Articles

Kea island eyes future as mecca for divers

Byron E. RiginosAsideLeave a comment

After the invitation by the Mayor of Kea on 30th March 2016 a high ranking Greek Government Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Mr. Terence Quick visited Kea island. Among other discussions, the government has pledged to back an ambitious scheme by local authorities on the island of Kea to build a state-of-the-art diving exhibition center, which will familiarize visitors with its underwater shipwrecks and other treasures.

“The island of Kea could become an internationally renowned diving center with its museum-shipwrecks under the surface of the sea,” said the deputy minister to the prime minister, Terence Quick, Thursday.

Britannic echo picture

Read the full article here: www.ekathimerini.com/207516/article/ekathimerini/news/kea-island-eyes-future-as-mecca-for-divers which was also reposted in the prestigious GREECE IS magazine: www.greece-is.com/news/kea-island-eyes-future-mecca-divers/

Note: both ekathimerini.com and greeceis.com  are Media Sponsors to our event 😉

In addition, while at it we recommend to read another article titled:

Wreck Diving in Greece: Top 10 Wrecks you Should Dive

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Announcements · Event 100 Years

History Returns to Kea on SKAI TV!

Byron E. RiginosAsideLeave a comment

Today, Tuesday 29th March 2016, the Hon. Mayor of Kea Yannis Evangelou, the President of the Friends of Kea Society Byron E. Riginos and the Head of Marketing of our event, Yiannis Tzavelakos, presented the event in a broadcast of SKAI TV whith Pnahellenic coverage.

Although the text is in Greek, check the link here:

https://sfkeas.wordpress.com/2016/03/29/history-returns-to-kea/

And see the program here:

 

#‎100yearskeashipwrecks‬

Articles · Event 100 Years

History Returns to Kea-Tzia

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In the issue of 20/3/16 KATHIMERINI’s Sunday magazine “KAPPA”, an 8 page article about our event was published! 😎. We thank our contributing photographers Helen Tsopouropoulou and Derk Remmers for their magnificent images.

Αν χάσατε το αφιέρωμα της ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗΣ 20/3/16 στο περιοδικό ΚΑΠΠΑ, Mε τίτλο ‘Η ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΕΠΙΣΤΡΕΦΕΙ ΣΤΗ ΤΖΙΑ’ ανοίξτε τις φώτο του άλμπουμ ή επισκεφτείτε την ιστοσελίδα της ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗΣ: www.kathimerini.gr/853830/gallery/epikairothta/ellada/h-istoria-epistrefei-sthn-tzia

• Επίσης την Τρίτη 29/3/2016 κατά τις 11:30 στην εκπομπή της Άννας Μπουσδούκου “ΤΩΡΑ” στο ΣΚΑΙ TV, ο Δήμαρχος Κέας Γιάννης Ευαγγέλου, ο Πρόεδρος του ΣΦΚ Βύρων Ρηγινός και ο Υπεύθυνος Marketing της διοργάνωσης Γιάννης Τζαβελάκος, θα παρουσιάσουν την εκδήλωση για τα “100 Χρόνια Ναυάγια της Κέας”. Μη τη χάσετε!
‪#‎100yearskeashipwrecks‬

Announcements · Event 100 Years

Sponsoring Campaign is ready!

Byron E. RiginosAsideLeave a comment

We are pleased to share the presentation aimed to attract sponsors for our event 🙂

Just few shots in preview, see the entire presentation by clicking here for the English version:  100years_english_new-2 and here for the latest Greek version:  100years_Sponsorships-GR

Screenshot 2016-06-02 09.19.10

Screenshot 2016-03-17 09.29.27
An example of graphics creativity
Screenshot 2016-03-17 09.37.34
We are indeed happy and pleased to have such great logos as the event’s Media Sponsors! Photo by Derk Remmers.

 

Screenshot 2016-06-02 09.21.51
Proud to present our updated Speakers list!

 

In case of interest to discuss sponsoring options, please get in touch with us via e-mail at: info@sfkeas.gr

 

Announcements · Event 100 Years

Our Event Trailer is released!

Byron E. RiginosAsideLeave a comment

We are glad to publish the first video trailer we have prepared for promoting our three day commemorative event in Kea Island, Cyclades, Greece during the weekend  of Friday 30th September to  Sunday 2nd October 2016, celebrating the “100 Years from the Sinking’s of S/S BURDIGALA & HMHS BRITANNIC”.

Make sure to watch it in full screen…and please tell us if you like it.

We thank the TripArt Team for their creativity and Dimitri Galon for the U/W footage from the S/S Burdigala 🙂

Articles

Presentation of “Mystery of the Last Olympian”

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We are reposting from the u-boat.com.mt  and likewise we cannot wait to get in our hands Richie’s new book which we have already pre-ordered 😉
December 10, 2015.

Within the DEMA Show 2015 in Orlando, FL, Richie Kohler, a world-known technical diver-explorer and a good friend of ours, presented his book “Mystery of the Last Olympian”. The crew of U Boat Navigator has assisted Richie during the final stage of his exploration so that everyone could enjoy reading his book about Britannic very soon – in February 2016.

“The book details the mysterious sinking Titanic’s sister ship Britannic. Most people know the story of Titanic, but do not know she had two sisters, the Olympic and the Britannic. Britannic was the largest ship sunk during World War one and for almost 100 years there were many questions that couldn’t be answered about her mysterious sinking, until now”.

Britannic-6278

Richie and his team joined our expedition in summer 2015, on board of the U Boat Navigator research vessel, to once again submerge to the wreck of Britannic. Richie has been diving to Britannic’s wreck for many years, and this time with our support he performed a unique dive, collecting precious materials that now allowed him to finally finish his book. Everyone did their best to have this book completed by year 2016 – to commemorate a 100-year-anniversary since Britannic and many other ships [as Burdigla], that served during WWI went to rest.

American team of technical divers “Explorers Club” submerged to the wreck of the legendary hospital ship under the supervision of U-Boat team in Triton 3300/3 submersible constantly lighting their path by its beams, cameras and ROV. Having the ability to use our vessel’s diving bell made it a much more pleasant experience as their decompression stops became significantly more comfortable.
Our team on the other hand, had a great time working with the highly trained group of divers devoted to what they do.

Britannic-6318

It was also remarkable to find people who are as inspired by this ship and her story as we are and who’s goals and interests meet ours in so many ways.

We are already looking forward to our further mutual projects with Richie and Explores Club. And, of course, we can’t wait to get ahold of a copy of “Mystery of the Last Olympian”. This book, written by Richie Kohler and Charlie Hudson will be out in February 2016.

This post is also available in: Russian

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Selection of videos about the two lost ships in Kea
Films

Selection of videos about the two lost ships in Kea

Byron E. RiginosAside2 Comments

https://vimeo.com/206388150As few appetizers, we would like to offer in our first post a small selection of videos about the two great lost ships in Kea waters nearly 100 years ago!

Starting with the lovely trailer of the film Dark Waters under preparation by our friends from the U-Boat Malta Org.

Trailer of the Mystery of Britannic

While at it its nice to listen to the HMHS Britannic’s owner and friend Simon Mills talking about the importance of this notable shipwreck!

Two more videos involving Simon and Evangelos Papatanasiou from the Hellenic Center of Marine Research supported mission of 2008:

And a blast from the past, a short film from the 2006 expedition on the HMHS BRITANNIC 👍

Plus the IANTD Benelux expeditions to Britannic in 2012.

How about a real treat? The film by Jacques-Yves Cousteau & the Calypso team regarding the discovery of HMHS Britannic back in 1975 🙂

For our Greek viewers, here is an interview by Byron Riginos with Peter Nicolaides aboard the R/V Cdt. Fourcault from the ill fated 2009 National Geographic Expedition to the HMHS BRITANNIC.  Peter Nicolaides had taken part in the discovery expedition of the Britannic in 1975 by Jaques-Yves Cousteau. This video is in Greek language. It is highly recommended to read more about this mission here: http://www.richiekohler.com/project-files/national-geographic-britannic-expedition/. In memory for his friend and mentor Carl Spencer who tragically died while exploring Britannic on this expedition.

Last but not least, couple of videos from the discovery of S/S Burdigala in 2009 by a team of amateur [but daring] divers from the KeaDive.gr expeditions.

This one is from the 2012 expedition [with opening titles in German]. From point 9.25 you can see clearly the heavy trawler net which covers a large part of the vessel’s aft section. During the Sept 16th 2016 Event we plan to lift this net which endangers divers and traps many fish from their natural habitat, leading to their unnecessary death.

Plus, a pictorial selection o the great ship S/S Burdigala (ex. S/S Kaiser Friedrich).

Finally, our event’s short video trailer 🙂