7.8.2011: With a rented car to the beach at Gerakas and to Zakynthos Town.

Gerakas beach is the most beautiful one of all over Zakynthos. It is, however, severely nature protected, because nests of Caretta caretta Loggerhead sea turtles. Nobody is allowed to step into the zone of permanently dry sands, because there are the nests of the turtles. One nest is containing, buried in the sand, 100 eggs at average. After 49 to 80 days, the young turtles hatch during the night and immediately try to find the sea, orientating on the moonlight. This may be problematic in areas where large hotels´ lights are attracting them to the wrong direction. To protect the nests, they are protected by frames. Many of the young turtles are eaten by predators, and only a few survive to grow large.
The big advantage of all protection measures: still free landscape, very fine sinds (rare in Greece!) with dozens of metres of flat, crystal clear water inviting to play with balls, depth of visibility more than 10 metres.

The beach is rather long, but I walk from one end to the other.

The rocks at one end are closed off - danger of falling rocks in the very spongy material.

Panoramic picture of the cove of Gerakas, as seen from its left end. Click here or into the picture for a larger version.

Steep rock walls behind the beach.

On the opposite end of the beach: view to the west to the Keri peninsula.

Here there are bigger stones in the water, but still fine sands in between.

Good morning, Mr. Crab!

Walking back

Afterwards, a drive to Zakynthos Town ...

 ... where we are strolling around and have a nice meal in a taverna.

View along the narrow streets to the open sea.

On the way back, we have a short stop at the beach of Kalamaki.

Panoramic view from the beach of Kalamaki. Click here or into the picture for a larger version..

Back at the Hotel, I make use of the warm light of the early evening to take a few pictures of the hotel beach, especially the vast numbers of Sea Daffodills (Pancratium maritimum) growing and flowrishing here.

This attractive plant is specialized on sand dunes in the proximity of the sea. The roots go deep into the sand, and the seeds can swim for a prolonged time to be distributed by the sea.

Last evening light at the beach. Now, all the beds are removed, the beach is closed during the night due to the turtles.

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