Likki beach (Cape Likki) in Karpathos island is best known for the shipwreck, which is situated directly next to it. This place is known also as Papa Sakelli beach or Παπά Σακέλλη Παραλία in Greek.
In this area there are some small rocky beaches, which can be find near to the airport of Karpathos island, about 2 kilometers away from Makris Gialos beach (Chicken bay) in east direction. This area is totally abandoned and secluded, where just a few dirt roads leads through. The natural enviroment of Likki beach (Papa Sakelli, Παπά Σακέλλη Παραλία) is barren and characterized by sharp cliffs, where the seabed is shallow and filled with rocks.
The roads which lead here are closed due to the airport nearby (Karpathos airport is also a Military Airport) but do not be sad. The winds always blow here and the waves of the are also significant, so it’s not the perfect place for swim or snorkel.
Shipwreck of Karpathos island
Cape Likki is the place where the famous shipwreck of Karpathos island is located. At night in November 16, 1982 the merchant ship ‘GEMAR I’ ran aground and has sunk near the rocky coastline. Gemar I was built in Turkey in 1981, with a length of 57,6 meters, and it was on route to Italy when the accident happened, fortunately the cargo space was empty. There was an attempt to bring it back to the sea, but the ship was too heavy and got stuck on the rocks, and became famous as the shipwreck of Karpathos island, Greece.
The shipwreck in Karpathos is in ruined condition today, because the weather and the sea completely consumed it slowly. The ship fell into two parts first, eroded by the sea and the winds, and now you can see there only a few rusty pieces of irons.
The shipwreck (shipwreck – nαυάγιο) can’t be accessed these days even on a dirt road, because this place, including Cape Likki belongs to the airport and it is under military control. If somebody would like to visit Likki beach or ‘Gemar I’ shipwreck by boat, it’s very important information that be very careful: the sea is very shallow here and filled with dangerous rocks for boats.
The shipwreck in Karpathos is known as also as Afiartis shipwreck, because this is the nearest settlement in the area.
