Elafonissos island (and the well-known Elafonisi beach) located in the SouthWest tip of Crete, Chania Prefecture off the coast of African Tripoli, in a strange geographic appearance. A series of rocks and shallow waters make it possible to communicate with Crete, when the weather conditions permit. 

The current names are Elafonissi or Lafonisi, Prassonisi (Artemis) and Plakolithra (Plakurithra). Prassonisi got its name from the wild leeks that grow there while Plakolithra consists of a cluster of low reef and ledges that are particularly dangerous for the passing ships when the weather is stormy.

That's why Elafonissi is called the Tomb of Ships by sailors. After the big wreck of the liner Imperetrice in 1907 in which 300 people drowned and buried in a group tomb on the island, a lighthouse was placed there, which operated with oil.

That lighthouse was quite tall with internal stone staircase of 132 steps and 12 iron steps. Next to the lighthouse an accommodation was built with an oven and a tank for the water concentration. Unfortunately, in order the lime to be baked (necessary for the building of the building), after the order of the mayor Kounenis, all the cedars and other trees on the island were cut for the fire.

That lighthouse was a machine with a lamp of plain glass or/and with special asbestos bulbs. An iron plate was turning the light machine, which speed was regulated by a burden every 24 hours. It was a mechanism similar to the old wall clocks.

Oil for the lighthouse and other essential supplies were provided once a year and always during the summer months, when the weather were favourable, by a ship called  the "Ship of Lights", which belonged to the Royal Navy "Orion" and was adapted especially for this purpose. Its previous  name was Karlovasi.

Lighthouse in Elafonisi

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Elia studios, Agathias, Palekastro

Vrachos Studios in Kouremenos, Palekastro

Casa Di Mare in Kouremenos, Palekastro

Zeus apartments, Xerokambos

Ambeles rooms in Kato Zakros

Sirines apartments, Palekastro East Crete

Porto Heli in Kouremenos, Palekastro

Stella's Apartments in Kato Zakros

Akti Villas in Kouremenos, Palekastro

Anatoli Rooms in Agathias, Palekastro, East Crete

Thalassa apartments in Palekastro, East Crete

Cavali Apartments Xerokambos, East Crete

Knossos Studios in Palekastro

Olgabeach apartments in Kouremenos, Palekastro, East Crete

Terra Minioka Villas in Kato Zakros

Goudouras village

Xerokambos Village in East Crete

Koutsouras in East Crete

Ierapetra, East Crete

Makrigialos or Makrys Gialos holiday village

Agios Nikolaos, East Crete: Yesterday and Today

Pachia Ammos, Ierapetra, east Crete

Palekastro in Sitia, East Crete

Istron, Agios Nikolaos, east Crete

Neapolis Town, Lassithi, East Crete

Plaka Village in Agios Nikolaos, East Crete. Holiday village in Crete

Gra Ligia Village southeast Crete

Myrtos or Mirtos Village southeast Crete

Zakros - Kato Zakros in East Crete

Agios Nikolaos, East Crete - Towns and sights on the island of Crete

Ziros - Xerokambos gorge. East Crete gorges and Sights

Sfaka gorge, Mochlos, East Crete

Orino Butterfly gorge in Makrigialos-Koutsouras. Sights and gorges in East Crete

Kavousi Gorge Hiking and gorges in East Crete

Pefki gorge in Makrigialos, East Crete

Kritsa gorge in Agios Nikolaos, East Crete

Richtis Gorge by Sitia,Mouliana

Agii Pandes - Sitia gorge. Sights hiking and gorges in East Crete

Ha gorge by Ierapetra - Kavousi, East Crete

Karoumes gorge. Palekastro Kato Zakros Beach area

Zakros Gorge - Kato Zakros. Gorges and sights in East Crete

Milonas gorge in Ierapetra, East Crete

Xerokambos gorge. Kato Zakros - East Crete gorges and Sights

Sarakina gorge by Mirtos Mithi, East Crete

Havgas gorge by Lasithi plataeui, East Crete

Vasiliki Archaeological Site in Ierapetra, East Crete Sights

Achladia Archaeological Site in Sitia, East Crete

Mochlos archaeological sites. The Island and the mainland excavations

Erganos: Archaeological findings

Kornaros Tower and Agios Antonios in Mirsini, Sitia

Pirgos by Mirtos or Myrtos archaeological site. Lassithi, East Crete

Life in Minoan Crete

American student assisting Gournia excavations

Archaeological Site in Pressos, East Crete Sights

Kazarma fortress in Sitia East Crete

Itanos archaeological site in Palekastro, East Crete. Sights

Kato Zakros Archaeological Site: News from finds

Lato archaeological site. Kritsa, East Crete

Archaeological Site in Hamezi Sitia, East Crete

Dreros archaeological site. Agios Nikolaos, East Crete

Kato Zakros - Xerokampos : Hiking in east Crete

Kato Zakros - Skopeli - Pelekita cave : Hiking in east Crete

Kavousi gorge Thripti mountains-Hiking in East Crete

Zakros Ziros, E4 path. Hiking in East Crete

Xerokambos - Agia Irini. Hiking in Zakros

Palekastro - Petsofas peak - Skinias Gorge and Beach

Chrisopigi - Bebonas. Hiking in Sitia Makrigialos East Crete

Sitia East Crete Caves hiking : Agios Georgios-Katofigi

Orino - Afentis. Hiking in East Crete, Thripti Sitia mountains

Palekastro - Skinias - Karoumes gorge

Palekastro - Plakos east Crete

Hiking in Makrigialos, Eastern Crete. Pefki-Dafni

Azokeramos - Traostalos Hiking in Zakros Palekastro

Walking in Ziros-Chandras plateau