If every Greek island has a different personality indeed, then Kalymnos is most certainly a fearless diver and sponge harvester, a legendary explorer of depths and heights.
Travel guides proudly recite, as Homer once did on these same shores, the tales of famous Kalymnian sponge divers who went “skin diving” at depths of 100 to 200 feet, staying underwater for two to three minutes on a single breath.
Hidden treasures
Fearless strong men that wrestle with the elements, in search of the hidden treasures in the sea’s most distant corners, one of the deadliest professions on Earth, a “mission impossible” that only the toughest and bravest could endure.
These heroes of survival left their homes and loved ones for months and years, risking their lives and giving birth to a great tradition, a death-defying circle of life carried on throughout generations for their families, their island, their pride and honor.
Their feats still reverberate around the planet from the depths of the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean to the heights of the New York skyline – where they pioneered in constructing the Manhattan bridges.
Diving paradise
The seemingly fathomless, dark-blue waters around the island can best explain how the local sponge fishermen came to be so inextricably linked with the well kept secrets and naval stories that border on myth.
Many organized diving centers offer daily underwater excursions around this incredible archipelago of Kalymnos and nearby islands, featuring magnificent shipwrecks sites, the first Diving Park in Greece, Sponge Farming Areas and great marine life and habitat discovery experiences.
The International Diving Festival is held every summer and the island is packed with world class scuba experts and fans.
Yet, fabulous seas and diving are definitely not the only things that Kalymnos has to offer.
4,000 year old history
The island has a breathtaking wild scenery, a 12 km long coastline with exquisite beaches and coves, a rich 4,000 year old history with an aspiring cultural heritage, many charming churches and impressive Byzantine fortifications, Archaeological, Maritime and Folklore museums, original Greek food served at heavenly seaside taverns, colorful Fairs and even a “Climbing Festival” as it is considered as one of the world’s “hottest” climbing holiday destinations.
A truly priceless treasure that makes the dauntless divers all the more praiseworthy for risking it all to preserve it.
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