Summer races II; Lavrio-Patroclos-Lavrio

The race from Lavrio around Cape Sounion to Patroclus and back to Lavrio, a distance of approximately 20 nm, took place on Saturday June 26, 2016.  The annual offshore race was organized by the Nautical Club of Lavrion. 

Patroklos (Greek: Πατροκλος) is an islet approximately 3 nautical miles from Cape Sounion.  Although the islet got its name in antiquity, it is not known why it was called Patroklos.  Similarly, the nature of the friendship between Achilles, the bravest of the Greeks, and Patroclus is also not known.  Patroclus and Achilles grew up together.  Patroclus acted as a male role model for Achilles, as he was both older and wiser acting as his counsel.  Some authors in the classical period and in modern times have suggested that their relation was homosexual.  Others believe that their strong bond was what is commonly observed among comrades during wartime.  Because the friendship between Achilles and Patroclus features prominently in the Iliad I would like to clarify for those not familiar with the Greek  language the words εταιρος and φιλος Homer is using to describe the friendship between Achilles and Patroclus point towards a strong, bond commonly encountered among brothers-in-arms.  

Homer's epic poem Iliad is the most famous narrative of Achilles' deeds in the Trojan War.  Achilles' wrath is the central theme of the poem. The Homeric epic begins with Achilles' withdrawal from the battle after Agamemnon dishonors him. Agamemnon has abducted the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo, and refuses to return her to Achilles.  Agamemnon refusal enrages Apollo who sends the plague amongst the Greeks.  
Achilles' most notable feat during the Trojan War was the slaying of the Trojan hero Hector, following the killing of Achilles’s friend Patroclus.

Triumphant Achilles dragging Hector's lifeless body in front of the Gates of Troy from a fresco in the main hall of Achilleion. 

It was on a sunny day with strong northerly 25 knots winds gusting to 35 knots.  It is noteworthy that one of the boats got dismasted in the upwind leg of the course.  Okyrhoe, our boat was first at the finish line, on elapsed and corrected times (results).  The movie was recorded and produced by our friend Alexander Syrris who sailed with us on that day and played a dual role that of the cinematographer and also a crewmember who offered incalculable assistance during critical moments of the race. 

Odyssey and our Epic Journey

It is impossible to know the locations Ulysses and his fellow sailors visited in their legendary trip from Troy to Ithaca.  As many ancient authors I believe, that the hero of the Odyssey was driven west from Cape Maleas in Peloponnese and, more than nine years later, returned from the west to his native Ionian islands: his landfalls are therefore to be found in the western Mediterranean.  The locations listed above in are those in the opinion of V. Berard in his work “Dans le Sillage d’ Ulysse”. 

Our journey and landfalls were also in the western Mediterranean.    We started in Blanes a small town in Costa Brava and headed east towards Corsica and then via the Strait of Bonifacio to the Tyrrhenian Sea.  We then headed south along the west coast of Italy to the Aeolian Islands and Sicily.  After we departed the charming Salina we crossed the Strait of Messina, where the feared Skyla and Charybdis resided to the Ionian Sea and towards the islands on the west coast of Greece.  We then sailed along the Corinthian Gulf and after we crossed Corinth’s canal we entered the Saronic Gulf and reached Athens.  We continued south to Cape Sounion and after rounded it we sailed north to the Bay of Porto Rafti nearby to which one can find the magnificent Templeof Artemis in Vravrona.  It was in its little bay the Achaean Fleet was becalmed and waited for favorable winds on their way to Troy.