melissani drowned herself when she was spurned by Pan.

While out on the bikes I suggested we ride to the Drogkarati Cave which is supposed to be 3 km from the centre of town.  Not quite the case but we cycled on up a slight incline until we came to the Cave.  After a very welcomed cold coffee we enjoyed visiting the cave which drips with stalactites.  It is a size of a large concert hall and is in fact used as such as the acoustics are reported to be excellent.  After emerging from the cave we crossed over to the other restaurant where there was a free swimming pool.  Excellent it was and we both cooled off before an ice-cream and the cycle all the way back to town.  We didn’t quite realize how high we had climbed until we free wheeled all the way back.  We stopped and had a swim at the beach as the water here is so clear and inviting.

The houses in Kefallonia are mostly very well kept and many gardens are full of vegetables and beautiful flowers.  There is definitely a feeling of pride on the island.