Ports and hot springs
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Lo que dice el Arxiduc:
“The Lipari Islands did not have a port, strictly speaking, and the only good place to moor a boat is at Pignataru on Lipari, which, however, is completely exposed to the southeast. On the other islands, you can only put down anchor; on Vulcano, depending on the winds, you can use one harbour or another; on Salina, in the part of the channel close to Santa Marina, and only leeward in all other places, and at a considerable depth.
The Lipari Islands are home to many hot springs. The largest of these is San Calongero, on the west side of Lipari. It gushes forth 400 litres of water per hour in a little rocky valley filled with rough drops. Convinced of the curative powers of the water, the town built some nice baths at the spring. According to chemical analyses, the spring contains aluminium sulphate, potassium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, magnesium, calcium chloride, sodium, potassium and organic matter. The temperature inside the spring can reach 57°C. The water is especially effective at treating scabies, scaly herpes, rheumatoid arthritis and tertiary syphilis.”
Archduke Ludwig Salvator, Islas Lípari, 1895, Translation: Association of Friends of the Archduke, 2008.
Datos proyecto Nixe III:
Pignataro Port continues to be the best place to dock on Lipari Island. Now there’s a dyke there protecting boats from the southeast winds. Marina Lunga is also near Pignataro though totally exposed to the south-easterly winds. Nevertheless, in summer a large number of boats dock there. Marina Curta is also protected against the winds by a jetty, but there is only room for small boats and those shuttling tourists between islands.
There is no port, as such, on Vulcano; there’s simply a dock for passenger ships in the small Porto di Levante Bay.
There is a modern and safe port on Salina Island in the town of Santa Marina. There’s also a fairly well-protected dock in Renella and a very small port in Malfa.
There are also small docks on Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi and Alicudi islands to unload passengers, but most people generally rent one of the many buoys offshore to moor their ships.
In terms of thermal springs, we were able to visit the spa at San Calogero. The building is today abandoned. There is a part just behind the main building which dates back to the Roman Empire, though it is fenced in and the gate is locked.
With respect to the Archduke’s drawing, relatively few changes can be seen in the building structure today. By contrast, in his portrayal, the landscape was completely barren. Today, however, the vegetation is very abundant and includes capers, Spanish broom, mastic shrubs and other diverse bushes and trees.
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