{"id":251,"date":"2009-08-03T17:35:00","date_gmt":"2009-08-03T14:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klqewmpxo.cyon.link\/?page_id=251"},"modified":"2026-03-20T21:17:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T19:17:43","slug":"makares","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azalas.de\/en\/makares\/","title":{"rendered":"Makares - uninhabited islands out of paradise"},"content":{"rendered":"

A<\/big>bout seven kilometers off the east coast of Naxos, directly opposite Azal\u00e1s, lies an uninhabited group of islands, the M\u00e1kares Islands. We see them every day, but it is something else to take a boat out on a windless day and actually go there: the islands seem to be left over pieces of paradise!<\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nthe M\u00e1kares Islands; in the background on the left the inhabited island of Donoussa<\/small><\/p>\n

T<\/big>he M\u00e1kares group consists of three islands: the largest, called \u00c1gios Nik\u00f3laos, is located in the north-west; a smaller one called Pr\u00e1sini (\u2018the green one\u2019) or \u00c1gia Kyriak\u00ed lies eastwards behind it; and a little further south lies the pyramid-shaped island of Strong\u00fdle (\u2018the round one\u2019). Today we are heading for the largest island, \u00c1gios Nik\u00f3laos, which is also the most beautiful and interesting. It is mostly steep and rocky, with a height of about 100 meters, and it is divided by three large bays and three capes jutting out in different directions.<\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nThundercloud over the M\u00e1kares Islands, picture taken on 25th of June in 2009: an unusual summer rain!<\/small><\/p>\n

T<\/big>he Makares Islands are uninhabited \u2013 by humans, at least. A shepherd from Amorgos used to keep his goats on the island, but they are no longer there. Now only a some insects, lizards and birds live here: the ubiquitous Sardinian warblers, a few linnets here and there, wagtails on the coast, Blue rock thrushes in the rocks, as well as Common and Alpine swifts, one or two pairs of kestrels, a few ravens, a Scops owl and perhaps a Peregrine falcon. And there is a large colony of Eleonora’s falcons, a rare and unusual, very beautiful species of falcon that lives only in the Mediterranean and breeds during the autumn migration season feeding on migrating birds. And of course there are also seabirds: mainly Yellow-legged gulls, which breed here in a large colony, occasionally one may also see a rare Audouin’s gull and a few shags. And the interesting shearwaters: Cory’s shearwater and (much more frequently) the slightly smaller Yelkouan shearwater both breed on the islands. Let’s also not forget the very rare monk seal, which, with a little luck, can still be observed here.<\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nYellow-legged gull<\/small><\/p>\n

T<\/big>he islands owe their name to the shearwaters. The name “M\u00e1kares” is derived from mak\u00e1rios<\/em>, which means \u2018happy, content, peaceful\u2019 and is usually applied to the dead (who have escaped the plagues of life). And the connection with the shearwaters? Well, that becomes immediately clear when you spend a night on the island in spring with full moon. That is the season when the shearwaters breed, and the birds, which spend the whole day fishing at sea, come to the lonely rocky islands at night, where they nest in small caves or under large rocks. The large, white, ghostly birds fly around the island, heading for their nests, suddenly disappearing into holes under the rocks. It is even worse during the mating season: at night, the birds emit ghastly screeches that sometimes resemble the squealing of a pig, sometimes the whimpering of a child, sometimes an eerie snoring, sometimes a terrible squeaking. Anyone who has experienced this can imagine what the first people felt when they heard this wailing and howling and saw the eerie white creatures flying through the air. No wonder they thought of ghosts and the dead! A larger cave on the neighbouring island of Keros, which was certainly used by shearwaters, was believed to be the entrance to the underworld!<\/p>\n

G<\/big>eologically, the M\u00e1kares Islands are also interesting, and quite different from Naxos: The islands were not affected by the last metamorphosis, which played such an important role on Naxos. The northern part of the island is made of marble; in the middle, there is a highly eroded area with soft rock, and in the south there are layers of a type of sandstone that was formerly quarried and used, for example, to cover roofs and for pavements. Workers from Naxos came to M\u00e1kares to quarry the sandstone, which is so soft that it can be cut with saws. They lived on the island for long periods of time and even grew grain. They also built the stairs that lead through the cliffs from one part of the island to the other and constructed a drinking water tank that still exists today. The stones were mainly exported to Athens.<\/p>\n

B<\/big>ut enough talk: it’s time for a little tour around the island!<\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nThe north side of the island consists of bare marble.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nAny vegetation is prevented from growing here by the large waves hitting the coast during the winter storms.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nIn winter, during storms, the spray of the waves is blown over half the island (the peak is a good 100 meters high!).<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nFrom the north, we enter the passage between the two islands of \u00c1gios Nik\u00f3laos (right) and Pras\u00edni (left); the third island, Strong\u00fdle, is visible in the background.<\/small><\/p>\n

I<\/big>n the passage between the islands, we spot a large fish, a type of swordfish with a short sword, which swims right at the surface of the water and which we can observe clearly. The men even try to harpoon it from the boat, but miss it.<\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nView of Pras\u00edni Island<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nThis high cliff rises up to our right.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nNow we are following the south side of the island; here too, the slopes are very steep.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nThe sediment layers of the sandstone are clearly visible.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nNot far from here, the sandstone was quarried.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nthe south-western cape<\/small><\/p>\n

W<\/big>e enter the west-facing bay to swim and spend some time on the beach. The beautiful large beach consists of fine gravel; the crystal-clear water is very tempting! Only the garbage brought by the sea spoils the idyllic picture…<\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nthe entrance to the bay<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nThese picturesque rocks stand right next to the beach.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nA paradise on earth!<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"<\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nOnly under these tamarisks can we find some shade.<\/small><\/p>\n

A<\/big> few plants grow on the beach that are able to survive in this difficult habitat characterised by drought and salt. Countless wild bees buzz over the sand, carrying food back to their nest holes.<\/p>\n

\"Crithmum
\nThe sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum)<\/em> is edible.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nLike most salt-resistant beach plants, the one pictured here is thick and fleshy.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Stranddistel,
\nThe sea holly (Eryngium maritimum)<\/em> is currently in bloom.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares,
\nThe sea daffodil (Pancratium maritimum)<\/em> only blooms in summer; this picture was taken in August.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nThis species of yarrow (Achillea spec.?)<\/em> is very common on the island.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Helichrysum
\nThe Mediterranean strawflower (Helichrysum stoechas)<\/em> also grows abundantly.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares,
\nThese sand wasps (Bembix spec.) buzz all over the beach.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares,
\nThe wasps fly to their nest holes and crawl inside; they are probably carrying food back to their nests.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nView across the beach<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nThe beach consists of the most beautiful, colourful pebbles.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nand once more the picturesque rock at the edge of the beach<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\n– without words –<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nBehind the beach begins a heavily eroded slope.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nFurther up, you come to a flatter area that is mainly covered with yarrow.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nQuarry workers used to grow grain here, as proven by this threshing floor.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nWe come across sedimentary layers containing pumice, which originated from an eruption of the volcano of Santorini.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nTo the south, you reach this rocky cliff, which one can transverse only on a narrow stair built into the rock. To reach it, one must find a way through what is now quite impenetrable scrub of mastic bushes (Pistacia lentiscus)<\/em>.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nthe stair<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nView from above over the bay and the south-western cape<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nOn the way back; view of Naxos, our houses are located roughly in the center of the picture<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nThe cape seen from an unusual angle<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Makares\"
\nView of Azalas Bay<\/small><\/p>\n

See also:<\/p>\n