Gavdos - The end of Europe
Photos by Dimitris Galanakis & Georgia Galanoy.
Gavdos is the southest point of Europe. It’s located 24 nautical miles south of Crete. It has about fifty permanent residents. Families with children are forced to leave the island when they must go to high school. Most of them never return.
During winter the island is connected with Crete three times a week. Nevertheless the ship doesn’t come due to the weather. Therefore the island is left stranded for several weeks, sometimes months.
People, especially older, live in very hard conditions, in abandoned villages. Mrs. Androniki, at her old age, lives on her own in a house owned by the university of Crete away from the rest of the community. Once a week the doctor pays her a visit. George lives in Kastri, the biggest village of Gavdos witch has about 15 residents, with his three children. He’s working hard as a farmer, beekeeper and with agriculture. Nuredin left Morocco four years ago. In the summertime he’s working in a tavern and during winter with construction or whatever else he can find. He’s one of the few younger people of the island and he’s keeping contact with his family and friends through the internet.
In Ambelos about sixty people used to live there thirty years ago. Now it’s only an old couple. All the other houses of the village are now in ruins.
Nikos lives alone in a house just outside Kastri. He’s now about eighty years old, with serious health problems. He has to cook everyday and take care of himself. On the walls of all houses you will find pictures of people who no longer live here.
There are no motives to return. The landscape of Gavdos at one part full of cadres and pines and the rest completely deserted accompanies the lives of these people who still carry on living here despite the circumstances.
