One of the most fascinating natural phenomenon of Kefalonia is the flow of water underneath the island from one side to the other.  Two kilometers from Argostoli at Katavothres , the sea water flows down several sink holes and disappears, appearing again at Karavomolis (near Sami) first in the famous Melissani Cave Lake and then flowing on through the lake pictured below and finally into the sea again.  At both ends of the water’s ‘journey’ and possibly from ancient times,  the Kefalonians made use of the force of the water and constructed sea-mills.  Today, we can only see replicas of the mills; one imagines these must have been in constant use from ancient times.

The flow of water was proved by a scientist in the 1960s by placing dye into the water at Katavothres.  Fourteen days later, the water at Karavomolis was found to have traces of this dye.

These sea mills and the Cave Lake at Melissani are so well worth visiting – I never get tired of taking guests to see and wonder at these marvels.

The water flows from the sea down into the sink holes at Katavothres on the Fanari road near Argostoli.

 

The water reappears at Karavomolis near Sami and flows out into the sea.