Part 1
One Friday in July 2018 I realised it was time to pack the rucksack and set off for Luton Airport, one that is new to me. Luton is in the English county of Bedfordshire, and the airport is about 40 miles northwest of London.
Saturday 14th July 2018
An early flight brought me and one of my travelling companions to Athens airport in Greece, after a three hour flight. Another friend soon arrived and an air-conditioned hire car collected. We were now on Greek time, which is two hours ahead of British Summer Time. We have been enjoying (or not) a long heat wave in much of the UK for many weeks now but the even higher temperatures outside the port of Pireaus were still a shock, at 38 C.
A drive around various viewpoints at Elefsina on Elefsis Bay and Drapetsona gave us some distant views of other ships at rest.
After driving to Elefsis to see what could be seen from there, we headed to Perama.
Our first ship of the trip was from the little port of Perama, sailing over to the island of Salamis on the passenger and car carrying ALEXANDROS K.
The views from the island hills above Salamis port were lovely, although we could see various familiar ships below us waiting for repair or a different future. Some had obviously not been given the chance, and just sank where they were.
Back in the port area of Salamis we drove on to the KONSTANTINOZ for our sail back to Perama on the mainland.
During this return trip to Perama I took a last photograph, showing some interesting things over on the Salamis Island side where we had been driving round earlier.
Agia Zoni II, see Note 2. below
Then it was time to drive back to Piraeus and head for our overnight hotel along the coast. Parking proved easy near the Skopios Sea Side Hotel and we were soon checked in and prepared to go out for dinner. The recommended Pharos restaurant meal was worth walking to, before heading back to our hotel. Tomorrow morning we plan to enjoy an early breakfast before heading into the Great Harbour for our 10 a.m. sailing.
Ships seen:
From the plane by my observant travelling companion: European Express, Vitsentzos Kornaros (Lane Sea Lines), Mykonos Palace, Ionian Sky,
At Elefsis: Penelope A, Mytilini, (Thomson) Majesty seen over the other side of the bay; Dion, Alexandra near us on the little beach at Elefsina
At Perama/Salamis: Okeanos 1 (see note 1. below), Anna Maru, Alkyon 1, Swift, Elli T, Lisa I (ex-Spathoek, ex Schleswig-Holstein) in Salamis, Kalli P, 2 x newbuild double-ended ferries, tug Christos XXXIII, Panagia Agiasou (retrieved from her grounding earlier this year), Aeolos Kenteris I, Aeolos Kenteris II, Agia Zoni II (see note 2. below)
Note 1.
Picture P1120934 shows on the left of the picture, in dry dock, the brand new, Greek built car ferry for Italian Railways (FS/Bluferries), the Okeanos 1, which is destined for use on the Straits of Messina when finally delivered.
Note 2.
Picture P1120934 also shows a listing ship to the left of the big red crane. This is Agia Zoni II, a small tanker which I'm told sank last September (2017) causing huge amounts of pollution. See:
http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2017/09/13/tanker-oil-spill-piraeus-athens/
https://medium.com/athenslivegr/a-small-tanker-a-huge-disaster-and-a-nationwide-issue-32f34f4098d0
Her recovery was quite interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er4t8sgn77s
At Drapetsona: Alkyon, Anemos, Aqua Solution, Zakynthos 1 (Kefalonian Lines)
Golden Moon, ex Rasa Sayang, ex De Grasse, ex Bergensfjord (built 1956), which sank near Perama on 17th August 1980
At Piraeus: Paros Jet, Phivos, Knossos Palace, Nissos Rodos (arriving), Blue Star 1 or 2, Andreas Kalvos (arriving), Champion Jet 1
To be continued....