Photos we took underwater and above

"...Stare. It is the way to educate your eye, and more. Stare, pry, listen, eavesdrop.
Die knowing something. You are not here long..."

Walker Evans

Marquette: This is the first of our major running projects. The British transport 'Marquette' was torpedoed by the German U 35, off Thermaikos Gulf, Greece in 1915. During the single expedition made to this date, we identified the wreck which rests at a depth of 87 meters and we conducted a general site survey. These are a few, first photos. View gallery...
The 'Marquette'. (National Maritime Museum) U 35. 'Marquette's Master, Captain John Bell Findlay. (Maritime Museum, Newport News) Käpitanleutnant Waldemar Kophamel. Accommodation front view. The picture demonstrates the ship's port list, and is typical of the wreck's condition with regards to marine growth and netting and fishing line caught on her. Accommodation front view close up. Scootering over the wreck. Boat deck starboard side looking forward. The diver is hovering above the funnel and ventilators. Side view of the bridge taken from outside the wreck. Note the starboard davits position. The forward davit of the foremost starboard boat is missing. Engine room skylights. Closer view of the funnel and ventilators. The ship's counter stern. Gaping breach left by the torpedo hit. Scootering past the crow's nest. It is covered in netting. Six meters deco stop. Used stages and scooters are dumped on the downline. Team pre-dive checks. The wreck is located 14 miles off the coast of Greece. Team shot. From right to left Kostas, Helen, Nikos, George, Nicholas.
Parana: This is our other major running project. The French passenger liner was sunk during WWI by UC 74 and lies at a depth of 80 meters off the coast of Evia. The gallery is being periodically updated. View gallery...
Historical & Research
Artist's impression of the wreck. The model will be further updated as information is gathered during future dives. At the roads, moored on buoys. (Marius Bar) Stern view, at the dock during her construction. The photograph was probably taken on her launching day. (Marius Bar) ‘Parana’ is being launched. Day is the 29th of February, 1908. (Marius Bar) ‘Parana’ on the water. She will be completed five months later and delivered to her Owners in August 1908. (Marius Bar) UC 74, conning tower. Kptlt Marschall is the one standing in the middle. (Torpedo Achtung! Los! W. Marschall) The ‘Parana’ underway. (Marius Bar) Postcard depicting the ‘Parana’ and dated 1910. Postcard sent, probably by one of the boarded troops. Date is 30 June 1917, less than two months before the ship was lost.
Diving
The starboard propeller dwarfs the diver behind her. The ship’s twin props. Note that the rudder blade is missing. The ship’s stern post area. Pieces of the rudder blade are still attached to some of the supports. Gun located at poop deck. The gun is on wheels and not on a mount. Windlass and winches. Starboard chain and anchor are in position, port side ones are missing. Top view of the foremost (No1) hold. Picture taken from the aft masthouse. The diver is entering the No3 cargo hold. Underdeck spaces. Engine room skylights. Nicholas surveying the damaged hull in way of No2 cargo hold. Steering wheel located at the bridge deck. Gap left from the collapsed funnel. The forward gun on its mount. It is located on forecastle deck, port side. Helen grabbing her camera and getting ready for the dive. (May 2008 expedition) Doing hang time at 6 mtrs. Above us a perfect, flat sea and sunshine, the ideal conditions. (May 2008 expedition) After the dive, back to Karystos harbor. (May 2008 expedition) Preparing for the next day’s dive at KDC. (May 2008 expedition) Aft mooring winches group located on poop deck. Aft part of the accommodation, looking forward. The funnel has collapsed forward of its position, on the accommodation’s starboard side. Despite being hard to recognize it, this is the emergency steering station on the poop deck. The twin wheels in the left side of the photo are barely identifiable. Scootering over the foremost (No1) hold. The starboard anchor, in position. Front view of the accommodation. Also visible, is the damage in way of the No2 hold, port side. On our way to the dive site. (October 2008 dives) Nikos clipping on his stages. A dive about to begin under perfect conditions. (October 2008 dives) Team shot. (October 2008 dives)
Unknown wreck off Kea (1): During April 2010 we started a fresh project at what we suspect is the wreck of the 'Theophile Gautier', sunk in 1941 by the British submarine HMS 'Talisman' between the islands of Kea and Evia. View gallery...
Unknown wreck off Kea | video
Helmstedt: The 1877 built steamer was wrecked off the Greek island of Evia and is now lying at 70 meters of water. The gallery is being periodically updated. View gallery…
The wreck's foredeck is in fair condition. Visible are the two hatches, the winches and between them the fore mast fallen to starboard. The collapsed bow is now lying on the bottom. Note the hull's v-shape as at this point the lines of the bow are forming. The port bower anchor. Photo taken inside the forward hold showing the ship's transverse framed structure. Bridge deck looking aft. The broken funnel and in the background the ship's davits are visible. The ship's aft port side still retains her three-dimensional shape. Hull failure - note the vertical crack and twisted plating - presumably caused during the sinking. Engine room. The low pressure cylinder. The wrecks' quarter deck as seen from bridge deck, looking aft. The propeller shaft tunnel is also visible right below the diver. Collapsed aft cross deck with winch. Also visible is the main mast which lies pointing aft. One of the ship's anchors - presumably a stream or kedge anchor - lying on the bottom, off the aft starboard side of the wreck. Closer view of the previous photo's anchor. Remains of the emergency steering wheel located on the aft deck. Searching for items that might contribute to the wreck's identification. The four blade propeller. The rudder blade and stock. The wreck is wrapped in fishing line which makes approaching her a tricky task. This time most of the diving was done in choppy seas. Kostas about to hit the water. Helen shooting stills.
Wrecks of Saronikos Gulf: In this section we will be presenting material regarding various modern wrecks in the area of Saronikos Gulf we have dived and researched over time. View gallery…
C/S 'Retriever'. The C&W ship was bombed and sunk during a German air raid off Piraeus, in 1941. Photomosaic showing a plan view of the wreck of C/S 'Retriever' lying in 52 meters of water. C/S 'Retriever'. View of her starboard side. C/S 'Retriever'. Photo of her aft hold. The aft deck of the 'Retriever'. The huge section missing from the ship is due to salvage operations after the war and not to the bombing. Cargo remains in the 'Retriever' foremost hold. The foredeck of the 'Retriever'. U-133, a VIIC boat mined off Aigina in 1942. Here pictured arriving at Salamis on 22 January 1942. (U-Boot Archiv) U-133 at Salamis navalbase. (U-Boot Archiv) The wreck of U-133 as she lies in 74 meters of water. The 8.8cm gun on U-133's foredeck as is covered by netting. U-133 lies on the bottom with a port list. Photo of her starboard side, looking aft. Scootering over the stern deck of U-133. The diver is examining the sail of U-133. Visible are the open hatch, the UZO stand and the DF aerial casing. U-133's bow has been cut from the explosion and lies in a 90deg angle to the left of the boat's stern. Unknown wreck lying off the island of Aigina. Superstructures are in a pretty bad shape, mostly collapsed. Unknown wreck lying off the island of Aigina. Broken aft mast. Unknown wreck lying off the island of Aigina. Diver scootering over the bow.
Various: Here you will find a gallery with photos from various wrecks we have dived over time. The gallery is being periodically updated. View gallery…
The 4.7in gun muzzle of HMS 'Perseus', a British sub mined off Cephalonia in 1941. The stern of 'Artemis Pitta' a Greek cargo steamer taken over by the Germans. She was hit by a torpedo and sunk during an airstrike at Milos, 1943. 'Artemis Pitta'. Propeller and rudder blade. Cargo inside the holds of 'Artemis Pitta'. Inside the 'Artemis Pitta'. View of the port boiler, aft side. 'Artemis Pitta'. Detail from the previous photo. Tools are still in position on the port bulkhead. 'Sifnos', a Greek steamer sunk at Milos by the Luftwaffe in 1941. Here pictured with her ex name 'Labor'. The spare propeller and cargo remains inside the aft hold of 'Sifnos'. Thanos closely examining the wheelhouse area on 'Sifnos'. 'Sifnos' funnel wrapped in netting. The forward deck of 'Sifnos'. Milos Dive Project 2007. Diving the 'Artemis Pitta' and 'Sifnos'.