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Tourist memo

In this section, we would like to tell you about some of the nuances associated with recreation on the island of Kefalonia (Cephalonia). Both the people and nature, as well as the entire atmosphere that prevails on the island are very friendly, however, it is better to be aware of the little things that can sometimes ruin your holiday.

The climate on Kefalonia (Cephalonia) is quite mild, although in summer it gets very hot. We recommend you at least 2-3 days after arrival to use protective cream with a maximum filter and not to sunbathe for hours. Otherwise, you may get burned and instead of enjoying the local benefits will suffer from discomfort.

Do not forget a hat protecting from direct sunlight, and of course the water (not icy one!), which is recommended to be consumed in sufficient quantities, when the temperature is unusually high.

Do not go overdo with air conditioning - newcomers often have to deal with hypothermia after a night of sleep with a cooking device operating under full power!

Our favorite season on Kefalonia (Cephalonia) is May. The temperature is about 22-25 degrees Celsius, everything is luxuriantly blooming and fragrant, and the water warms up to the air temperature. However, during this period there may be rain and thunderstorms. There are only a few tourists, the island seems wildly, but we are just happy about it!

To be protected from pesky mosquitoes, we use a grid with stickers, which is mounted on the balcony door - quite easy, convenient, and cheap.

In July, it rains rarely and the temperature is around 25-30 degrees.

The next two months - July and August – are for heat fans.

Temperature may reach 40 degrees! Mosquitoes do not obviously withstand such a hell and you can safely sleep at night with the windows open.

September and October, as usual, are the Indian summer with all the advantages of this season, a little cool evenings, and wonderful warm days.

Each season on Kefalonia (Cephalonia) is in its own wonderful, revealing the beauty of the island in its entirety and charm. In short, we advise you to try visiting the island in different seasons or come here for the whole summer to thoroughly soak the sweet spirit of Kefalonia!

  • Sea urchin
  • Jelly fish
  • Sea weever
  • Sea weever
  • Sea weever
  • In an hour after sea weever injection
  • In č days after sea weever injection


When you are going on holiday, stock up on rubber slippers with thick soles - they are comfortable to go into the water with the rocky bottom. They will also protect you from the needles of sea urchins. A thorn prick is very painful, although the discomfort passes away fairly quickly, if you are not allergic to this stimulus.

Sea urchins are usually crammed on the rocks under the water, but sometimes they are obviously brought to the shore. I happened to step on it on a sandy beach, where it was hiding in the soft sand. In such a case, you should know that the needles have to be removed very carefully, as they easily break off, leaving sharp points beneath the skin. Then, the wound should be treated with antiseptic, because the needle is usually covered with mucus containing bacteria. You can see your doctor for a more thorough inspection.
 
We have very bad memories after a meeting with the other sea inhabitant - the jellyfish. It was a very warm May, the water warmed up to 25 degrees. I was swimming on my back near the shore, when I felt my hair curled around my hand. I decided so first. Trying to shake it off, I discovered that it was not my hair, but a thin, long, transparent tentacle actually stuck to me.

After coming out of the water, I immediately wiped the slimy sand strips and took a shower, which was nearby. (Do not do this!)

However, it appeared that part of the threads of jellyfish was still on my skin. Then I carefully scraped them with sand, and then went home. Unfortunately, at that time I was not an expert in the first aid after the meeting with the sea "hooligans", so I made ​​a few mistakes. The sand is also not recommended to be used, it would be appropriate to gently remove the remnants of the tentacles with a towel.

While I was at home rubbing sore place with vinegar, my husband went to the pharmacy and brought me Celestoderm-V ointment, which the local pharmacist advised to use. An hour later, my hand was covered with marks of quite unsightly appearance, similar to scars. The wounds were tingling like after a burn. During the day, I repeated the procedure with vinegar and applied cream on the scars. Soon the pain subsided, after a few days the scars disappeared. However, my husband was less fortunate. Three days before these events, he was diving for a few meters and spent quite a long time under water. He did not notice when he was stung by a jellyfish trying to get something from the bottom of the sea. As a result all his body jellyfish tentacles.He didn’t pay attention to them thinking those were just minor scratches. However, during the night he caught  on a severe fever, blisters covered most of his body. The wounds healed after a month.

I suppose that we encountered sea nettle Chrysaora hysoscella.

Perhaps it should be added that such a jellyfish on Kefalonia is obviously a rarity, as during 10 years of our visiting the island we encountered these animals so close for the first time. Here are a few tips on how to properly assist after the bite of a jellyfish:
- Get quickly out of the water and carefully clear the skin from the remnants of the jellyfish stinging cells.
To do this, use a towel, a napkin, a blunt side of a knife, or some plastics, but do not touch the injured area with bare hands!
- Wash the affected area with salt water, vinegar. They neutralize the poison. Do not use plain water, it activates the undefeated stinging cells.
- Take an antihistamine.
- If the pain is severe, you can use painkillers.
- The procedure with the vinegar should be repeated with the increasing pain. The pain subsides, when bags of ice or cold water are applied to the wound.
- After neutralizing, you need to treat inflammation and relieve itching. The above mentioned cream is quite good.
- Jellyfish poison affects people very individually. Therefore, depending on the feelings decide for yourself whether you want to see a doctor. By the way, in public institutions the first medical aid is free.
A few words on the Ionian sea: it is so warm, clean, and beautiful, that you are ready to bask in it forever! The water is quite salty, so it is very easy to keep yourself on the surface. However, try not to sail too far from the shore, as there are strong currents around the island. At many beaches, the bottom is almost immediately deep by the shore. In such places, it is better not to go into the water when there is wind and waves. If this is not a wild beach, the lifeguards hang the appropriate weather flag: red - swimming is prohibited, yellow - caution, green - the sea is calm.
We strongly recommend that you follow these instructions.
 

Weeverfish (of Trachinidae family) – a bottom fish with elongated, up to 45 cm body. This is one of the most venomous fish in the region. It can be found in sandy or muddy bays and gulfs. This creature is an extremely brisk, writes at the bottom winding paths, and then dugs into the sand so that only head with bulging eyes peeps out. Poisonous glands are located at the base of the gill covers and the first spine fin of an intense black colour. When irritated, the fish spreads gill covers and lifts and turns the poisonous fin preventing and discouraging the enemy. It was just such a pose that was taken by a small, about 8 cm weeverfish when our curious Brain Bender dived for it get a better look. The fish darted toward the diver and terrible pain shot through the neck in a second. Thank God, it all happened 30-40 meters from the shore, at a depth of 2 meters. When the “victim” got out of the water, the bite, in size and shape, reminded a large “chicken egg” with a black spot at the end. Right before our eyes, the swelling sprawled on the neck, shoulder and chest causing severe pain and neck numbness. All these unpleasant symptoms were accompanied by palpitation and severe headache, which made it difficult not only to talk, but also to think. We immediately went to the hospital in Argostoli. However, riding on the highway, we stopped at the pharmacy where the pharmacist, determining that for poisonous fish we caught, gave a cream called betafuzin and sent us to the nearest medical centre. Our Brain Bender was immediately hoisted on the bed and got a dose of antihistamine solution through infusion. 

We were advised to go home and apply something hot (about 45 degrees C) to the bite area. We followed the advice, however, the condition continued to deteriorate. Given the extremely dangerous bite (neck), we decided to go to the hospital in Argostli. After a careful examination and questioning, the Brain Bender was placed in a ward, where he spent several hours getting huge doses of antihistamines and analgesics. In 5-6 hours, the condition improved slightly and the headache began to pass away. We have prescribed antibiotics for 5 days and allowed to leave the hospital. Since then, more than a month has passed, but the bite is still slightly swollen and hard and neck movements are also limited. 

Cautioning you against such incidents, we risk reminding the advice to always wear special bathing slippers on the coast while divers and fishermen are advised to be extremely careful. In no case take the sea dragon in hands, neither living nor dead. 

If you do not manage to protect yourself against small dragon, we sincerely suggest going immediately to the nearest clinic or hospital. Without such opportunities and being far away from similar institutions, you can benefit from the advice that we have received from the pharmacist and the physician: 
- Take an antihistamine 
- Lubricate the bite with betafuzinom 
- Within about an hour, put something hot on the bite or dip the bitten part of the body in hot water 
- See a doctor 
- If the bite after a day is hot, seek immediate medical because there is danger of inflammation. 

Some sources say that immediately after the bite the wound shall be treated with syringe to squirt a few drops of 5% solution of potassium permanganate to destroy the poison. This should ease the pain and prevent inflammation. 
A few words on the Ionian Sea: it is so warm, clean and beautiful that you`re ready to bask in it forever! The water is quite salty, so can stay on the surface quite easily. However, try not to sail from the coast too far – there is a strong current around the island. The bottom in many beaches is almost immediately deep at the shore. In such places, it is better not to go into the water during wind and wavy sea conditions. If this is not a wild beach, the lifeguards hoist an appropriate weather flag: red - swimming is forbidden, yellow - caution, green - the sea is calm. We strongly recommend that you follow these instructions. 
 
Given my own experience, as well as the opinion of respected experts, we ask you for your own benefit to adhere to a simple but effective principle in a contact with the underwater world and the world of plants and animals - "do not disturb!"

We sincerely hope and wish that you will lucky to avoid the company of urchins and jellyfish in the Ionian sea and will enjoy fully the pleasures of the picturesque and enchanting Kefalonia or other Ionian islands!