The peace of nature in the Northern Sporades is unique. Sit on a rock by the sea and listen to the sounds of nature: the gentle passing of the wind through the branches of the oleander and sycamore, the passing hum of an insect, the rustling of a lizard, sounds that mingle with the monotonous lapping of the waves above on pebbles and rocks. As on land, where, despite the many transitional areas, the various habitats remain distinct, this transitional area between land and sea is also divided into zones. The highest area of the coast, the so-called white zone, is battered by storms and strong winds. Especially in autumn and winter when storms are frequent, the water licks and “eats” the surface of the coast. The sea rises to the rocks and the salt that runs out there gives them their white color. Next is the so-called gray zone, which is regularly wetted by sea water and is therefore covered with a thin layer of algae. This is followed by the black belt. Here the rocks, under the influence of the cyano-algae that decompose the limestone, become grooved with folds and pointed projections. Rocky shores and sea caves Rocky shores are home to a rich underwater world. Along the rugged coasts of the Northern Sporades, the seabed is for the most part rocky, either primarily, when it consists of rocks, or secondarily, when it has been formed from the calcareous deposits of organisms such as bryozoans, sea tubes and corals. The life forms are almost the same in both types of seabed, while the distribution of species varies according to the intensity of light and undersea currents The first species to settle permanently on the seabed are algae and other marine plants. A multitude of organisms follow, including bryozoans, cnidzoa, sea tubes, barnacles, and various crustaceans. The sea urchin (Arbacia lixula) lives on rocks and feeds by shredding plant food with its five teeth, which act like the head of a drill. Too many sea urchins in one place is often an indicator of pollution, as sea urchins adapt easily to dirty water. Starfish move slowly over the rocks in their own peculiar way and feed on molluscs they encounter on their way.
Marine pollution and how to reduce it
▪ Every year 500 billion plastic bottles are used on the planet. Of these, 4.8-12.7 million tons of plastic end up in the sea every year.
▪ 150,000-500,000 tons of plastic end up in the seas of the countries of the European Union, an amount corresponding to the load of 66,000 garbage trucks.
▪ Only 1% of water pollutants float, the rest sinks to the bottom.
▪ More than 100,000 marine mammals die from plastics every year.
▪ Each plastic bottle takes 450 years to decompose in the aquatic environment.
At Aqualife our main concern is the protection of the environment and the seas. This is how we have introduced to the Greek market coolers for filling reusable bottles.
The Greek Islands are a coveted holiday destination, not only for the exotic climate and endless sunny summer days, colorful culture and modern holiday facilities, but also for the countless sandy beaches that line the islands’ shores. Of course, on islands like Kos, you will find a wide variety of water sports centers that excite water activities and revitalize sports that turn fun in the water into an exciting experience!
On every beach of the island you can find the sport or activity you want. Kos is the paradise of sea sports and activities. If you belong to those who like adventure and water sports, then on every beach of the island you can find the sport or activity you want: surf, kite, water bikes, boats, water parks for children, beach volleyball courts and anything one can desire around the sea can be found easily and everywhere in Kos, like nowhere else. Sports and games at sea for everyone, for children and adults, for those who like intense activity and the most risky sports, for those who wish to enjoy the
The Mediterranean is an unprotected sea
Only 0.03% of the Mediterranean is fully protected, through institutionalized marine parks in which an effective management plan has been designed and implemented. New research by WWF’s Marine Mediterranean Initiative indicates the huge protection deficit in the marine and coastal environment of the Mediterranean, despite the commitments made in recent years by the Mediterranean countries.
“The Mediterranean, although only 0.8% of the world’s seas by volume, is home to an impressive number of species and is considered one of the 25 most important areas of concentration of biodiversity worldwide. However, its marine wealth is literally on the verge of collapse, due to a series of suffocating and long-term anthropogenic pressures, such as unsustainable fishing practices, plastic and chemical pollution and the climate crisis, which threaten the future of the Mediterranean marine ecosystem with degradation “, says the WWF report, which was made public today.
As pointed out, 15 of the 20 Mediterranean countries are far from the target set by the Barcelona Convention, of creating protected areas in 10% of their waters by 2020. In contrast, most of the percentage of marine parks in the Mediterranean ( 9.68%) corresponds to the parks of France and Spain, with a very small contribution from Greece, Albania, Croatia and Malta (the marine parks of Italy, Slovenia, Turkey and Egypt are very limited in area). Moreover, the marine parks that have been established are patchy and not part of an ecologically representative and well-connected network of protected areas.