Some flooded things in some dam? South or North Cyprus

HeAdLeSs


Joined: 15/11/2011
Posts: 12

Message Posted:
20/03/2012 03:40

Hello North Cyprus



Does anybody know something about drawn things in any dam or other inland lake? Like buildings or whole villages? Doesn't matter where on the island. Doesn't matter what, as long as it is interesting ;)



The winter was very wet and the dams are good filled. Maybe someone know something. I am happy about every tip.



Cheers

Gordon

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
20/03/2012 08:32

Shortly after it was built and it filled, actually very quickly, I and a friend scuba dived in the huge Asprokremmos [White Cliffs] dam close to Nikoklia Village - Paphos District. There was a sunken village, with the walls of the houses still intact and we observed freshwater bass [introduced] sitting on the window sills of the houses!



The locals say that there is a submerged church and that at certain times the bell can be heard - eerie! The underwater visibility wasn't too good, so we didn't find the church.



We had set some fishing lines and on one particular night dive we caught two bass and two large, silver eels. We needed to *purge the eels [*leave them in a tank of fresh water to get rid of the muddy taste], so we put them in a net in the water tank of an unoccupied villa! They were delicious when we barbeqed them, but the bass tasted rather muddy!



This dam is very spectacular and easily accessible, being on the old road from Paphos to Troodos. Diving forbidden!

HeAdLeSs


Joined: 15/11/2011
Posts: 12

Message Posted:
20/03/2012 12:00

Hello Tenakoutou,



thank you for the info. Is it this village (Foinikos): http://maps.google.de/maps?q=kampia,+cyprus&hl=de&ll=34.752526,32.569356&spn=0.003363,0.004823&sll=34.915276,32.904401&sspn=0.003229,0.004823&t=h&hnear=Kampia,+Bezirk+Nikosia,+Zypern&z=18



Or another spot? It sounds very interesting



How do you know that diving is forbidden? Only there or in general? You said you dived there

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
20/03/2012 14:00

As I remember, the village was called Finikas [English spelling] - it was likely damaged by earthquakes and had been abandoned for a number of years before the dam was constructed. I suspect the church's bell was removed prior to the dam filling with water.



Diving, or any form of boating and watersports, is forbidden in any of the dams in RoC - fishing, however, is allowed providing one has a licence.



There is a caretaker, whose house is adjacent to the dam's spillway - just across the road. I don't know if he speaks English.



Thanks for the link, which I'll download after posting this reply.



Good luck with your fossicking around!

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
20/03/2012 14:20

If you are coming from Limassol, get off the motorway at Aphrodite's Rock and take the old road towards Yeroskipos. The turn off to the dam is on the right at the end of the bridge over the riverbed - you'll see the big spillway as you approach - just keep your eyes open after you pass the *Turkish Fort at Kouklia - ['Temple of Aphrodite'] on your right.



*This magnificent building has been turned into a museum - well worth a visit if you go to the dam. Only a few metres from the fort is the remains of the 'Temple of Aphrodite' where you can walk round and see the huge stones that remain and some floor mosaics. When you see the footings, you can appreciate what a huge temple it was. As with so many antiquities, most of the smaller stones of the temple had been stolen - a lot, I was told, used to build an old sugar cane factory, which no longer exists.

HeAdLeSs


Joined: 15/11/2011
Posts: 12

Message Posted:
20/03/2012 15:10

Hi Tenakoutou again



Thanks again for your info. Ok, seems like it is the village Foinikos, we are talking about. I will go next days to check it out.



Not really. For example is a kayak club on several dams. Motorboats are not allowed. That I know. Fishing with license. But we want to dive

Ok, we will try to find the caretaker. Maybe we can arrange something I hope so... that sounds very interesting



Ok, some other places? Something interesting?



btw... I know about a church in Alassa. The village moved, after they build the kouris dam. From the old village is only the church left. And at the moment is it flooded. Just the bell tower and the roof (is floating on one end) is still above the water.

You can reach it when you take the Troodos exit in Limassol. Then follow the road. After the turn to the new Alassa village is a left turn to some archeological places. Take the turn and follow the road. You'll pass come container. After them left in the water ;)

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
20/03/2012 15:35

There is a canal running from the Asprokremmos Dam that winds through open country and terminates in the back of Yeroskipos. I know several people who applied for permission to start a kayak/canoe biz. - it would have been great and perfectly safe on this little canal - but they all got an emphatic 'No!' from Paphos Council and the Yeroskipos Water Board. Maybe, nowadays, non motor powered craft of all descriptions are allowed on some dams. It was chronic that they wouldn't allow these watersports on dams - but isn't Cyprus notorious for 'shooting itself in the foot' - North or South???!!!

HeAdLeSs


Joined: 15/11/2011
Posts: 12

Message Posted:
20/03/2012 21:10

I know for sure (cause saw it) that at the Kouris Dam is a Kayak club located. Near the Kouris dam is a small other dam (don't know the name) which has also a club with boat house and everything in the reservoir.

Well, will see.



Doesn't matter if north or south. Anywhere on the island

HeAdLeSs


Joined: 15/11/2011
Posts: 12

Message Posted:
27/03/2012 20:18

Hello Tenakoutou,



we've checked the dam is full and Foinikos is not flooded at all. Seems like we are not talking about the same village. Could you point it on the map, where exactly you've been diving this time?



We've also checked Evretou (located at the Evretou dam / south Cyprus) on sunday. Also an abandoned village which could be possibly flooded. But also here no chance. The water goes exactly until the first houses. :(

Maybe the houses which was unlucky to stay under water has been washed away 2004 already. :(

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
28/03/2012 11:25

I used to have a good friend, Leo, who was head of the Yeroskipos Water Board - he was always a mine of information. However, I've been living in TRNC for 7 years and even while still in Paphos I didn't latterly see Leo for several years - I'm sure he is almost certain to have retired now. However, you could ask for him by name at the water board and see what turns up. He always spoke excellent English and was friendly and helpful.



Finikas is probably not the sunken village - if I remember rightly, it is deserted and the ruins located at the head of the Asprokremmos Dam, close by the river.



We dived both sides of the dam, entering wherever was accessible to carry diving gear down to. I was told that the reason no watersports was allowed on tis dam is because two village women [Kojakaris], who were looking for wild asparagus, slipped and fell into the dam and both drowned. This, of course, may be or not be true - still, that was the authorities' excuse for banning any watersp