Lake Avithos in Kefalonia has been a mystery both for visitors and scientists for many years. The mystery was resolved and the answer was surprisingly simple.
The lake is located at the feet of mount Staveris near the village of Agios Nikolaos northwest of Poros. The name Avithos means “without bottom” in Greek and it was given to the lake due to the fact that, no matter how hard they tried, locals and scientists could not determine its depth. So, for many years the lake became one of the many mysteries of Kefalonia fueling many myths and stories.
The answer to the mystery of the bottomless lake was given however and it was so simple that it amazed everyone. The reason why scientists could not measure its depth was because, the measuring instruments that they were using were being carried away by an underground river therefore producing false readings. When a local simply tied a large piece of iron around a rope it was discovered that the lake wasn’t but 11 meters deep! Although the mystery was solved, lake Avithos remains one of the many mysteries of Kefalonia since that underground river connects her with the other side of the island many kilometers away.
It is a gorgeous lake is a lush location that is sadly not open to the public. In order to avoid accidents and because the lake provides water to the surrounding area, it is protected so as to deter visitors that might want to explore it or take a swim.
